• MCB CAMP BLAZ, Guam
The installation here celebrated a historic milestone in late April with the grand opening of its first chow hall on Guam. The chow hall, located on North Ramp, Andersen AFB, is open to all active duty service members on Guam.
The opening ceremony underscored the dedicated effort by the foodservice Marines and support personnel who worked tirelessly to bring the project to fruition.
The new facility is designed to provide nutritious and diverse meals in a modern setting, supporting the physical readiness and morale of Marines stationed on the island.
“Our foodservice program is designed to provide a well-balanced meal for the service member,” said Master Sgt. Kelvin Tapia, the acting foodservice officer for Camp Blaz.
“Our program’s mission is to ensure the fighting force is eating healthy and sustaining themselves,” he explained. “[This is] not just for Camp Blaz, but for all the rotating forces in the Pacific.”
MCB Camp Blaz is a relatively new installation, with the base officially opening on Jan. 25, 2023. Approximately 5,000 Marines are slated to eventually be stationed there,
MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT
Building up the chow hall was no easy feat, and the foodservice Marines had to work alongside many different entities to make this opening a success.
“I think the biggest challenge was finding the right support to ensure tasks were completed,” Tapia noted. “This is the first Marine Corps base being established in a very long time, and figuring out who was responsible for what was very hard.”
To ensure mission accomplishment, many of the Marines had to learn new skills.
Marine Corps Sgt. Enrique Sandoval, foodservice specialist, was focused was the implementation of the Marine Corps Food Information System. This required him to input product codes, manage inventory, build master menus, and then connect the information back in the system. Sandoval’s role was critical in building the foundation for the new chow hall.
“Figuring out the system and understanding it the way I do now definitely felt like I was punching above my weight at first,” Sandoval said. “It was a challenge, but once I was able to work the system inside and out, it felt very rewarding.”
Sandoval believes the importance of the facility is not only for nutrition, but it is also as a space for building relationships among service members.
“Now the Marines, especially the junior Marines, will be able to go to the chow hall with their peers and have that fun experience,” Sandoval said. “I remember when I was junior, [eating at the chow hall] was one of the most important things — being able to go to the chow hall with my friends and having time to sit down, joke, laugh, and talk about whatever is happening throughout the week.”
NEW CHAPTER
The opening of the chow hall marks a new chapter in the Marine Corps’ buildup and readiness on Guam.
The Chow Hall will be open every day of the week. Marines and Sailors attached to MCB Camp Blaz can pay using their Common Access Card (CAC). All other active duty service members can pay with cash.
At this time, the chow hall is not open to civilian personnel or dependents.
Hours of operation:
Weekdays: breakfast 6 a.m.-8 a.m. ($4.40), lunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ($7.10), dinner 4 p,m-6 p.m. ($6.10)
Weekends: brunch 9 a.m.-11 a.m. ($7.90), dinner brunch 3 p.m.-5 p.m. ($9.60)
Source: U.S. Marine Corps Public Affairs; DVIDS
Edited by Larry Lapka
