KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- As readiness exercise Beverly Beach 26-1 unfolds across Kadena Air Base each day, the 18th Force Support Squadron dining facility is already hard at work. Ovens heat, serving lines fill and food service specialists prepare hundreds of meals, ensuring Airmen and joint partners have the fuel they need to execute the mission.

While aircraft launch and defenders secure the installation, Force Support Airmen work behind the scenes to keep the mission moving. During BB26-1, the dining facility expanded to 24-hour operations, providing continuous meal service for Airmen and joint partners supporting around-the-clock operations across Kadena Air Base.

Meeting the demands of a large-scale readiness exercise required more than preparing additional meals. Food service specialists increased production, coordinated staffing and adjusted serving schedules to support participants operating on rotating shifts. Alongside traditional dining options, the team prepared grab-and-go meals, allowing service members to eat without interrupting mission requirements.

"Providing reliable meals during the exercise is essential—you can't perform at your best on an empty stomach," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Xavier Sutton, 18th Force Support Squadron food service shift leader. "Our goal is to make sure every participant has access to nutritious food so they can stay focused and accomplish the mission."

Behind every meal served is a coordinated effort to forecast demand, prepare ingredients, maintain food safety standards and replenish serving lines throughout the day. As exercise requirements shifted, dining facility managers continuously adjusted production to ensure participants had access to fresh meals while minimizing waste.

Although their work often takes place outside the spotlight, Force Support Airmen provide a critical capability that enables mission success. Reliable dining operations help ensure Airmen remain fueled, focused and ready to perform, whether beginning a day shift or completing operations late into the night.

Exercises such as BB26-1 test the installation's ability to generate and sustain combat power under realistic conditions. By providing continuous dining support throughout the exercise, the 18th Force Support Squadron strengthened Kadena's ability to sustain operations in support of the defense of Japan.