CDS delivers 'the goods'

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jaeda Tookes
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Missile chefs travel out to missile alert facilities every four days to cook for missileers, security forces, facility managers and possibly maintenance crews who post out to the missile field, but it's the central distribution section staff who are the middlemen behind the scenes who keeps the MAFs supplied with food.

"It is a unique job at missile bases," said Tech. Sgt. Adam Aguilar, 341st Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of the CDS. "The chefs get to decide what they want to cook for that particular day, and we provide it for them."

The chefs send their food orders to the CDS based on the previous day's work.

"From there we go into our freezers and prepare the order for the following morning," said Aguilar. "We receive an order every single day, sometimes multiple times a day."

Orders are packed in a cooler for the chefs, and are brought to the sites by missile alert crews leaving that morning. In the evening, the returning crews bring back the cooler to be used for the following day.

"On change-over days, when the chef is returning, they are required to bring their money and paperwork from the four days at the MAF," said Aguilar.

According to Aguilar, the CDS receives shipments from their primary vendors three times a week, totaling $2,000 to $3,000 in orders. They also receive dairy products twice a week and bread products once a week.

"We break down what we receive from the vendors into smaller quantities for each of the chefs," said Aguilar.

Missile chefs are required to keep enough food to feed their crew plus an additional five days.

"We are required to keep an inventory of the food we have in the store room," said Senior Airman Garrison West, 341st FSS accountant and store room clerk. "On hand, we have a two weeks supply of items."

Prices for items at the MAFs are decided based on the vendors' contracts.

If there are food items in high demand among Airmen posted at the MAF, it must first be approved through the CDS.

"We have to first work with our headquarters to see if it is cost effective," said Aguilar. "We also have to make sure it adds nutritional value and is something we will not lose money over."

The total process takes about two weeks, with food menus getting approved quarterly by headquarters, Aguilar said.

According to Aguilar, the CDS directly sees how their contributions tie into the Air Force mission with a lasting effect on the day of life for the missileers, security forces, facility managers and possibly the maintenance crews.

"The CDS is the quarterback of the whole operation," said Airman 1st Class Zackery Tookes, 341st FSS missile chef. "Without them I would not be able to do my job or give the (overall team) what they want." 

The CDS makes being away from your family a little more bearable and feel less like a deployment, said Tookes.

"Receiving food from the CDS greatly affects the mission and all the crews who post out here," said, Tookes. "Without them providing the needed food, the mission does not get accomplished."