Staff at Training Support Center (TSC) Great Lakes participated in a command picnic of a different manner April 24.

TSC Petty Officer Association (POA) and the Chief Petty Officer Association (CPOA) spent all morning spicing up and barbecuing chicken, and boxing meals that were delivered to offices for Sailors and civilian staff to enjoy.

“The TSC Great Lakes Petty Officer Association and Chiefs Mess hosted the event to thank all employees at the command for the job they are doing during difficult times,” said Navy Military Training Instructor Quartermaster 1st Class Chey Ann Jones, POA president at TSC Great Lakes. “Although we are not able to bring everyone together, I hope we were able to break up the monotony and benefit morale. Everyone at the command is family. Cooking for them is a small way to let them know that we care.”

According to TSC Commanding Officer Capt. David Dwyer, providing meals to the staff and our students who are in our Quarantine Barracks, was a nice morale booster after a long month of adhering to mitigating guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining mission readiness.

“The TSC Great Lakes’ Chief Petty Officer (CPOA) and Petty Officer (POA) Associations did an outstanding job planning and executing the event,” Dwyer said. “Events like these are really important for the command because although we cannot celebrate together like a traditional picnic, it still provides a sense of team work and pride in what we do. Our people are our number one priority and, I’ve got to say, that no matter what barriers are placed in front of them they never wavered in completing our mission. I appreciate the effort by our CPOA and POA. It was well executed in a manner that supported social distancing and face coverings, allowed for some of our new accession future Culinary Specialist (CS), who are awaiting transfer to their ‘A’ school at Fort Lee, Virginia, to participate and learn some apprenticeship level skills under the watchful eyes of a couple of my CS petty officers. The food was well received by our hard working staff members, and our students that have been placed in quarantine were very appreciative of receiving a home-cooked hot meal.”

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