Sustaining sustenance: dining facility doubles staff, triples service during RF-A 15-3

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kyle Johnson
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  During RED FLAG-Alaska, Airmen from all over the world flock to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, many with cramped legs and empty bellies after spending more time at 30,000 feet in the air than most would find comfortable.

While here, these visitors gain valuable experience supporting the Air Force and its partners in obtaining superiority in air, space, and cyberspace.

To help fulfill this mission, these Airmen must fuel themselves with a quality diet, which they obtain via the 354th Force Support Squadron's Two Seasons Dining Facility.

"During normal operations, we serve 400 meals a day," said Tech. Sgt. Shawn McCahon, the 354th FSS assistant dining hall manager. "During RED FLAG, we serve 1,100 to 1,400 meals a day."

Service members from any branch of service are placed on temporary duty orders to augment the DFAC staff and assist with the increased workload for the duration of the exercise.

"In the first 20 minutes of this RED FLAG, we served 125 people," McCahon said.

In order to meet the increased demand, the newly-fortified uniformed staff cooks and prepares meals nearly 24 hours a day.

There is only an approximately three-hour window per day when someone is not preparing something to feed the RF-A masses. Even then, some meals will infringe on that window, McCahon said.

"It's not bad; we just have more people to feed and longer hours," said Airman 1st Class Alexis Merin, a 354th FSS food services journeyman. "Even though you're tired and you don't want to cook anymore, hearing your food was great feels really good."

While the service members in the back are cooking up burgers and vegetables, the contractors who work at the facility year-round provide support in front of the kitchen.

"If we didn't have them, we wouldn't have the staff to serve the food or keep up with the dishes," McCahon said.

Civilian personnel also help in the back and serve as mentors for many of the Airmen who work at the facility.

"The contractors are really helpful," said Merin. "If I don't know what to do, I'll ask them, because they've been in the kitchen way longer than me."

By mirroring the same level of teamwork pilots practice during RF-A missions, service members at the Two Seasons Dining Facility ensure the mission at Eielson is fueled to the max so exercise participants enjoy an unparalleled training experience.