Missile chefs part of FSS

by Airmen 1st Class Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

2/10/2014 - F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- Twentieth Air Force missile chefs, formerly belonging to ICBM wings' missile squadrons, became force support squadron personnel Feb. 3.

A 20th AF study on missile field operations found food operations could be improved, resulting in the migration of missile chefs from missile squadrons to force support squadrons, said Master Sgt. Brian Cool, 20th Air Force manager of missile field feeding.

This entailed moving almost 200 personnel, including missile chefs, supervisors, trainers, evaluators and NCOICs, to FSSs at all three ICBM wings in the 20th AF, he said. The change is expected to improve the way missile chefs are evaluated, the quality standards for the services they provide and their potential for career progression.

Such a large undertaking required many organizations and individuals to accomplish, he said.

"A lot of contributing efforts are making this a success from leadership all the way down to the individual Airmen making this possible," he said.

The missile chefs, who were formerly part of missile squadrons, now belong to flights within their wing's FSS, said Airman 1st Class Austen Hively, 90th Force Support Squadron missile chef.

"It's been in talks for a while, but it finally came into effect," he said. "I'm actually excited about it."

Airmen in the services career field typically belong to force support squadrons throughout the Air Force, and now that missile chefs will be part of each missile wing's force support squadron, it will feel more like being full-fledged services Airmen, he said.

While he is excited, Hively said he will miss the close working relationship with the missile squadron personnel.

Also happy about the change, Master Sgt. James Breeden, 90th FSS Sustainment Flight superintendent and former missile chef, said the chefs will perform the same function in the field as before.

"They're still going to be chiefs of morale; they're still going to be site chefs," Breeden said.

There will be some minor changes, he said. For instance, missile chefs will get their own, separate pre-departure briefing including only information pertinent to their responsibilities.

"A lot of the pre-departure briefing is geared toward the missileer side of the house," he said.

Chefs do not need to know all of the information presented at the operations group briefings, he said.

One thing that will remain the same is the chain of command in the missile complex, he said. Ninetieth FSS leadership has administrative command over the missile chefs, but operational command at missile alert facilities remains with the combat crew commanders on site.

"In the future, I see a huge benefit for the food out in the missile field," he said.

In the FSSs, missile chefs will have access to more food options and be able to train more in the culinary arts, Breeden said.

"The main thing is career progression for these guys," he said. "That's really where I see the biggest impact."

Services Airmen responsibilities include providing food, lodging, fitness and readiness -- four functional areas -- to their organizations, Breeden said. In order to advance to the rank of staff sergeant, services Airmen must be certified proficient in two of the functional areas.

This presented an obstacle to career advancement for missile chefs when they were part of the missile squadrons, Breeden said. Their tours of duty in the missile complex could be long and by the time they became part of their base's FSS, they could be senior airmen (one rank below staff sergeant) but only certified in one functional area.

Being part of a FSS will allow more flexibility and mobility for services Airmen in 20th Air Force ICBM wings, and their leaders will be more familiar with their career field, he said.

"It's for their professional development," said Lt. Col. Chris Menuey, 90th Operations Group deputy commander. "Ultimately, they are still part of the team no matter what patch they wear. We expect it will be the same outstanding food service."

Now that the chefs will fall under FSS administratively, 90th OG leadership will be able to shift more of their focus to operations, Menuey said.

"There will be some time we'll get back," he said. "We'll be able to put that toward other duties, but that definitely wasn't a limiting factor when they were with us."

The change has been a long time coming, and is a welcome one for many, Breeden said.

"We anticipate there to be small hiccups on the way," Breeden said. "That'll happen any time there's change."