Change gives Airmen easier access to food

  • Published
  • By Airman Madelyn Ottem
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The Food Transformation Initiative continues to make progress in developing the program that is redefining how, what and where Travis Airmen eat.

FTI is a revamped dining program intended to offer Airmen a greater variety, availability and quality of food.

One of the aspects of the FTI is the campus-style dining portion. Campus-style dining will allow Airmen to have freedom to eat at numerous locations around the base, rather than only having the option of eating at the dining facility.

Some of the locations that will allow Airmen to use their meal card are Wingman's in the Delta Breeze Club, the Knucklebuster Café in Hangar 810, Ten Pins at the Bowling Alley and Gatsby's Grill on the golf course, with more to come as the initiative moves forward, said George Downs, executive chef with Aramark.

The greater availability of food services is anticipated to prove more efficient for Airmen who work a distance from the dining facility.

"We have taken FTI to the next level and are making history here at Travis by opening places closer to the Airmen and offering more choices," said Staff Sgt. Jerrika Stark, 60th Force Support Squadron, KnuckleBuster facility manager.

Not only will the FTI offer new locations to eat, it will also redesign the Sierra Inn Dining Facility.

"Renovations will start mid September," said Stark. "The dining facility will be made bigger and better with more stations to choose from."

Stark stresses the importance of taking advantage of comment cards found at the dining facility for Airmen to express their opinions of the food and service they receive.

Comment cards are vital to this program because we are still in the testing phase, said Stark.

"The comments do go up to headquarters," she said. "If the Airmen express that they want something then we'll get it, we just need the customer demand to make those changes."

It is implemented to serve the Airmen and the base population, to make people more efficient at their jobs and to act as a morale booster, Stark said.

Travis Airmen and base residents have the opportunity to be some of the first in the Air Force to experience the new dining program.

"We are the prototype, we're making history that could change the Air Force," said Stark.

For more information visit www.travisfss.com