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NEWSLETTER copy for IAP Worldwide Service's
Leading Edge Newsletter
Providing base lodging, recreation and food service for the U.S. Air Force in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has broadened the spectrum of diverse support services offered by Global Operations and Logistics. The award-winning team at Transit Center Manas successfully completed its first contract year and is in its first of two option years under the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program III task order. “The new administration has a different philosophy than the previous one about putting out support services such as recreation for competitive bid,” says Terry Parker, operations & support services manager at Manas. The original task order was for IAP to operate two base dining facilities plus recreation services, fitness facilities, a marketing office and laundry service operations 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Additional services and accommodations have been added to enable the support of an influx of troops. The additions include a tent city as well as a dining hall and laundry service. The IAP team started with 31 U.S. national workers and 230 local nationals, but now is up to 45 U.S. nationals and 300 local nationals under the expanded task order. The hospitality team is just one of a number of IAP contract teams at Manas. Other groups provide support services including engineering and power production services. Manas currently can accommodate a population of up to 10,000. The center has a core of about 1,800 permanent military staff and serves thousands of other troops on the way to duty assignments in Afghanistan. Typically transient residents stay at the base two to five days. “We’re serving new customers all the time, and because they are in transition they use our services with greater frequency than they would at a permanent location,” Terry says. Terry acknowledges that the greatest challenge for the hospitality team is to stay prepared to meet ever-changing levels of demand. “We have to plan for the worst case scenario as far as troop numbers because we can’t afford to be caught short,” he says. “Fortunately we have a dedicated staff that we can count on to serve at whatever level is needed.” Before the task order was expanded to provide for higher-than-anticipated troop levels Terry’s staff put in as many extra hours as needed to serve the demand, including working several weeks without a day off. The hospitality team helps create a home away from home environment at Manas from providing food and laundry service to producing USO shows. Troops have access to lap tops and WiFi and can play video games, watch movies and work out. Card and pool tournaments and other recreational events are held daily. Troops can even relax over a drink and listen to live entertainment and participate in karaoke at the base bar, Pete’s Place. However, patrons are limited to two drinks within each 24-hour period. The efforts of John Osweiler and his IAP Food Service team during Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meals were recognized with a quarterly Wing “Team Award.” The team was praised by being recognized for the “Best Thanksgiving in the AOR,” including 22 nations surrounding and adjacent to the theatre of operations. The team’s Thanksgiving meal was highlighted with a picture of General Schwartz on the front page on the Air Force newsletter. “We were lucky to have experienced supervisors, and talented cooks, who have been working at the Transit Center for many years,” says John Osweiler, Food Service Manager. “They were able to prepare a lavish Thanksgiving meal, and then follow up with an excellent Christmas Dinner for the troops. We wanted to make sure the troops ate as well as they could have in a star rated restaurant. And that they would have the best holiday meal they could have, away from their loved ones.” The troops were served dishes including beef steamship round slow cooked in a Cajun garlic herb rub, marinated shrimp cocktail with homemade cocktail sauce, herb-encrusted filet mignon, and traditional holiday favorites including turkey, dressing, yams and pecan pie. “It is truly an honor for me to be able to provide what might be the last quality meal these troops would have before entering into battle,” John says. “Serving these fine people is the most important thing I have ever done in my life. These troops are risking life and limb to protect our country. And I know that some of them have, and will, made the ultimate sacrifice.” Leads Sharon Wilson and Rufus Parker directed the team in developing the holiday menus. Special tablecloths and seat covers contributed to the festive ambience along with a Christmas tree and other holiday decorations. “It was great our team was recognized but we can’t rest on past successes. With a service contract very day has new challenges that must be met,” Terry says. “Because our task order was expanded, it’s likely it will be rebid this October or November.” Such service project contracts are an important part of IAP’s Global Operations and Logistics mission, says Rick Nohmer, vice president of Global Support Services. GOL’s Global Support Services provide a broad range of services for the U.S. Government and NATO that include logistics, MWR functions, lodging, food service, laundry, emergency crash crew response, and general military base support. “GSS is a world leader in transporting material and equipment to and within hostile environments,” Rick says. “The forward deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that call any remote FOB, base camp, or air base home are why services projects are important to IAP. Our unique capability to rapidly deploy with and operate at these remote locations and then provide world-class support across a wide range of services is appreciated greatly by the groups we support. Whether it is running the dining facilities, operating the fitness centers, or taking care of laundry and lodging, the mission is important to us…Making life easier and more familiar for the deployed war fighter is what we do…anywhere, anytime!”
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