To fill out DA Form 5913, the Strength and Feeder Report, enter your unit and the receiving field kitchen in the header, count personnel present for duty by service component in Block 5, add any supported units and meals sold for cash, total the figures, use the Remarks block for remote feeding sites and meal codes, and have the commander, food service officer, or first sergeant sign to certify the numbers. The form drives how many rations the supporting class I point sends forward, so the count on the page needs to match the people on the ground.
Get the Current Blank Form
Download DA Form 5913 from the Army Publishing Directorate at armypubs.army.mil rather than reusing a saved copy, because outdated editions can cause processing issues. A sample hosted by Joint Base Lewis-McChord shows the current layout and block numbering.1U.S. Army. DA Form 5913 Strength and Feeder Report
Block-by-Block Instructions
The form has eleven numbered blocks. The sequence below follows AR 30-21, which governs the Army Field Feeding System.2DTIC. AR 30-21 The Army Field Feeding System
Blocks 1 Through 4: Header
Block 1 takes the official designation of the preparing unit. Block 2 is the “To” line: enter the supporting field kitchen or Theater Installation Supply Activity (TISA) that will receive the report. Block 3 is the date the form is prepared, in YYYYMMDD format. Block 4 lists the date or dates the personnel data applies to; a single form can cover up to three consecutive days.2DTIC. AR 30-21 The Army Field Feeding System
Block 5: Personnel Present for Duty by Component
This is the core of the form. The preprinted lines are U.S. Army (Active), U.S. Air Force (Active), U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, ARNG, and USAR.1U.S. Army. DA Form 5913 Strength and Feeder Report On each applicable line, enter the number of personnel from that component who are assigned or under operational control and participating in the field operation for each day. Count officers, enlisted soldiers, and civilians who meet the requirements of AR 37-106 and AR 600-38 for field duty status. Personnel hospitalized in medical units are counted too. Leave unused component lines blank. If a component that is not preprinted has personnel present, write it in on a blank line.2DTIC. AR 30-21 The Army Field Feeding System
Block 6: Total Column
When the report covers more than one day, compute the total for each service component line across the reporting period and enter it here.
Block 7: Supported Units
List any subordinate or attached units your field kitchen is feeding alongside your own personnel. The JBLM sample labels this section “Supported Units.”1U.S. Army. DA Form 5913 Strength and Feeder Report
Block 8: Meals Sold for Cash
Leave this block blank at the unit level. When the field kitchen consolidates data for reporting up the supply chain, it enters the total meals sold for cash for each reporting day. If no meals were sold for cash, the line stays blank.2DTIC. AR 30-21 The Army Field Feeding System Civilians, contractors, and other personnel who purchase meals rather than receiving government-provided subsistence get captured here.1U.S. Army. DA Form 5913 Strength and Feeder Report
Block 9: Grand Total
Add all personnel from Block 5 and any meals sold for cash from Block 8. This figure is what drives the ration request up the class I chain.
Block 10: Remarks
Use Remarks for the operational detail that does not fit the numbered fields. For each remote feeding site, enter the headcount in parentheses followed by the meal abbreviation. “(125)–D” means 125 people at a remote site needing dinner. Anyone not listed under a remote site is assumed to eat at the field kitchen. Enter the meal type using B for breakfast, L for lunch, and D for dinner, and note the ration type if it differs from the standard operation menu sequence.2DTIC. AR 30-21 The Army Field Feeding System
Medical units treat this block a little differently. Report assigned and attached hospital staff in the main body of the form, then enter actual inpatient census in Remarks for information only, listing total patients by meal by day. Inpatient numbers do not need to be broken out by service component.
Block 11: Signature
The unit commander, food service officer, or first sergeant from the requesting unit signs, enters rank, and dates the form.2DTIC. AR 30-21 The Army Field Feeding System The signature certifies the figures represent actual present-for-duty strength for the period covered. Digital signatures are acceptable when the unit operates in an environment that supports them.
Where to Send It and By When
The completed form goes to the supporting field kitchen or class I supply point. Under ATP 4-41, submit the form no later than three days after arriving at the field site. In many operations the form is submitted only once, establishing the unit’s feeding requirement even though present-for-duty strength may fluctuate during the deployment. Command may direct daily submissions or submissions covering up to three days at a time depending on the operation’s length and complexity.3DTIC. ATP 4-41 Army Field Feeding and Class I Operations
Why Accuracy on the Signature Line Matters
Because Block 11 certifies the accuracy of the headcount, knowingly entering false numbers turns a routine form into a potential UCMJ offense. Article 107 covers anyone subject to military law who signs a false official document or makes a false official statement with intent to deceive.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 907 Art 107 False Official Statements False Swearing The statute sets no fixed cap; punishment is whatever a court-martial directs, ranging from forfeiture of pay and reduction in grade to confinement depending on the circumstances.
A statement qualifies as “official” under Article 107 when it is made in the line of duty or bears a clear relationship to the speaker’s military duties.5United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Core Criminal Law Subjects Crimes Article 107 False Official Statements A signed DA Form 5913 with inflated or deflated headcounts, whether to secure extra rations or mask shortfalls, fits that definition. Unintentional errors are not criminal, but they still trigger administrative reviews and corrective action, so verify the count against unit rosters before you sign.