When Airmen at Eielson lace up for a workout, stop by the dining facility for a hot meal or seek guidance with career management, a dedicated team is already at work behind the scenes making it all possible.
The 354th Force Support Squadron delivers essential manpower and personnel services while managing programs that enhance morale, improve quality of life and strengthen readiness, family support, education and training across the Eielson community.
“We like to say that our mission is the people,” said Capt. Garrett Garceau, 354th FSS sustainment services flight commander. “We make sure that they are fit to fight, that they are fed, that their dependents are taken care of and that there are fun things to do. We take care of the people to the best of our ability.”
The squadron operates and manages recreational activities including the fitness center, bowling center, library, outdoor recreation, event centers, skills centers and more. These facilities give Airmen and their families ways to stay active, build connections, unwind outside work and support morale and well-being, especially during the winter.
As part of the 354th FSS, the dining facility is an important part of daily operations on base. Airmen who work in the dining facility focus on providing quality meals and creating a dining experience that keeps Airmen and visiting service members coming back.
“We’re not only feeding the Airmen, we’re feeding our temporary duty location service members, our deployers, RED FLAG-Alaska participants and ourselves,” said Staff Sgt. Nyree Jennings, 354th FSS food service supervisor. “A lot of us care about the food we’re putting out and we not only try our best to listen to our customers but serve things people are really into.”
By introducing popular options and listening to customer feedback, Airmen in food services continually work to improve the dining experience across the installation.
For the 354th Fighter Wing, the 354th FSS is about more than meals and facilities, it’s about supporting Airmen and strengthening the installation community, no matter the conditions.
“Services is everything,” said Jennings. “We’re feeding people. We're making sure they're getting out and doing stuff. We're throwing events, but at the end of the day, we put our heart and soul into this as much as we can.”