New DFAC for 16th CAB soldiers brings pride to unit

Photo By Sgt. Adrianna Barnes | Soldiers are served lunch on Soul Food Friday at the newly opened 16th Combat Aviation Brigade dining facility Oct. 12, 2012.  

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, UNITED STATES

10.15.2012

Story by Sgt. Adrianna Barnes 

16th Combat Aviation Brigade

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Soldiers from each of 16th Combat Aviation Brigade’s battalions worked together to open their own dining facility on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Aug. 1, 2012.

Commonly, all the brigades on base operate their own DFACs to support feeding their brigade’s troops. In early summer, soldiers from the 16th CAB began the planning stages to open a DFAC within the brigade’s area of operation. Once a location was approved and secured, a transition began transfer operations from 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division to 46th Aviation Support Battalion.

The transition was complete within two weeks. The first week was spent observing and training to take over the responsibilities of running the dining facility and the second week 16th CAB implemented its own standards and operating procedures.

“The DFAC runs like a company, in that it has various functions working together to make the DFAC successful,” said Sgt 1st Class Denny Joseph, 46th ASB dining facility manager.

On staff, the DFAC has administrative, food, and ration specialists. Each play a vital role in ensuring the dining facility runs smoothly and the needs of its customers are met.

“Without each other and all the pieces coming together, the DFAC doesn’t work,” Joseph said.

The cooking staff is comprised of 45 food specialists that come from each of 16th CAB’s battalions with 46th ASB overseeing the entire mission. The DFAC can accommodate 300 soldiers at any given meal.

“Even though we come from separate battalions, when we are here we know we have one mission, and that is to feed soldiers,” Joseph said.

The team preparing meals for the soldiers of 16th CAB often start their mornings before the sun even rises. At 5 a.m., food specialists are in their kitchen turning on burners and setting up for the day’s first meal and continue working well after most soldiers are home. While the DFAC is no longer open to soldiers after 6:30 p.m., the crew preparing the meals is still in the kitchen cleaning and getting ready to do it all over again the next day.

“We take a lot of pride in what we do here, and we care about what we put out, and we care about what our customers think,” Joseph said.

Customer satisfaction is key for 16th CAB food service providers; so much so that they have comment cards available and take their customers opinions and recommendations into consideration when preparing the menu. Due to feedback the DFAC crew has received they now provide vegetarian meals, surf and turf, soul food, Mongolian grill and sandwich and pasta bars.

“I like the customer service aspect of my job because most of the time you get to make people feel better,” said Spc. Rickie Muse, 1-229th Aviation Reconnaissance Squadron food specialist.
Muse, who is originally from Virginia, enjoys cooking the same soul food she grew up eating as a child for her battle buddies.

• Date Taken: 10.15.2012
• Date Posted: 10.15.2012 17:12
• Story ID: 96202
• Location: JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US