Nebraska Guard NCO, Onawa native, manages flight kitchen for Southwest Asia unit

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Tech. Sgt. Rusty Zortman, facility manager for "Roy's" flight kitchen of the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron, loads bread into a bin at his facility during operations at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia on Jan. 31. Zortman and his staff run a facility next to the flightline operations area of responsibility and daily work to feed hundreds of maintenance and operations Airmen. He is deployed from the Nebraska Air National Guard's 155th Air Refueling Wing at Lincoln and his hometown is Onawa, Iowa.  

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02.05.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- If you work near the flightline in "Ops Town" where 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen take care of aircraft maintenance and refueling, flightline operations and more, then there's a chance you've sat down to eat at Tech. Sgt. Rusty Zortman's flight kitchen.

Zortman is the facility manager for Roy's Flight Kitchen and a member of the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. Every day, hundreds of deployed service members and civilians eat at Roy's. As Zortman said, he likes to think of it as the "diner of Ops Town."

"As the facility Manager at Roy's, I help produce healthy meals to all personnel off the flightline," said Zortman, who is deployed from the Nebraska Air National Guard's 155th Air Refueling Wing at Lincoln. "The facility and it staff prepares and provides more than 90 different options of food and meals every day."

The 12 year Air Force veteran said without the flight kitchen, the workers of the flightline might not have as many options open to them for meals.

"The flight kitchen is very important in that we provide healthy hot meals to all individual Airmen and provide all of the 'to go' meals to all the flight crews," said Zortman, whose hometown is Onawa, Iowa. "Without us, morale and health would likely be an issue because meals ready to eat, or MREs, would be the only option."

In addition to managing the flight kitchen, the technical sergeant also personally leads a karaoke night for all deployed personnel. He said the effort doesn't always show the next promising music star, but it does help the morale of personnel as they take time out to relax and sing along to their favorite songs.

"I've seen personally how the services of music and karaoke have brought a great morale booster to the base," Zortman said. "It helps them forget about being away from home."

Through all his years of serving, either on active duty or through the Air National Guard, Zortman said it's important for everyone to remember the important job deployed service members are doing every day.

"I believe that everyone should support the troops and their families," Zortman said. "Today's military members are trained to be the best at what they do, but it still is hard to be away when we are called to action and our families are left behind. For those who do look after military members and their families, we appreciate all the support."

Zortman also said he is proud to serve in the military and to be able to deploy when there is a need.

"I love being able to serve our great nation," Zortman said. "I have volunteered for deployment opportunities for over half my career. It's what you do when you wear this uniform. The Air Force has treated me well and provided me with great chances to make something of myself."

The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing supports Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa and Operation Enduring Freedom.

• Date Taken: 02.05.2010
• Date Posted: 02.05.2010 00:29
• Story ID: 44946
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)