Some Narrative On Our Current Plans

Cooking with the Troops, Inc., is a non-profit organization devoted to providing a culinary change of pace to U.S. and Allied troops along with educational and related opportunities for those transitioning out of service and into careers in the food and beverage industry.  While the primary focus is on the wounded, injured, and ill -- and associated caregivers -- operations are intended to cover the full range of those who serve, their families, and those who provide medical and related care. 

 

The idea for what has become Cooking with the Troops began with a steak dinner cooked by C. Blake Powers at the USO Warrior Center at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.  This effort was extremely successful, and resulted in the creation of a program, Cooking with the Wounded, within the charity Soldiers' Angels.  The first event under that program, a dessert bar at the Malogne House complex of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, resulted in a joint operation with a barbecue, one of many done by Bob Miller and a team of volunteers over the last few years.  This joint effort worked very well, and led to the idea of working together on a larger scale.  At this time, Patti Patton-Bader, the founder of Soldiers' Angels, suggested that the program "spin out" into a stand-alone organization that could focus on doing more than just food events to support the troops and their families.  An additional successful event at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center was held, and efforts began on creating Cooking with the Troops. 

 

While originally planned as a six- to nine-month process, a number of things fell in place, such that incorporation was completed in Indiana on 16 April 2010.  Our mission is to provide aid, comfort, and support to U.S. and Allied troops and families by providing culinary change of pace events, assisting with career transition into the food and beverage industry for those wanting it, gathering  and sharing knowledge with and for troops on the front lines and supporting same, and by providing care and support on the homefront. 

 

The charity will be led by C. Blake Powers, Bob Miller, and Mary Katharine Ham, who will serve as Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Secretary of the Board of Directors respectively.  An search is underway to fill other key slots, with one reserved for someone with successful national business experience, one to be held by someone with experience in combat arms (preferably at the general officer level and with a CIB, CAB or other service equivalent), and someone with appropriate credentials in the food and beverage industry.  In addition, a National Advisory Board is being developed to provide expertise and knowledge resources across the range of operations. 

 

Operations will be phased in over time, and will start with culinary events --

barbecues and special events -- held within the continental United States and expand overseas at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and elsewhere as resources become available.  The former will build off of the barbecues done at Walter Reed Army Medical Center since 2005 by Bob Miller, while the latter will build off of Cooking for/with the Wounded events done by Blake Powers through Soldiers' Angels. 

 

The barbecues will be family-oriented events that provide a relaxed and comfortable experience for the wounded and their families, and caregivers.  The focus will be to provide something different for them to eat and to do, while allowing maximum interaction with both those putting on the event and others.  Preliminary talks are underway with Baen Books to have them participate both by donating books to give out and to have one or more of their authors attend the event and sign books while there.  While these talks are ongoing, Baen Books has already pledged $100.00 towards the next barbecue event.  This and other draws will be explored and expanded if warranted.  The low-key interaction and ease of cooking will encourage both learning and participation by those attending, and allow them to learn about other educational opportunities. 

 

The special events will not be as low key, but will seek to encourage indirect and direct learning and participation by those attending.  The goal with special events is to recruit guest chefs to do events both in the United States and overseas (Landstuhl primarily) so that a wide variety of cuisines, techniques, and career possibilities are presented.  The guest chefs will be encouraged to do formal and informal sessions on their career, how they got started, and other information that will be of interest.  One of Food TV's Iron Chefs and one of the approximately 60 Certified Master Chefs in the US are two potential guest chefs who have expressed interest in taking part. 

 

Events within the United States will take place at locations where wounded warriors are receiving treatment and/or rehabilitation such as major medical facilities (Bethesda, Walter Reed, BAMC, Balboa, etc.), Warrior Transition Battalions (medical transition units/facilities at most major bases), disabled/veteran homes, and other similar facilities.  Overseas events under this part of operations will primarily take place at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, though trips to other forward medical centers are possible. 

 

In addition to guest chefs, some celebrity involvement is possible as well, as Gretchen Wilson and others have begun donating items to Cooking with the Troops for use as prizes for events and other uses.  All events will help with morale and outlook, and also provide an opportunity for the troops to talk with the chefs about cooking, careers, experiences, and other informal educational information in addition to any formal talks or presentations made. 

 

As these efforts are underway, work on assisting with career transition will begin.  This effort has grown out of the number of wounded and transitioning service members who have expressed an interest in careers in the food and beverage industry, from opening their own place to working into a specialized position in the industry.  This effort is just starting, and the information presented here is simply a taste of what we hope to do.

 

Preliminary talks have been held with the Culinary Institute of America on ways to work together in this regard.  While the Culinary Institute of America has a program in place with the Army, it is not well known and Cooking with the Troops can help promote it (see information on website below).  The best opportunity found to date to assist those considering a career in food and beverage is working together to create special events that would allow interested troops and family members to conduct hands-on exploration of career possibilities in "the back of the house."  This, in turn, will allow them to determine which, if any, are the best option for investing GI or other educational benefits.  In addition to the cooking options, the Culinary Institute of America also has a campus devoted to beverage careers, and the effort can be expanded to it if successful. 

 

Future educational operations will build on these and other efforts and will take place at various locations throughout the United States.  It is our hope to work with Johnson & Wales, the Art Institute Schools, and other established, reputable institutions to develop appropriate programs, activities, and other joint operations.  If possibilities to work with these or other institutions on similar programs overseas at or near major U.S. military facilities arise, they will be evaluated by the officers and Board and given consideration. 

 

In addition, we hope to work with institutions and established food and beverage operations to promote internships to support career transition.  Internships are an integral part of the educational process, and also allow someone with skills (such as a military cook, or a person with cooking experience from before joining the military) to demonstrate their abilities without a formal degree (very common in the food and beverage industry).  Ways to encourage such internships is being explored, but there currently is insufficient data to predict what operations might be undertaken.

 

All activities under career transition will benefit the troops and their families by providing information that will allow them to ensure effective use of resources, encourage learning and education, and successful career transition into the civilian job market.

 

A web site is in development, one aspect of which will be to serve as a "one stop shop" for information on culinary programs and opportunities, particularly programs and opportunities focused on the military.  Having as many programs, such as the one noted above, in one easy to find location will be a significant benefit to the troops and their families.

 

As efforts mature and expand, work with and for the front line troops and with families on the homefront will begin.  These two programs offer a range of possibilities for support and education. 

 

Front line support will include, but is not limited to, conducting culinary events as far forward as possible, embedding with forward troops to develop and share knowledge of conditions and needs, developing off-the-shelf "kits" of culinary supplements that can be provided the troops to improve the taste of field rations, and efforts to assist in the development of new and improved field rations.  In addition, they serve as a morale enhancer by showing the support for them in a very real manner.  The exact nature and scope of these operations is still in development. 

 

Homefront operations are intended to help those "who also serve."  From doing things to improve morale, to providing practical training or assistance that helps da-to-day life for the families, these operations are intended to contribute on many levels. 

 

One aspect of homefront operations being explored is the possibility of working with Family Readiness Groups and other organizations to take part in planned events, with an eye towards providing nutritional and culinary information, as well as hands-on learning events for the families.  Where and if possible, these efforts will be "hands on" to promote not merely learning, but retention as well.  This knowledge can help with everything from neo-natal nutrition to helping the families stretch their food budget dollars while expanding their range of culinary options. 

 

For example, basic cooking is not something that is as widely taught or shared as in the past.  Classes on how to safely prepare food, save money by breaking down chickens and other sources to gain better quality while saving money, and promote making good food fast rather than depending on fast food.  Other activities can help explore educational opportunities, business basics, and other areas that would be needed for anyone looking at career transition.  As before, this area is just starting to be explored, and it is not possible to provide a complete list of possible activities. 

 

Eventually, it is planned that one quarter of the charities time will be focused on each area.  At the start, efforts will focus on the cooking events, as those provide both an immediate benefit to the troops and their families, and because they will provide the exposure needed to secure the support that will allow other areas to be developed.