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MILITARY CULINARY AWARDS

Connelly Tests Skills

Under All Conditions

Fort Carson Culinary Teams Compete in Two Categories

chieving consistent performance and satisfying
soldiers is a challenge for Army culinary teams,
Aespecially in a field feeding environment where
the conditions are more rugged compared with a
dining facility.
Fort Carson had two culinary teams put their
skills to the test in a regional Connelly competition
last August. Both teams are finalists for the Con-
nelly, one in field feeding and the other in garrison.

FIELD FEEDING
While most units focus on food quality during
the Connelly competition, the soldiers of the 1st
Support Battalion Combat Team added realism in
training across the brigade by digging fighting posi-
tions, conducting both an attack and defense, and Sgt. Paul Mascardo, culinary specialist, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st
Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, scoops out sweet
conducting emergency resupply, air assault and convoy potato fries from the deep fryer while Pfcs. Chelsea Potterville and Gabriel
operations. Gonzales hand roll enchiladas during the Philip A. Connelly Competition on
Cooks supporting the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Fort Carson Aug. 29, 2016. (Photo by Maj. Kevin Boyd, 1st Stryker Brigade
Team, 4th Infantry Division, during a training exercise Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division)
were winding down from a breakfast meal and gearing up
for a lunch rush on a day when evaluators for the Army engineers and aviation supporting their operation in the
Philip A. Connelly Award performed a preliminary round preliminary Connelly competition, which recognizes ex-
evaluation last August. cellence in Army food service.
The cooks integrated with forces from across the bri- Adding a competitive element to already taxing respon-
gade to develop a full-scale field feeding site with infantry, sibilities motivated the culinary specialists of the “Raider”
Brigade to demonstrate their skills and capabilities during
the Connelly judging.
The Connelly competition is the “absolute highest rec-
ognition in the culinary arts field in the Army,” said Chief
Warrant Officer 5 Kenneth Hicks, command food adviser,
U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Headquarters.
“This is ‘Iron Chef’ in the field, and the integration with
all the other skills within the brigade is impressive.”
Culinary specialists throughout the brigade joined into
a team that defeated 32 other units to move on from earlier
rounds and represent III Corps at the FORSCOM level. The
1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team competed with a unit
each from the I Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps.
“Winning at the FORSCOM level is like winning the
Super Bowl, and there is only one final event after this for
the entire Army, and that’s like winning the Super Bowl
back-to-back,” said Sgt. 1st Class Corey Wood, platoon
Pfc. Gabriel Gonzalez, culinary specialist, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, sergeant, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st SBCT.
4th Infantry Division, ladles homemade sauce over freshly-made enchiladas
while Pfc. Chelsea Potterville, culinary specialist, 1st SBCT, prepares utensils In this training exercise, the cooks prepared lunch while
for serving Aug. 29, 2016. (Photo by Maj. Kevin Boyd, 1st Stryker Brigade the infantry soldiers successfully defended against an at-
Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division) tack on the perimeter; then both came together to secure
44 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MAY 2017