Restaurant treats Army Reserve unit to steak dinner

Training over, 372nd MP Company soon may be sent back to Iraq

Kristin Harty Barkley

LAVALE — Chefs at Western Sizzlin’ grilled enough steaks to feed an Army Sunday.

Literally.

A line of camouflage-wearing men and women stretched 20 yards outside the restaurant’s doors late Sunday morning as members of the 372nd Military Police Company of the U.S. Army Reserve gathered for lunch on the final day of their annual two-week training mission.

The unit, which has been eating lunch at Western Sizzlin’ every day since training began earlier this month, has received a “warning order” for possible deployment overseas in the months ahead.

“We decided we wanted to do something nice for them,” said Western Sizzlin’ owner Bruce Snyder, who fed the soldiers steaks on Sunday instead of just the buffet.

Inside the restaurant, a “We Support 372nd MP” banner included personal messages from Western Sizzlin’ employees. “Take care and come home safe,” one said. “Thank you for serving our country.”

Red, white and blue balloons and ribbons filled the dining area.

“We wanted them to have something real nice to remember,” Snyder said.

The Cresaptown-based 372nd, which gained notoriety for its involvement in the mistreatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib several years ago, has served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the war on terror, said 1st Lt. Michael O’Harran, executive officer.

The unit is comprised of around 175 men and women from a “multitude of states” north and south of Maryland, O’Harran said, and soldiers stay in two Cumberland hotels during once-a-month weekend training missions and the annual two-week training mission. They eat lunch at designated restaurants because there is no military base with a “chow hall” in the immediate area, he said.

At Western Sizzlin’, lunch buffets include fried and baked chicken, shrimp, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, as well as salad and dessert bars.

“There’s a large variety in the buffet,” said O’Harran, adding that the military signed a contract with Western Sizzlin’ for food services. “There’s lots of choices for soldiers to keep up with their diets as they see fit.”

For dinner, soldiers haven’t had as many options. Troops have been eating MREs — or Meals Ready to Eat, the Army’s standard ration — to accommodate their evening training schedules, said 1st Lt. Fred Wasser, unit commander.

Sunday’s steaks were a welcome reprieve, said Spc. Robert Charlton of Cresaptown.

“It was awesome,” said Charlton, an Allegany High School graduate. Like other soldiers, Charlton was surprised — and pleased — that the restaurant was decorated for them.

“It’s very nice that they did this,” said Charlton, who hasn’t yet served overseas, but is ready to deploy. Soldiers were released from active duty immediately following lunch on Sunday, but could receive deployment orders any time.

“I signed up to go,” Charlton said.

Steakhouse employees arrived around 8:30 a.m. Sunday to make the restaurant look patriotic, said Western Sizzlin’s Renea Sensabaugh.

“They deserve as much support as they can get right now,” Sensabaugh said. “Everything they do for our country, this is the least we can do for them.”

Earlier this week, the unit presented a certificate of appreciation to Snyder and the Western Sizzlin’ staff for their hospitality.

“They’re thanking us,” Snyder said. “We should be thanking them.”

Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kharty@times-news.com.