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MILITARY CULINARY AWARDS WRAP-UP

Appearance/Attitude of Personnel and CONNELL Y
Equipment/Faclities/Readiness.

FIELD CATEGORY
A separate checklist of 10 categories
establishes the criteria used to evaluate
units competing in the Department of
the Army Field Category level of the
Connelly program. Field evaluations
involve units outside the continental
48 states and involve an in-brief with
the unit on day one that is the same
for the garrison and field categories.
On day two, the unit escorts evaluators
to the training site to begin their work
upon arrival. Evaluations encompass
two consecutive meals: preparation and
serving of a Uniform Group Rations ARMY NATIONAL GUARD FIELD KITCHEN
(UGR) Heat and Serve breakfast and a
UGR-A lunch/UGR-A-SO (short order) Winner: 110th Multifunctional Medical Battalion (HHD), Nebraska Army National Guard,
modules for the lunch meal. Lincoln, Neb.
Units competing in the Reserve and Commander: 1st Lt. Stephen Condon
National Guard Connelly category are Food Service Officer: Chief Warrant Officer 3 K.C. Sohl
evaluated on one meal (lunch), which Culinary Management NCO: Sgt. 1st Class Kathrine Struck
consists of line item A-rations.
These options (UGR-A, UGR-A SO Runner-Up: Alpha Company, 198th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Delaware Army Na-
and UGR H&S) carry a higher poten- tional Guard, Georgetown, Del.
tial for waste and require increased
management attention at all levels of
requisitioning and preparation, according to the 2018 it comes to operational rations and line item A rations.
Connelly Handbook. According to the 2018 handbook, the 92G NCO should
All units prepare the same meals. Army National Guard “seek use and approval of enhancements that effectively
and U.S. Army choose the final meal prior to the evalu- supplement the meal and lead to quality reception by all
ation period. diners.”
Army field feeding facilities are a unique environment The handbook suggests units can increase points earned
and the evaluation criteria checklist includes 10 catego- in this area with trendy additions, such as seasoning or
ries: Supervision/Training; Headcount Operations/Cash infusion of a local ingredient.
Collection; Request, Receipt and Storage of Rations; Field Nutritional initiatives are a part of menu planning and
Food Safety; Command Support; Appearance/Attitude of should incorporate principles provided by regulation, as
Culinary Personnel; Field Kitchen Set Up/Site Selection/ well as current U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate
Layout; Food Preparation and Quality; Serving/Troop Ac- guidelines.
ceptability; and Use and Maintenance of Equipment. Second most influential on a unit’s total score are the
Similar to the Garrison level, each field category contains possible 180 points that can be earned in the Serving/
a set of criteria covering all phases of the competition and Troop Acceptability category and its eight criteria. Troop
the maximum score possible a team can earn from each Acceptability at 30 points has the highest value within
judge is 1,000 points. the category followed by Innovative Set Up and Use of
The most valuable category is Food Preparation/Qual- Service Equipment, and Menu and Service items verifica-
ity with a total rating of 270 points. Judges can award tion (posted/served), each worth 25 points. The remaining
30 points for Innovative Menu Improvements and Meal five criteria are worth 20 points each.
Production; 25 points each for Nutrition Initiatives, Ad- Diner’s comments can be sufficient to gauge the qual-
herence to Production Schedule, Proteins and Sauces, and ity of items served, but another is to observe the amount
Food Palatability; and 20 points each for Starches and of food discarded into waste containers, according to the
Vegetables, Salads and Dressings, Assorted Breads and handbook.
Pastries, Assorted Fresh Fruits, Beverages, Proper Internal Judges evaluate a unit’s serving line for how smoothly
Temperatures, and Use of Appropriate Recipes. customers move through it, but higher point totals can
In evaluating this category, the units are judged on be earned by demonstrating innovative use equipment,
the extent to which the senior 92G NCO makes quality the handbook advises.
improvements beyond the standard menu items when —GFS
GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • JULY 2018 25