116th ACW: one of 12 ANG units to receive state-of-art mobile kitchen

by Tech. Sgt. Regina Young
116 Air Control Wing, Public Affairs

3/13/2014 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The 116th Air Control Wing, part of the Georgia Air National Guard, was chosen as one of 12 Air National Guard units to receive the new disaster relief mobile kitchen, or DRMK, in April, replacing their current mobile kitchen trailer.

"The capabilities of the DRMK will allow us to better react and aid first responders in contingency situations across the southeast," said Senior Master Sgt. Tanya Greene, 116th Services Flight superintendent.

The free-standing mobile kitchen; similar to a concession trailer you would see at many public events, is designed for fast setup and shutdown, comes ready for rapid transport aboard a C-130 and is built to be pulled with a standard heavy-duty pickup.

According to Greene, the new kitchen has the capability to feed up to 1,000 people a hot meal in less than 90 minutes, equating to about a 50 percent increase in efficiency.

"The kitchen is completely self-contained; it's more industrialized, like walking into an actual kitchen," commented Tech. Sgt. Terrance Woods, non-commissioned-officer-in-charge of food services for the 116th Services Flight. "Everything you need is right there for you."

A key component of the new mobile kitchen touted by many of the services personnel is the safer and more reliable burner technology that will allow them to use any type of distillate fuel cleanly and efficiently.

Witnessing the new technology first-hand, members from the 116th Air Control Wing's Services Flight travelled to the 136th Airlift Wing in Fort Worth, Texas to train on the DRMK.

The food service pros will get their chance to put their new mobile kitchen and culinary skills to the test during May's unit training assembly when they plan to provide a hot meal to drilling Guardsmen.

May's test run will serve as warm up for a Joint Service exercise in July where the 116th Services Flight will be tested on their ability to effectively use their training for stateside operations while supporting first responders during a simulated contingen