Photo By Staff Sgt. Jon Soles | Spc. Tyler Francis, a food service specialist and native of Salisbury, Md., assigned...... read more read more
ATLANTIC OCEAN - When a ship leaves port and sets sail for the open ocean, the crew leaves behind the opportunity to stop at a drive-through restaurant or a grocery store for food, but they still need to eat, and that’s where a small team of food service specialists come in.
Recently the Soldiers onboard the Army Logistical Support Vessel 8 (LSV-8), Maj. Gen. Robert Smalls found themselves in that very situation when the ship left port in New Jersey for a one-week logistical movement mission transporting vehicles for the 50th Independent Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard, from New Jersey to Massachusetts.
The mission was in direct support of the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) exercise Nationwide Move 15. Nationwide Move 15 is an annual Army Reserve approved functional training exercise designed to provide Reserve Component transportation units with valuable, realistic training, by conducting real-world operations in support of Continental United States (CONUS) activities.
Three cooks from the 203rd Transportation Detachment, 359th Transportation Battalion, 310th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), were responsible for providing three meals a day to the ship’s crew.
In order to ensure they were able to complete their mission, they began preparing long before the ship sailed. They spent weeks, planning, purchasing and stocking the ship's food for the mission.
"The most challenging thing is making sure we order enough rations to last for the entire trip and enough to be able to oblige the Soldiers with midnight rations," said Sgt. 1st Class Scott Miller, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the cooks, assigned to the 203rd Trans. Det., 359th Trans. Bn., 310th ESC, and a native of Union City, Pennsylvania. "The last thing you want to do is run out of food."
The ship’s kitchen or galley is located in the center of the ship, with the officer's mess and the enlisted mess on either side. The galley is complete with refrigerators and freezers, two conventional ovens, a skillet, a steamer, meat slicer and sinks.
"We can get as fancy here as you can in a kitchen on land," Miller said. "It has everything a kitchen on land has and we can make everything from scratch."
Cooking in a galley comes with some unique challenges not found in a kitchen on land. The main difference is the galley is constantly moving with the motion of the ship. The cooks must overcome that challenge even in rough seas.
Despite the challenges and long hours, the cooks assigned to the Maj. Gen. Robert Smalls said they take pride in their job and enjoy providing a good meal to their fellow Soldiers.
"We make sure we provide a good, nutritious meal the Soldiers enjoy eating," Miller said. "We want it to be appetizing because it helps keep morale high and everyone will work together better."
The cooks on board an Army vessel take on other jobs, as needed. The LSV-8 has a two-bed hospital, and in the event of casualties, the cooks assist the ship medic. In the event of an attack, cooks become ammunition carriers for the watercraft operators on deck.
Spc. Tyler Francis, a food service specialist and native of Salisbury, Maryland, said he enjoys cooking and the travel that comes with his current assignment. He has been to Europe and many of the Persian Gulf countries. He said his favorite cooking activity is cooking pork chops on the grill, with his own recipe.
"I like it any time the skipper lets us grill out on the boat while we are at sea," said Francis. "Whether in the galley or on the grill, I get feedback from the Soldiers so I can improve the food we prepare for them."
The ship has boxes of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) on board, but they are only there in case of an emergency.
"The MREs are to be used only if we have to abandon ship," Miller said. "Bringing them with us in such an event is our job, so we can have food to sustain us in the life boats."
Whether working in the engine room, securing cargo to the deck, keeping watch, monitoring onboard computer systems or preparing for upcoming missions, the Soldiers on board need quality meals to keep them going and with the motivated team of cooks from the 203rd Trans. Company, 359th Trans. Bn., they can rest assured when the dinner bell rings, they will have nutritious meals to look forward to.
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2015 10:24 |
| Story ID: | 164647 |
| Location: | ATLANTIC OCEAN |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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