For a Paratrooper, returning from a deployment can be stressful and challenging. Sometimes a fresh start is necessary in order to process past experiences and look forward to the future.
Sgt. Frank X. Arroliga, a New Jersey native, and a Paratrooper assigned to Company E, 127th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, credits his fresh start to his re-classification into a new military occupation; food specialist.
His new mission as a cook created an outlet for his life-long passion for food. Arroliga was previously assigned to a medical evacuation unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he served as a casualty transportation specialist.
"After spending so much time transporting injured Soldier to Walter Reed, I decided it was time for change," said Arroliga.
Now he is a Food Service Specialist with 1BCT and his personal aspiration of becoming a chef, is well on its way.
Arroliga says he loves to cook and has always had a personal connection with the food he prepares and the people who eat his meals.
"I enjoy cooking," said Arroliga. "I enjoy making people smile and making their day brighter through the food that we prepare," he continued.
His curiosity of culinary creation, and the desire to eat fresh food instead of reheating leftovers, led Arroliga to exploring in the kitchen when his mother wasn't home to cook for him at a young age.
"I remember not wanting to reheat leftovers," said Arroliga. "So I tried to make some food from scratch."
Arroliga wasn't always successful when attempting to make his own meals, but he never let failure stop him.
Arroliga said his passion for cooking started as a child in a small kitchen where his mother was the head chef.
"Many of my Family members are great cooks, and I learned a lot from them," said Arroliga. "But I learned the most from my mother and grandmother cooking some of our most delicious ethnic food recipes."
Arroliga parents led and prepared him for success as they taught him cooking techniques and how to keep a kitchen properly clean.
"I needed a change in my life and in my career," said Arroliga. "I chose Food Service Specialist, because preparing food is something that I have a passion for," he continued.
Currently, Arroliga plays a key role in orchestrating a well-tuned group of Paratroopers who prepare meals for more than 800 people every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"It's never an easy day here," he said. "But we get the job done and seeing the smiles on our customers faces is always gratifying." he said.
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