Name: Javier Gonzalez
Job title: Food Service Program Manager and Plans and Operations Logistical Specialist
Assigned: Logistics Readiness Center Stuttgart, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Panzer Kaserne, Germany
Experience: I’ve been working at LRC Stuttgart for almost three years. I started working here after I retired from active duty service.
Other service: I served in the Army for 28 years on active duty and retired as a master sergeant food service senior noncommissioned officer.
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Family: I’m married to my wife, Rahwa, for about 15 years. We have two sons, ages 27 and 8, and my daughter is 15.
Q: Can you explain what you do and what your responsibilities are at LRC Stuttgart?
A: I’m the food service program manager for LRC Stuttgart, which includes supervisory responsibility of the Originals Café warrior restaurant located on Panzer Kaserne. On a daily basis I monitor account statuses as well as quality and productivity of the food service program to include the meal menus and the nutritional program. I also provide culinary arts training, coaching and mentoring to all the Soldiers, Army civilians and local national employees at the Originals Café. As a plans and operations logistical specialist for LRC Stuttgart, I synchronize, coordinate and plan daily operations for an LRC with two divisions – which is the supply and services division and the transportation division – supporting U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart.
Q: Why is the service you and your team provide to the Stuttgart military community so important?
A: It’s important because it helps build and maintain morale. A well run warrior restaurant with a variety of nutritious, healthy and delicious food choices is a morale booster for our Soldiers and a morale booster for the entire community. Providing nutritious and delicious food choices helps sustain our warfighters, and it’s essential to the overall mission. And having a well-organized plans and operations section with a strong foundation and structure at LRC Stuttgart is critical to sustaining daily operations. Within plans and operations, we have seven reoccurring reporting requirements between two commands – the 405th AFSB and USAG Stuttgart – and as the food service program manager I provide reports to four commands on an ongoing basis.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: Service before self has been a major part of my life and my culture for many years. I love taking care of Soldiers, and I love doing my part to serve the USAG Stuttgart community. Wherever I go I love taking care of people and serving others. I also love tackling challenges, and I work with a great team who also looks forward to taking on big challenges and finding solutions. With more than 30 years in the food service business, I love to see my customers enjoying their meals, even more so during special events and holidays. I love planning big events like Thanksgiving, Fourth of July and culinary arts competitions, for example. When you plan and execute a special event and an amazing meal, people talk about it for a long time.
LRC Stuttgart and 405th AFSB: LRC Stuttgart is one of seven LRCs under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. LRCs execute installation logistics support and services to include supply, maintenance, transportation and food service management as well as clothing issue facility operations, hazardous material management, personal property and household goods, passenger travel, and non-tactical vehicle and garrison equipment management. When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Stuttgart directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart. LRC Stuttgart reports to the 405th AFSB, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.