USAG Wiesbaden community steps up to feed the force during precautionary DFAC closure

CLAY KASERNE, Germany — The U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden community came together in an installation-wide effort to keep service members fed when the Str… CLAY KASERNE, Germany — The U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden community came together in an installation-wide effort to keep service members fed when the Stronger Together Dining Facility temporarily closed on Sept. 30. The dining facility, which has since reopened, had been undergoing phased modernization renovations since Sept. 14, operating in split halves separated by temporary partitions to maintain food services. During the renovation, improperly handled insulation material in the construction zone released fiberglass dust into the dining area. Officials immediately ordered air testing by a certified host-nation laboratory, and when samples tested positive, the garrison ordered a precautionary closure to ensure safety and allow for thorough environmental decontamination.

The shutdown coincided directly with the launch of Avenger Triad 26, a major U.S. Army Europe and Africa exercise that brought thousands of additional U.S. service members and multinational NATO allies into the area of responsibility. (To read more about Avenger Triad 26 visit: https://www.army.mil/article/296123) To mitigate the immediate disruption for service members relying on the DFAC, the installation quickly rolled out interim feeding plans. The response was aimed first at meal cardholders, who are service members entitled to a meal or meal reimbursement; to members of the