Previous Stories

Keesler nominated for AETC Hennessy award

  • Published
  • By 81st Training Wing
  • 81st Force Support Squadron
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Keesler is this year's Air Education and Training Command nominee for the John L. Hennessy Award as the top food service operation in the Air Force in the multiple facility category.

The Hennessy Award is based on the entire scope of the food service program. Keesler has won the award six times, most recently in 2010.

Tuesday and Wednesday, a three-member evaluation team representing the Air Force Services Agency and the food service industry will visit Keesler and evaluate the food service program.

The theme for the evaluation team's site visit is "Feed Them Right...Fit to Fight," and focuses on building a mentally and physically strong Air Force through nutrition."The Keesler food service team has always been committed to meet, if not exceed, our customers' expectations in providing the best service possible," said Roy Jackson, 81st Force Support Squadron food service officer.

The Azalea, Live Oak and Magnolia dining facilities serve approximately 2 million meals annually, about 5,500 a day. The three facilities offer daily snack specials, world cuisine lunches, "grab-and-go" meals, signature sandwiches and vegetarian items.

Azalea opened in 2001 in the Triangle for nonprior students and can feed 1,500 people per meal. The facility houses the flight kitchen that prepares more than 250 meals per month and the central preparation kitchen where more than 350,000 pounds of produce and 125,000 servings of various meat items are processed and prepared annually.

Live Oak opened in 1986 and has a rated capacity of 750 customers per meal. It supports permanent party personnel, temporary duty personnel and prior service personnel attending classes on base. The facility also serves members of the 403rd Wing and is the training facility for the wing during unit training assembly weekends.

Magnolia opened in 1985 and hosts the monthly birthday celebrations for junior enlisted members and serves a midnight meal Monday through Friday. This facility can serve 1,500 customers per meal.

Jackson said that all of Keesler's dining facilities play a vital role within the Keesler community providing outstanding mission support on a daily basis as well as special community events.

During the annual Mississippi Special Olympics, hosted by Keesler, more than 1,500 athletes, coaches and volunteers are served by the dining facilities. In 2011, the food service team provided more than 600 flight and ground support meals in support of the Keesler's Angels Over the Bay Air Show.

Food service has an active recognition program offering monthly dining facility, customer service and employee awards. Upcoming menus are available on a daily hotline, 377-3463, and can be accessed by logging on to the 81st Force Support Squadron website, www.keesler81FSS.us.  

Customers can rate the dining facilities by completing comment cards and dropping them in a box at the cashier's station, or by going to www.keesler81FSS.us and clicking on the interactive customer evaluation icon, ICE.
Previous Story
Next Story