AETC awards Sheppard Foods Services Hennessy Published Nov. 19, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Candy Miller 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- For the second consecutive year, Air Education and Training Command chose Sheppard Food Services to compete for the 2009 Air Force Hennessy Trophy Award by awarding Sheppard the AETC-level award in the Multiple Facilities category. According to AETC vice commander Maj. Gen. Anthony Przybyslawski, Sheppard's dining facilities earned 33 "Excellent" ratings, zero marginal or unsatisfactory ratings, and has the best sanitation record in the command. The dining facilities were inspected in September on kitchen operations; services and dining operations; training, personnel and readiness; sanitation and repair maintenance and management. Major Harris, a civilian food service officer at Sheppard, said Food Services received this accolade simply by ensuring they follow the Air Force instructions and guidelines for recipes, sanitation and service. The dining facilities are also evaluated internally more than 300 times throughout the year, he said. "Our goal is to serve safe and nutritious meals to Sheppard," he said, "it's critical that we follow the standards." The five dining facilities, central preparation kitchen and Medical Readiness kitchen serve about 9,000 meals every day and about 2.5 million meals every year to Airmen, with a total food cost of $6 million. Mr. Harris said the team accomplishes its mission through professionalism, talent and expertise in their jobs. The hard work and dedication of the contractors in the Work Service Corporation also plays a major role, he said. "We have excellent contractors. They adapt to the customers on base," Mr. Harris said. WSC consists of physically challenged workers that ensure the best customer service by doing more than cooking and serving food. They provide clean and sanitized places to eat, assisting injured Airmen through the food line and providing special birthday meals every month, he said. Mr. Harris said another inspection is due in a few months to compete for the award. "The inspection is intense, but we're up for the challenge," he said.