Dining facility reopens doors for business Published Oct. 28, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Artemy Shpakovsky Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Dakota Inn Dining Facility here was closed for repairs on Sept. 14 and is scheduled to reopen Oct. 31. Contractors repaired the leaks in the roof and also repaired the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. "I don't know if there are many improvements that the customer will see, but next summer it will be a little cooler in here than it was this summer," said Tech. Sgt. Jeffery R. Todd, 5th Force Support Squadron dining facility noncommissioned officer-in-charge. "These repairs have needed to be done for years, and we've finally received the funding to do them." With the high level of professionalism and commitment all members of the Team Minot family employ on a daily basis, dining facility repairs are expected to be completed ahead of schedule. "We are actually going to open Oct. 31," Sergeant Todd said. The flight kitchen will resume its normal operating hours the day the dining facility reopens. Airmen are encouraged to indulge in dining facility meals once again. "We will experience a big decrease in manning here at the flight kitchen," said Tech. Sgt. Juan Pagan, 5th FSS flight kitchen manager. "Instead of working here, most of our personnel will be transferred back to their positions at the dining facility." "As of right now, we have more than 15 people working in the flight kitchen; after the dining facility reopens, we will have about five," he added. The cooks at the dining facility said this closure was a much needed change; a change that will bring more comfort to both customers and personnel. Airmen will automatically be reassigned to the meal card program taking them off Basic Allowance for Sustenance. For more information call 723-3503.