Without food, a military cannot function, and the 9th Force Support Squadron ensured that the Airman assigned to its geographically-separated location had continuous access to food during Agile Flag 24-3, from August 1 to 10.

The 9th FSS deployed a Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen as part of the Air Force Generation model exercise. Their purpose for was to test the FSS’s ability to support operations at a forward operation location.

“Given the real world and exercise injects, the crew performed really well,” said Tech. Sgt. Ben Cruz, 9th FSS resource advisor. “We faced high temperatures and had more people out here than expected. We were flexible and were able to make it work.”

The individuals who ran the SPEK, provided breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight chow to approximately 160 service members. For a few of the members, this was the first time in a deployed like setting, designed to test the unit’s ability to sustain their wing’s and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment.

“My normal job back home is working in the [dining facility],” said Airman 1st Class Andrew Arnaldo, 9th FSS services. “Due to some of the equipment limitations, we need to be a little bit more creative out here. We had a power outage and there wasn’t water for a little bit, which meant we need to ration out [meals] to people.

“I haven’t deployed before, but I feel like with all the challenges that came through, I can go out there and help.”

Due to some of the real-world limitations, the SPEK Airmen started off only servicing Meals, Ready-to-Eat, but switched to hot meals within the first few days.

“After a few days of eating MREs, we served our first hot meal, [and] we saw people’s faces light up,” said Lt. Col. Melissa Day, 9th FSS commander. “You can see that the morale increased, and I think everyone is more regenerated. When you’re in an austere environment something like a hot meal is a game changer.”

Even after the exercise ended, the services Airman made sure to feed everyone as they downsized to return home to Beale Air Force Base, California.