Feeding Thousands: Bragg PX Dishes Out Support for President’s Visit

Team Exchange showcased the vital role it plays with respect to mission readiness and support when President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made a special visit to Fort Bragg on June 10 to kick off the Army’s 250^th birthday celebration.

With a week’s notice, the Fort Bragg Exchange team scheduled 22 food trucks and vendors, including Exchange-operated Panda Express, Papa John’s and Domino’s, to support an estimated 20,000 Warfighters, family members and civilian visitors, serving about 5,000 meals during the celebration.

Exchange General Manager Thomas “TK” Kuttamperoor and Service Business Manager Cheryl Chevis didn’t know the president and defense secretary would be visiting until two days before the celebration, but the garrison commander made it clear: People were going to be hungry.

Team Exchange sprang into action but the time constraint provided a challenge. Chevis said an event that size typically takes about a month to plan.

“We were going out into the community daily, seeking food trucks who met the Exchange standard,” Chevis said. “We were making sure those trucks were clean inside and out, have the ServSafe certification and that they understood food safety. It took a lot of coordination.”

With a week’s notice, the Fort Bragg Exchange team scheduled 22 food trucks and vendors for a June 10 visit by President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to kick off the Army’s 250^th birthday celebration. The trucks supported an estimated 20,000 Warfighters, family members and civilian visitors, serving about 5,000 meals

The Exchange also provided ice for refreshments, which required coordination between Fort Bragg Expresses to fill hundreds of bags to store in a rented box truck.

“When you ask us to do something, we are going to deliver because we represent the Exchange,” Chevis said.

Food trucks and vendors arrived at Pike Field to prepare for the day’s festivities, where they served food for 6 1/2 hours before the president’s speech began at 4 p.m.

“You could just see everyone was super excited. It was amazing,” Chevis said. “My focus was just taking care of the troops.”

All the coordination reminded Kuttamperoor of his time deployed.

“It was like putting a tactical field Exchange in Iraq or Afghanistan,” Kuttamperoor said. “How fast can you get something up? I’ve had stores open in 24 hours in contingency locations. This experience really reminded me of my deployment with the Exchange.”

For Kuttamperoor, the most important thing was making the day memorable for everyone.

“We were striving to exceed expectations,” Kuttamperoor said. “And I think that’s what our team and vendors did. When you give the Exchange a mission, we will accomplish it–no matter what.”