WIESBADEN, Germany -- Days before the first guests arrived at the Strong Teams Cafe for Thanksgiving, the men and women who put it all together were hard at work creating fanciful cakes, ice sculptures and other components for the traditional feast.
"We start prepping for Thanksgiving the day after Thanksgiving [the year before]," said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel McGowan, senior food operations sergeant, saying that things really heat up in the weeks before the holiday. "The staff comes in to do their regular shift and then stays longer -- sometimes working for 18 hours a day for about two weeks."
The hard work and dedication comes to a climax hours before the dining facility opens on Thanksgiving with the entire staff pitching in to make adjustments to the decorations, ironing kitchen whites, getting the roasts ready to be served and doing any of the other hundreds of last minute chores required to ensure a satisfying dining experience.
"There are high expectations," said Josip Gobric as he sliced ham in the kitchen hours before serving time. "It's a big challenge preparing for 1,500 people on Thanksgiving. It's demanding, but it's all good if it means bringing happiness to our customers.
"Outside this gate, it's not Thanksgiving," Gobric added. "People come here to enjoy some happiness."
"I got about four hours sleep last night," said Staff Sgt. Shawn Shannon, dining facility manager. "I could of used a few more hours."
Like fellow members of the staff, Shannon said putting in the extra hours is worth it if community members leave the Strong Teams Cafe well fed and full of the holiday spirit.
"To see the morale of the community is a blessing," said McGowan. "Giving back is better than to receive. To feed 1,400 to 1,600 people means giving up time with their own families and shows the dedication of these Soldiers."
As the first guests lined up to enter the dining facility, men and women in dress uniforms arrived to take their places behind the serving line. As part of the annual tradition, officers and senior noncommissioned officers of the Bundeswehr's Landeskommando Hessen joined their U.S. counterparts to dish up heaping helpings of the holiday fare for local service members, civilians and their families.
"When was the first Thanksgiving?" asked Brig Gen. John Hurt, U.S. Army Europe's G3 deputy chief of staff, Operations, while welcoming patrons for the holiday meal. "Almost 400 years ago in 1621 we celebrated the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Plantation."
More than two centuries later declared a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln, Hurt said, "Thanksgiving is truly a very unique American holiday."
Before cutting a ceremonial cake to mark the occasion, the USAREUR general asked everyone present to remember those serving in harm's way in such places as Afghanistan and Iraq -- and wherever USAREUR Soldiers are serving to include Estonia and Africa. "It's important to remember those not with us today."
Members of the Rhein Main USO were on hand to make the holiday even brighter for more than 100 diners as they handed out 130 vouchers valid for a free meal, courtesy of the USO. "It's our way of saying 'Happy Thanksgiving,'" said the USO's Ashley Grassl.
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