Food Service Specialists

Background

Every day, more than one million meals are prepared in military kitchens. Some kitchens prepare thousands of meals at one time, while others prepare food for small groups of people. Food service specialists order and inspect food supplies and prepare meats for cooking. Food service specialists prepare all types of food according to standard and dietetic recipes. 

What They Do

Food service specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Bake breads, cakes, pies, and pastries
• Bake or fry chicken, turkey, and fish
• Clean ovens, stoves, mixers, pots, and utensils
• Cook steaks, chops, and roasts
• Order, receive, and inspect meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables
• Prepare gravies and sauces
• Prepare standard cuts of meat using cleavers, knives, and bandsaws
• Serve food in dining halls, hospitals, field kitchens, or aboard ship

Physical Demands

Food service specialists may have to lift and carry heavy containers of foodstuffs and large cooking utensils.

Special Requirements

No information available.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in cooking
• Interest in working with the hands

Helpful School Subjects

Helpful school subjects include:

• Accounting
• Chemistry
• Health
• Home economics
• Math

Helpful Fields of Study

No information available.

Work Environment

Food service specialists normally work in clean, sanitary kitchens and dining facilities. They may sometimes work in refrigerated meat lockers. Sometimes they work outdoors in tents while preparing and serving food under field conditions.

Services offering this career:

• Air Force
• Army
• Coast Guard
• Marine Corps
• Navy

Hiring Practices

To serve in the military, a person must be at least 17; the maximum age for enlistment varies. To enlist, a person must pass a physical exam and an aptitude test. An enlistee must also meet military standards of discipline and be a US citizen or permanent resident alien.

This position is for enlisted personnel.

Wages

The military is competitive with the civilian world when it comes to pay and benefits. All branches offer the same basic pay and benefits.

Pay depends mainly on rank or grade as well as length of service. Bonuses and the situation in which the person is serving (for example: flight duty, sea duty, hazardous duty) also affect pay. 

Cost-of-living increases usually occur every year, based on inflation. The military also pays allowances for food, clothing, and housing. All these factors combined are called Regular Military Compensation (RMC). They should all be considered when comparing military pay to civilian pay.

There are two main parts to RMC: basic pay and allowances. There are also additional incentives for special abilities, training, or hazardous duty.

Check out the RMC Calculator to calculate your RMC based on your inputs.

Training Provided

Job training consists of nine to 14 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in food preparation. Training length varies depending on specialty.

Course content typically includes:

• Food and supply ordering
• Preparation and cooking of various foodstuffs and bakery products
• Standard and dietetic menus and recipes
• Storage of meats, poultry, and other perishable items

Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian food service specialists work in cafés, restaurants, and cafeterias. They also work in hotels, hospitals, manufacturing plants, schools, and other organizations that have their own dining facilities. Depending on specialty, food service specialists are called cooks, chefs, bakers, butchers, or meat cutters.

Related Civilian Careers

• Bakers
• Chefs and Dinner Cooks
• Food Preparation Workers
• Kitchen Helpers
• Meat Cutters
• Short-Order Cooks

Employment and Outlook

In peace time the services have about 28,000 food service specialists. In times of military action the number may be different, depending on the type of specialties required. Each year the services need new specialists due to changes in personnel and the demands of the field. After job training, food service specialists help prepare and serve food under close supervision. Some food service specialists specialize as bakers, cooks, butchers, or meat cutters. With experience, they work more independently and may train new food service specialists. Eventually, they may become head cooks, chefs, or food service supervisors.