GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan - A small team of U.S. Army cooks from Task Force Roughneck, Task Force Sword, defeated a “threat to the force” at Combat Outpost Arian in Eastern Afghanistan.
By establishing sanitation standards and stabilizing dinning facility operations, these soldiers prevented further sickness, improved quality of food, and raised morale for the combat soldiers stationed here.
“This is the most important mission we’ve ever done,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Reczek with the Forward Support Company, TF Roughneck, food service supervisor from Dallas. “Before we got here, the facility was run by non-English speaking coalition soldiers. There was a lack of understanding how to deal with the U.S. Army chain of command, logistics, sanitation standards and food storage. We worked our way in as subject matter experts and were able to upgrade the dining facility to sustain the troops.”
The team of food service specialists started their deployment as drivers and gunners on combat logistics patrols hauling cargo and supplies throughout the northern provinces of Afghanistan. They all agreed it was a shock, when they got their tasking and were immediately sent to COP Arian.
“From gunner to cook, I had no idea I would be cooking,” said U.S. Army Spc. Jose Martinez an FSC food service specialist from Terrell, Texas. “If it needed to be done, it needed to be done. The soldiers we’re serving and feeding are happy. I feel like I’m needed here. I get good comments, so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.”
Delays in food and supply deliveries were common occurrences because of the COP’s remote location, the enemy threat and dangerous winter conditions. Planning and managing food stock was a daily challenge.
“My job is to manage and distribute food for the dining facility and for soldiers going out on patrol,” said U.S. Army Spc. Chance Tall, a food service specialist with FSC, from Euless, Texas. “Before us, when food was low, there was a tendency to hoard and steal food. But, we’ve fixed all that. There’s been a huge change in morale. Here, everything we do is critical for the welfare and health of soldiers.”
The U.S. Army food service training and Reczek’s years of food service experience prepared his soldiers for success in the challenging environment. Reczek said like any training, a cook’s skill is perishable and must be maintained to be effective.
“My men and I are satisfied we made a difference,” said Reczek. “The threats of sanitation issues are gone. The soldiers’ productivity is up and people have energy. It goes to show what good food can do to a situation.”
| Date Taken: | 01.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2012 05:30 |
| Story ID: | 84333 |
| Location: | AF |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | EULESS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | TERRELL, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 562 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, US Army, cooks to the rescue at COP Arian, by SFC Glenn Sierra, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
