Feeding the fight from the Forward Edge

Premade salads are shown during dinner at the Magellan Dining Facility for U.S. Army Soldiers participating in Exercise Forager 21 to pick up for dinner at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The 36th Force Support Squadron’s Magellan DFAC is currently supporting multiple exercises and operations on Andersen AFB, and have had four times the amount of service members dependent on their facility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Michael S. Murphy)

Feeding the fight from the Forward Edge

U.S. Army soldiers participating in Exercise Forager 21 receive food from 36th Force Support Squadron contractors at the Magellan Dining Facility at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 26, 2021. The 36th Force Support Squadron’s Magellan DFAC is currently supporting multiple exercises and operations on Andersen AFB, and has had four times the amount of service members dependent on their facility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Michael S. Murphy)

Feeding the fight from the Forward Edge

U.S. Army soldiers participating in Exercise Forager 21 render salutes during the playing of the national anthem outside of the Magellan Dining Facility at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 26, 2021. The 36th Force Support Squadron’s Magellan DFAC is currently supporting multiple exercises and operations on Andersen AFB, and has had four times the amount of service members dependent on their facility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Michael S. Murphy)

Feeding the fight from the Forward Edge

Published July 27, 2021
By Senior Airman Michael S. Murphy
36th Wing Public Affairs

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --

The Magellan Inn Dining Facility opened the doors of its services to U.S. Army service members in support of Exercise Forager 21 on June 24, 2021, and since then more than 1,600 Soldiers visit the DFAC for breakfast and dinner.

Additionally, the DFAC is now supporting Pacific Iron 21, and has seen an increase of 60 percent for customers.

The primary mission of the DFAC is to feed service members living in base dormitories and also to cash paying customers who are Active Duty, Guard and Reserve and those traveling to Andersen.

“At the DFAC our motto is one percent better every day,” said 2nd Lt. Kasey Potvin, the officer in charge of food services assigned to the 36th Force Support Squadron. “Regardless of what is happening, we have to make sure we are always improving, even if it is just by one percent on a day-to-day basis.”

Since the start of Forager 21, the DFAC has seen the facilities operations increase four-fold, and expects things to get busier with the increase of PACIRON 21.

“These exercises have created a tremendous amount of pressure on our Airmen and forces us as a team to recognize our capabilities during contingency operations,” Potvin said. This is a great learning experience for all involved because we are really being pushed to our limits here, but it’s great to know we really can do more with less.”

With the increase of mouths to feed, additional help came from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and Guam National Guard, creating a joint operation in the kitchen. Potvin was glad to receive help in assisting with cooking, meal prepping, and distribution.

“Lt. Potvin and her team brought in the 626th Quartermaster Company Culinary Specialist from Fort Wainwright, Alaska with open arms,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Daniel Barker, senior food advisor assigned to the Ist Corps based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. “This is a great learning experience for three different services, to include the Army Reserves, to understand how the Air Force food service operations are slightly different, but very similar to The Army Food Program to meet the Department of Defense menu standards."

Potvin ended with a kind gesture of thanks towards all of her team for all of the hard work they have accomplished already, and the work they will complete in the coming months.

“Our DFAC is a 24/7 operation, so we do have Airmen and contractor employees working in the facility all day, every day,” Potvin said. “Without their time and dedication to the mission, we would not be able to feed all the Army personnel that are coming through. I want to acknowledge the Army personnel themselves. They have given us assets such as connex containers that hold refrigerated items, freezer items, dry goods. Outside forces have meshed flawlessly with our Airmen to produce a product that a lot of members are really enjoying.”