Food operations keep things cooking at GF '04

At Grecian Firebolt 2004, it takes a lot of teamwork to get the job done. From running cables to maintaining networks and vehicles, all these jobs are critical to mission success. One of the most important jobs is keeping Soldiers fed, and for the cooks at the 311th Theater Signal Command, putting food on the table is all in a day's work.

"Our shift usually starts around 4 a.m. and ends late in the evening, because cooking is an ongoing process," said SSG Kathy Glover, food operations sergeant for the 311th TSC. "You start out with breakfast, and while one shift is serving breakfast, the other is preparing for lunch. Then while one shift is serving lunch, the other is preparing dinner, and so on, until the last shift, which prepares for the next day," said Glover.

To keep ahead of the game, Army cooks use a system of organizational charts and recipes designed to meet the challenge of feeding hundreds of Soldiers through the day. "First of all, there's a lot of planning involved and there's a lot of food preparation needed," said Glover. "Plus the Army also provides us with the recipes, so everything turns out properly. When I go to the commissary to get supplies, I already have memorized all the ingredients I'll need."

This precision is essential when cooking for a lot of hungry people, and is in an entirely different league than home cooking. "Cooking for 100 people requires much more time, especially more preparation time," said Glover. "For instance, at home I can bake one chicken, and that will feed my family. Here, I have to bake 25 chickens to feed everyone."

But the recipes and charts would be useless without the Soldiers who get the job done. "It requires time, energy and enthusiasm," said Glover. "You have to be motivated to work in the kitchen. There's no half-stepping, because it's a hectic job." Working these long hours at a quick time pace requires a strong team. Glover's GF team includes Soldiers from the 311th TSC and the U.S. Army Reserve 820th Signal Company from Arkansas and Texas. With soldiers from around the country pitching in to feed the exercise participants, Glover's team has come together and accomplished the mission. "My cooks have been around for a long time, and they know what needs to be done," said Glover. "If somebody falls behind on one item, there's always somebody there to help them and make sure the job gets done."

As Glover described, for Army cooks, getting the job done is fundamental to the well-being and performance of every soldier in the Army. "Foodservice provides good troop morale, and it's all worthwhile when you have a Soldier who says, 'Thank you; I really enjoyed that meal,'" said Glover. "It makes all the difference in the world, especially for those Soldiers out there fighting for our country."

ACRONYM QUICKSCAN

TSC--Theater Signal Command

SPC Turner serves with the Army Reserve 5115th Theater Support Unit Public Affairs Office at Fort Meade, Md. During this year's Grecian Firebolt, he provided quality photographic and print coverage of activities at the Fort Meade site.

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