Reef dining facility to host Thanksgiving lunch

John Collins, a contract cook with the 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron, inspects a turkey in preparation for the Reef dining facility’s Thanksgiving luncheon at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Nov. 25, 2015. Airmen with the 1st SOFSS have been preparing for the upcoming Thanksgiving lunch buffet for more than two months. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Kai White)

Reef dining facility to host Thanksgiving lunch

John Collins, a contract cook with the 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron, prepares a turkey for the Reef dining facility’s Thanksgiving luncheon at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Nov. 25, 2015. Airmen with the 1st SOFSS have been preparing food for days leading up to the Thanksgiving lunch buffet scheduled for Nov. 26, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Kai White)

Reef dining facility to host Thanksgiving lunch

Published Nov. 25, 2015
By Airman Kai White
1 SOFSS

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (Nov. 25, 2015) -- The Reef dining facility is scheduled to host a Thanksgiving luncheon on Nov. 26, 2015, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., here.

The annual event is open to Airmen, retirees, and their families and will be served buffet style.

As the only buffet in the Air Force, hosting a Thanksgiving with an expected attendance of more than 200 people brings a long list of tasks, coordination, planning and most importantly, cooking.

Tasks include cooking 12 turkeys, 12 rotisserie chickens, five hams, two steamships and various other dishes while carefully preparing them around the daily dining schedule, according to Tech. Sgt. Emily Fuqua, a food services supervisor with the 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron. Fuqua says she has been planning the event hosted by Col. Sean Farrell, 1st Special Operations Wing commander, for more than two months to get everything just right.

“It’s stressful, but it’s a good stress,” Fuqua said. “Today I had to ensure Col. Farrell will have a chef’s coat to serve our Airmen. There are a lot of details people don’t think about when it comes to planning events like these.”

The 1st SOW commander is one of many Hurlburt leaders that are lending a hand to carve turkeys and other meats that are served to visitors.

“We give it a special touch,” Fuqua said. “We put our love into the food. People are really excited to do this.”

In order to successfully pull off the Thanksgiving meal, personal must work around the clock leading up to the event. According to Fuqua, Airmen will work in four hour shifts so they ay enjoy their holiday as well.
“It’s one of our biggest events, so we all make sure that we are here to participate,” said Airman 1st Class Alyssa Ross, food service shift leader with the 1st SOFSS. “Like the Airmen, or whoever else who can’t go home, we are here to support them.”