Chicago, Illinois, May 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is proud to announce the winners of this year’s Military Foodservice Awards. The awards program aligns with the NRAEF’s commitment to support America's armed forces and veterans through training and post-duty employment.
During the 2018 National Restaurant Association Show, individuals and teams were honored at the Military Foodservice Awards gala dinner and ceremony for their commitment to foodservice excellence in management effectiveness, force readiness support, food quality, employee and customer relations, resource conservation, training and safety awareness.
“For more than 60 years, the restaurant industry has honored the men and women of the U.S. military for outstanding foodservice at bases and installations throughout the world,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of the NRAEF. “The NRAEF is dedicated to helping the military maintain foodservice excellence across all branches, including the SeaLift Command, and providing guidance for veterans transitioning to restaurant jobs and careers."
In addition to the Awards ceremony, the honorees participate in a multi-day foodservice training program at Kendall College and attend industry sessions hosted at the Show. Winners for these prestigious awards are chosen by representatives from the National Restaurant Association, NRAEF and the Society for Foodservice and Hospitality Management, who travel with senior military officers to installations around the globe on a yearly basis to evaluate foodservice operations.
New to this year’s dinner, the NRAEF is pleased to welcome the United States Coast Guard and continue the tradition of the Forrest O. Rednour Memorial Award, celebrating the exemplary work of the Coast Guard’s foodservice operations in sustaining our mariners.
The following installations were recognized as the 2018 Military Foodservice Awards winners:
Winners of the Philip A. Connelly awards, honoring the Army:
Winner for the Best Garrison Food Operation: HEADQUARTERS, 16th COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE, 7th INFANTRY DIVISION
Winner for the Best Active Army Field Kitchen: FORWARD SUPPORT COMPANY, 84th ENGINEER BATTALION, 130th ENGINEER BRIGADE 8th THEATER SUSTAINMENT COMMAND
Winner for the Best Army National Guard: 110th MULTIFUNCTIONAL MEDICAL BATTALION (HHD)
Winner for the Best Army Reserve Field Kitchen: 724th TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, 103rd SUSTAINMENT COMMAND (EXPEDITIONARY), 377th THEATER SUSTAINMENT COMMAND
Winners of the Marines W.P.T. Hill awards, honoring the Marine Corps:
Winner for the Best Military/Contractor Garrison Mess Hall: MESS HALL 4417, OKINAWA, JAPAN
Winner for the Best Full Foodservice Contracted Garrison Mess Hall: MESS HALL 227, MCIEAST-MCB, Camp Lejeune, NC
Winner for the Best Active Field Mess: II MEF-II MSB, MARFORCOM, CAMP LEJEUNE, NC
Winner for the Best Reserve Field Mess: 4th COMBAT ENGINEER BATTALION, 4th Marine Division, MARFORRES, BALTIMORE, MD
Winners of the Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Awards, honoring the Navy:
Award for Best Aircraft Carrier: USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Small/Medium Afloat: USS ARDENT (MCM 12), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Large Afloat: USS AMERICA (LHA 6), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Submarine: USS MINNESOTA (SSN 783), Naval Submarine Base Groton, Groton, CT
Award for the Best Large Ashore: CROSS HALL GALLEY, Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT
Award for the Best Small Ashore: RISORANTE BELLA ETNA, Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sigonella, Italy
Winners of the Captain David M. Cook food service excellence awards, honoring the Military Sealift Command:
Award for the Best Foodservice Operation Small category: USNS CHOCTAW COUNTY (EOF-2)
Award for the Best Foodservice Operation Medium category: USNS KANAWHA (T-AO 196)
Award for the Best Foodservice Operation Large category: USNS RICHARD E. BYRD (T-AKE 4)
Award for the Hybrid category: USS EMORY S LAND (AS-39)
Winners of the 2018 John L Hennessey awards, honoring the Air Force:
Air Force Region 1 category winner: AVIANO AB, 31st FIGHTER WING, Province of Pordenone, Italy
Air Force region 2 category winner: SHEPPARD AFB, 82nd TRAINING WING, AETC, Wichita Falls, Texas
Winner of the 2018 John L. Hennessey awards for Air Force Reserves: DUKE FIELD, Duke ABS, Florida and MINNEAPOLIS-SAINT PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION, Minneapolis, MN
Winner of the Senior Master Sergeant Kenneth W. Disney food service award, honoring the Air National Guard:
125th FSS - Jacksonville, Florida
Winner of the 2018 Forrest O. Rednour Memorial Award:
Award for Large Afloat Dining Facility: Coast Guard Cutter HAMILTON, Charleston, SC
Award for Large Ashore Dining Facility: Coast Guard Base Los Angeles/Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
Award for Medium Afloat Dining Facility: Coast Guard Cutter ALERT, Astoria, OR
Award for Medium Ashore Dining Facility: SECTOR San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Award for Small Afloat Dining Facility: Coast Guard Cutter ROLLIN FRITCH, Cape May, NJ
Award for Small Ashore Dining Facility: Coast Guard Station Saginaw River, Saginaw River, MI
The Military Foodservice Awards dinner gala and ceremony and the Kendall College training program are sponsored by Sodexo, Hobart, Ecolab, Sysco, Aramark Del Friscos, BJ’s, Butterball, Hormel, Competition, Rose Packing, New Chef, Gail & Skip Sack, Dick Crawford, B&G Foods, Checkers, Constellation Brand and Trinchero.
In addition to recognizing foodservice excellence within the armed forces, the NRAEF supports military hospitality programs and opportunities for veterans through the Armed Forces Forum for Culinary Excellence and training programs at The Culinary Institute of America, as well as through virtual platforms that connect employers in the industry with veteran job seekers.
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About The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation:
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) mission of service to the public is dedicated to enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development and community engagement efforts.
The NRAEF and its programs work to attract, empower and advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready – partnering with community based organizations to provide “opportunity youth” with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and, the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship project – a partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the industry.
For more information, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.
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