Medical center servers become diners Published Oct. 28, 2008 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. -- Two 81st Medical Group squadron commanders honored five nutritional medicine flight staff members Oct. 22 for their tireless performance literally serving Keesler during Hurricane Gustav in August -- they served them breakfast. Col. Stephanie McCann, 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron commander, and Lt. Col. Michael Dietz, 81st Medical Support Squadron commander, wanted to show their appreciation to Airman 1st Class Alan Petz, Staff Sgts. Erin Kornack, Zarai Alvarez and Chad Robbins and Master Sgt. Melvin Thompson. The five prepared hot meals for medics who remained in Keesler Medical Center for three days during and after the storm, as well as some Keesler members who came for dinner the third evening. "Many of the medical folks didn't expect they would have to stay here so they didn't bring food like those who were in the base shelters," Colonel McCann recalled. "Once we all hunkered down, we knew it would be miserable. What so impressed me about my nutritional medicine troops is how they just jumped into action." The five nutritional medicine members sprung into action, preparing a hot breakfast for the medical staff, followed by lunch and dinner. Normally, lunch is the only hot meal fixed daily. Colonel McCann continued, "While one of them worked the cash register, the other four were in the kitchen cooking. Members of medical group staff came down to the dining facility to lend a hand, cleaning up, assisting in the kitchen -- whatever they could do to help." Realizing they could also assist base personnel who were out in the storm protecting the base, the nutritional medicine staff and group "helpers" prepared box lunches for the security forces. By the third day, word had filtered out that the medical center dining facility had hot meals available. By dinner time the third day, other Keesler personnel joined the medical group staff for a hot meal. Lt. Col. Elizabeth Watson, nutritional medicine flight commander, estimated they fed about 150 people the third day alone and a total of more than 400 meals over the three-day period. "I'm so pleased and proud of them," Colonel Watson said. "They had a great attitude -- they were tireless. They did a wonderful thing for the base. Sometimes people don't realize how little things can be so important. Everyone was so happy to have a hot meal." Colonel Dietz "was the inspiration for the breakfast. He's a great cook and wanted to do something for the troops, and he let me help. He makes a 'killer' sausage gravy and I made blueberry pancakes. He wanted to honor these medics who had brought so much comfort to so many people in a totally unexpected way." Colonel McCann noted that during the storm Colonel Dietz came down to nutritional medicine ready to help -- he cut vegetables, cooked, mopped the floors. "The heart of his leadership is service," she added. "He was so eager to do it."