181st first Air Guard unit to host ServSafe course

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chris Jennings
  • 181st Intelligence Wing Public Affairs
HULMAN FIELD, TERRE HAUTE, Indiana --  Once again, the 181st Fighter Wing clears the path for other Guard units nation wide by hosting and instructing the first Air National Guard 'ServSafe' course for Services units. Twenty-seven Guard members from all over the country came to Hulman Field, Terre Haute, Ind., on Dec. 6 for a two-day management course regarding sanitation, bacteria,
food preparation and every aspect of serving safe food. 

"This is a college-level course, and it is very difficult," said MSgt Daniel Hurley, 181st Services member, who was one of the two instructors from the Wing. "We had an 85% pass rating which is very good for this type of course." 

ServSafe is a mandatory course for services management and is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association. The importance of the course is understood by its level of difficulty, and while the course is offered by the military, this is the first time it was hosted and instructed by an Air National Guard unit. 

"The course went very well," said SMSgt Emilie McFaddin, 181st Services member and also a course instructor. "It was nice to be the host and I felt like our visitors enjoyed themselves as much as they could considering the intensity of the course. There is a lot of studying involved." 

To become an instructor, personnel must take the course and score 90 or higher for the entire class to be considered. The 116th SVF Georgia; 153rd SVF Wyoming; 113th SVF District of Columbia; 105th SVF New York; 183rd SVF Illinois; 103rd SVF Connecticut; 123rd SVF Kentucky, and 181st SVF Indiana, sent their services personnel to Hulman Field in hopes of scoring high enough to become an instructor for their units. 

"The ServSafe course is for management, which is very important for all units and even civilian restaurants," Hurley explained. "It is mandatory to have someone who has taken, and passed this course to even serve food in some agencies." 

Hurley and McFaddin take great pride knowing that they have been able to share a little bit of "Racer" excellence with other unit members. The 181st has a habit of leading the Force, so it was no surprise to many when they hosted the first Air National Guard ServSafe course.