Sheppard gears up for Hennessey Award inspections

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  As the evaluation season begins for the Hennessey Award, which began in 1956 as an Air Force-wide recognition of food service excellence and professionalism, Sheppard aims to keep the coveted trophy and accomplishment they earned last May.

The Hennessey Award is part of the Hennessey Travelers Association. The association is an advisory group of professionals who specialize in evaluating the effectiveness of an armed forces food service program.

For Mike Matthews, a Work Services Corporation manager of the Tumbleweed Dining Facility, the award is just part of the bigger job of providing Airmen with quality service.

"I feel we do a great job every day," he said. "We want to hold everyone accountable for doing their job the correct way."

One of the qualities that also make the dining facility employees on Sheppard unique is the staff they hire. An estimated 80 percent of their direct labor comes from those with a disability. While the characteristic sets itself apart from other traditional workplaces, Matthews is confident that each worker is the most qualified and brings a sense of excellence to the workplace.

"If they can do the job and do what's required, there's no label on you, you're just a Work Service employee," he said.

With many of the employees having made careers out of their jobs, they value the professional atmosphere and the opportunities it offers.

"I love my job," said Tammy Fleming, a Tumbleweed Dining Facility cashier who has spent 11 years serving in various positions throughout the dining facilities on Sheppard.

While Fleming enjoys the culture of the workplace, she counts her interaction with the base populace as the favorite part of her job.

"I enjoy serving the Airmen," she said. "It just makes my day."

While having high work standards helped the dining facilities on Sheppard win the trophy last year, Mathhews wants his employees to be a part of something bigger than the award itself.

"We want our employees to succeed, not just be self-sufficient. We want them to be a part of a community," he said. "Everyone matters, from employee one to 150."

The winners of the Hennessey Award are slated to be announced late March to early April.