Reopened dining facility ready for business

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  After nine months of having just one dining facility on base, the 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron reopened the newly-renovated Reef Dining Facility at Hurlburt Field May 1.
The finished product boasts upgraded kitchen cooking systems and redesigned dining areas in the more than six-decade-old facility.

Airman 1st Class Anthony Collier, 1st SOFSS food services specialist, worked at the Riptide when it was the only dining facility open on base. He said the Reef's buffet-style menu, where customers are charged one flat price for their meals as opposed to being charged for each menu item, allows for more people to walk away feeling full.

"People can enjoy the food that we've got here as much as they'd like," Airman Collier said. "They can even come back for seconds or thirds."

To adequately serve the Reef's patrons, Airman Collier pointed out the entrées comprise of more than 100 servings each. This also adds more variety to each meal whether it's fried like pork chops and chicken or healthy like salads, fruit and yogurt.

The reopening also brought the cancellation of the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron's regular shuttle service to the Riptide Dining Facility for Airmen living in the base dormitories, since they now have a dining facility within walking distance.

For those Airmen living on the west side of Hurlburt Field, the proximity of a dining facility to their dorms is perhaps the most welcome change of all.

Airman 1st Class Taylor Young, 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron electrical and environmental specialist, moved to Hurlburt Field seven months before the Reef closed in August 2009. Like many Airmen, he had to decide if the trip to the Riptide was worth the effort of scheduling his meals to coincide with the shuttle service required to get to the east side of base and back.

"I used to wake up, walk down stairs and go straight to the dining facility," Airman Young said. "When I was faced with a long drive, I'd often wonder if I was hungry enough to make the trip."

In order to tide over any hunger throughout the week, Airman Young often bought groceries for his room. Airman 1st Class Darrell Smoot, fellow 801st SOAMXS electrical and environmental specialist, also bought groceries for his room rather than driving his own car to make it to the Riptide for each meal. With a facility on his side of the base now open, he said his spending on transportation and food will greatly be reduced.

"This means I don't have to use any gas to drive to the other side of base anymore," Airman Smoot said after finishing a meat loaf entrée with a side of carrots and squash. "I can now walk out of my room and eat over here whenever I want."

Airman Smoot arrived at Hurlburt Field in September so he never got to experience the Reef until this week. With the increase in meal selections and portion sizes available at a buffet, he said Airmen had to be more conscious of their food selection.

"You're in charge of the portions at a buffet, so there's the potential for you to eat until you drop," he said.

Even so, the Reef is not far from both the Health and Wellness Center and the Aderholt Fitness Center for those who feel they need to work out after possible overeating episodes.

And with the increased service capacity of two locations and an expanded food variety, the Reef and Riptide dining facilities will continue to feed and support Hurlburt Field Airmen.