Fort Carson opens dining facility to media after outcry over reported low-quality food
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - After soldiers complained of meal shortages and low-quality food at Fort Carson, the base invited media out to see what people are eating now.
Several months ago, soldiers took photos of their food, where they were reportedly given things like dry pasta or just a hot dog for dinner. The pictures and complaints were uploaded through an app called Hots and Cots.
Fort Carson said sometimes those pictures don't tell the full story -- and in times when soldiers were offered little to no food, it was because they had a higher-than-normal headcount.
On Friday, Fort Carson officials said they are improving things by making a special committee that meets monthly to go through feedback from soldiers and make changes.
During a visit from KRDO13 Investigates, numerous options were available to eat, including an Italian bar, salad bar, burgers, hot dogs, along with another grill in the back for more options.
"(The app) Hots and Cots is an informal mechanism, and so the content there is not always verified formally. It could be a picture of another location at another time," said Sarah Gilbert, Lt. Col, Sustainment. "In every instance on the 'Hots and Cots situation,' we were able to resolve that and provide additional food within about 20 minutes.
This week, KRDO13 Investigates spoke to a high-ranking Fort Carson official on a condition of anonymity about the food.
"It feels like we broke the promise to them, like they took an oath of enlistment to serve the country," they said, "There's an unwritten rule that you're going to get taken care of for giving your body, mind, and soul to this job."
RELATED: Fort Carson seeking to improve after struggles with fluctuating food quality, quantity
On Friday, KRDO13 Investigates sat down with a soldier who says the food quality has gotten better, but says he still has trouble getting seconds and sometimes the cafeteria is closed when he is available to go eat.
Fort Carson tells us they are having high-ranking officials regularly eat on post to help monitor the quality of the food.
