Halliburton Prepares to Serve over 170,000 Troops Thanksgiving Dinner in Middle East

November 24, 2004 01:28 PM US Eastern Timezone

Halliburton Prepares to Serve over 170,000 Troops Thanksgiving Dinner in Middle East

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 24, 2004--While Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with family reunions and large amounts of turkey and dressing, Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) is also planning to serve the troops currently deployed a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings.


"Halliburton is committed to making sure all the troops feel a little closer to home every day, but particularly on a day like today," said Dave Lesar, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Halliburton. "We´re thankful for what the troops are doing and we´re also thankful for our employees and the many other civilian contractors who are currently away from home today."

As part of the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) contract, Halliburton subsidiary KBR has extensively planned all the festivities down to the pumpkin pie for the troops.

"Thanksgiving Day is an important holiday for most Americans and a time when we reflect on what we value most. That is why KBR goes ´all out´ for the holiday to make sure everything we do, from preparing and presenting the traditional meal to decorating the dining facilities, makes the troops feel a little closer to home and appreciated for their sacrifices," said Chuck Doherty, KBR Food Service Project Manager in the Middle East.

Dinner for Extended Family

Planning for the holiday meal began months ago and has called on the specialized and award-winning talents of the entire KBR food service staff, responsible for overseeing more than 70 dining facilities across Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Djibouti. On Thanksgiving Day, KBR plans to serve approximately:

-- 20,000 turkeys

-- 32,000 pounds of beef tenderloin

-- 5,000 hams

-- 45,000 pounds of stuffing

-- 25 tons of mashed potatoes

-- 25,000 pounds of candied sweet potatoes

-- 73,750 pies (pumpkin, sweet potato, apple, and pecan)

-- 8,750 gallons of eggnog

Other menu items will vary from site to site and may include a medley of fresh fruits, salads, vegetable dishes and homemade baked goods.

In addition to overseeing meal preparations, food service managers at each dining facility are also encouraged to create uniquely themed holiday decorations, most of which must be made from scratch and double as food displays.

"Thanksgiving Day is not just about preparing the traditional holiday meal for the troops," said Doherty. "We care about their overall dining experience and work hard to create a celebratory atmosphere that brings everyone together."

KBR food services staffs across the Middle East region have applied their talents to create decorations using custom-made sugar-cube sculptures, ice carvings, intricately carved melons, decorated turkeys, gingerbread-house villages and special lighting to make each dining facility appear as festive as possible.

"We are proud and thankful to be able to gather around the table with our troops and serve them a hot meal that reminds them of home," said Doherty.

Proud to Support our Troops

For the past year, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our troops, the Halliburton team has supported the U.S. military every step of the way. The company´s team is comprised of civilians who voluntarily place themselves in a dangerous environment to make our troops feel a little closer to home. Many sign up because they feel they make a difference to U.S. soldiers and the Iraqi people.


Currently celebrating its 85th anniversary, Halliburton is one of the world´s largest providers of products and services to the petroleum and energy industries. The company serves its customers with a broad range of products and services through its Energy Services and Engineering and Construction Groups. The company´s World Wide Web site can be accessed at www.halliburton.com.

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