Food service specialists at Operation Sustainment Warrior go mobile

Published Aug. 22, 2013
By Spc. Thomas Crough
361st Public Affairs Operations Center

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- U.S. Army Sgt. Donovan Whyte, 77th Sustainment Brigade food service specialist, is one of ten cooks from different units who operate a Containerized Mobile Kitchen Trailer, a mobile dining facility, set up at the ranges here in support of Operation Sustainment Warrior.

Food service specialists are primarily responsible for preparing and serving food in field or in garrison.

In addition to the standard Advanced Individual Training for his Military Occupational Specialty, Whyte attended a food safety sanitation course at Fort Lee, Va., that not only taught him safety and sanitation procedures but also gave him the leadership skills to teach the course to others.

Whyte, a native of Irvington, N.J., used what he learned at AIT and Fort Lee to coordinate and operate the facility, including supply inventory, equipment operation, menus coordination and scheduling, said Master Sgt. Suitt, noncommissioned officer in charge of the facility.

Another food service specialist working at the CMKT is Spc. William Welch, also with the 77th SB here, who drew cartoons on the menu board to boost the morale of troops waiting in line for chow.

Welch, originally from Newton, N.J., said that he draws anime and tattoos as a hobby.

Operation Sustainment Warrior is a training event for Soldiers to participate in collective training that incorporates live, virtual and constructive training methodologies to provide all participants with a realistic combat simulation experience. OSW took place at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., from Aug. 3 to Aug. 16, 2013.