Air National Guard unit fuels the body and keeps the jets flying

by Tech Sgt. Caycee R. Watson
South Carolina Air National Guard

6/7/2013 - McINTYRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. -- Everyone knows that food fuels the body. This is especially true when the body is worked through a few extra Readiness Exercise hours during those hot South Caroina spring and summer days.

The 169th Force Support Squadron's Services Flight is able to supply flight line and maintenance personnel with easier access to some of that much-needed fuel. The Single Palletized Expeditionary Kitchen (SPEK) is an asset provided by 169th personnel.

It is intended to deliver a hot meal to those who cannot afford the usual amount of time taken for lunch in the base dining facility, during exercise and inspection drill weekends.

"The SPEK is convenient for the flight line personnel and that's who it's mainly for," said Tech. Sgt. Denise Bhola, a food services shift leader.

During the June Unit Training Assembly Readiness Exercise, the 169th Services Flight had a nine-person team set up and operated the SPEK next to the flight line entry control point. Because of the SPEK, aircraft maintainers were able to refuel themselves with a hot meal and minimal disruption from their duties.

"It helps keep them mission oriented and focused on the task at hand," said Bhola. "Everyone's mission on base is to keep the jets flying, so we're doing our part by feeding them over here."

Bhola commented that flight line workers seemed appreciative when they went through the SPEK food line in past exercises.

"If they didn't have the SPEK, who knows when or what they'd have time to eat. It's convenient to them, which is important to keep the jets flying," said Bhola.

"It was definitely convenient," said Airman 1st Class Jessica Burgess, a crew chief with the 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We can't leave our jet for long periods to go to the dining facility, so it was nice to have hot food and cold drinks available to us right here, and not from an MRE package."

The SPEK is a unit that, once set up, is ready with its own power sources available. This provides services personnel with the tools they need to keep pre-cooked food rations warm and ready to serve. The 169th SVF has had this SPEK for less than a year and they realize how essential its mission is to the 169th Fighter Wing's mission.

During the June United Training Assembly exercise, 169th Services Flight personnel at the SPEK anticipated approximately 50 flight line personnel to go through their chow line in one day but came prepared for more than 100. They were proud to have served a hot meal to 102 hard-working individuals.