Through the swinging windowed door, a completely different atmosphere exists in the mess hall, where it is calm, cheerful and quiet. An inviting array of colorful fruits and vegetables has been artistically arranged on the salad bar. Behind the line, servers navigate large trays into position on the steam table. Soon a new wave of hungry Marines will enter the chow hall, and it’s the cook’s job to satiate them. More than just a place for eating, the mess hall also offers an oasis of relaxation and socialization amidst the rigors of the day.

    On this particular day, short-order cook Private First Class Lydia A. Vega is responsible for cooking hamburgers. :Large G,” Vega admits, “is an adjustment. It’s more demanding [than small garrison] because of the bigger environment.” It is also the first time the students cook for anyone other than fellow students.

    In the mess hall, cooks synchronize their tasks to produce large amounts of food on schedule. Who evaluates the students? Hundreds of hungry Marines and soldiers, which can put a

 lot of pressure on cooks like Vega and fellow student PFC Andrew A. Ampofo who have been in school for only five weeks. But Ampofo is confident. Talking about cooking, from the basics to the artistic garnishes he is clearly excited about his job. He even boasts about muffins he made on a recent visit home with his family. This confidence and pride in his work is what makes Ampofo and other Marines in training strive to surpass the expectations of the Marines they feed.

Lance Corporal Timothy-Ryan Gaball, a Mess deck supervisor for the Camp Iwo Jima mess hall in Kuwait, served vegetables to the Marines of Security Company in February. Using a tray ration heater system mounted in a humvee, Gaball transported a hot meal twice a day to Camp Coyote.

 A Cook’s Hours

    Both Vega and Ampofo agreed that they were surprised at just how difficult a cook’s life is. “Now I appreciate how hard cooking is; it’s not simple to make a meal,” Vega concluded, as Ampofo grinned, nodding his head in agreement.

    That sentiment was unanimously emphasized from Camp Lejeune, N.C., to Okinawa, Japan, among cooks with a wide range of ranks and experience. Sergeant Michael T. Meeks, subsistence chief in the Cook-Chill section of the mess hall at Camp Butler in Okinawa, said his day begins with a 0230 shower to arrive at work by 0330. From 0400 until the last plate is served at 1800, the cooks are preparing, serving or cleaning up. But their day does not end there because after a final cleanup, they attend an evening brief to discuss the day’s events and plan for the next day.

Meeks asserted, “The Marine mess hall is the only building on base besides the PMO [Provost Marshall’s Office] that stays open 365 days a year. There is no such thing as a day off for the mess hall. Marines have to eat every day of the year.”

   The key to success is dedication, according to Corporal Marcella A. Mejia and Staff Sergeant Casey L. Gauthier of the Second Marine Division food service team. They figure while food provides Marines with the energy to keep on marching, good food is what keeps morale up. So day in and day out Marine cooks persevere to deliver good, healthy chow.

    “There have been countless times I have had to keep the mess hall open past normal hours to ensure Marines get fed.

This is a job where as a young Marine you physically work hard feeding hundreds of Marines, and [you’re] on your

feet 12 to 14 hours a day in many in- stances,” explains Master Sergeant

Steven D. Carlile, the Cook Chill production officer at Camp Butler. Yet, despite extensive planning, it is a rare day that goes smoothly. An inherent part of the job is dealing with the obstacles so the meal is ready on time.

     Oftentimes, the hurdles to getting food to the plate appear at the worst possible moment. MSgt Carlile said, “There have been numerous times [the] power has gone out or [the] water supply system is contaminated or shut off and the meal must still go. You learn to improvise, adapt and overcome in many instances. No matter what happens, you have to get the meal out; you develop a strong sense of urgency.”

This M-59 Field Range Cabinet, powered by an M2 burner unit, offers cooks the versatility to bake, boil, fry or deep fry food in the field. Similar units have provided hot chow to Marines since 1959.

Taking It to the Field

    A cook’s mission is to feed Marines nutritionally balanced food in any clime and place. It is a mission they take seriously, from meeting the very strict military sanitation standards to going to great lengths to supplement the menu with fresh fruits and vegetables, even in combat operations.

    In the field, Marine cooks face even greater challenges than in garrison. Securing the area, finding quality food sources, disposing of waste and dirty dish water that is generated without violating different countries’ environmental codes, and avoiding the hazards of fuel and chemicals are just a few of the issues mentioned by MSgt   

Carlile. “Sanitation,” he said, “is the big issue. A food-borne outbreak can take out a company of Marines faster than enemy fire.”

    Ft. Lee’s Maj Gonthier emphasized that sanitation is critical: good sanitation is preached constantly, not just at the school, but throughout the military. As one of the crucial factors evaluated by inspectors, first-rate sanitation is a source of pride in the cook community. When Marines visit restaurants in their local communities, Gonthier said, they find sanitation standards significantly lower than the military’s standards.

    A field environment exacerbates the problems of sanitation because cooks must battle the natural elements of the outdoors. Additionally, Marines deploying to a foreign country may discover that fresh food used to supplement dehydrated and shelf stable meals does not meet sanitation standards.

    Nearly every cook can tell stories about the variations in sanitation standards from country to country. One story conveyed by MSgt Carlile illustrates the importance of planning in the field for feeding of Marines, especially in foreign countries.

    Marines were conducting training exercises in Qatar. The plan was for the Marines to receive chow from the host nation, but when they lined up for chow, they were in for a shock. Big pots contained indistinguishable food that they were to scoop out and eat with their hands. No plates or

silverware were provided. Upon

 closer inspection, the food was found to have worms crawling in it. To remedy the situation, a food service officer was called to arrange food support for the Marines. Many Marines just take for granted that the food will be acceptable; rarely do they consider the effort cooks must make to ensure food safety.

    In their mission to provide safe food, military food services receive support from the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), an operating element of the Defense Logistics Agency. DSCP is responsible for “procuring, inspecting, storing and distributing subsistence supplies,” according to a Marine Corps food service reference publication. This is how the Marines in Afghanistan get fresh food. In fact, wherever Marines go, DSCP provides their food, whether fresh, frozen, canned or ration. 

    Last Thanksgiving DSCP delivered a holiday menu to Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen around the world that included 201,847 pounds of turkey, 131,720 lbs. of beef, 114,036 lbs. of ham, 6,381 lbs. of duck, 9,498 lbs. of Cornish hens and 64,676 lbs of seafood. That doesn’t even include the vegetables, cranberry sauce and pies! This centralized delivery system has significantly improved meals that can be provided in remote areas.

MRES: Chicken With Thai Sauce Anyone?

    Field feeding has evolved considerably throughout the years for those in combat, according to a

Marine Corps food service reference publication. World War I brought advances because of the availability of refrigeration and dehydrated vegetables. World War II introduced the first packaged field rations, K-and C- rations, as well as food service equipment to prepare A-rations      (fresh food) and B-rations

(canned/dehydrated food) for those not on the front lines. In Korea, men in forward areas received two hot meals a day. And in Vietnam, the publication states, troops

at fire support bases ate as well, if not better, than troops in the States.

    The meal, ready to eat (MRE) replaced the C-ration in the early 1980’s. This operational ration, still

SSgt Robert A. Richardson demonstrated how to form perfect rolls to PFC James Moon during the “Techniques of Baking” portion of the basic course at Ft. Lee.

used when food service facilities are not available, consists of a full meal in a sealed bag which may be eaten cold if necessary, or heated, either by submersion in hot water or by using the flameless ration heating device packed into each meal bag. Operations Desert    Shield /Desert Storm brought improvements in the taste and a greater variety of meals. Selections include entrees such as beefsteak with mushrooms, Jamaican pork chop with noodles, cheese tortellini, and bean and rice burrito. For special needs diets, vegetarian and Kosher/Halel options are available.

    The packaged rations quickly become monotonous, however, and a freshly prepared meal in a field mess is a real morale booster. A good meal provided by Marine cooks, Sgt Meeks said, helps Marines to keep “a positive mental attitude that will allow them to stay on top of their game.”

LCpl Guillermo Pascual, 3d Battalion, 11^th Marine Regiment, ate an MRE for lunch during Exercise Cobra Gold conducted in Thailand in May 2002. MRE’s provide needed nourishment when the field mess hall is not available.

Focus: Feeding Warriors

According to Maj Gonthier, the Marine Corps’ food service courses are intensifying their focus on field feeding, the core competency associated with war-fighting. This is due to two changes in the Corps: a shift in mess-hall personnel and the development of new equipment.

    Marine cooks are transitioning to a more operational role because civilian contractors are currently replacing many garrison cooks with the

 implementation of the regional garrison food service contract. In July 2002, the Corps awarded contracts for food services at 55 garrison mess halls within the continental United States (CONUS).

    Although Marine cooks will continue to serve in overseas locations and in some Stateside mess halls, 594 Marine cook billets were realigned into other Marine occupational specialties as a result of the food contracts, according to Master Gunnery Sergeant Dennis P. Mello, food technician/occupational field specialist at Headquarters , U.S. Marine Corps. Marines still will perform the food preparation in 18 U.S. mess halls. MGySgt Mello said, “This allows the opportunity for our Marines in CONUS to maintain their MOS skills in the mess halls.”

    Additionally, the Marine Corps is implementing a new mobile kitchen called the Field Food Service System that will be operational throughout the Corps by fiscal year 2007. One of these systems, boasting a bright scarlet sign emblazoned with a gold USMC eagle, globe and anchor, already is in place at Ft. Lee, and instruction is scheduled to begin in October 2004.

    The field feeding system consists of three 8-feet by 20-feet containers housing a rapid deployment kitchen and a field sanitation unit. A vast improvement over the current tent kitchen, the new kitchen is designed to set up quickly, produce food more efficiently (fuel efficiency rating of 80 percent versus 20 percent), and re-quire fewer marines to operate ( five instead of 12). The kitchen is equipped much the same as a garrison

kitchen, so it offers cooks more

 flexibility in the foods they prepare, both fresh food and shelf-stable ration meals.

The tray ration heater system, when mounted in a humvee, is designed to heat tray packs of food while en route to Marines in the field. A team of three Marines with one TRHS can feed approximately 250 Marines within a 90-minute period.   

This system not only improves the cook's options but also is environmentally friendly and staves off the foe of all cooks, dirt. The air- conditioned containers and a top notch ventilation system promote a sanitary environment for cooking----a big improvement over the tent kitchens with their dirt floors lined with pallets.                                        

    Until the new system is in place, Marines in the field will continue to use the M-59 field ranges and M-2 burners. Although many a great meal has been cooked on this "old faithful" system, cooking on it can be hazardous since it requires proficiency in lighting the burners and consistent monitoring of the pressure.

The Marine combat feeding plan directs that when Marines initially go in the field, in exercises of combat, they eat MREs three times a day. As soon as possible, and depending on the mission, two of the meals are replaced by unitized group rations (UGRs), pre-packaged, ready-to-eat meals (that have been dubbed "tray rats" by Marines because of the containers). UGRs can be either "heat and serve" (UGR-H&S), consisting of shelf-stable foods, or Ration-A (UGR-A), which includes perishable/frozen entrees. These meals are precooked but require the cooks to put the trays into special tray ration heaters. These heaters offer the option of being loaded onto a humvee, plugged into the battery, and cooked on the way to the battlefield.

    When conditions allow, the ideal is to set up a field mess facility and feed the Marines unitized B-rations. These canned and dehydrated foods, supplemented with fresh fruits, vegetables and breads obtained from the local area or delivered by the Defense Logistics Agency, come closest to home-cooked meals.

    "Marines love pastas, salads, pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Meat and potatoes are a staple in a Marine's diet, "according to MSgt Carlile. "They love things that taste good and will stick to your ribs and fill you up."

    Among the menus offered in the B-rations are beef and gravy, shrimp creole, baked chicken, chili macaroni, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes, griddlecakes and biscuits. All sound like welcome candidates for Marine appetites.

Canteen Cup to Goblet:

Culinary Art  

    Food service specialists are needed at every level of the Marine experience, from the harsh realities of combat environments to the polished dining rooms of formal affairs. Marines who cook for general officers must be able to professionally prepare a wide range of menus and present them elegantly, but the transition from the field kitchen to the general officers' mess does not occur overnight.

    Marines who are selected for the position of Senior Marine Aide (formerly called Senior Enlisted Aide) must either undergo concentrated on-the-job training or attend the Advanced Culinary Skills Training Course at Ft. Lee. This 30-day course in advanced cooking procedures is intense and challenging, according to Gunnery sergeant Terrell R. DeVoe, a Distinguished Instructor and member of a gold-winning U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team at the Culinary Olympics. In the course, the students learn about menu planning, cost analysis, sauce preparation, meat fabrication ( like how to de-bone fresh salmon), presentation of food, classic knife cuts and desserts. The culmination of the course is the preparation of a gastronomical buffet, quite a popular event at the school.

    Senior Marine aides must prepare for a variety of tasks. Their job description is to do anything to support the general, allowing him the general to concentrate on fulfilling his or her duty to the Marine Corps. Not only do they cook, they also may iron, dust, vacuum or even clean bathrooms. Primarily, however, 

 this position gives Marine cooks the opportunity to show how well they prepare food.

    MGySgt Andrew P. Schneider has served six Commandants in his 22 years of Marine service, cooking in personal quarters, on the Commandant's plane or in his present duty as Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, General Officers' Mess. He is responsible for all the meals served in the General Officers' Mess at Headquarters, U.S.  Marine Corps. His favorite part of the job, however, is being with Marines, or as he puts it, "training fresh blood and seeing them succeed." He encourages them to be creative, do their best and then take it a notch higher.

    A natural born teacher who never seems pressured, MGySgt Schneider recently responded "can do" to a request to serve a meal in January at the Commandant's change of command. After the ceremony, MGySgt Schneider and his Marines were allowed seven minutes to set up 36 tables, six bars and three ice carvings. They did it with one minute, 45 seconds to spare. Now that's good planning and execution!

   MGySgt Schneider inspires Marines like SSgt Derrick E. Oliver, who is fulfilling his lifelong passion to be a chef. SSgt Oliver loves the challenge of cooking for the General Officers' Mess. Although the volume is smaller, there is a higher level of presentation, he said,

  which is important because most people eat with their eyes first. After a year and a half in this duty, Oliver said his cooking level has increased dramatically, a direct result of those with whom he serves. "The leadership here is impeccable; these are the best, the most highly trained professionals at this level."

The Measure of Success:

One Meal at a Time

    Ask Marine cooks how they measure success and one answer is prevalent: serving good food prepared with pride, taste and attitude. But another measure is in feedback they get from Marines. Many cooks repeated  the words of SSgt Gauthier, who said, "When we don't hear anyone complain, we've done a good job." Cooks often don't receive accolades when

 they've performed well, but they always hear about it when something goes wrong.

    It all really comes down to caring about Marines. Sgt Meeks said, "There are some real good Marines who never receive any type of award, but they do a hell of a job for the mess hall and for the Marines that come in to eat. Trust me, the Marines eating at the chow hall can tell if the Marine that prepared the food really cares about cooking or is just there because they have to be." He emphasized, "Being a good cook means you care about what you are doing and

know that you are feeding the 9-1-1 force of the world."

Authors note: Leatherneck appreciates the cooperation and support from the occupational field sponsors and assignment personnel at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; the Marines at the food service courses at Fort Lee; and Marines in the operating forces and supporting establishment around the world.

LCpl Maria Fender (left) and LCpl Kristen Johnson, cooks with Marine Medium Helicopter squadron 266, 24th MEU (SOC), displayed teamwork in the galley of USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in June 2001.