Fort Bliss Monitor

11th, 108th culinary teams ‘cook’ up Connelly award

Pfc. Jessika Greendeer
11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

Spc. Jason Stadel
108th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

Spc. Jason Stadel
Pfcs. Monica Guiterrez, center, and Bernadette Kennedy, right, serve steak and potatoes during 108th ADA's Connelly inspection.

Spc. Jason Stadel
Field Sanitation played a major role during the Connelly inspection. Here, Soldiers wash their hands before the being served lunch.

PFC. Jessika Greendeer
Pvt. Robert Hardnett enjoys lunch at the 11th Brigade field site. “The food is breathtaking,” said Hardnett.

Spc. Jason Stadel
Master Sgt. Juan Abreu, right, goes over the inspection check list with Staff Sgt. Jesus De La O during the Connelly competition.

PFC. Jessika Greendeer
Spc. Dachanka Collazo and Staff Sgt. William Smith perform preventive maintenance on a generator prior to the competition.

The culinary teams of the 11th and 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigades competed at the installation level Active Army Field Kitchen category for the prestigious Philip A. Connelly Award July 19 and July 21 at Tobin Wells.

Both brigades were competing in the Active Army Field Kitchen Category. However, there are four other categories that teams may enter: small garrison, large garrison, U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Army National Guard.

The competition is a Department of the Army program established in 1968 during the Vietnam War to recognize Soldiers for their culinary proficiency.

The program is named in honor of the late Philip A. Connelly, former president of the International Food Service Executive Association. IFSEA is responsible for sponsoring the DA’s recognition of excellence in food service.
The culinary teams are evaluated in several areas: the preparation, quality, taste, nutritional value, service, sanitation of their kitchen including the field site and administrative regulations of operations.

The troops who dined at the field kitchen site also played a role in the evaluation of the meal. Evaluators asked the troops for their opinions regarding the meal and the site.

“The food is breathtaking,” said Pvt. Robert Hardnett, an air defense tactical operations center operator at 11th Bde Fire Direction Control Office. “I am also very impressed with this site.”

The teams were competing at the installation level; from this evaluation, if they advance, the teams will compete in the Command Competition and then move on to the Forces Competition. The winners of the Connelly Forces Competition will be announced in December.

One Soldier and one noncommissioned officer will be chosen to attend a one-week culinary course with the world’s largest foodservice educator, the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University.

For the Soldiers who are competing in the Connelly competition, preparation begins weeks in advance of the inspection date.

“We’ve been working out here for about three weeks,” Staff Sgt. Jesus De La O, 108th ADA Brigade, said. “All of that work to get inspected during one breakfast and lunch meal.”

The competition also takes more than just hard work from Army cooks. Field sanitation teams and Soldiers who were tasked to help during the set up also played a major role in the competition. The actual serving of food in a field environment was only one part of the entire competition. The teams were inspected on everything from cooking, to field site setup.

“Cooking is important,” Master Sgt. Juan Abreu said, “but it’s only a hundred points out of a thousand. Field layout, site security, field sanitation and unit support all play a big part in the competition.”

Abreu is the 3rd Army Senior Food Service NCO, stationed at Fort McPherson, Ga. He said the Connelly competition not only allowed Soldiers to hone and take pride in their skills, it also gives an idea of how the Army food service is doing the best it can to provide for its Soldiers.

“The main reason this competition exists is to improve Army food service. Units can use this as a guide to supply food in the field,” said Abreu.

For the food service personnel the competition was about being the best.

“Everybody gives what they’ve got – you’ve got to give it your all,” De La O said. “It’s about pride and heart.”
De La O said the team has received support from the brigade, which helps with the overall readiness of the competition.

“This is important for the brigade, and we do what we can to make 108th the best,” he said. During the competition, 11th ADA and 108th ADA were competitors, but they acknowledged working together benefited both teams.

“It always helps to work with other brigades,” De La O said.

In garrison, the 108th, 11th and 31st Bdes. work together at Stafford Dining Facility. Abreu said he was “very impressed” with the teamwork and quality of food service on Fort Bliss.

“The Fort Bliss program is one of the strongest food service programs I’ve seen. Those three brigades make it happen at the DFAC.”

The 108th and 11th ADA Bdes. will find out today if they move on to the U.S. Forces Command portion of the competition.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	June 28, 2005

	11th, 108th culinary teams ‘cook’ up Connelly award Pfc. Jessika Greendeer 11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs Spc. Jason Stadel 108th ADA Bde. Public Affairs Spc. Jason Stadel Pfcs. Monica Guiterrez, center, and Bernadette Kennedy, right, serve steak and potatoes during 108th ADA's Connelly inspection. Spc. Jason Stadel Field Sanitation played a major role during the Connelly inspection. Here, Soldiers wash their hands before the being served lunch. PFC. Jessika Greendeer Pvt. Robert Hardnett enjoys lunch at the 11th Brigade field site. “The food is breathtaking,” said Hardnett. Spc. Jason Stadel Master Sgt. Juan Abreu, right, goes over the inspection check list with Staff Sgt. Jesus De La O during the Connelly competition. PFC. Jessika Greendeer Spc. Dachanka Collazo and Staff Sgt. William Smith perform preventive maintenance on a generator prior to the competition. The culinary teams of the 11th and 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigades competed at the installation level Active Army Field Kitchen category for the prestigious Philip A. Connelly Award July 19 and July 21 at Tobin Wells. Both brigades were competing in the Active Army Field Kitchen Category. However, there are four other categories that teams may enter: small garrison, large garrison, U.S. Army Reserve and U.S. Army National Guard. The competition is a Department of the Army program established in 1968 during the Vietnam War to recognize Soldiers for their culinary proficiency. The program is named in honor of the late Philip A. Connelly, former president of the International Food Service Executive Association. IFSEA is responsible for sponsoring the DA’s recognition of excellence in food service. The culinary teams are evaluated in several areas: the preparation, quality, taste, nutritional value, service, sanitation of their kitchen including the field site and administrative regulations of operations. The troops who dined at the field kitchen site also played a role in the evaluation of the meal. Evaluators asked the troops for their opinions regarding the meal and the site. “The food is breathtaking,” said Pvt. Robert Hardnett, an air defense tactical operations center operator at 11th Bde Fire Direction Control Office. “I am also very impressed with this site.” The teams were competing at the installation level; from this evaluation, if they advance, the teams will compete in the Command Competition and then move on to the Forces Competition. The winners of the Connelly Forces Competition will be announced in December. One Soldier and one noncommissioned officer will be chosen to attend a one-week culinary course with the world’s largest foodservice educator, the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University. For the Soldiers who are competing in the Connelly competition, preparation begins weeks in advance of the inspection date. “We’ve been working out here for about three weeks,” Staff Sgt. Jesus De La O, 108th ADA Brigade, said. “All of that work to get inspected during one breakfast and lunch meal.” The competition also takes more than just hard work from Army cooks. Field sanitation teams and Soldiers who were tasked to help during the set up also played a major role in the competition. The actual serving of food in a field environment was only one part of the entire competition. The teams were inspected on everything from cooking, to field site setup. “Cooking is important,” Master Sgt. Juan Abreu said, “but it’s only a hundred points out of a thousand. Field layout, site security, field sanitation and unit support all play a big part in the competition.” Abreu is the 3rd Army Senior Food Service NCO, stationed at Fort McPherson, Ga. He said the Connelly competition not only allowed Soldiers to hone and take pride in their skills, it also gives an idea of how the Army food service is doing the best it can to provide for its Soldiers. “The main reason this competition exists is to improve Army food service. Units can use this as a guide to supply food in the field,” said Abreu. For the food service personnel the competition was about being the best. “Everybody gives what they’ve got – you’ve got to give it your all,” De La O said. “It’s about pride and heart.” De La O said the team has received support from the brigade, which helps with the overall readiness of the competition. “This is important for the brigade, and we do what we can to make 108th the best,” he said. During the competition, 11th ADA and 108th ADA were competitors, but they acknowledged working together benefited both teams. “It always helps to work with other brigades,” De La O said. In garrison, the 108th, 11th and 31st Bdes. work together at Stafford Dining Facility. Abreu said he was “very impressed” with the teamwork and quality of food service on Fort Bliss. “The Fort Bliss program is one of the strongest food service programs I’ve seen. Those three brigades make it happen at the DFAC.” The 108th and 11th ADA Bdes. will find out today if they move on to the U.S. Forces Command portion of the competition.