A taste of home -- food service personnel bring Thanksgiving to troops

FORT LEE, Va. (Dec. 1, 2011) -The dining room was a showcase of sparkling white tablecloths and cornucopia and decorative tallow displays. That distinct smell of oven-roasted turkey permeated the air and the aura of goodwill could be felt everywhere.

For even the nonobservant, a few steps into the 49th Quartermaster Group Consolidated Dining Facility on Thanksgiving Day foretold the tale of a very special occasion ... a tradition that evokes the comforts of home, faith in the family unit and care for fellow military members ... a feast that would make any master of the home-cooked meal proud.

No one knows what this holiday tradition entails better than military food service personnel. They are the military ambassadors of goodwill and cheer on this special occasion. For them, Thanksgiving is all about service and taking care of those who serve.

"This gives us the chance to provide a family atmosphere for military members not fortunate enough to be home with their families," said Spc. Jason Withrow, who was spending his third holiday in an Army dining facility, or DFAC. "This is a place where there are people you can fall back on."

The traditions of military Thanksgiving dinners were borne out of necessity. In earlier times when travel options were limited and the continuation of training took precedent over time off, most service members remained on duty during the holidays.

With times of war and overseas duty as exceptions, most military members today are afforded the opportunity to travel home for the holiday and gladly oblige. Still, some are required to work, and some choose to remain at installations for various reasons. Those who do are the objects of a longstanding and rich military tradition.

That tradition was stronger than ever this year at Fort Lee, the educational and doctrinal home of the military food service community. All across the installation, civilians (and military food service personnel at one facility) prepared meals and rolled out the welcome mats for troops, their families and others.

The celebrations included festive music, special menu items and military leaders decked out in dress uniforms for the honor of serving troops. Command Sgt. Maj. Jay Porter, one of the servers at the 49th Group facility, said the goal is to make the military member feel at home and part of a brotherhood.

"This is an opportunity to give back; to show Soldiers that this is the time of the year when we need to come together and show we are a family," said the 530th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion's top enlisted Soldier. "'Brothers in arms' is not just a term; we're brothers in arms because we serve and stand for the same cause."

Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge, Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee commanding general, made visits and talked to troops at several facilities during the day. While at the 49th DFAC, he marveled at the effort personnel put into the facility, which featured a vast array of menu items, was lavishly decorated and boasted everything from "Happy Thanksgiving" signs to elaborate ice sculptures.

"...You see the pride that all the dining facility managers take in the displays and quality of foods," he said. "It's absolutely amazing when you come in and look at it. It' a work of art."

Undoubtedly, the military's Thanksgiving meal is special because of its tradition of providing a slice of home, but it is also an occasion to showcase skills. Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Goins said turkey day for food service personnel is akin to the Super Bowl.

"This is the most sought out date for any food service specialist in any branch," said the 49th DFAC's food service advisor. "We look forward to preparing meals like this and to hear how good a meal is from someone besides me or members of our command. It means a lot."

Spc. Rebecca Schrader, a food service specialist, put it this way:

"Thanksgiving for a cook is more of an occasion for them to show off what they can do - sculptures, food, etc. Even though we weren't able to cook this year (the DFAC recently began operation under contractors), we spent a lot of time doing decorations like the tallow and salt dough, showing that we do have skills other than cooking."

More than 200 military personnel, family members and others walked through the 49th's doors on Thanksgiving. They were clearly appreciative of the elaborate decorations, but the main attraction was the food that included a lot more than turkey. Troops could also choose from roast beef, ham, shrimp and Cornish hen, not to mention a variety of side dishes. The preparation and all the details that went into the meal complemented the larger objective to show military members they have supporters along the way.

Hodge, a Soldier of more than 34 years and a veteran of at least 24 DFAC Thanksgivings, said it is worth his time to pause, sit and talk with the Soldiers on this particular occasion to encourage them for what lies ahead.

"Most of them, particularly at Fort Lee, are young. They're new and fresh away from their families," he said. "Many of them still have fears and concerns of what the future may hold, so just to get the pulse of the Soldier and to know what they're thinking and feeling is something I don't get to do every day.

"That's what makes this day so special."