Marshall DFAC gives menu 'heads up' on Twitter

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Every day the Air Force becomes more involved with social networking whether it's posting typhoon alerts or updating our servicemembers about the upcoming exercise on the Kadena Air Base Facebook page. However, there has become a new use for the popular websites that most people never saw coming.

"When people ask us where the menu is, we tell them it's now on Twitter," said Tech. Sgt. Lacey D. Brown, 18th Force Support Squadron Marshall Dining Facility manager. "The government opened social networking for government computers, so now you can open it at home, work and even on a cell phone."

Before the idea of "Tweeting" the menu, there was a telephone answering system that became inefficient and out-dated. Now that Marshall is using the "KADENADFAC" Twitter page, however, the new menu is posted typically an hour before each meal, and can therefore be seen with ample time for Airmen to plan accordingly.

"We used to advertise on a phone line, but nobody would call it," said Senior Airman Felicia Hunt, 18th Force Support Squadron food service specialist at Marshall. "It seemed smarter on Twitter because a lot of people do it, and you can check it at work now."

Since the beginning of August, the dining facility has been advertising their page, and the menu has been posted over the internet with more and more followers each week.

"Most people have social networking," said Sergeant Brown. "We kind of just brought the menu to them."

According to the staff at the dining facility, posting the menu where everyone can see it not only makes their job easier, it is just the smart thing to do.

"I actually love the fact that it's on Twitter," said Airman Hunt. "It makes my job easier because it's very convenient and very efficient."

Following the new Twitter page will remove the surprise from the meals for anyone eating at the Marshall DFAC.

"It's cool because people like us with meal cards know what to expect," said Senior Airman Larel Paras, 18th Equipment Maintenance Squadron armament apprentice here and follower of the Twitter page. "People are into networking sites so it's a really good idea."