WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Take a group of competent airmen, a pallet of equipment, and a sprinkle of teamwork and you will get a fully functioning expeditionary kitchen. At least two times a year, Airmen of the 442d Force Support Squadron work together to set up a Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen.
It all starts with a pallet of tent parts and kitchen equipment. The Airmen methodically connect the tent piece-by-piece and then fill it with a kitchen sink, tables, shelves, and food heating apparatuses.
Once the kitchen is set up, it’s time to cook. The Airmen open a package of food meant to feed around 50 people and prepare the meal.
“When we get deployed to a bare base, the setup of the SPEK and Lodging Tents are the first things we need to do to get our food operation going,” said Master Sgt. Harry Garr, the SPEK supervisor for the 442 FSS services flight.
In addition to SPEK set-up, the 442 FSS also trains to conduct search and recovery in a deployed environment two to three times a year.
During this training, the Airmen walk together in a line and search a designated area for items that could belong to fallen military members.
“Our role is to gather as much (sic) effects from the crash site as possible including human remains and mementos that will be returned to the family,” said Garr.
Both of these trainings ensure the 442 FSS is prepared to execute their mission during a deployment.