Photo By Capt. Hector Rene Membreno-Canales | U.S. Army Reserve Spc. Christal Buckley, a native of San Antonio, Texas and culinary...... read more read more
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas – While a warm meal in the field can boost morale in even the most austere environments, much of the hard work is done quietly, unseen and behind closed doors. U.S. Army Reserve culinary specialists assigned to the 4th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) are awake to prep the day’s meals before the first formation and continue to clean kitchen equipment long after the last formation during the 4th ESC’s Command Post Exercise-Functional, July 8-21 at Joint Base San Antonio.
“We’re pretty much busy the whole time prepping,” said U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Marella Guillory, a San Antonio native and non-commissioned officer in charge of food service for the 4th ESC Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
The logistical demands of feeding between 100-150 Soldiers during the 4th ESC’s CPX-F extend beyond meal prep and cooking. There are feeding plans, memorandums, transportation, and last but not least, proper ice storage.
“The only break my cooks take is when the rest of the troops are eating,” said Guillory proudly. “Poor time management can result in late meals, which can negatively affect unit morale.”
The U.S. Army Reserve cooks assigned to the 4th ESC don’t take this responsibility lightly.
“This is my passion,” said U.S. Army Reserve Spc. Ross Romero, a native of Long View and culinary specialist assigned to 4th ESC headquarters company. “I love cooking.”
Ross, who was classically trained in culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas, has worked as an executive chef and brings his experience of baking pastries from scratch, cooking roasts, preparing sauces from beef stock, and making demi-glace, to the Soldiers of the 4th ESC.
“It helps to know the terminology,” said Ross. “But, if there’s a shortage, knowing what ingredients can be substituted keeps the integrity of a meal.”
Preparing meals in large portions during annual training and field exercises ensures that cooks in the U.S. Army Reserve maintain their equipment and skills.
“These types of exercises help us prepare for potential deployments,” explained Guillory. “It’s better to learn how to cover a water buffalo with camo net during an exercise, than when it's 120 degrees in Iraq.”
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2018 18:38 |
| Story ID: | 284988 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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