FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – Soldiers at Fort Cavazos can now enjoy modern meal options with the introduction of the Phantom Centralized HUB, located in the Ironhorse Dining Facility at 41018 Legends Way, here. This HUB features Phantom Fresh, Culinary Outpost Food Trucks, and an installation meal preparation service. It’s an alternative dining facility for those who wish to have their meals on the go or in their own homes.
Phantom Fresh offers Soldiers a quick way to grab fresh meals on the go, like an airport kiosk. Two outpost food trucks are already making a difference, serving meals to ensure Soldiers have access to delicious, healthy food options.
Another great feature is the meal preparation program, which lets Soldiers order meals online. These meals are made fresh at the HUB and delivered to the nearest dining facility for easy pickup. The Army is also working on a strategy to offer more healthy eating options and boost the overall health and readiness of our troops, focusing on continuous, customer-driven improvements.
Sgt. Wade Writesel, who has worked at the Phantom Centralized HUB for the last 90 days, shared his appreciation for the leadership’s involvement.
“There’s a lot of genuine care from our higher-ups, which many junior enlisted Soldiers might not realize,” Writesel said. “Having our sergeant majors and master sergeants with us daily, guiding us on how to run this operation, has been incredibly helpful.”
Command Sgt. Maj. John P. McDwyer, III Armored Corps and Fort Cavazos command sergeant major, emphasized the extensive efforts behind these food programs. He explained how the post is open to piloting various initiatives to find the best solutions.
“We put a lot of effort into our food service programs and are piloting various initiatives,” McDwyer said. “We’ve opened ourselves up to the big Army to find out what’s best so we can implement it here. We’re a large, diverse installation.”
As part of the Holistic Health and Fitness program, nutrition is a key component to Army and Soldier readiness. With the ongoing transformation of food service across all Army installations, leaders are developing new ways to offer healthy meals, modernize payment methods and diversify food options outside of brick-and-mortar facilities.
Pre-prepared meals provided through the Phantom Centralized HUB are offered with a variety of three macronutrient levels tailored to Soldier training needs. The options include:
Light: 60-100g of carbohydrates, 25-35g of protein
Moderate: 105-145g of carbohydrates, 25-35g of protein
Heavy: 125-145g of carbohydrates, 25-35g of protein
Vegetarian options are available every week, ensuring that all dietary needs are met.
Sgt. Maj. Kresassidy McKinney, III Armored Corps chief culinary management sergeant major, noted the importance of modernization in their food service and the shift toward healthier eating habits reflected in the new meal options.
“The Soldiers now are more educated on how to take care of their bodies when it comes to nutrition,” McKinney said. “Normally, you would come in, get a short order like a hamburger or hot dog, and be ready to go. Now, they want healthier options.”
McKinney also discussed the planning process and the collaborative effort, involved in setting up the hub.
“To get this all together, we started talking about it in October (2023) when the Food Service Tiger Team came down and did an assessment to align some of the feeding gaps we had here on installation,” McKinney said. “Our strategy led us to create this centralized hub, which will handle meal prep, food truck operations, remote site feeding, and also Phantom Fresh. We offer healthy, high-protein, build-your-own salads and sandwiches.”
The Food Service Tiger Team is a specialized cross-functional team of culinary specialists from across the Army that is brought together to solve or investigate a specific problem or critical issue.
Modern feeding methods have also allowed Soldiers to enhance their culinary skills. McKinney elaborated on how this modernization provides new learning and skill development opportunities. “As we started modernizing, Soldiers now have more opportunities to learn about nutrition and how to prepare healthier meals,” McKinney added. “We’ve moved from large-quantity cooking to small-quantity cooking with a focus on quality and variety. As we started modernizing, Soldiers now have more opportunities to learn about nutrition and how to prepare healthier meals,” McKinney added. “We’ve moved from large-quantity cooking to small-quantity cooking with a focus on quality and variety.”
Below is Broll of the Phantom Centralized HUB
