'Bring it on!'
13th Maint. Co. Food Service faces off against best in Army

Story and photos by 1st Lt. Victor Hoffer, 31st ADA Bde.
Photo Illustration by Susan Laven

 

From the air, the site layout of the 13th Maint. Co. food service tactical area appears perfectly in accordance with Department of the Army standards.

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The Soldiers of 13th Maintenance Company would like to think that they are among the best in the Army, and especially within the Forces Command. A certain amount of pride goes into knowing that one’s training has brought the unit to a high level, and it is that esprit de corps that the Army wants leaders and Soldiers to embody. Soldiers are awarded for individual effort, training and achievement. These accomplishments can have the effect of bolstering morale by the simple assertion that, as a Soldier might proclaim, “We are the best!”
The Soldiers of 13th Maint., though, have a leg up on the competition; they have already been recognized by the Army as one of the best in the realm of food service, and in October will compete for the distinction of the best in the Army.

Throughout August and September, the Food Service team and other selected Soldiers from 13th Maint. Co. established a Mobile Kitchen Trailer field site at the Tobin Wells training area. Their emplacements included a typical field layout, complete with an entry control point, various tents and food service facilities, and fighting positions encircling the area. They reinforced their battle positions, organized the field dining amenities and served meals to both commanders and FORSCOM evaluators during what has become a multi-week field training exercise. Their efforts and diligence paid off when they were announced as one of only three teams from FORSCOM to compete in the final stage of the competition, where they will face the best the Army has to offer.

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Spc. Roy Gray, 13th Maint. Co., remains alert in his individual fighting position on the perimeter of the tactical site. All aspects of combat food service operations were part of the evaluation.

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Established in 1968, the Connelly award program is named for the former International Food Service Executives Association president who was responsible for obtaining IFSEA sponsorship with the Army. IFSEA is a professional organization dedicated to raising food service industry standards, educating members and future industry leaders, recognizing member achievements and serving the growing needs of the multi-billion dollar a year food industry. This sponsorship helps to fund awards and specialized training for Army food service specialists. The U.S. Army Quartermaster Center & School and IFSEA co-sponsor the program with each evaluation team consisting of one IFSEA civilian and two QMC&S military representatives.

So now, as it is said, the best keep on getting better. Already having proven their worth, the Soldiers – food service specialists, supply personnel and other attached Soldiers – strive to enhance their site further, hone their skills to an even finer point, and proceed with a laser-focus toward perfection in their craft.

“They intuitively understand and can rigorously apply their particular fieldcraft,” said Col. Jeff Oeser, commander of 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade to which 13th Maint. is assigned. “Everything – and I mean everything, from meal preparation to preparation of range cards – was done to exacting standards.”

The next level of competition is the final level. A win at the Department of the Army-level competition will seal 13th Maint.’s position as the best in the Army.

“It was something different, a great experience, something we’ve never done,” said Pfc. Diswan Harris, an automated supply specialist with 13th Maint. “When we go to the field, we don’t have to do all that. We don’t build trenches around the tents, do pathways from every tent to the MKT.”

“We build the site as it was meant to be used for extended periods of time; it’s more like a permanent site,” added Spc. Jesus Solis, one of the Soldiers attached to the 13th.

It’s also been a learning experience for the Soldiers that have been attached to the cooks in the field. “It has broadened our minds to realize that the cooks are not only cooks; they are more of sanitation people, for keeping clean is their whole goal,” said Pfc. Erik Daguerre, one of the Soldiers attached to the food service team through the competitive run. “They are preparing meals for Soldiers in and out of the field. Working with the cooks has given me a new outlook for what they offer to the Army, and the sacrifices they have to make.”

Pvt. Kristie Terry, a food service specialist with the 13th, arrived from Advanced Individual Training to an Army-level proficiency and expectation and had to learn quickly and put to use immediately skills taught in the Initial Entry Training courses.

“It’s a different experience coming straight from AIT and going straight into the field, all the hours we put into it,” she said. “It’s a good experience. I feel I know a lot more than people I went to AIT with – I’m learning faster and I haven’t even been to the [Dining Facilities at garrison] yet.”

The civilian and military evaluators have a number of criteria to examine during the judging. These criteria are not just limited to the appearance of personnel preparing the food and the food quality. Every aspect of the foodservice operation is checked including training, administration, accounting, receipt and storage of rations, sanitation, command support and knowledge and maintenance of equipment and troop acceptability.

When all is said and done, the 13th Maint. Co. Food Service Team will continue to be one of the best in the Army, holding some of the most highly-trained and capable Soldiers in the realm of food service. They have already proven themselves to be among the best. Before the end of the month, they will have strove to prove that they are the best throughout the U.S. Army.

108th ADA Bde. also has a team competing in the Connelly Competition. Next week we will feature them in a story concerning their efforts to win this title. The Connelly judges will be back to grade 108th’s Food Service Team in December..