The headline about airforce guys admitting that Army cooks are best is written tongue in cheek. All military cooks have their stresses, yet they all produce wonderful meals with minimal products ot equipment.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Kandahar, Afghanistan — “An army marches on its stomach,” said Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Canadian Forces are no different. Our soldiers, sailors and Air Force members certainly appreciate the culinary delights served up by Food Services but, unless you have been on general duty (GD) at the kitchen, you probably have no idea how much effort will go into your next meal.As an Air Force logistics officer who specializes in food services, it took me a while to find out that the life of a cook serving with the Army is very different from the lives of cooks in Navy or Air Force units. Their knowledge and skills are similar, but Army cooks endure hardships unknown to those who have never faced the realities of food service in the field.
After three years with the Navy and six years with the Air Force, I am finally experiencing that difference for myself. This last year of pre-deployment training and service in Afghanistan has made me a committed fan of the cooks who feed the Army.
Service before self
Putting service before self, these fine men and women endure harsh working conditions even when they’re not deployed; in garrison, frequent field exercises maintain constant pressure on their physical and mental endurance. They work long hours, beginning at 3:30 a.m. to get breakfast ready. After they serve the last diners of the day at 7:00 p.m., their work continues with cleanup duties and then prep for the next day. Work finally winds up around 10:00 p.m.
In Afghanistan, the cooks of Food Services Platoon of the National Support Element (NSE) repeat this rigorous routine every day for about eight months. As well as the Canadians at Kandahar Airfield, the 24 cooks of the NSE support the troops of Task Force Kandahar – some 3,500 Canadians and 500 Americans distributed across the districts of Panjwayi, Dand and Daman. This customer base translates into more than 32,000 meals per week.
Every day, I marvel at the capabilities, skills and fortitude of the dedicated members of Food Services Platoon. The greatest tribute we can give them is recognition and appreciation of their endeavours.
Capt Elizabeth Dubé is the Food Services Officer deployed with the National Support Element on Roto 10 of Operation ATHENA.
Article and photos by Capt Elizabeth Dubé, JTF-Afghanistan Roto 10 well done the cooks, Please show your support for all our troops and their families. www.invisiblearmycanada.ca Nil Sine Labore Robby
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Ghoulman, do the math the way you want. It's the work they do, for real, for 8 months. The best thing is, they are making wounderfull meal. I know that for fact because I eat it often. Even better, they are happy doing it because it make us real good.