Ozark Inn prepares to bring home the Hennessy Award

by Airman 1st Class Joel Pfiester
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

1/22/2015 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Each year, the Air Force presents the John L. Hennessy Award to recognize the team who best excels in food service.

With the evaluation team coming to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., in early February, the 509th Force Support Squadron is in full swing preparing to bring the prestigious award home.

"We set the bar pretty high already," said Tech. Sgt. Shonta Simes, 509th FSS dining facility manager. "We won in 2013 and we definitely want to do that again. Our customers here expect a lot out of us."

Despite losing a lot of Airmen due to permanent changes of station (PCS), the Ozark Inn team was still able to win at the Air Force Global Strike Command level in 2014. This year, they hope to have the same amount of success, and then some.

"Our food team is excited about it," said Simes. "Everyone is more experienced this year. Last year we were brand-new since it was PCS season and we still managed to pull off winning at the MAJCOM level. Now with us being more experienced with a full year behind us, we will have a much better evaluation."

The Hennessy evaluation teams will evaluate the dining facility on five different categories: kitchen operation, serving and dining operations, training, personnel and readiness, sanitation and repair maintenance, and management.

According to Simes, training for the evaluations should be no different than the daily routine they already have in place.

"It's basically a 'practice what you preach' mindset," said Simes. "If we say that we practice excellence in this food service operation, then winning this trophy will definitely be proof of that."