Changes in store for the next Army Reserve Component Food Service Workshop aim to better achieve the objectives of operations training by introducing discussion about field feeding equipment along with education in traditional duties.

Different from previous workshops, this year other Department of Defense agencies that support the total army Food Service Program are invited to participate: the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP); U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineerng Center (NSRDEC), Natick, Mass; and Software Engineering Center Lee, Fort Lee, Va. (SEC-LEE). All provide information and classes on operational rations, future and improved field feeding equipment and a Reserve component version of the Army's Food Management System.

One of 16 instructional classes on operational rations.

This expands on a test last year of incentives added that were aimed at opening the workshop up to vendors who already have a contact and a working relationship with the government to display their merchandise.

“We've almost doubled our attendance,” said Rickey Frazier, ACES RC, food advisor, referring to the addition this year of DSCP and Natick to bring in their vendors.

With changes made in the past year, the groundwork is in place that promises to make 2010 a year military food service transistions into becoming more consolidated and better coordinated among the branches.

LTC Sanabria, CMDR Dailey, LTC Barnes

Isker Award: Jesse Burns, Richard Boyd, Dr. Howard Zhang, Peter Sherman (not in picture)

Presentations made by each branch at the Research and Development Associates for Military Food and Packaging (R&DA) fall 2009 meeting, Nov. 1-3 in Atlanta, Ga., focused on steps taken to improve food service and progress anticipated as plans are implemented.

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. William Easter, a member of the 60th Force Support Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., barbecues chicken during a base picnic June 12, 2009. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Nan Wylie)

• Poultry Takes Flight

The business of selecting poultry items for military food service from an ever-increasing array of choices is big business.

Subsistence Prime Vendor (SPV) sales for the poultry category were $315.29 million in fiscal 2008 and represented 9.22 percent of food purchases made through the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP). Poultry ranks third in sales behind meat ($538 million, 15.73 percent of sales) and beverages ($513.4 million, 15 percent of sales).

Poultry's popularity in military food service comes as no surprise. Chicken and turkey are an indelible part of the American diet. But poultry is also versatile, and is an essential ingredient in Chinese, Creole, Filipino and Jamaican dishes that satisfy desires and expand menus with cuisine ranging from familiar comfort foods to the exotic.

Poultry's versatility, especially chicken, further expands menu possibilties by allowing for preparation in the oven or on the stovetop as well asin the fryer or on the grill. Meanwhile, added-value poultry items are gaining popularity in the military by contributing the convenience of shorter preparation time.

“Wreaths Across America” As part of the nationwide effort called “Wreaths Across America,” Perdue's company truckers delivered wreaths to veterans' cemetaries for the third straight year. Wreaths Across America Delaware Coordinator Sally Kubicki receives wreaths from Perdue Transportation Inc. drivers (left to right) Bryan Ward, Mike Griffin and PTI Manager Larry Johnston at Delaware Veterans Cemetery on Monday, Dec. 1. Bryan Ward and Mike Griffin, who are both Perdue Transportation Inc. (PTI) drivers and military veterans, transported more than 6,000 wreaths on a 1,000-mile journey to 10 cemetaries in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. The wreaths were placed at the grave markers at the cemetary on Dec. 12 as part of the nationwide wreath-laying effort.	“Fort Hood Community Strong” Event More than 80,000 troops, military family members and community members came to Hood Stadium on Dec. 11 for the “Fort Hood Community Strong” event, which, in the wake of the Nov. 5 shooting spree, was envisioned as a day of healing, but also a “day of fun and entertainment”, United States Organizations (USO) President and CEO Sloan Gibson was quoted as saying. At the Dec. 11 “Fort Hood Community Strong” event, Fort Hood Commander Lt. Gen. Robert Cone gets a kiss from “Lamp Chop,” who is accompanied by Mallory Lewis. (U.S. Arny Photograph by Michael Heckman. The USO organized the event along with Fort Hood Fmily and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Civilian sponsors included Tyson Foods and Otis Spunkmeyer.
DLA Directory Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson ate lunch with Alabama National Guard soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. on Nov. 13 DLA Director Visits Soldiers in Iraq As part of a weeklong tour of Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) activities in the Middle East, DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson visited Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, on Nov. 13 and ate lunch with some Alabama National Guard soldiers and 2025th Transportation Company, out of Jacksonville, Ala., which is assigned to 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. Thompson spoke to the soldiers about their mission. Four soldiers from the unit, including its senior non-commisioned officer, work for DLA as civilians at Defense Distribution Depot Anniston.   Thompson visits Iraq a couple of times a year to inspect the work DLA is doing and thank the DLA team members.
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