It’s Not Your Father’s Mess Hall Anymore

The soldiers have been talking about this all week - surf and turf at the mess hall.

Yes, you heard that right: A possible delicacy at a U.S. Army mess hall. This is definitely a new wrinkle on military life.

In fact, the mess hall is no longer called the mess all. It’s a "dining facility." Or, as the troops refer to it: De-fac.

The phrase takes some getting used to, especially when one of the sergeants announces to everyone, "Hey, who wants to join me at the De-fac?"

I have to admit the first time I heard that, I definitely stopped and listened.

But, even now, after a week of military life, I have to admit that I, too, am referring to the mess hall as the De-fac.

So tonight, after another long day that stretched well beyond the dinner hour until, Sgt. Bob Stephenson, approached Tyson and me and said, "Come on. There’s still time for dinner. And tonight, it’s surf-and-turf night."

As I walked to the De-fac -- yes, that word again -- there was a lightness in my step. I definitely was hungry.

And I was not disappointed.

Besides turkey (with cornbread stuffing) and barbequed spare ribs, there were Alaskan king crab legs and prime rib -- at a carving station, no less.

And, yes, it was good.

So for those veterans out there who survived World War II, Korea, Vietnam and all those other conflicts on vats of boiled potatoes and lumpy, fatty ham, there is hope. Maybe someone will create a chain of "De-facs" to rival the line of fast food joints that dominate so many American roads.

And one more thing: Soldiers are no longer assigned to "KP" duty the kitchen police, who washed dishes and scrubbed the mess hall floors. Pentagon contractors take care of all the cooking and cleaning.

It’s definitely not my father’s army.

-- Mike Kelly

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