Improved flight line kitchen operations at Johnson facility Published March 14, 2007 By Senior Airman Nestor Cruz 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The Johnson Dining Facility upgraded food services after recently consolidating flight line kitchen services under one roof. Looking at food service operations with an Air Force Smart Operations 21 mindset, 18th Services Squadron members streamlined their processes in an effort to better serve their customers. "Having a consolidated flight line kitchen and a grab-n-go service within the Johnson Dining Facility gives us the ability to increase our menu and our level of service to our customers," said Master Sgt. Lesley Smith, 18th SVS food service superintendent. "For example, if an aircrew member requests a warm sandwich, we can accommodate those requests now, a capability we didn't have at the Strickland Flight Line Kitchen." Sergeant Smith also said the flight line meal menu would be expanded with new meal supplement products. While the Airpower Café still offers fast food-type menu items on the north side of Kadena, aircrew members and maintainers can either phone in flight line meal orders or pick up meals on their way to work. According to Chief Master Sgt. Aubrey Harvey, 18th SVS chief enlisted manager, Kadena members working in the north area of the base have already added food pick-up into their daily schedule. "Members will usually call in their meal orders the day prior and pick up their meals the next day before going to work," Chief Harvey said. Chief Harvey said renovations were also made at the Johnson Dining Facility which improved the quality of their meals, enhanced efficiency and expedited customer flow. The renovations included a separate room for food preparation and counter space for food pick-up. Prior to the renovations, the flight line kitchen had a single counter for both functions. "These changes we've made are for the benefit of our customers," Chief Harvey said. "It's not a matter of what Services wants, but what benefits our customers and we do that through enhanced menus, continuing to make our service and our meals better, and ensuring timeliness every time. In the end, when we meet all the goals placed on ourselves, then our customers are happy and that definitely makes us happy." "We're always listening to customer feedback," Sergeant Smith said. "Without customer feedback, we wouldn't have a job. Making improvements within the Services squadron to better serve our customers is a constant thing for us."