Page 4 - gfs0917_Magazine

FRONT BURNER

DLA Troop Support to Scrub Prohibited Ingredients from NAPA/MPA

ilitary food service programs, and NAPA and MPA holders were sent the ment’s established item description.
Mthe subsistence vendors supplying request in a letter from DLA Troop Support Any items containing ingredients on
them, are bracing for the implementation dated Aug. 17, 2017. DLA Troop Support the prohibited list will be removed gradu-
of a set of guidelines that would prohibit also mentioned it to companies attending ally to avoid affecting support to military
the use of certain ingredients in any items a NAPA/MPA meeting it held on May 24, food service programs. Manufacturers are
served in a dining facility or aboard ship. 2017, during the Research and Develop- encouraged to begin reformulating any
As a result, dining facilities and galleys ment Associates (R&DA) for Military Food item containing a prohibited ingredient,
will gradually no longer have some items and Packaging Systems spring meeting in and to notify DLA Troop Support if that
available for use in meal preparation un- Williamsburg, Va. is not pursued or is not possible. Any
less manufacturers are able, or want, to DLA Troop Support plans to use the item that does not meet the government’s
reformulate the ingredients to comply manufacturer information submitted to description may result in a new Local
with the guidelines. it to identify those items that are non- Stock Number (LSN), depending on the
compliant with the pending di- magnitude of the change.
etary standards to be flagged for Once items are identified as contain-
removal from the NAPA/MPA ing prohibited ingredients, the military
listings. services and prime vendors will be notified.
Each manufacturer and ven- The services will be provided an opportu-
dor is also requested to submit a nity to indicate agreement to the removal
copy of the specification and la- of the non-compliant items, followed by
bel for each item currently listed notification to the prime vendors that
on its NAPA/MPA agreement, these items should be deleted from their
which will be used to update respective STORES catalogs.
DLA Troop Support’s database
and to ensure the item being DLA Troop Support sent a notice to rescind the
provided meets the govern- Aug. 17 Request for Disclosure Regarding Pro-
hibited Ingredients, which was sent to all NAPA
Pfc. Arturo Jimenez, a food service specialist from the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, grills beef in and MPA holders. Additional market research will
be conducted to assess the economic impact the
preparation for lunch at the Raptor’s Nest Dining Facility on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. New guidelines
may affect the availability of items that dining facilities and galleys use in meal preparation. (PHOTO BY limitation or removal of ingredients listed would
PFC. ETHAN VALETSKI, U.S.A., 5TH MOBILE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT, JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASH.) have on manufacturers and industry groups.
According to Defense Logistics Agency
Troop Support, Department of Defense New DLA Troop Support Commander
(DoD) Menu Standards and the soon-to-
be published Joint Services Buyers’ Guide Sets Clear Expectations
(JSBG) prohibit certain ingredients, or
products containing these items, in any rmy Col. Mark Simerly recognized soon after becoming commander of Defense
food served in a military dining facility. ALogistics Agency Troop Support in July the experience and dedication of its
The list comprises: monosodium glu- employees but wasted little time in challenging them to achieve a higher level of
tamate (MSG), trans fats, hydrogenated professional development.
fats or partially hydrogenated fats, hemp Simerly became commander of DLA Troop Support on July 11 during a ceremony
seeds, and meat protein extenders, such in which he succeeded Army Brig. Gen. Charles Ham-
as, but not limited to, texturized vegetable ilton, who took command in July 2015 and moved
protein (TVP), etc. on to his next assignment as the senior logistician
In response, DLA Troop Support is with the United States Forces Korea. Army Lt. Gen.
investigating the items in its subsistence Darrell Williams, who became the DLA director on
supply chain to identify those that contain June 16, officiated.
one or more of the prohibited ingredients. Seven days later, on July 18, DLA Troop Support’s
It is asking vendors participating in the new commander held his first town meeting to intro-
National Allowance Pricing Agreement duce himself to employees and discuss his leadership
(NAPA) and Manufacturer Pricing Agree- perspective.
ment programs to identify any items being “And if there’s one thing I learned in my short
sold to the military that contain ingredi- time here, which is just over a week, is that we don’t
ents on the prohibited list, and then to have too many short-term employees at Troop Sup-
submit a copy of the specifications and
label for each no later than Sept. 30, 2017. Army Col. Mark Simerly, DLA Troop Support commander, discussed
Information can be emailed to shannon. trust, discipline and commitment during a town hall event for
employees July 18. Simerly took command of the organization
collins@dla.mil. July 11. (PHOTO BY ED MALDONADO, DLA TROOP SUPPORT)
4 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • SEPTEMBER 2017