Food service Airmen assigned to the 132nd Wing led the charge in preparing over 11,000 hot meals for service members participating in Operation Healthy Delta Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission, June 9-23, 2023, at three different sites between Missouri and Illinois.

“The job can become repetitive when back at home station,” said Master Sgt. Ryan Ammons, noncommissioned officer in charge of food service at the Poplar Bluff, Missouri, site. “But in this environment, we’ve been forced to adapt on the fly every day.”

The two-week IRT mission has provided no-cost optometry, dental, physical therapy, emotional wellness, and other medical services to more than 1700 individuals throughout southern Missouri and Illinois.

Along with providing healthcare to those in need, The IRT mission enhances service members’ readiness to perform their jobs in a variety of real-world conditions. Ammons said food service Airmen had to prepare mass meals in smaller spaces and limited access to industrial equipment than what they typically use at their home stations.

Staff Sgt. Dale Bryant, a food service specialist assigned to the 132nd Wing, agreed with Ammons and said participating in a real-world environment allowed him to advance his skill sets and organizational capabilities.

“There is a lot of behind-the-scenes organization and planning needed to execute each meal,” said Bryant. “Time management and accuracy are vital to keep from interfering with the troops mission.”

Ammons and Bryant both acknowledged their role in keeping all health professionals and supporting staff mission ready to accurately handle each patient that comes through the doors.

“We may not have a direct impact on the local community during this mission,” Bryant concludes. “However, our goal is to fuel and empower the people who do.”