Food Service Specialist Force Notes
2nd Quarter 2006
FS Rating Force Master Chief Philip Garrett
CG-1111
202 267 2556
(FS Force Notes are NOT official policy. Force Notes are provided as for information purposes only)
D14 Round-Up
The MLCPAC FSAT organized their annual D14 Conference at ISC Honolulu in January
2006. Each year this event gets better, we had a huge audience of FSs attend. BZ to
MCPO Zimmerman and his staff for organizing the event and BZ to CPO Beasley, his FS
staff and ISC HONO Command for support this valuable training opportunity.
Dining Facility of the Year News
We are preparing for the Excellence in Food Service/Dining Facility of the Year Awards
Program in Miami, Florida. The conference will start on Wednesday 5 April and
conclude on Sunday 9 April. The MCPO-CG will be attending this year (as he did three
years ago in Dallas). More details will be published and available at the SME Website.
Inter Service Training
CG-1111 attended a meeting at Fort Lee, VA (Army Center of Excellence) to gather
information regarding the consolidation of all Depart of Defense Food Service Training
sites. The Base Realignment and Closure Committee (BRAC) has directed the DOD to
consolidate both of the their food service training centers (Lackland AFB and Fort Lee)
to one facility, most likely Fort Lee. The CG (works for DHS vice DOD) is NOT
mandated to move any of our food service training facilities. We attended this meeting at
the request of CG-1322 and provided on site subject matter expertise. This meeting
occurred on 22-24 February 2006. The results of this meeting will be published in a
future edition of FS Force Notes.
D9 FS Conference
Lisa Goldstein organized her 3rd D9 FS conference. The conference was at Cleveland,
Ohio from 1-3 February 2006. Lisa is the D9 Health Promotions Manager. Lisa has
done an outstanding job at organizing this event for several years, including getting
funding for travel and acquiring work space for the hands-on training, the organization of
this conference was nothing short of superlative. I was invited to attend along with the
FS SME, CPO Lemelin and CPO Reed, MLCLANT FSAT. The conference featured
discussions on FS issues, professional skills development, networking, etc. Almost half
of all the FSs within the D9 AOR attended. I would like to thank Lisa for organizing
(and providing funding for FSs to attend) this fantastic event and supporting the FS
rating!
Fleet Optimization and Training (FOT)
FOT processes all official requests for TAD support from units. For example, if your
unit (most often cutters and stations) needs TAD support, you should be contacting your
servicing ISC/FOT via message. The folks at FOT then work with the FS staff to fulfill
the request. Too often, units are NOT contacting FOT but contacting the FS staff
directly. This creates several problems, primarily, the lack of tracking of how often FSs
are deployed or worse, how often units go without TAD support because the FS staff was
unable to fulfill the request. This creates a problem when I contact the FOT to determine
whether our support component is adequate or if I need to give them more folks to meet
the TAD need. My message is simple: Go through your respective FOT for support
fulfillment. In order to justify putting more FSs in support positions, I need your help
and to work with your local FOT. Without data to back up my request for more FSs in
support positions, we simply will not be able to get you the support you need. Contact me
directly if you have a question regard the process to work with your servicing FOT.
Deployable Duty (DD)
On the recommendation of Master Chief Zimmerman, MLCPAC FSAT, I assigned an E6 position to AIRSTATION Sitka for the sole purpose of cutter support. There are 3
positions coming on line this year at ISC's Honolulu/Seattle/San Pedro (all E-6) for the
sole purpose of supporting TAD requests. These DD positions will serve as model for
the remaining dedicated support positions assigned at ISC's around the CG. I will be
working with EPM and the ISC's to determine which billets assigned are dedicated for
TAD assignment. These positions (especially the position at AIRSTA Sitka) are a very
challenging assignment as the member filling the position can count on spending a
significant amount of time deployed. We have provided the incentive of improving the
assignment priority as long as the member spends at least 50% of their tour deployed.
These positions should be filled this summer (2006).
I will be reviewing all of our support billets to determine how many of these billets will
be tabbed for DD (and of course, providing the assignment priority up grade). If you
have any comments regarding this initiative, please contact me. Below is listed a simple
formula for determining the 50% of a tour being deployed:
365 days in a year. 251 Work Days in a year. 753 Work Days in 3 years. You must have
achieved 376 days of TAD support to qualify for the upgraded assignment priority. This
breaks down to approximately 31 days per calendar quarter of being away from your
home unit. This is beyond challenging, it is arduous duty. We will be monitoring this
process to make adjustments as necessary. Supervisors should be ensuring ALL TAD
support requests are being officially routed through their respective Fleet Optimization
and Training division.
Coast Guard Culinary Training Team
This is the message that announced the creation of the team and solicited for members:
R 141725Z NOV 05 ZUI ASN-A00318000013 ZYB
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-11//
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS //N01510//
ALCOAST 559/05
COMDTNOTE 1510
SUBJ: COAST GUARD CULINARY TRAINING TEAM (CGCTT)
Congratulations to the following primary and alternate CGCTT members:
A. PRIMARY MEMBERS:
MEMBERS:
UNIT:
FSC JUSTIN REED (TEAM LEADER)
MLCLANTFSAT
FS1 ERIK CLAIRE
STA TILLAMOOK BAY
FS1 IGNATIUS BARAN
D1 REPFAC
FS2 ANDREW PROULX
CCS REPFAC
FS2 JOHN PETRO
COMDTS FLAG MESS
B. ALTERNATES:
MEMBERS:
UNIT
FS1 STACEY RUSSELL
SECTOR LONG ISLAND SOUND
FS1 MICHAEL SCALES
STA ROCKLAND
FS2 CHRISTOPHER SMITH
CGC CONFIDENCE
FS3 MICHAEL REPPERT
STA ST. CLAIR SHORES
(Special apologies to FS1 John Petro, I listed him as a
Second Class)
Culinary School Graduates (CSG)
An initiative aimed at improving the health of the FS rating was approved and will be
implemented immediately. This initiative calls for the enlistment of up to 10 culinary
school (or equivalent) graduates to receive a $20K bonus for enlisting in the CG for a
period of 6 years. The CSG MUST have an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts. The
bonus is tax free if used for tuition payback or with a lump sum payment (taxed) and
receive annual installments (also taxed). The CSG will attend basic training and FS A
School and be assigned to large, afloat platforms. This initiative is designed to enhance
our professional image and reputation. The degree of skill required to acquire an
Associates Degree in Culinary Arts is significant. In the short term, the CSG will require
a period of time to apply their skills to our workforce. I feel that having the CSG
attending both basic training and FS “A” school will greatly improve the time it will take
to maximize the skill set the CSG will bring to the workforce by working side by side
with our FSs. We are very optimistic that we will have many prior service folks who
have acquired this degree will be very interested in bringing their skills and experience to
our workforce. We will be promoting this initiative with CG Recruiting, more details will
follow.
Food Service Practical Handbook
I will be working with CPO Lemelin and others on bringing this resource back to our
inventory. I have recognized that we need a reference that will address the issues that the
FS Manual, Gisslen textbook and the Sanitation Manual do not address (like a load guide,
menu development, etc). We will be working to get this manual published this calendar
year. If you have any recommendations for something you feel needs to be a part of the
manual, please forward them to your respective FSAT for review. I will be meeting with
the FSATs in Miami during the month of April. I want to change the name of the manual
to something more progressive and reflective of what the manual actually represents.
You comments are welcome, please submit via the FSAT.
Greetings from the Program Manager
Chief Warrant Officer Jesse Hill
202 267 1197
UNIFORM ISSUES: What exactly is our uniform? It is the same one that was issued to
you in FS “A” school. (At least if you went to “A” school within the last 5 years or so)
Black Checked pants, chef coat or white button shirt, disposable white hat, white bib
style apron, and steel toed boots/safety shoes. I attended the uniform board held at Head
Quarters on February 28th –March 1st. I don’t anticipate the uniform for FS changing in
near future. The CG Uniform Regulations Manual, COMDINST M1020.6Em provides
guidance for organizational clothing. Commands have the responsibility to ensure the
uniforms being worn by their FSs is in compliance with the minimal guidance provided
within COMDINST M1020.6E. In other words, if you are wearing a non standard
(denim, floral print, etc) chef jacket at your unit, you are not authorized to wear that
uniform out of your units’ area of responsibility, especially when interacting with other
FS personnel. We will provide specific direction WRT this policy when addressing the
Uniform Board in an attempt to eliminate any confusion with this policy.
Food Service Manual: I am working on the first draft of the update/revision for the FS
Manual, COMDINST 4061.5. I intend to route that draft through concurrent clearance
here in the building and with all the principals (FINCEN, etc). I will be updating/adding
information WRT: Natural disasters, MRE’s nutrition, uniforms, operational
supplements, culinary team requirements, Special Command Aides, and FSAT
requirements will be a few of the new topics that will be incorporated into the manual. I
have received lots of input from the field and FSAT on what should be included. I
appreciate all of the input I received and look forward to getting the manual out to the
field as soon as possible. I will provide you updates via the FSAT on when the manual
will be ready for distribution.
Operational Supplements: Two new initiatives have come out of this office recently:
One is the new policy on maximum allowable savings for medium and large class cutters.
Instead of the traditional ten percent these cutters are allowed a thirty percent savings.
This allows these cutters to save more import and utilize the savings while underway.
This will help them out when they go to high cost port calls for subsistence purchases.
(Maximum Accumulation Total Operating Allowance for Afloat CG Dining Facilities
R092119Z JAN O6 is the message that references this savings).
The second initiative we have implemented is a twenty percent increase to cutters
operating in the eastern Pacific. There is no Prime Vendor in these areas and the cost of
subsistence items in this area is extremely high and of poor quality. (Operational
Supplements to the Issued Basic Daily Food Allowance Due to Extraordinary Operating
Conditions for Cutters Deployed in Support of Eastern Pacific Operations
R092120ZJAN06 is the AIG message that references this).
Thanks to all the cutters who operate in this area for their in-put. Solid information is
how we get things done at Head Quarters and that is definitely what happened in this
case.
Messages: If you are having problems getting BDFA of Food Service related messages I
need to know. All Food service related messages are posted on the Petaluma web-site. If
you haven’t gone to it you need to check it out. FSC Lemelin has done a tremendous job
with this site. There is a ton of information here and it is all rate related.
Miami Conference News: We are extremely pleased to be going to Miami to recognize
the outstanding achievements of the best workforce in the CG: The FS’s! MCPO Chuck
D’Amico and his staff will be coordinating a garnishing class and an action station
cooking class/demonstration. We will have a lot of exceptional training opportunities as
well as a demonstration by the CG Culinary Training Team. The MCPO-CG will be in
attendance as well. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. Rooms are
pretty limited at the hotel, if you are having problems getting a room, please contact me
for assistance. The Winners and Runners Up will all have a block of rooms reserved at
the hotel. As always, we may have to make some adjustments to the schedule, but we
will provide updates with every change. Hope to see you there!
FS Assignment Officers
No information to pass
FS A School Chief
No information to pass
FS Professional Development Specialist
(FSPDS)
FSC Mike Kadi
202 267 6055
The Advanced Pastry Baking and FS Shipboard/Bakers Training courses for 2006 have
finally received the “green light” from CG-1322 and will proceed with contracting.
Chef’s Patty Hart and Sonny Silverman will be contracted to invaluable training at
TRACEN Petaluma.
The dates for the courses have been changed over the last few weeks. There are some
issues that must be worked out in order for the courses to be conducted at TRACEN
Petaluma. Unfortunately, there is no way to gauge how long this will take to work out
these issues. I want to assure you that this is a very high priority and I will continue to
keep you informed on the dates and availabilities. I appreciate your patience as we work
to get this issue settled. Once we have the issue settled, these are the seats available for
the courses:
Advanced Pastry Baking: Two courses of 11 students per session.
FS Shipboard/baking: Two courses of 9 students per session.
Nutrition and Wellness: Four courses of 18 students per session.
Please submit ETR and STTR requests when posted on TQC’s web page.
Johnson and Wales will be hosting our specialized training this year at the new Charlotte,
North Carolina, campus. The two week customized course will be available for the
winners and runner- ups in each category of the Dining Facility of the Year Awards
Program and the FS determined by their respective command. Only 15 seats are
available.
FS Management and Administration (web based) is up and running with FSC Bandalan at
the helm. All orders are available one month prior to the class start and are no cost. TQC
had listed our March 2006 as resident at the training center. The error was quickly
identified and corrected. This training is web based, is provided at no cost and takes
place at the unit level. Once orders are issued for the course FSC Bandalan will grant a
sign on name and password. There are no laptops issued and student must either use a
computer at their unit or at home. The current class size is 10 and this may increase to an
undetermined number this FY.
This year’s Food Service Excellence Awards should be very special! We are fortunate to
have FSCM D’Amico and his staff available to demonstrate the highly effective Action
Station techniques and Wrap concepts; this will be an awesome display!
FSC Mike Kadi
Subject Matter Expert
FSC Tim Lemelin
707 765 7142
Pass the word. The new 2006 FS Information Portal and FS CD-ROM are on the
street. Each section has been updated with the most current Food Service Specialist
information dated 01 JAN 06. Over 400 copies have been distributed so far. Don't be left
out of the information loop! Request your copy today. Send me an e-mail with your name
and mailing address to Timothy.A.Lemelin@uscg.mil.
New Food Service Specialist non-resident courses are in development. The FS3
Striker course now referred to as the FS3 Performance Qualification Guide (FS3 PQG) is
completed. We are in the final steps for approving the curriculum outline for this course.
Once approved, the FS3 PQG will replace the 20 year old SS3 Striker non-resident
course. Future courses to include the FS2 and FS1 courses will follow the PQG format.
PQGs clearly define the intent of the Enlisted Performance Qualifications (EPQs)
and provide instruction, guidance, and structure to enlisted members striving to gain
rating competency so they can advance to the next pay grade. PQGs will include a
Supervisor's guide to provide structure and guidelines for assigned Professional
Development Supervisors (PDSs) who are mentoring and coaching members and signing
off on demonstrated mastery of EPQs. Finally, PQGs provide structure and guidelines to
Education Services Officers (ESOs) who are charged with helping members enroll and
complete rating-specific nonresident training. More information about Performance
Qualification Guides (PQGs) can be found in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
for the Coast Guard's Training System located at
http://www.uscg.mil/tcyorktown/ptc/Docs/PQG%20SOP.pdf.
Service Wide Exam attendance numbers have dropped 75-85% over the last year.
Failure to complete the E-PME requirements is the cause. Complete the E-PME
Performance Requirements and take the AQE. If you fail the AQE, you will be able to
retest 21 days later. Do not wait until the last minute to test. Unlike any other service, the
Coast Guard empowers its enlisted personnel with the majority of influence in their own
advancement. You can find more information about E-PME at
http://cgweb.tcpet.uscg.mil/fslibrary/quals.html and
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/tcpet/tpf/epmesms/epmesms.shtm.
Do you have something to submit to the FS Information Portal and FS CD-ROM?
Perhaps an E-PME training aid, recipe, or paperwork management tool. Please keep in
mind that the FS Information Portal and FS CD-ROM are a living resource of FS
knowledge provided by people just like you. It is your one-stop shop for all Food Service
needs. You are the contributors that make this a valuable resource for everyone. Surf the
FS portal at http://cgweb.tcpet.uscg.mil/fslibrary/ , analyze what makes your galley
successful and send me your information via e-mail or regular mail.
Respectfully,
FSC Timothy A. Lemelin
Course & Exam Developer / Subject Matter Specialist
Training Center Petaluma
599 Tomales Road Rm: 403
Petaluma, CA 94952-5000
Phone: (707)765-7142
Email: Timothy.A.Lemelin@uscg.mil
Website: http://cgweb.tcpet.uscg.mil/tpf/fssms/fssms.htm