Services continue after dark Published Dec. 19, 2006 By Tarsha Storey 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Work starts after the sun sets for some of 20th Services Squadron personnel working at the Chief Master Sgt. Emerson E. Williams Dining Facility and the Carolina Pines Inn.Staff Sgt. Amanda Rudd, 20th Services Squadron dining facility night shift manager, picks up her chef's hat in the shift manager's office as she heads out into the dining facilities' kitchen Tuesday to talk to the evening shift manager, Staff Sgt. Roger Wilkins. Customer flow is not as high during the midnight meal, Sgt. Rudd said. Regardless of the customer count, the night shift has a lot of things to do. When they are not helping customers, they are busy preparing the kitchen and the food for the next day's meals.The dining facility offers a variety of food at each meal, Sgt. Wilkins said. Even though the midnight meal mainly offers breakfast food, they also have entrées so night workers can eat a dinner meal if they wish. Regardless of the time, taking care of their customers and providing healthy, nutritious meals for all of their customers is the focus of the dining facility staff, said Capt. Kenneth Marshall, 20th SVS Combat Support Flight commander. Capt. Marshall said the dining facility serves meals to: enlisted military members, alert crews, officers who are here on temporary-duty orders and authorized to eat there on their orders, and Department of Defense civilian aircrew and fire department members who are here TDY, on duty or traveling to and from work. On federal holidays and on the Air Force birthday, all active-duty and retired military members and their families may eat in the facility, Capt. Marshall said. Family members of Airmen in the grades of E-1 to E-4 are authorized to eat at the facility, provided they have their dependent ID card with them. The facility also serves Reserve Officer Training Corps, Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, Civil Air Patrol and scouts during official base tours. One difference between night and day shifts for the dining facility is contract security guards are authorized to eat at the facility for the midnight meal, Capt. Marshall said. Sgt. Wilkins said he would encourage people to eat at the dining facility for a variety of reasons, including healthy food, a wide variety of choices and price. He said the average restaurant charges between $8 to $10 for an entrée, potatoes, vegetable and a drink. At the dining facility, people can have a salad, entrée, potatoes, a vegetable, drink and a dessert but pay $5 to $6.Because saving money is always a good thing, Staff Sgt. Amanda Brown, 20th SVS lodging desk clerk, said members should also consider staying in base lodging when they travel. The Carolina Pines Inn offers lodging for military members and their ID card holding family members as well as their sponsored guests. They also offer lodging for Department of Defense civilians and contractors here on official orders, Sgt. Brown said. Lodging offers three types of rooms: transient living facilities, visiting quarters and distinguished visitor quarters. All are conveniently located within walking distance of the Carolina Skies Club, the fitness center, pool, tennis court, medical clinic and the chapel, Capt. Marshall said. The facility also has six TLF quarters that allow pets. Each set of quarters offers a variety of amenities that members would find at a mid-level U.S. commercial hotel or motel, Capt. Marshal said. Sgt. Brown said that compared to civilian lodging, the Carolina Pines Inn offers the same comforts at a fraction of the price within the secure confines of the installation's fence. "We provide a safer environment for those who are away from home. If you are here TDY, it's easier because when you report for duty you don't have the hassle of traffic getting on and off base," Sgt. Brown said. The dining and lodging facility are customer-oriented and ready to serve, both during the night and during the day, Capt. Marshall said. "While others are enjoying their normal rest cycle, our Airmen are working late hours and doing their jobs at a very challenging time of the day," Capt. Marshall said.