Dropdown not sticking when navigating back

Not sure what I am doing wrong but the info that I select does not stick anymore when I navigate to another page and then go back.

This is code that works. It's for a a regular attendee:

 <div class="linegroup">
                                                <label class="notrequired" id="dietaryNeed_g1">Meal Preferences</label>
                                                <select name="dietaryNeedValue_g1" id="dietaryNeedValue_g1" class="lbl-col-right" onclick="mealPrefs();" >                              
                                                    <optgroup label="Please Select Your Meal Preferences" >  
                                                        <%--<%=cache.getValueListHTML("ALL_MEALCODE", addSelect, d)%>--%>
                                                        <option value=""></option>
                                                        <option value="DAIRY" <%if(formFields.getDisplayValue("dietaryConsiderationsOther_g1").equalsIgnoreCase("Dairy-Free")){ %> selected <%}%> >Dairy Free</option>
                                                        <option value="FOODALLE" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "FOODALLE")%> >Food Allergy</option>
                                                        <option value="KOSHER" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "KOSHER")%>>Kosher</option>
                                                        <option value="HALAL" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "HALAL")%>>Halal</option>
                                                        <option value="VEGAN" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "VEGAN")%>>Vegan</option>
                                                        <option value="VEGTRIAN" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "VEGTRIAN")%>>Vegetarian</option>
                                                        <option value="GLUTFREE" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "GLUTFREE")%>>Gluten-Free</option>
                                                        <option value="OTHER" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g1", "OTHER")%>>Other</option> 
                                                    </optgroup>
                                                </select>

                                            </div>

This is the code for a guest. For some reason this drop down disappears whenever I go to the next page and then navigate back.

<div class="linegroup">
                        <label class="required" id="dietaryNeed_g<%=i%>">Meal Preferences</label>
                        <select name="dietaryNeedValue_g<%=i%>" id="dietaryNeedValue_g<%=i%>" data-parsley-trigger="focusout" class="firstselect lbl-col-right"  onchange="mealPrefs();" novalidate >
                            <optgroup label="Please Select Your Meal Preferences" >  
                                <%--<%=cache.getValueListHTML("ALL_MEALCODE", addSelect, d)%>--%>
                                <option value=""></option>
                                <option value="DAIRY" <%if(formFields.getDisplayValue("dietaryConsiderationsOther_g"+ i).equalsIgnoreCase("Dairy-Free")){ %> selected <%}%> >Dairy Free</option>
                                <option value="FOODALLE" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "FOODALLE")%> >Food Allergy</option>
                                <option value="KOSHER" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "KOSHER")%>>Kosher</option>
                                <option value="HALAL" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "HALAL")%>>Halal</option>
                                <option value="VEGAN" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "VEGAN")%>>Vegan</option>
                                <option value="VEGTRIAN" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "VEGTRIAN")%>>Vegetarian</option>
                                <option value="GLUTFREE" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "GLUTFREE")%>>Gluten-Free</option>
                                <option value="OTHER" <%=formFields.getSelectValue("dietaryNeedValue_g" + i, "OTHER")%>>Other</option> 
                            </optgroup>                                         
                        </select>
                    </div>

Any ideas on how to make the Guest dropdown stick?