Food service Marines keep plates full

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Dengrier Baez | Lance Cpl. Carlos Alexander, a food service specialist at the mess hall with Food Service Company, Combat Logistic Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistic Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, cooks a batch of scrambled eggs on an M1959 Field Range during a scheduled power outage on Camp Kinser Nov. 7.  

11.07.2009

Story by Lance Cpl. Dengrier Baez 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

More than 200 Marines from various units on Camp Kinser were fed by Marines from Food Service Company, Combat Logistic Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistic Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, using field mess equipment during a scheduled power outage at Camp Kinser Nov. 7.

Food services are separated into two parts: field mess Marines, who make sure gear is ready for deployment and food service personnel at mess halls, whose main mission is to cook meals for mess hall patrons.

Mess hall and field mess personnel worked together to feed Marines during the outage.
The Marines have done this twice in the past: once during a scheduled power outage and once during an unscheduled outage that lasted through the night.

Food service Marines need to be fast and adaptable in the field or in an event like the power outage, said Cpl. Michael J. Redd, a field mess non-commissioned officer with Food Service Co.

Field mess equipment is kept in a warehouse where it is inventoried once a month and checked for serviceability, said Lance Cpl. Raul Ventura, a field mess food service specialist with CLR-37.

"Because we keep track of the gear, it's easier for us to just get it set up and ready to use. The gear just needs transport," said Ventura.

"This is a good training opportunity for the field mess and the chow hall Marines because both get a chance to deal with the equipment," said Redd.

"This equipment can be dangerous if you don't know how to operate it and [use] the right safety precautions," Redd said.

"No matter if you are in the chow hall carrying a hot pot of water or out here in the field carrying a hot burner, you have to communicate that to the other Marines around you," said Ventura. "Safety is very important for us here."

Power went out as scheduled, but the field mess gear was already set up, giving the food service Marines the chance to start utilizing the equipment.

"It's pretty easy to use the gear once it's up and going. As a matter of fact, it is way faster cooking on it," said Lance Cpl. Carlos Alexander, a food service specialist at the mess hall with Food Service Co.

"The best part of field mess is that two Marines could operate this system," Alexander said.

"Our motivation is to look out for the Marines," Ventura said. "If we could give up some of our time to provide good service at the end, it's well worth it."

Food specialists from both parts of the field kept the food coming as Marines filled their plates.

"We appreciated that the chow hall is open even if there is a power outage, because we would have to eat at another base or waste money on fast food," said Lance Cpl. Reyes Leon, a mechanic with Motor Transport Maintenance Co., 3rd Maintenance Bn., CLR-35, 3rd MLG, III MEF.

• Date Taken: 11.07.2009
• Date Posted: 11.23.2009 18:42
• Story ID: 41934