Who is expected to be present at all hours of operation in a military food establishment?

• A. The Person In Charge (PIC)
• B. Food establishment manager, or designated by; to be present at all hours of operation
• C. In military galleys, the Food Service Officer or Leading Food Management Cook
• D. The Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit

Answer: (B)

In a military food operation, there must always be a qualified person present to supervise safety and sanitation. The person responsible for ensuring proper handling, storage, cooking, cooling, and serving of food—and for enforcing procedures—needs to be on site during all hours of operation. The manager of the food establishment, or someone the manager designates to stand in, fills this role. This designated presence guarantees there is a trained, accountable individual who can verify temperatures, supervise staff, respond to issues, and ensure the HACCP or sanitation plan is followed at all times.

Why this is the best fit: the designated-on-site requirement ensures continuous oversight even when the primary manager isn’t physically present, so there’s always a qualified person who can make quick, correct decisions and uphold safety standards. The other possibilities either describe roles that aren’t guaranteed to be on site at all times, or refer to an external unit that isn’t involved in daily operations.