RAF chef gets award after stepping up to feed the hundreds deployed on ops at Akrotiri

A Royal Air Force chef has been awarded the Station Commander's Commendation for feeding hundreds of deployed personnel at RAF Akrotiri.

Acting Corporal Jack White was recognised for showing "exceptional leadership beyond his experience and beyond his rank".

The 29-year-old from Peterborough was 2IC at the Operational Feeder Facility, which was tasked with providing meals for personnel deployed to the station during the Iran war.

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He was presented with a framed certificate by the Acting Station Commander, Wing Commander Ade Mellors, in front of his peers.

"It's a massive achievement," said Cpl White.

"It has been a long tour, but it's also been a good tour; I've had a great time."

Feeding RAF Akrotiri during the Middle East war

Usually an Air Specialist Class 1, the chef was given Acting Corporal rank early in the deployment to assist with feeding the sudden increase in air defence units.

Cpl White was deployed to RAF Akrotiri on Operation Shader with No. 11 Group in December, supporting the station to feed personnel through the Junior Ranks Dining facility.

Pressure was increased in February when hundreds of people were sent to bolster air defences at the British bases in Cyprus, with even more arriving after a suspected drone strike by Lebanese Hezbollah on RAF Akrotiri on 1 March.

Cpl White and the tri-service team of chefs, NAAFI and contractors were given one week to set up a fully functioning Ops Feeder to cater for deployed personnel.

Flight Lieutenant Kay McBride, from the Contract Management Team, said Cpl White had been "pivotal" in feeding RAF Akrotiri.

"It's really important to have proactive and engaged personnel in the team, especially operating at that JNCO level," she said.

"They are the specialists."

The officer who recommended Cpl White for the commendation added that while he was the one receiving the awarded, he was part of a team in the kitchen.

"It's the 40-strong individuals here making this all happen," she said.

Ready and resilient to deliver on ops

At RAF Akrotiri, catering falls under Base Support Wing alongside HR and Infrastructure.

"It's all about the support to operations," said Wing Commander Liz Price, Officer Commanding Base Support Wing.

"It's about making sure people are ready and resilient to deliver.

"I'm really proud of Jack and the team for their contributions to operations."