Published: November 13, 2006

Marines serve up smiles

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Lance Cpl. Erik Villagran

Meals, Ready-to-Eat can wait for another day for Marines here. Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment are putting those plastic-wrapped meals back on the shelf.

Cpl. James E. Remer, a 24-year-old food service specialist, assigned to F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, cuts onions. Marines at F Company have seen morale rise since the arrival of a new kitchen. Marines get variety at dinner from a 14-day cycle.

Marines from F Company received a kitchen for their observation post Oct. 9. The kitchen arrived with a crew of food service Marines ready to add a wide variety of meals to the Marines' menu.

"We can cook anything in there," said Sgt. Lionel F. Chatel III, a 28-year-old galley captain from El Campo, Texas. "For dinner, we're on a 14-day cycle that varies."

Cooks at the forward operation base are currently preparing two hot meals a day. The new kitchen is a step up from what Marines were using before.

"They were using a tray-ration system before we got here," Chatel said. "We brought the kitchen, tables and chairs. We brought fresh produce because we do a salad bar every day."

The cooks have been with the company for less than a month and can already see the difference they made with Marines.

"They look forward to coming to chow," Chatel said. "They like coming to get a hot meal."

Marines with the company have also seen the improvement the new additions made for Marines. After patrols, chow is waiting for Marines. A snack bar has also made things better for Marines. They can get chips, sodas, peanut butter and other snacks.