Feeding the Force

Photo By Staff Sgt. Connie Jones | Spc. Gregory Randle, a culinary specialist with Headquarters Company, 106th Support Battalion, Mississippi Army National Guard, washes a large pot June 12, 2016, during the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team's Multi-echelon Integrated Brigade Training (MiBT) exercises at Fort Hood, Texas. (Mississippi National Guard photo by Sgt. Connie Jones, 102d Public Affairs Detachment/Released)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

06.13.2016

Story by Sgt. Connie Jones 

102d Public Affairs Detachment

FORT HOOD, Texas—

Soldiers miles away from home miss their loved ones. They miss their personal effects, pets, even video games. But nothing fills the void like a hot meal.

Culinary specialists of Headquarters Company, 106th Support Battalion, Mississippi Army National Guard, take care of Soldiers with 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team in one of the best ways possible: by providing them with freshly prepared food.

The responsibilities of a food service Soldier begin early in the morning and don’t end until late at night, said Sgt. 1st Class LaTasha Williams, the culinary manager with Company D, 106th Support Battalion.

“Our days start as early as 2 in the morning to prepare breakfast for the Soldiers. After chow, we break it down and begin preparing for dinner. It’s an all day process,” she said.

The supervisor’s responsibilities go beyond cooking the food.

“The main job of a supervisor is to manage the kitchen,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly L. Pannell, Headquarters Company Senior Cook. “The food has to be prepared properly and the food must be maintained at the proper temperatures so that the Soldiers don’t get sick. Also, we have to accommodate for allergies.”

In addition to keeping the correct temperatures, being able to manage time well and being aware of how many Soldiers have to be fed is also a large part of the tasty puzzle.

“We have to be good at time management in this field. We have to get the food ready to go for the Soldiers in a timely manner. Accountability is important so that we order and prepare enough food for the Soldiers we serve,” said Williams.

Even with the long days and major tasks, putting a smile on the faces of troops makes it all worthwhile.

“I appreciate that Soldiers come to me and say, ‘I really enjoyed it.’ If there is something that we can do to make their day better and we have it, we’ll do it.”

• Date Taken: 06.13.2016
• Date Posted: 06.14.2016 09:25
• Story ID: 200957
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US