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MILITARY CULINARY AWARDS WRAP-UP

Army Food Program Charges Ahead

Connelly Program Sets a Higher Culinary Standard

oday’s Army Food Program is associated with a level 2018 CONNELLY AWARDS
Tof professionalism that results from the Philip A. Con- The Department of the Army announced winners of the
nelly Awards annually challenging individual culinary spe- 50th annual Philip A. Connelly Awards Program in May
cialists to build a stronger sense of personal responsibility 2018. Winners are selected in four dining facility categories:
for professional development and inspiring satisfaction in Military Garrison, Active Army Field Kitchen, Army Reserve
performing a job well. Field Kitchen and Army National Guard Field Kitchen.
Competing for the Connelly gives culinary specialists The 2018 Connelly program winners were recognized
a sense of prestige and dignity, and motivates performing during the annual NAREF Military Food Service Awards
to a higher standard by exposing them to the evaluation Dinner, which was held on Friday evening, May 18, 2018,
of judges with military and civilian expertise. at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Ill.
Besides motivating higher performance, the Connelly Also recognized during the dinner were military culinary
program builds a sense of professionalism that contributes teams from each service branch competing in food service
to preparation of higher-quality meals made available to excellence award programs: Air Force (John L. Hennessy
supported diners, whether in garrison or the field. Award), Air National Guard (Senior Master Sgt. Kenneth W.
More than a competition, participating in the Connelly Disney Award), Marine Corps (Major Gen. William Pendleton
program has a professional development and training aspect Thompson Hill Memorial Awards), Navy (Capt. Edward F.
that inspires personal responsibility among the participating Ney Awards), Coast Guard (Forest O. Rednour) and Military
culinary team members and teaches them to work better Sealift Command (Capt. David M. Cook Awards).
together. A three-day training program keeps the culinary teams
Connelly winners also earn specialized training schol- busy while in Chicago for the awards dinner. Culinary spe-
arships at the Culinary Institute of America’s new Copia cialists enhance their skills as well as test their ability to
campus in Napa, Calif., through the National Restaurant work together in groups to design a dining facility from
Association Education Foundation (NRAEF), which increases scratch, including a business-marketing/competition plan,
motivation and expertise in Army dining facilities. staffing and healthy eating menu.
The design will be considered for
implementation at Joint Base McGuire-
THE 2018 PHILIP A. CONNELLY WINNERS
Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., which was selected
by Congress as the location to place six
new concept-driven dining facilities.

MULTI-LEVEL COMPETITION
The path to becoming a Connel-
ly-winning culinary team involves
maintaining performance through a
multi-level competition that starts at
the lowest military echelon. Army Sus-
tainment Command (ASC), Army Service
Component Command (ASCC), Army
Commands (ACOMs) and Army National
Guard (ARNG) each nominate finalists to
the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence
(JCCoE) and U.S. Army Quartermaster
School (USAQMS) for evaluation.
MILITARY GARRISON Nominees are evaluated early in
the year by teams of judges provided
Winner: Headquarters, 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, 7th Infantry Division, Joint Base by the USAQMS and the NRA, which
Lewis-McChord, Wash. then select the first-place and runner-up
Commander: Lt. Col. David Sarrette
Food Service Officer: 1st Lt. Joseph Krehel finishers in each of the four Connelly
Dining Facility Manager: Sgt. 1st Class Russell Slouffman award categories.
Judges select winners in each category
Runner-Up: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 21st Special Troops Battalion, by evaluating each team participating in
21st Theater Sustainment Command, Kaiserslautern, Germany the Connelly competition using mea-
surable results that impact readiness
22 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • JULY 2018