Hurlburt Field down to one dining facility…for now Published July 27, 2009 By 2nd Lt. Mark Lazane 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- They say change is good for everyone. However, the benefits of change are sometimes not seen until after the headaches are endured. The Reef, a popular dining facility for enlisted Airmen and located next to the majority of the dorms on base, will close for approximately six to seven months for extensive renovations beginning Aug. 1, according to Senior Master Sgt. Michael West, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron Sustainment Services Flight superintendent. "The Reef dining facility is a great building, but it's showing its age after 60 years of everyday use," Sergeant West said. "Several critical systems will be upgraded, and the finished product will allow us to be able to provide a better quality facility to our customers and to do it more efficiently." Though the closure won't be pain-free, several steps have been taken to ensure that the closure does not preclude Airmen from having access to meals when needed, Sergeant West said. For instance, to facilitate efficient traffic flow, the Riptide Dining Facility will only be available to enlisted service members with a meal card of subsistence in kind designation, emergency response personnel or individuals who are on temporary duty status with military dining privileges outlined on their orders. In addition, the 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron will operate a shuttle service to the Riptide. The 10-minute shuttle ride will operate at key times throughout the day to ensure the greatest majority of individuals are able to have access to the facility. The shuttle will offer continual pickup from the north entrance of the Warehouse Bistro, Bldg. 90320, the side of the building with the overhang, near the barber shop, for significant portions of each day. The first shuttle of the day will begin taking passengers at 5:20 a.m. with the last breakfast shuttle leaving the Riptide at 8:35 a.m. The shuttle will resume service each day for lunch from the same location at 10:50 a.m. with the final shuttle leaving the Riptide at 1:05 p.m. Finally, an evening shuttle will ferry passengers back and forth beginning at 3:50 p.m. and leaving the Riptide for the final time at 7:05 p.m. The hours of the Riptide will be adjusted during the construction time to better facilitate the amount of customers. Breakfast will be served from 5:30-8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 6:00-8:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Lunch and dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m., seven days a week, including holidays. The midnight meal will also be available from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week. For a complete list of Riptide Dining Facility hours and hours of operation for the dining facility shuttle, click here.