Couple Tackles Food Service with Gusto
Bill Cummings and Helen “Lou” Held-Cummings of Utica have been Coast Guard Auxiliarists for more than 15 years. Each has distinguished records of service and leadership in the Auxiliary.
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| Bill and Helen "Lou" Cummings |
Lou is currently Assistant District Staff Officer for Food Service (ADSO-FS), a position she has held for over a year, Assistant District Staff Officer for Records (ADSO-SR), and a boat crew member. She also held the positions of Division II commander, Division II vice commander, and Flotilla 26 commander and vice commander.
Bill and Lou’s clear dedication to the Auxiliary extends to
their participation in the Food Service (FS) program. Auxiliarists who enter
the FS program receive formal training and guidance that permits them to
prepare and serve food in Coast Guard galleys on land and at sea.
We recently caught up with Bill and Lou to ask them about
their experiences in the FS program, the challenges they’ve faced, and what
they find to be most rewarding. Our conversation has been lightly edited for
length and clarity.
Q: Tell us about your experience in the FS program thus
far. When did you start?
Bill: We’ve been part of the food service program since before
there was actually a formal food service program. Years ago we volunteered to
travel up to Station Oswego to cook for the 'gold side' (active duty side) there. I’d say it’s been
at least 12 years that we’ve been part of the program.
Lou: It’s been great—they’re really supportive at Station
Oswego. Food service has a big impact on morale for active duty Coast Guard
personnel. If they’re just back from a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission, for
example, it’s not uncommon for them to want a meal, which is very
understandable. And you know, they really appreciate it.
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| Lou Cummings shows off one of her delicious creations. |
Bill: It’s probably one of the most fulfilling things we’ve done. Here’s a funny story. Our son, Dan, is in the Army but stationed at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. He has a neighbor who is in the Coast Guard. He mentioned to his neighbor that his mom volunteers to cook at Station Oswego. Well, it turns out that this neighbor had previously been stationed at Oswego, and recognized Lou and me based upon my son’s description of us. It was one of those “small world” moments.
Lou: Bill and I recently went to Puerto Rico, and while we
were there we paid a visit to the Coast Guard Station. We were chatting with
some of the crew there, and it turns out that a number of them had just come
from Oswego, too.
Q: What sort of training do you have to complete to enter
the FS program?
Lou: There is a classroom training portion and a practical
portion. You have to demonstrate proficiency in a number of tasks, such as
being able to read a recipe and translate that recipe into a finished product.
You might have to show the ability to prepare a cold salad, eggs, or meats in
different ways. The active duty Coast Guard has culinary specialists (CSs) and
you work directly with them in the galley. If the CSs know that you’re coming
to get qualified in advance, then they will plan a menu to help you get your
qualifications—there might be a grilled item, a baked item, a broiled item, and
so on. You also have to take a written test.
Sanitation and cleanliness are extremely important in all of
this. You have to pass a medical physical and receive a Hepatitis A
vaccination, then provide documentation certifying these things, before you
even set foot in a galley. Food safety is critical for the Coast Guard.
Do not let your lack of culinary knowledge keep you from
volunteering for the program. You will
be trained in all aspects of the galley.
It’s not that hard to get certified, but you’ve really got
to stick with it.
Q: Did either of you have prior experience working in
commercial kitchen environments, such as restaurants or bars, prior to entering
the FS program?
Bill: Yes. Years ago I was a manager-in-training at
Friendly’s, a fast food chain. Later I was a district food service supervisor
for Sav-On, a group of convenience stores operated by the Oneida Indian Nation.
We would sell some proprietary food operations as well as franchise operations.
I was a buyer for the food service orders, oversaw the food prep, store
sanitation and store menus, as well as profit and loss statements.
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| Bill Cummings carries a tray of cinnamon rolls. |
Lou: I used to live overseas in Germany and was very involved in family activities with the Army. My boss was a former Army cook, so when we did events, they were big. When I came back to the States, I did a lot of battalion functions. But as far as being professionally trained as a chef, no, I’m not. We also have a big family, so holidays at our home involve a lot of cooking.
Q: What’s the most challenging thing that you’ve had to
prepare?
Bill: Lou and I are not big seafood eaters, so preparing
fish can be hard. Sometimes they’ll go the market and get a fresh swordfish, so
that kind of thing can be tricky.
Lou: But the great thing is that every time you go into the
galley, the CS will provide you with a recipe and he or she will go through the
whole process with you. Sometimes CSs will ask if you want to fix something in
particular, as well. They’re always up for new ideas.
New galleys can be challenging. I usually work out of
Oswego, but this past summer I had the opportunity to work at Station
Erie. You expect all galley equipment to
work the same way. I prepared some
cinnamon rolls that came out crispy on the outside but raw and gooey on the
inside. Apparently they had a propane-based oven that had been recently converted
over to natural gas, causing a fluctuation in oven temperatures. I was checking
the oven every five minutes after that.
Bill: What Lou just brought up is interesting. There are so
many opportunities that can come up in the FS program. You can even go on a
Coast Guard cutter for weeks at a time if you’re qualified and can cook. There
is a big need.
Q: What would you say to a new Auxiliarist who is
thinking about taking the plunge into the CS program?
Lou: As long as you have a willingness to learn, and a
passion, I’d say go for it. Some members in the past had this idea that it was
a cheesecake job, but you have to wash dishes and mop floors, just like in
restaurant kitchens. There is a huge satisfaction in preparing meals that bring
a smile to faces of the crew!
Bill: When we work at [Oswego’s] Harbor Fest, it’s a
twelve to fourteen hour day. But the crew recognizes us and thanks us.
Just to show you how much they appreciate it, back when I
worked for the federal government, I got deployed to Iraq. When I came back
after my deployment to Oswego, I was told, jokingly, that I could never go to a
place like that again—that’s how much they care about us.
I also remember one time that there was a young Coast
Guardsman at Oswego—it was his first duty assignment—and his mom was concerned
that he wasn’t going to get a proper Thanksgiving meal. Well, we got Lou on the
phone and talking to her about what they were preparing for Thanksgiving, and
that really helped to put the Coast Guardsman’s mother at ease.
Lou: What people may not realize is that at small Coast
Guard stations, it’s like a little family. You get to be a part of that family
in the FS program. You get to see the active duty side in their home space.
And they look out for us. If we’re looking tired in the
kitchen, they will pop in and help us out. Once, after we had put in a 14-hour
day, they went out on a SAR mission. At that point we had gone to bed because
we needed to get up early to cook again the next morning. The gold side is
authorized a midnight meal if they go out on a SAR after a certain hour. They
know they can wake us up and we’ll gladly come and prepare something for them.
They came back late after their SAR mission, but they didn’t wake us up,
because they realized we were tired and needed to rest.
Q: Any concluding thoughts or comments about the FS
program that you would like to share?
Bill: It’s a rewarding field and a great opportunity for
Auxiliarists.
Lou: Just remember that you don’t have to be an expert.
We’ll train you.
