Photo By Sgt. Victor Ayala | Sgt. John Kiser and Spc. Sean Jenkins prepare meals with the Assault Kitchen during...... read more read more
SIOUX CITY, Iowa - An innovation in military food preparation is being given its first real endurance test in the Reserves by the Soldiers of the 353rd Transportation Company during their 2,200-mile convoy mission from Buffalo, Minn., to Camp Roberts, Calif. The Assault Kitchen, a cooking unit capable of heating meals on the move, will be feeding more than 40 Reservists during the company's week-long convoy operation in support of Nationwide Move 15 from July 9-15.
The AK is a fairly recent addition to the Reserve's sustainment arsenal, but Chief Warrant Officer 2 Danny Wolf, food program manager for the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command and captain of the Army Reserves Culinary Arts Team, is already excited about its potential benefits.
"It's going to help in several ways," said Wolf. "It's going to give commanders more opportunities to serve their Soldiers hot food. It's also going to save money and optimize training time."
The AK appears unremarkable at first glance, fitting snugly into the back of a half-ton trailer pulled by a HMMWV. Its diminutive size, however, is one of its strengths, Wolf said.
"With the AK, you're not site-restricted. You can literally set up anywhere you want to set up," Wolf said. "This kind of mobility is unique to the AK, and is well-suited to the requirements of our more modern, more mobile Army."
The compact kitchen is manned by two cooks, down from other military field kitchens that can require a large number of Soldiers to operate. While limited to heat-and-serve meals, the AK's light manpower requirements and ability to be rapidly deployed give it an edge over many other military food service options.
Wolf explains that a rapidly deployable kitchen can save the Army Reserve countless dollars while providing its Soldiers with quality food.
"Last year, for our Nationwide Move exercise, a majority of our Soldiers used caterers or restaurants, which required them to spend more time on the road and cost them rest."
As Wolf states, the alternative for many Reservists on convoy missions is a mix of commercial dining and MREs. Feeding Soldiers this way averages $38.50 per day per Soldier. Using the AK to serve breakfast and lunch is estimated to bring that daily cost down to $28.10.
The AK has already proved itself capable of feeding Soldiers in a pinch. Earlier this year, Wolf put the AK to use to feed 400 Soldiers after a water pipe burst at a local dining facility during a Reserve unit's training in Fort A.P. Hill, Va.
Though the AK saw success at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., it is yet to prove its road-worthiness to the Army Reserve. The 353rd's long journey to California is intended to determine whether or not this recently acquired tool will survive the rigors of a major convoy operation and earn its place as a go-to technology for on-the-go food preparation in the Army Reserve.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.10.2015 00:12 |
| Story ID: | 169598 |
| Location: | SIOUX CITY, IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,130 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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