'Campus Dining' to transform AF food services Published April 8, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Russell Wicke Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Air Combat Command is leading the Air Force in a study that will change the way food service is delivered at Air Force installations. Services officials in ACC are traveling to various installations within the command to assess current food operations; the research may result in Air Force bases mirroring the way college campuses operate their food programs. "We think that we can find ways to support the mission at our bases with a food service capability that does more at less cost," said Maj. Christopher Harris, an ACC Services force sustainment official. Options they are considering include better variety and healthier food. Change is necessary because the military has evolved significantly over time, Services officials said. As the Air Force has changed the way it fights wars over the past 60 years, its messing needs have changed also. "We have a lot more capacity than what we need," said Sharon Wood, an ACC Services community support official. "We have a lot of infrastructure, we have a reduced military, [and] our mission has changed from what it has been in the past." The Air Force has been reduced by almost half since World War II, from approximately 600,000 Airmen to little more than 300,000. But infrastructure hasn't changed and Major Harris said the average ACC dining facility is only being used at about 40 percent capacity. "It's very inefficient to maintain that kind of infrastructure," he said. Contributing to the dwindling dining facility use is the military/civilian ratio on base. There are fewer in uniform and more civilian workers on contract. Solving this problem may include opening a major messing operation available to both civilians and military, Ms. Wood said. "One of the things we've been looking at is the way college campuses do their food programs," said Major Harris. That effort would offer more options for Airmen residing in dormitories. It also would allow the meal-card holder to use meal entitlements at various facilities on the installation. "We envision a system where dorm residents could apply their meal entitlement at any outlet operated by Services," said the major. "(This includes) clubs, dining facilities, bowling centers, golf course snack bars, community centers, wherever we serve food." Additionally, more paying customers -- both military personnel with sustenance allowance and civilians -- would be an advantage, Services officials said. However, implementation is still far off. Major Harris said ACC is in the research phase and won't have the final reports in until fall. Action plans will begin to take shape at that time. "At the end of this we'll probably have a feeding platform that's not called a dining facility and not called a club either," he said. "We use the term 'hybrid.' We want it to be open to everyone, like a student union on a college campus. That's the most efficient way to feed the base." Numerous dorm residents said they welcomed a change that would give them a better variety, and healthier options. "If they added more healthy food, it would probably help me during my PT," said Airman 1st Class Michael Caijo, a Langley AFB dorm resident. But healthier options are only part of the positive changes. Dining hours also may be extended. "Sometimes because of my work schedule, I can't make it into the chow hall," said Airman 1st Class Aaron Kymble, a Langley dorm resident. Airman 1st Class Lance Lindsey, another dorm resident here, mentioned he would save more money under the campus dining idea because he often goes off base and pays for food. The goal of the program, however, goes beyond meeting the needs of Airmen. Mitigating the expenses of operating food services is also a priority. But Major Harris made it clear that Services operations should not be looked at as a business with a goal to make money. Dining facilities are training platform used for readiness. "Readiness is an inherently inefficient thing," he said. "We try to build a capability to go to war that we all cross our fingers and hope we never have to use. That costs money to do ... but there's room to become more efficient, and we're trying to find ways to do that." Navy, Army and Marine officials also have been assisting in data collection because they are involved in similar initiatives. Besides Langley, food operations at several Air Force bases, including Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and Nellis AFB, Nev., are part of the study. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page