Amy Sandling Crawford

The concept is simple: provide steak dinners to United States military members serving in various remote locations as a way to thank them for their service to our country.

Steak Team Mission is a group of Dallas-based supporters providing food and supplies for United States soldiers. They prepare and serve steak dinners to soldiers in harm's way in remote and hazardous areas determined by date and location by the military.

"Freedom is not free," said Steak Team Mission found Harvey Gough of Highland Park Goff's Hamburgers fame. "We are here to show our gratitude for what our guys are doing. It's as simple as that."

The organization started in 2002 with a trip to Uzbekistan, and the group has made 15 additional trips since then.

"It's fun, it's rewarding, you get to go see the soldiers, and their general reaction is 'thanks for coming, it really means a lot to have you come from the United States to travel all the way over here to feed us a steak,'" said Steak Team Mission member Jeff Hellberg, who has known Gough for many years.

Hellberg explained that the group cooks steaks in military camps in an open setting, and all food is served from the grill area so Steak Team Mission members can see everyone that comes through the line.

"We can put eyes on everyone and shake their hand and thank them for their service," he said. "We're not there just to cook, we're there so these guys and girls can see us."

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Hellberg is a local trial lawyer and had a case in the court of Judge John Roach Jr. in early 2009. He was signed up to serve steaks on the U.S.S. Nimitz with Steak Team Mission on the court date, so he had to ask the judge for a continuance in a case. Roach wanted to know why. Hellberg told Roach about the history and goal of Steak Team Mission. Immediately, Roach was hooked on the idea.

"He said that he would let me know when the next trip would be. A couple of months later, they were headed to Iraq and asked me if I would go," said Roach. "I said yes, and it was an incredible experience."

Being a part of Steak Team Mission requires an investment of both time and money. Members of the group usually take off about 10 days of work for trips, depending on the destination. Members pay for their own airfare to the military base in the area where they will serve.

"When I went to Iraq, I paid for my flight to Germany, then took a military plane into Iraq," explained Roach. "When I went to Afghanistan, I paid for the flight all the way to Kuwait."

In addition to airfare, each member pays or raises money to pay for the food that the team serves to members of the military. Roach estimated that each of his Steak Team Mission trips have cost him about $3,000.

Roach has been on two trips with the group. The first was to Iraq to serve members of the United States Army.

"We went through Germany and landed in Baghdad, Iraq at Camp Victory. The temperature was about 120 degrees. We served about 2,000 steaks in Baghdad. We were there for four days. The troops we met there were in their third or fourth deployment. That means they have been overseas for about seven months at a time, three or four times.

"We toured the entire area, which included many of Saddam Hussein's palaces, the Baath party headquarters, and the homes of his wives and family. We then flew to Southern Iraq. The Army gave us an aerial tour of Baghdad in Black Hawk helicopters. We saw firsthand the disparity of the poor of Iraq compared to how Saddam Hussein lived."

Roach and his group then flew to southern Iraq where they met with the Army's 3rd Cavalry Unit. The troops stationed there were on the front lines of the conflicts in Iraq, patrolling day and night.

"We happened to be there the day President Obama declared the end of combat operations in Iraq," he said. "Yet, the next morning the same troops woke up to do the same thing, which was to go out in harm's way protecting the Iraqi population just as armed as they were the day before."

He continued, "We served 1,000 steaks in southern Iraq and spent a great evening with the troops. They could not understand why we would come so far just for them. I explained to them that I do not understand why you would come so far, just for us! I left Baghdad with an absolute renewal of pride for our nation's military and our country. It was an incredible experience."

A few months later, Roach learned that the team would be traveling to Afghanistan. "I knew this trip would be a hard sell for my wife," said Roach. "She did not handle my trip to Iraq so well, knowing I was in some danger. However, this trip would be different. The team would be serving the United States Marine Corps for the first time. Being a former Marine, I knew I had to go."

"When we set up the trip to Afghanistan to feed some Marines, I knew John would want to go. Since he was a Marine, I knew he'd want to go 'take care of his peeps'," laughed Hellberg.

Getting to Afghanistan took almost four days. This mission took the team to the most remote places in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

"At each Combat Operating Post, we would serve a few hundred steaks," said Roach. "I think it meant more because we were closer to the conflict, these Marines had little or no amenities, and they had very few hot meals. As we flew from post to post, we were able to see the vastness of Afghanistan. Sand as far as the eye could see.

"The living conditions for the Afghanis were poor; for the troops, it was not a whole lot better. We spent our time talking to the troops as we served them steaks. We learned about the number of deployments they have been on, what family they left back home, and what they would do when they returned home. We asked a lot of questions and learned about the precarious situations they had been on, friends lost in battle, and how brave these young Marines are."

Each trip requires a bit of coordination. The group provides a list of needs to the military group they are serving, so things are ready upon their arrival. They usually request grills or the materials to build grills (which are often made out of scrap metal), as well as charcoal and some sort of dining facility. The team provides steaks, sides, and other supplies and ships over all items ahead of the team. Teams typically consist of 10 to 14 people, depending on the group to be served. When teams serve aircraft carriers, they can serve almost 5,000 steaks in a trip.

"Both of the trips I have been on have been remarkable, and I will always remember them," said Roach. "I felt nervous and sometimes scared about the dangers lurking about. I was not even purposefully putting myself in danger; it was the nature of the environment. But these troops woke up every morning and placed themselves in harm's way for a cause greater than themselves. I am proud to have been able to have met such brave Americans."

The group has currently served members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, but has not yet had the opportunity to serve members of the Coast Guard.

"We all do this because we like it," said Hellberg. "I have a lot of respect for the judge because he is a good leader when he needs to lead, but he will also follow instructions when appropriate. That, in my view, is the test of good character, because he knows when to do what. He didn't go to Afghanistan thinking, 'I am a judge. I am going to run the show.' He did the job that he was assigned to do, and he led when he needed to. He has the heart of a Marine."

In the future, Roach plans to go on one trip with the group each year. He pointed out that anyone interested in volunteering needs a steady commitment of time and money, as well as the ability to actively move from location to location quickly and patiently. While being a veteran is not a requirement, it is helpful, he said.

"Volunteers have to pass the 'Harvey test'," said Gough. "They have got to be physically fit and not a wimp."

Since his trips, Roach has been working here at home to spread the word about Steak Team Mission. He's been speaking to Rotary clubs, women's groups, and 'anyone else who will listen,' he said.

"Overall, these are incredible men and women doing an often thankless job. Their spirits remained high even though their sacrifice takes a toll on them and their families every day," he said. "Harvey is absolutely one of the grumpiest men I have ever gotten to know. But his passion for the troops is unmatched. On these trips you really see what makes him tick: our nation's military. He is a very special man on a very special mission."

Roach said that despite a busy schedule, family life, and personal commitments, it's not too hard to take out time to serve with the group.

"I just make time for the worthy cause," he said. "It puts a lot of pressure on my wife and family, being away and being in dangerous places, but we know that giving back to the troops is worth the tiny sacrifice we make. My wife is never keen on the idea of me being in a war zone, but again, we believe in giving back. We also imagine the sacrifice of the families of these troops as so much greater than the tiny sacrifice I make of my time and money."

He continued, "I have to tell you that I felt charged up when I was hanging out with the troops! I tried to get them to issue me a weapon and let me out on patrol with them, but they respectfully denied my request. I am honored to be associated with such great Americans!"

"The judge is a good guy, even if he is a Marine," harrumphed Gough. "He's a tough guy, and he does very well when he follows instructions. John is a good guy and he is a good public official. He doesn't take any B.S. He's got the right mindset."

After completing undergraduate and law school, Roach married his law school sweetheart, Laura Bohlman Roach, and the couple now has three boys: John III, Jacob and Jack.

"My family has been involved in civic organizations my whole life. When I left Plano and joined the Marines, I swore I would never come back to this boring town," he said. "But now I realize why people live in Plano: the people, the schools, and the sense of community. [My boys] attend Plano schools like their daddy. We continue to be very involved in the community. We enjoy everything about Plano and Collin County.

"We are so blessed in Plano and in North Texas," he added. "I think we often forget our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and others just need a helping hand. You don't have to go 6,000 miles to help another in need. Every day, we have small opportunities to help each other. Take advantage of those opportunities, teach your kids about taking advantage of those opportunities, and know that you have taken the time to touch the life of another person. The inner joy is an amazing feeling."

How you can help Steak Team Mission

The group selects volunteers to travel on each mission trip. Monetary and supply donations are always welcome. To learn more, call 214.263.6101 or visit steakteammission.org.



Snapshot from a Steak Team Mission (as told by John Roach)

"I was landing at a very small Combat Operating Post in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The base was so small there was no landing space on the actual secured base. As I looked out the window of the helicopter, I noticed the landing zone was encircled by armed Marines. From my Marine experience, we were landing in a 'hot' LZ (landing zone), meaning there could be bad guys lurking about.

"My heart rate increased, and I began to get nervous. As we landed, the crew chief on the helicopter started yelling at us to get off the helo and head to a designated area, still outside the base. As I looked around I saw Afghani men in their long robes walking in the area. Were they bad guys? Did they have weapons under their robes? I noticed a 'jingle truck' coming towards us. Jingle trucks have often been used to blow up bases.

"My heart rate increased even more. The hair on the back of my neck was standing straight up. The Marines waved us onto the road headed towards the base. I scanned the area and again saw more Afghanis. The stress was incredible. We finally made it to the base where we were able to relax.

"As I reflected on that brief moment, I thought to myself that each of these Marines experience the stress of the situation as they go about their daily lives in Afghanistan. The stress I felt for those brief minutes was something they felt for hours upon hours with no hope of refuge at least for six months. The physical and mental toll that must cause is tremendous. Add to that being away from your family and friends and the 'normal' life they dreamed about. The sacrifice is selfless and should be honored by us all."