Food transformation program adds seven bases

  • Published
  • By Eric M. Grill
  • Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs
SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) --  Airmen at seven installations will see a new era in food service operations in October as the Air Force Food Transformation Initiative expands.

FTI is a pilot program designed to provide Airmen with improved food quality, variety and availability, while maintaining home station and warfighting feeding capabilities.

The additional locations are Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Dyess AFB, Texas; Barksdale AFB, La.; Ellsworth AFB, S.D.; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.; Beale AFB, Calif.; and Vandenberg AFB, Calif. FTI was first introduced in 2010 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Fairchild AFB, Wash.; Little Rock AFB, Ark.; MacDill AFB, Fla.; Patrick AFB, Fla.; and Travis AFB, Calif.

"The food transformation efforts continue to be a top Air Force priority," said Brig. Gen. Eden Murrie, the Air Force Services director. "A customer satisfaction rating of 75 over the last year at the six food-transformation installations as compared to 67 at others indicates we are on the right path, and we will strive for continued improvement."

Test successes at the first six installations include expanded dining facility operating hours, increased food variety and quality, campus-style dining that allows Airmen on meal cards to eat at other nonappropriated fund food and beverage operations, and access to food kiosks called Provisions On Demand, a proprietary trademark food service operation.

Another indicator of success, Murrie said, is that the Air Force served an additional 561,000 customers and provided 139,000 more meals to junior enlisted members at food-transformation installations as compared to the previous year.

At the initial test locations, FTI included renovating the installations' dining facilities to further enhance food delivery. Instead of traditional cafeteria-style serving lines, the renovations added serving stations such as salads, sandwiches and pizza, allowing customers to proceed directly to their station of choice. An addition of exhibition style cooking stations at several locations also provides made-to-order, nutritious menu entrees, which emphasizes healthy dining options.

The new FTI locations will implement branded and themed concepts at nonappropriated fund food and beverage operations at existing enlisted and collocated clubs, bowling centers and golf course snack bars.

"FTI is designed to meet Airmen's desire for more menu variety and increased operating hours, while executing sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars," said George Miller, the Air Force Services Agency food and beverage operations chief. "The initiative focuses on building efficient and operationally sound methods to feed Airmen."

The Air Force will continue to adjust to changing lifestyles, needs and preferences through improved efficiency and reducing costs, Miller said.

For more information about FTI and other Air Force Services Agency programs geared toward taking care of Airmen and their families, visit www.usafservices.com.  

(Erin Tindell contributed to this story.)