AT THE DFAC |

AT THE DFAC
Name: Kevin
Posting date: 11/1/07
Stationed in: Iraq
Hometown: Oakland, NJ
Milblog url: [email protected]

Since nothing much is going on, I decided to write about what us Taji-confined soldiers truly cherish most: the Dining Facility (DFAC, Armyspeak for mess hall). Conveniently situated only one mile from our living area, the DFAC is well worth the trudge through the heat, dusty parking lots, and PortaPotty-induced olfactory horrors that make Camp Taji the wonderful place I already know it to be.

I spend about two hours a day at the mess hall, so I wanted to write a little bit about it. The Taji DFAC looks nothing like the stereotypical mess hall. It is well-lit, clean, offers a great selection of foods, and is run by civilian contractors. I have to hand it to Gulf Catering, the contractor who runs our mess hall. Their dozens of Indian servers do a really good job, and are very nice to us troops coming through the lines. On the days the DFAC serves chicken or beef curry, you’ll see a line of Indian workers wrapped around the side of the mess hall. That’s how I know it's good curry.

Their company is a subcontractor for KBR, which is a subsidiary of Halliburton, Dick Cheney’s old firm. Evidently, our Vice President is very good at contracting things out, just as he contracted out his responsibility to serve in the Vietnam War to less fortunate Americans by obtaining five draft deferments.

At breakfast, I am put in the enviable position of deciding amongst a made-to-order omelet, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, hash browns, grits, French toast, pancakes, and oatmeal. Just when I think I’ve seen enough food to last me all day, there is the cereal table. Alongside the blander Cheerios and Special K boxes are the more decadent cereals like Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, and Cocoa Puffs, treats my Mom never let me touch. Because she is now 10,000 miles away, I’m already starting to put on a little weight, something I thought was not possible due to my naturally high metabolism. Oh well, I have a lot of time to work it off before returning to the States next spring.

Lunch and dinner feature more of the same, but go even more overboard in terms of the variety of foods served. Overboard is nice, but I have to ask myself how much KBR charges the U.S. Government for a soldier to eat a meal here. That issue being way above my level as a lowly Battalion Logistics Officer, I instead focus only on what I throw on my plate. For lunch, I can get a sandwich, soup, burgers, hot dog, cheese steak, salad, pizza, tacos, rice, mashed potatoes, fruit, and just about any other basic sort of food.

Dinner is equally good. We even get crab legs on Sunday, although the shells are dangerously sharp. Probably the most dangerous thing I do all week, breaking up crab legs in a hostile fire zone is not a task I take lightly.

A recent lunch at the DFAC: no, those aren't worms on the steak. They're onions.

Comments

[Matthew Carrick]

If you can get a good curry does anything else matter?

[SGT Muzquiz]

I remember the Taji DFAC. The big one, not the stupid Cav one. I didn't get fat in Mosul, but when I got to Taji... Oh yeah...

[LCSW]

Glad to hear things are looking up. Keep safe from the shells... in the crab. Fobbit.

[jan]

I heard that each plate used has a charge of $55.00 - they count plates each day. The ones put out and then keep track. So if you take 2 plates for food or what ever then they charge $110.00

[Henery]

Kevin,

For what you do, enjoy the meals, I'm more than happy to pay my share so that you guys are well-fed. Seriously.

[paintball sniper]

They sure do look like worms.

[Account Deleted]

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[Account Deleted]

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[buy tava tea]

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Regards,
Lana