Sunday breakfast at the K

Sunday breakfast at the K-16 d-fac was a cherished ritual.

During my tour, a new large dining facility (aka chow hall) was completed in anticipation of the entire 17th Aviation Brigade moving to the K, but that was scheduled for after my DEROS. For us, the new d-fac was extra roomy and well-appointed by Army standards. Our cooks were friendly and the experienced Korean nationals who augmented the Army cooks added Korean flavors to the standard d-fac fare.

On Sunday mornings, the K was downright drowsy. I would dress comfortably, pick up a copy of Stars & Stripes, and saunter over to the d-fac around 10-10:30, toward the end of the scheduled breakfast. The place was nearly empty on weekends which allowed our cooks to be more relaxed. My standard Sunday breakfast included glasses of juice, a bowl of Total with 2% milk and banana chunks, a bowl of sweetened thick oatmeal, a toasted bagel with cream cheese or butter, and a mug of hot chocolate with soft-serve vanilla ice cream in place of whipped cream. I might add yogurt or fruit. The centerpiece of my Sunday breakfast was my own concoction of white rice with chopped sausage patty, omelet fixings (tomato, onion, peppers, mushrooms) the cooks were nice enough to sizzle on the griddle for me, eggs over easy, soy sauce, and a red spicy-sweet Korean sauce. Gloriously indulgent.

During the work week, I was on the Army's clock and had no time for a lavish breakfast; I ate normal meals with a soldier's speed. On Sunday, I would leisurely savor my breakfast and carefully read the newspaper front to back. An hour, hour and a half, relaxing in the d-fac was normal - I made it a point not to check the time. Only when I was satisfied I was done would I put up my tray and sated, stroll back to the barracks.

After I came home, I tried replicating my Sunday breakfast at the K. Once. It wasn't the same. Enjoy pleasure where you can find it.

Eric