TOP STORY >> Serving up awards comes second nature

By Senior Airman Mercedes Taylor

19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Adamson, 19th Force Support Squadron swing shift lead, was recognized as one of the Hennessy Travel award winners.

A team representing Hennessy Travelers Association, established in 1956, evaluated the Hercules Dining Facility on their food service management, force readiness support, food quality, employee and customer relations, resource conservation, training and safety.

As part of the achievement, Adamson will represent Little Rock Air Force Base as he goes on to hone his culinary skills at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California.

“When I first found out, it caught me off guard,” Adamson said. “I haven’t won anything this big before so it was definitely a pleasant surprise.”

The dining facility’s diverse menu gives Adamson a chance to create one of his favorite types of cuisine: Italian food.

“I’m a big Italian food guy, I love anything Italian,” Adamson said. “People even call me the pizza guy at the dining facility.”

During the HTA evaluation, Adamson’s customer service skills didn’t go unnoticed.

“Customers and leaders love it when he is working the pizza section,” said Master Sgt. Shaerica Waters, an HTA evaluator. “Adamson has a very positive, infectious attitude.”

Although Adamson primarily works in the pizza section, he plays an integral role at the dining facility.

“He’s a go getter,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Danielle Joe, 19th FSS dining facility assistant manager. “He’s not afraid to go out and see something that’s wrong and fix it. You need that quality in someone in a facility with so many impressionable Airmen.” 

Adamson was able to receive the award because of the teamwork from the dining facility staff.

“I couldn’t have done it without the help of the Airmen, especially Senior Airman Harri Holston and Senior Airman Autumn Cox,” Adamson said. “Here at the dining facility, we’re kind of like one big family; we can’t get the job done without each other. Everyone relies on somebody else to just get some part of the objective done.”