All it took to “show the love” to 4000 Soldiers activated at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos was a crazy idea, a brigade of volunteers and more than 800 pizzas, according to a statement issued by the organization.
It’s been a long, hot, and challenging no-notice activation for 4000 Soldiers from the California National Guard.
Unairconditioned tents, away from home over a National holiday, good food that gets repetitive after weeks of the same menu. But like all Soldiers, they serve where they are sent and do the job they were asked to do, with all they have in them.
“We knew the Soldiers at Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB) have been somewhat isolated at the Base since the deployment began,” said LTC (Ret) Pete Seitz, president of the Geater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (GLAC AUSA). “We really wanted to let them know the community supports them and values their service – we wanted to thank them for their service.
“They have fought our forest fires, they helped with the Pacific Palisades fire and clean up, and they provide help and support in their local communities across the state every single day,” Seitz added. “We wanted to let them know their service and sacrifice is appreciated.’”
Activated since early June, the Soldiers assigned to the Federal Protection mission needed a boost for their spirits and morale (and perhaps their stomachs.) It was served up to them hot, fresh and tasty by the Geater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (GLAC AUSA) in the form of 800 pizzas.
The pizza were made and cooked on site at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos.
Not just any pizzas. No soggy cardboard delivery boxes. These pizza were made and cooked on site at Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos.
It’s not an easy task to feed hot, fresh-baked pizza to 4000 Soldiers. It takes, well, an Army. GLAC AUSA had plenty of assistance for this huge endeavor: the Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos Staff; Federal Task Force 51; and the cadets and advisors of Post 558 Military Explorers, a youth organization that meets at the base. In addition to Seitz, the on-site GLAC team included Ron Cabrera, Tony Marraccino, and Bill Wenger.
It was the local branch of pizza company, Pizzarageous, though, that really made this mission a success. When asked if they could provide pizza for 4,000 Soldiers, they didn’t even blink!
The ovens and pizzas were set up in the early morning. Pizzas were stacked and ready for the oven. The team began feeding Soldiers before noon and continued making and serving pizza until every Soldier was full around 5 p.m. When the stacks of pre-made pizzas got low, Pizzarageous simply made more.
After concluding one of the largest events they have ever hosted, GLAC AUSA’s response was “what can we do next for our Soldiers?”
The Association of the United States Army is a nonprofit educational and professional development association serving America’s Army and supporters of a strong national defense. AUSA provides a voice for the Army, supports the Soldier, and honors those who have served in order to advance the security of the nation. www.ausa.org.