New Dining Program to be introduced at MacDill AFB

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katherine Holt
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AFB, Fla. --  MacDill Air Force Base will be one of six bases to take part in the new pilot program of the Air Force Services Agency's Food Transformation Initiative.

With FTI, the Air Force is changing the way it delivers food in order to meet the needs of today's Airmen. For the past 60 years, the Air Force has been feeding Airmen based on a much larger, more stationary force. With the transition to a smaller, expeditionary force, Air Force leaders are looking to make dining programs more flexible, available, and efficient.

"MacDill AFB is slated to begin the pilot Oct. 1," said Master Sgt. Alejandro Ray, 6th Force Support Squadron Dining Facility manager. "Instead of dorm residents only being authorized to eat in the Dining Facility, their meal cards will enable them to eat at any FSS dining establishment."

Dorm residents aren't the only MacDill AFB personnel affected by this change.

"The Dining Facility will be open to all MacDill AFB personnel including civilian employees, family members, Department of Defense civilians and retirees," said Sergeant Ray.

The Dining Facility is already responsible for more than 600 customers daily and approximately 700 customers on Reserve weekends.

"It will be busy, however, the DFAC will be completely contracted out," said Sergeant Ray. "FSS members will still be preparing meals alongside the contractors, but virtually they will coexist."

Air Force officials hope to bring greater quality and variety to their dining venues by changing their food and beverage options.

(Additional reporting done by 1st Lt. Gina Vaccaro McKeen, Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs.)