A deployed DFAC

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Senior Airman Katrina Westendorf, 386th Expeditionary Services Squadron food services specialist, ensures proper accountability of servicemembers utilizing facility Nov. 2 here. Airman Westendorf is deployed from Whiteman AFB., Mo. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder)

Deployed desert dining is delightful at the DFAC

Published Nov. 3, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder
386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Fifty gallons of tomato sauce, 150 pounds of uncooked pasta and 200 pounds of ground beef.

Sounds like a lot, right? Not really; these are just the ingredients used to make enough spaghetti to feed an entire base.

Besides the Airman sitting behind the table taking signatures at the dining facility entrance, there is a lot more entailed into running a DFAC. The Airmen assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Services Squadron ensure military members are fed and nourished.

On any given day, the dining facility feeds approximately 4,500 meals to servicemembers from all branches. An average of $500,000 is spent monthly on food, drinks and supplies needed to keep the DFAC running.

"Our host nation purchases about 85 percent of the food we consume," said Master Sgt. Albert Maronie, 386 ESVS superintendent of food services. "Every month, around the 20th, I provide them with an estimate for the upcoming month of how much food we will need. We base this amount on daily headcounts."

Food quality assurance is the main priority of DFAC Airmen. The food is tested periodically throughout the day to ensure that the food is safe for consumption. Third country nationals serve and cook the food because it allows the services Airman to concentrate on other aspects of their jobs.

"The TCNs are a force multiplier here," said Sergeant Maronie. "If it wasn't for the TCNs we'd have to double the amount of services Airmen here to compensate to cook and serve the food. This would mean that we'd have to pull away from our stateside manpower which would affect the mission back at our home stations. The services career field is very small; there are only about 4,300 personnel worldwide."

Besides the daily meals served here, the DFAC also offers a monthly birthday meal for Airmen. Also, every week a surf and turf meal is offered which consists of a seafood item and steak. The DFAC also has specialty bars, which range from potato bars to a Mexican bar.

The most popular meals at the DFAC are the surf and turf meal and the Mongolian BBQ which consists of 1,000 servings.

"I love the Mongolian barbecue here at the DFAC!" said Airman Ryan Yeckering, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs. "I wish they would have it more than once a month."

While deployed dining may be a lot different than most people are used to, according to dining facility management service members are really pleased with the DFAC here has to offer.

"I remember the first time I walked into the DFAC," said Tech. Sgt. John Fastinger, 386 ESVS dining facility manager. "I couldn't believe how large and how clean it looked. I love working here. The Airmen on base also seem to be happy with what we are doing here.