An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | June 7, 2013

Air National Guard unit fuels the body and keeps the jets flying

By Tech Sgt. Caycee R. Watson South Carolina Air National Guard

McINTYRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. - Everyone knows that food fuels the body. This is especially true when the body is worked through a few extra Readiness Exercise hours during those hot South Caroina spring and summer days.

The 169th Force Support Squadron's Services Flight is able to supply flight line and maintenance personnel with easier access to some of that much-needed fuel. The Single Palletized Expeditionary Kitchen (SPEK) is an asset provided by 169th personnel.

It is intended to deliver a hot meal to those who cannot afford the usual amount of time taken for lunch in the base dining facility, during exercise and inspection drill weekends.

"The SPEK is convenient for the flight line personnel and that's who it's mainly for," said Tech. Sgt. Denise Bhola, a food services shift leader.

 During the June Unit Training Assembly Readiness Exercise, the 169th Services Flight had a nine-person team set up and operated the SPEK next to the flight line entry control point. Because of the SPEK, aircraft maintainers were able to refuel themselves with a hot meal and minimal disruption from their duties.

"It helps keep them mission oriented and focused on the task at hand," said Bhola. "Everyone's mission on base is to keep the jets flying, so we're doing our part by feeding them over here."

Bhola commented that flight line workers seemed appreciative when they went through the SPEK food line in past exercises.

"If they didn't have the SPEK, who knows when or what they'd have time to eat. It's convenient to them, which is important to keep the jets flying," said Bhola.

"It was definitely convenient," said Airman 1st Class Jessica Burgess, a crew chief with the 169th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We can't leave our jet for long periods to go to the dining facility, so it was nice to have hot food and cold drinks available to us right here, and not from an MRE package."

The SPEK is a unit that, once set up, is ready with its own power sources available. This provides services personnel with the tools they need to keep pre-cooked food rations warm and ready to serve. The 169th SVF has had this SPEK for less than a year and they realize how essential its mission is to the 169th Fighter Wing's mission.

During the June United Training Assembly exercise, 169th Services Flight personnel at the SPEK anticipated approximately 50 flight line personnel to go through their chow line in one day but came prepared for more than 100. They were proud to have served a hot meal to 102 hard-working individuals.

 

 

Related Articles
Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Berg, a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter pilot, assigned to A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, conducts flight operations over Southeast Alaska near Juneau, Jan. 24, 2025. The Juneau-based Black Hawk aircrew conducts their federal mission training requirements and, when available, can respond to emergency requests by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center or the State Emergency Operations Center.
Alaska Army National Guard Conducts Medevac Mission
By Dana Rosso, | June 5, 2025
JUNEAUA, Alaska – A UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter assigned to A Company, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion, transported a patient from Skagway to Juneau June 3, following a medical evacuation request from the Alaska...

U.S. Air National Guard civilian firefighters, assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department, pose in front of the fire truck that was the first on scene, South Burlington, VT, June 4, 2025. These firefighters provided the first fire truck on scene to a local fire.
Vermont Air Guard First on Scene of South Burlington Fire
By Airman Raymond LaChance, | June 4, 2025
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Doireann Chesbrough, a civilian firefighter for the Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department, was sitting next to the radio in the dayroom of the station as the sun began to set over the Green...

Paratroopers from the Colorado National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces stand together before the first joint Colorado-Jordan airborne Friendship Jump, Watkins, Colorado, April 23, 2025. Members parachuted from a CH-47 Chinook as part of an event to strengthen interoperability and deepen the partnership between the two forces.
Airborne Operation Strengthens Colorado Guard, Jordan Partnership
By Senior Airman Melissa Escobar-Pereira, | June 4, 2025
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – In a display of cooperation and capability, Soldiers from the Colorado Army National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces recently conducted a joint airborne operation in Watkins, Colorado.The April 23...