Flight kitchen serves up mission-ready Airmen Published Jan. 16, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor 386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 386th Expeditionary Services Squadron put another notch on their customer service belt Jan. 14 during a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Desert Breeze flight kitchen which serves up more than 400 meals daily to the Airmen who maintain and protect the C-130 Hercules and transient aircraft as well as those who manage the flight operations. The flight kitchen was originally designed to function with ready-made food only, but due to limited seating, the existing tents became overcrowded during meals, causing accidents, collisions and spills. "In a combined effort to fix this continuing issue the 386th ESVS and the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron partnered to provide hot meals by erecting a TEMPER tent on-site and the host nation graciously supplied a new kitchen facility and the refrigerator storage equipment," said 1st Lt. Joseph Harris, 386th ESVS deputy commander. Notable changes to the Desert Breeze include a new dining area, office space, bathroom facilities, storage space and a site for the supplied refrigeration and freezer equipment. The upgrades allow the staff to provide better overall service to the war fighter, a larger meal selection, improve morale due it's proximity to the flightline, and maintain a positive impact on flying operations. "It's been a long time coming," said Col. Robert Swisher, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "Airmen have told me how impressed they are with the service they receive at the dining facility and I couldn't agree more."