Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Crawford | U.S. Army Spc. Jason A. Sweitzer, a food services specialist with the 254th...... read more read more
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FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Tucked away in the forest along a dirt road, soldiers from the 254th Quartermaster Company, based in York, Pa., had organized a base of operations for the Philip A. Connelly Awards competition at the U.S. Army Reserve Command level.
“We’ve never done this kind of setup before,” said Sgt. Jose R. Ortiz Jr., a food service non-commissioned officer. “It took a lot of hard work and team play.”
The 254th Quartermaster Company competed on behalf of the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), of Coraopolis, Pa., one of 17 such commands participating in the USARC level competition. While the scenario was out of the ordinary, the task was no different than any other battle assembly weekend.
“We do this every drill,” said 1st Sgt. Daniel Pluck. “The only difference is it’s tactical instead of in the garrison area, but they cook off the MKT (mobile kitchen trailer) every month.”
The routine task did not mean soldiers took the competition lightly. Members of the 254th Quartermaster Company had been on site for four days prior to the event, setting up the area and planning the flow of storage, sanitation and cooking.
“It’s come together really well,” said 2nd Lt. Fendi Richardson, executive officer for the 254th QM Co. “Starting from last year, one of our NCOs … felt as though the cooks weren’t getting enough of their own training. He put together a whole kitchen for our unit and the cooks fix us food every day.”
The Connelly Awards, named after the late Philip A. Connelly, aims to provide recognition for excellence in preparing and serving food in both field and garrison environments. It serves to improve professionalism of food service personnel, as Connelly labored to do in both the civilian and military food services industries. Connelly chaired the Armed Forces Service Committee and received the Peter Gust Economou Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Industry Food Service in 1962.
It’s not just about whipping up a hot meal; in addition to food preparation, evaluators look at training, security, accounting procedures, storage, sanitation, command support, appearance, serving, site layout and equipment.
“We are evaluating them on what they should be doing every time they are out in a field environment,” said chief warrant officer Pamela Null, an evaluator for the competition from USARC.
There are five evaluation categories: active Army large garrison, active Army small garrison, active Army field kitchen, Army Reserve field kitchen and Army National Guard field kitchen.
The International Food Service Executives Association co-sponsors the Connelly Awards along with the Department of the Army.
IFSEA also helps evaluate the finalists and presents awards. If the 254th Quartermaster Company wins this round, they will be selected to move on to the Department of the Army level in Orlando, Fla.
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2013 09:40 |
| Story ID: | 109214 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 207 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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