Michelle Obama speaks about the Food Transformation Initiative to Airmen at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 9, 2012. The FTI, which was implemented at the base almost 16 months ago, provides a wider variety of nutritional foods to service members and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Rusty Frank)
Michelle Obama speaks to an Airman at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 9, 2012. Little Rock AFB is one of six bases to implement the pilot Food Transformation Initiative program, designed to provide a wider variety of nutritional meals to service members and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Rusty Frank)
by Staff Sgt. Jacob Barreiro
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
2/10/2012 - LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. (AFNS) -- Michelle Obama visited the Hercules Dining Facility here Feb. 9 to survey the food transformation initiative program on base.
The visit was part of a three-day tour by the first lady, commemorating the second anniversary of her "Let's Move!" program designed to combat childhood obesity.
In addition to hearing about the specific healthy eating efforts on base, Obama also made an announcement about the military's drive to provide a variety of nutritious foods to all service members and their families.
"I am truly proud to be here today as the Department of Defense is making a groundbreaking commitment to the health of our troops and their families," she said.
"And this is a big day," she continued. "That's why we brought all these people. It's huge. As Dr. (Jonathan) Woodson (the assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and director of Tricare Management) explained, for the first time in 20 years, the DOD is updating their nutritional standards to include more fresh fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy products with every single meal. So that means more DOD installations will offer the kind of fresh, healthy food that the Air Force's Food Transformation Initiative helped bring here to Little Rock."
Obama said the announcement meant that more DOD facilities will be able to provide service members and their families with the same variety and value of nutritious food available here because of the FTI program on base.
"The DOD is also going to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of every single (American) military base to make sure they're serving healthy food not just to those in uniform, but to their families," the first lady said. "They'll be looking to improve the food served in dining facilities, school cafeterias, vending machines, snack bars and any other places where military families purchase food.
"So this isn't just a drop in the bucket," Obama continued. "I mean, this is really a big splash. This will affect more than 1,000 dining facilities and nearly 1.5 million troops. Simply put, this is an example of America's entire military once again stepping forward to lead by example."
The first lady said the service members of Little Rock have provided a model of what will be seen throughout the entire armed forces. She credited the base's leadership with having the foresight to jump ahead and the service members for doing their best to jump on board with the new program.
"I want to make sure that you tell your families thank you, from me," the first lady said at the end of her speech. "Tell them that we are proud of them all. We are working hard for them as well because you all know that as you sacrifice, they are sacrificing right alongside you. So these benefits have to affect them as well."
Woodson, who also delivered a speech, said the health problems related to obesity is more than enough reason for the DOD to turn their attention to a progressive nutritional awareness campaign.
"Obesity is a national challenge that can only be solved by a national effort," he said. "Although our service members and their families are healthier in average than the general population, the military is not isolated from the influence of poor nutritious choices that are affecting the larger society."
Obama's visit came nearly 16 months after the base adopted the FTI program, a pilot program designed to enhance food serve quality, variety and availability to customers by overhauling the previous food service system. Previously, the based food production model was a traditional cafeteria model. When surveys showed a low satisfaction rate among customers, the Air Force responded by introducing a new food model, the FTI.
Initial response to the FTI included an increase in customer satisfaction. According to a customer satisfaction survey, based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, overall satisfaction with military dining facilities under the FTI increased from an aggregate score of 67 under the old model to a score of 75.
The nutritional value of food provided to service members and their families is an important issue for the White House, which maintains childhood obesity has become a national security issue. More than one-quarter of the nation's 17-24 year-olds were found to be too overweight to serve in the U.S. military. The Department of Defense also spends an estimated $1.4 billion per year on medical care associated with excess weight and obesity.
Comments
2/20/2012 9:56:40 PM ET I recently PCS'd from the Littlerock to Kadena AB and there is a huge change in the quality of the food being produce. At Littlerock AFB you have healthy choice not just more fruit or things like that but actual things that airmen ear great tasting salads multiple choices of wraps chicken and a much more vast varity of food seasoning and taste. unlike here at kadena when there are days that our chicken is just boiled in water and served to us and we are restricted on healthy choice every day.Great program and great idea for tackling some of the underlining problems with airmen who have to eat at the dining facilities and nutritional values.
Clark-Wilson, Kadena
2/17/2012 8:46:15 AM ET I eat at the LRAFB MEFF Mission Essential Feeding Facility, and yes that's really what they are calling it now, 3 to 4 times a week. It is NOT 2 to 3 times more expensive than other bases. An average lunch runs from 2.50 to 5.00. That is a significant discount compared to other places to dine on and off base. Plus the RockPlate option is an easy way to eat a healthy low-calorie low-fat meal that's easy on the budget. Mrs. Obama and LRAFB Services deserve to be extolled for her recent appearance here and not criticized for failing to mention other unhealthy social vices.
Retired E-7, Little Rock AFB
2/17/2012 7:01:02 AM ET Yes lets combat tobacco use some more. Raise taxes, reduce users, post net losses in revenue for the federal, state and local governments. Know where most tobacco tax revenue goes? Schools and child health programs. Is this reason to justify tobacco use? No it isn't. However, since nobody wants to increase taxes on anything but human vices, I'm not sure where you plan on making up that tax income.
I.M. Out, TX
2/16/2012 1:09:02 PM ET Nutritian is a useless project for all service members and their families? So Airmen need a cupcake to help them acomplish a task rather than sustaining the health of their mind and body by eating 3 or 4 apples?
Carla, Ohio
2/15/2012 3:11:12 PM ET KJ and TLoy, getting rid of tobacco will actually increase health care costs in the long run. How can that be? It's because cigarette smokers, although they may incur chronic health problems, end up dying younger on average. Healthy people live longer lives and incur greater long-term end-of-life costs. Additionally are you aware of how much of the cost of a pack of cigarettes is taxes? Are YOU prepared to make up that difference out of your paycheck if tobacco is banned?
Greg Arious, SWA
2/15/2012 7:12:18 AM ET Like stated below, I thought we were cutting cost If we are tackling health problems, why not fight tobacco? If you spend 2x or 3x more on a nutritional changes then don't outlaw airmen from all the fast food joints outside of base. With Burger King, Pizza Hut, Popeyes, etc..on base isn't this redundant?
KJ, AETC
2/13/2012 3:51:26 PM ET I wish they would combat SMOKING or TOBACCO USE instead of eating. The costs of SMOKING and TOBACCO USE are way more than those food costs. Also do they know that most DFACS will be cut soon due to costs
TLoy, Eglin
2/13/2012 12:14:30 PM ET Class 6 gone. Cigarettes gone. Fun clubs gone. Please FLOTUS don't take away the SOS from our chow halls too.
Barney, Box Elder SD
2/13/2012 7:52:02 AM ET I was TDY when Mrs. Obama came to Little Rock. I admire her drive to help change the food service in the DoD; however, the article fails to mention that the Little Rock DFAC is two to three times more expensive than a normal Air Force DFAC. Little Rock and Patrick have the same DFAC contractor and it is a business, not a DFAC. These two bases need to reflect that there is no DFAC availible since it is operated as a business.
Junior, Edwards
2/12/2012 7:00:10 PM ET If the First Lady wants to make some changes to nutrition, the first one she needs to make is to the box-nasties we get from flight kitchens. It's either a box-nasty or a run to the shoppette.
BS, KS
2/11/2012 8:14:52 AM ET Are you kidding me? Talk about a captive audience and a useless project. Airmen need more than fruit to accomplish the task.
