Following this weeks current events on the FS site started me thinking, especially about the cooks on independent duty. (Lifeboat Stations in my case) The cook is the first one up and around, cooking chow for the crew, then serving it to us. He is provided a mess cook. (usually the newest boot aboard) He usually cleans the galley and the mess cook cleans the mess deck and does the dishes. Of all the areas on a station we expect the galley to be the cleanest. It is scrutinized by everyone who enters the unit, civilian and military. Their paperwork has to be perfect and their inventory, accurate to the last can of peas. They have to deal with the stock system, and the local grocery store. Prepare, serve and clean up after three meals a day. Now for my last point. As a Officer in Charge for my last 15 years in the CG. I was blessed with great cooks. About all I had to do was the monthly inventory and sign my name to the monthly report. They keep the crew happy, I keep them motivated. What a sweet deal. Are cooks underappreciated? You bet! But this is one old Boatswains Mate that is very grateful for the cooks I had, and the terrific job they done. Thanks guys, keep fighting the good fight. Dave
Cooks as a job can have more direct influence on the morale of a crew. Especially the boats that are away from point for extended periods of time. If the folks in the galley care about the job then things just seem to run better. The unfortunate thing is that when they put to gether a great meal and receive no compliments then it's not hard for the chow to start to go down hill. I've seen some great galley's and some galleys that made me stock my rack with food before a patrol. If they put together a meal you like say something to them. Especially the junior guys. If you just don't like the menu choice well, the guys doing the cooking (in a larger galley) usually don't have that much influence on the weekly menu so don't give them a bunch of grief. Join the menu board instead.
The Commandant came to our unit in about 84...(Damn if I can remember his name...)He made it very clear that he thought the cook was the man that made it all happen...He said who else puts themselves out there for inspection 3 times each day...?
Like Dave, I was stationed with some very good cooks and I appreciate them...One job I couldn't do...Yes, they do have off days, but who doesn't...
And does it make me old when I can actually remember the CS rate?
Originally posted by dduren: Following this weeks current events on the FS site started me thinking, especially about the cooks on independent duty. (Lifeboat Stations in my case) The cook is the first one up and around, cooking chow for the crew, then serving it to us. He is provided a mess cook. (usually the newest boot aboard) He usually cleans the galley and the mess cook cleans the mess deck and does the dishes. Of all the areas on a station we expect the galley to be the cleanest. It is scrutinized by everyone who enters the unit, civilian and military. Their paperwork has to be perfect and their inventory, accurate to the last can of peas. They have to deal with the stock system, and the local grocery store. Prepare, serve and clean up after three meals a day. Now for my last point. As a Officer in Charge for my last 15 years in the CG. I was blessed with great cooks. About all I had to do was the monthly inventory and sign my name to the monthly report. They keep the crew happy, I keep them motivated. What a sweet deal. Are cooks underappreciated? You bet! But this is one old Boatswains Mate that is very grateful for the cooks I had, and the terrific job they done. Thanks guys, keep fighting the good fight. Dave
Thanks for the nice words Boats. SSCM former CS sends.
Definitely, a good or poor cook can have a huge effect on morale. I've mentioned him before but we had a SSC on the Chase who was awesome. Morale was great....until he made CWO and went to the Hamilton, I think.
Had a great cook and a avid climber,hunter by the name of D. Stacey in Sitka. Anyone know his where abouts or know him say hi for me. Tight lines, Dick
Dave, You are so right about the cooks!!! As I have said in previous posts - Cooks have the hardest job in the Coast Guard... They put their work on the line to be judged by everyone at the unit!!! And their food is always compared to "Mama's home cooking"... Some of the best food that I have ate, came from Coast Guard Cooks...
They, the FS, SS, CS, and in the real old days - the SD for the wardroom, make or break the moral of a unit faster then anything; with a taable full of VIPS, an admiral biting into frozen fried chicken at the academy one day (Food Prep was at the time done by an A76 Contractor) got SS "A" School, instructors and students an same day flight on Coast Guard C130s where they served up, from all accounts, a darn good breakfast!
For all the Cooks how I ever came across - thank you for your unceasing efforts to cook - sometimes under terrible sea conditions...
Even more important to morale and way under appreciated, the Mess Cook has the most important job; just how disgusting is it to pick up a "clean" bowl only to turn it over and find yesterday's chili still stuck inside the bowl? Some memborable FS's - Rene Zimmer and Angel Malapira; Chad Robinson and crew from Key West 92 - 96; Ann Latham - some interesting stories from her galley on MOHAWK; and at one unit I hear about (Something for you Command Types to pay attention too... a FSC who cooked the books and pocketed between $75 - $150K over 5 years by making the daily ration memos produce enough food allowance to cover the cash payments he never deposited...charged with, retirement withheld, 2 year investigation, US Attorney declined prosecution...since the COs had been signing the Commissary Report every month I wonder why the Coast Guard declined prosecution too....hmmm, to embarrassing? I bet it would have been an ugly Courts Martial - but he got away with it!
I remember Mike Yensz when he was a SS1 on the 8th District SAT in 79 when I was on the Durable. Also Rene Zimmer was on the 9th District SAT when I was at Traverse City, he later became the District CEA. Angel Malapira was at the Academy on the Eagle while I was COTR. The Contactor was Almond Brothers who I had problems with and it was SSCM Sollie the SS School Chief who headed up the Group of Instructors and Students until a new contractor (ARA) bid the job . SSCM Joe Green was the COTR then.
To all...past and present, I would like to thank you for your comments. All to often we hear the bad things about the meals, and never the good. Of course you always will have those "Good Job, Cookie" and then those who "What the F... is this". It took me a few years not to take to heart all the bad comments. I have seen morale improve just by adding a salad to the menu, baking a dessert. I have also seen it deystroyed by bad Fried Chicken, or raw pork. Once again I thank all of you who say it, and those who dont and want to.
