Dining facility, staff gearing up for AF-level Hennessy competition

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Malmstrom's Elkhorn Dining Facility has won the John L. Hennessy Award for Single-Unit Operations Category for Air Force Global Strike Command. They are now preparing to compete for the same award at the Air Force level Feb. 16 and 17.

"I'm really excited for the Airmen to get a chance to experience this," said Lisa Schutz, dining facility manager with the 341st Force Support Squadron. "Not very many people can say so early in their career that they're competing for the Hennessy."

The fact that Malmstrom's dining facility won at the Major Command level is a great feat because this year's competition was different than past evaluations.

"Usually we know months in advance [of an evaluation], but this time we only had four days to prepare," Schutz said.

In preparation for the Air Force - level evaluation, the team working at the dining facility has been running through the same checklist that evaluators will be using. Five categories will be evaluated with a total of 1,000 points possible.

But the points earned won't be solely up to the members of the Elkhorn. Feedback from customers will be considered as well.

"The evaluators will talk to patrons eating at the facility about everything from food to customer service," Schutz said.

Schutz and other staff members at the dining facility want Airmen to know that the establishment caters to the Airmen that live in the dorms.

"We're here for the Airmen," Schutz said. "We've all been Airmen at one time so we try to look back on that and think 'well, when I was an Airman living in the dorms what would I have enjoyed?"

This kind of attitude is what sets the Elkhorn Dining facility apart from other installations. Some of their unique aspects include ethnic meals offered every Wednesday; breakfast bonanza every first and third Thursday of the month; and Mongolian barbeque every third week of the month.

"Also, with the upcoming Super Bowl game, the football game will be aired, an extended brunch will be offered and burgers, hotdogs and wings will be provided," said Tech. Sgt. Cleofe Van Orden, storeroom NCO in charge with the 341st FSS.

With the upcoming Air Force - level evaluation for the prestigious John L. Hennessy Award, Team Malmstrom Airmen are reminded to take advantage of the opportunities the dining facility has to offer.

"The Hennessy Award is given for best food service operations," said Staff Sgt. Breyson Robinson, food service accountant with the 341st FSS. "It's not what we do in the kitchen or what we do in the line, it's what we're providing for our Airmen. If we're complying with Air Force standards that's one thing, but if we're making Airmen happy on top of that then that's what sets good dining facilities apart from great dining facilities, and that's what we aim to do."

The following bases will be competing against Malmstrom Air Force Base at the Air Force- level: Beale AFB, Calif.; Kunsan Air Base, Korea.; Schriever AFB, Colo.; McConnell AFB, Kan.; Tyndall AFB, Fla.; and Incirlik AB, Turkey.