Agency Sends Super Bowl Party Food to Afghanistan

By Nick Sistrun
Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 1, 2012 – When U.S. military forces serving in Afghanistan watch the New England Patriots and New York Giants battle it out in this year’s Super Bowl, they can enjoy a wide variety of home-style American finger foods, thanks to the efforts of the Defense Logistics Agency.

The agency has shipped thousands of pounds of mozzarella cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, chicken mini bites, chicken wings, pork and beef meatballs, turkey wings, chili, pizza, french fries, onion rings, potato chips and nonalcoholic beer to forces downrange.

DLA Troop Support employees here began planning for the Super Bowl meal in June.

“We take pride in providing deployed service members with memorable meals for special occasions,” said Navy Rear Adm. David F. Baucom, DLA Troop Support commander. “It can certainly be a morale booster for those serving in Afghanistan to savor a taste of home while watching one of America’s most celebrated sporting events.”

From its headquarters here, DLA Troop Support ensures that soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines around the world have high-quality, nutritious meals daily. As a Defense Department combat support agency, DLA provides the services, other federal agencies and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services.

The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America’s military forces need to operate -- from food, fuel and energy to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 80 percent of the military’s spare parts.

With headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Va., DLA has about 27,000 employees worldwide and supports nearly 2,200 weapon systems.