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In the days before leaving for Operation Feeding
Freedom IV the OSI Restaurant Partners LLC
team was told that they would be experiencing
a trip of a lifetime. The team consisted of 20
members from both the Outback Steakhouse and
Carrabba’s Italian Grill concepts. The
first stop of the mission landed the OSI team
on the U.S.S. Nimitz aboard a C.O.D. plane. The
team fed over 5,500 appreciative sailors a wide
variety of menu items including, filets with
marsala sauce, veal and sage ravioli, bloomin
onions, calamari, and chocolate tower cake, just
to mention a few. While the team only spent 3
nights aboard the carrier, they were appreciative
to be able to receive a quick glimpse of life
aboard a ship and expressed to the sailors how
much the team appreciates their efforts. After
a few more flights the team landed at Camp Lemonier
in Djibouti, Africa and finally learned what
the term hot really meant. While spending two
nights in camp, the team fed over 1,500 troops
from the Marines, Army, and Air Force. Friendships
were forged and expressions of gratefulness were
exchanged by OSI team members and troops alike.
The last stop of the mission brought the team
to the NSA base in Bahrain were the team fed
over 3,000 sailors and coalition troops. The
OSI team even prepared over 200 “To Go” meals
that were delivered to various ships in port
that day. In all, the OSI team, partnered with
MWR and National Air Cargo prepared over 16,000
meals for service men and women serving our country;
which was all made possible by the overwhelming
support of various branches of the military,
especially the Navy. In retrospect, the OSI team
members don’t look at this as a trip of
a life time, it was so much more than that. Team
members still talk to this day of friendships
that were made, the gratefulness to all the troops
they fed, and what an honor it was to be a part
of this important mission. Words can not express
how proud they are of all the men and women who
risk their lives on a daily basis to provide
us with the freedom we sometimes take for granted.
Operation Feeding Freedom IV (September 10th – September 19th, 2005) |
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