Washington, DC, May 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will honor the winners of this year’s Military Foodservice Awards in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. The awards program aligns with the NRAEF’s commitment to support America's armed forces, veterans, and military spouses through training and post-duty opportunities.
This year’s keynote speaker is Chef Andre Rush, retired combat Veteran who served 23 years in the Army and has received global recognition for his suicide prevention efforts, including becoming a popular internet sensation for doing 2,222 push-ups a day to promote the importance of mental and physical health. Chef Rush has served meals in the White House, appeared on the Rachael Ray Show and now serves as Ambassador for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s After School All-Star Kids Program.
During the Show, individuals and teams will be honored at the Military Foodservice Awards dinner 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, and providing guidance for veterans transitioning to restaurant jobs and careers."
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. In addition to the Awards ceremony, winners will participate in a multi-day foodservice training program and attend industry sessions.
The following installations were recognized as the 2019 Military Foodservice Awards winners:
Winners of the Philip A. Connelly awards, honoring the Army:
Winner for the Best Garrison Food Operation: 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION SUSTAINMENT BRIGADE, 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION
Winner for the Best Active Army Field Kitchen: 25th QUARTERMASTER COMPANY, 264th COMBAT SUPPORT SUSTAINMENT BATTALION, 3rd SUSTAINMENT COMMAND (EXPEDITIONARY)
Winner for the Best Army Reserve Field Kitchen: 129th TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, 451st SUSTAINMENT COMMAND (EXPEDITIONARY), 79th THEATER SUPPORT COMMAND
The winner for the Best Army National Guard is: 1135th COMBAT SUPPORT COMPANY Minnesota Army National Guard
Winners of the Marines W.P.T. Hill awards, honoring the Marine Corps:
Winner for the Best Military/Contractor Garrison Mess Hall: MESS HALL 2365 Marine Corps Installation Pacific, Marine Corps Base, Camp Hansen, OKINAWA, JAPAN
Winner for the Best Full Foodservice Contractor Garrison Mess Hall: MESS HALL 2204 Marine, Corps Installations West-Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California
Winner for the Best Active Field Mess: 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force-2nd Marine Logistics Group,
COMBAT LOGISTICS REGIMENT 27, FOODSERVICE COMPANY, CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA
Winner for the Best Reserve Field Mess: 6th ENGINEER SUPPORT BATTALION, 4th MARINE LOGISTICS GROUP, PORTLAND, OREGON
Winners of the Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Awards, honoring the Navy:
Award for Best Aircraft Carrier is: USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Small/Medium Afloat: USS JOHN P. MURTHA (LPD 26), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Large Afloat: USS BOXER (LHD 4), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Submarine: USS SANTA FE (SSN 763), Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, CA
Award for the Best Large Ashore: TRIDENT INN GALLEY, Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton, Washington
Award for the Best Small Ashore: RESORANTE 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 MERCY (T-AH 19)
Award for the Best Foodservice Operation Medium category: USNS YUKON (T-AO 202)
Award for the Best Foodservice Operation Large category: USNS ROBERT E. PEARY (T-AKE 5)
Award for the Hybrid category is: USS FRANK CABLE (AS-40)
Winners of the 2019 John L Hennessey awards, honoring the Air Force:
Air Force Region 1 category winner: Elgin AFB, 96th FORCE SUPPORT SQUADRON, AFMC Valparaiso, Florida
Air Force region 2 category winner: Altus AFB, 97th FORCE SUPPORT, SQUADRON, AETC Altus, Oklahoma
Winner of the 2019 John L. Hennessey awards for Air Force Reserves: 914th FORCE SUPPORT SQUADRON, Niagara Falls Air Reserve, New York
Winner of the Senior Master Sergeant Kenneth W. Disney food service award, honoring the Air National Guard: 115th FORCE SUPPORT SQUADRON SERVICES FLIGHT – Madison, Wisconsin
Winner of the 2019 Forrest O. Rednour Memorial Award:
Award for Large Afloat Dining Facility: COAST GUARD CUTTER ALEX HALEY, Kodiak, Alaska
Award for Large Ashore Dining Facility: COAST GUARD TRAINING CENTER YORKTOWN GALLEY, Yorktown, Virginia
Award for Medium Afloat Dining Facility: COAST GUARD CUTTER CONFIDENCE, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Award for Medium Ashore Dining Facility: COAST GUARD AIR STATION SITKA, Sitka, Alaska
Award for Small Afloat Dining Facility: COAST GUARD CUTTER JOHN MCCORMICK, Ketchikan, Alaska
Award for Small Ashore Dining Facility: COAST GUARD STATION GRAYS HARBOR, Westport, Washington
The Military Foodservice Awards dinner gala and ceremony and the Advanced Restaurant Management training program are sponsored by Del Frisco’s, Hormel, Sodexo, Computrition, Ecolab, Hobart, Rose Packing, Sysco, Aramark, Barfresh, BJ’s Restaurants, Butterball, Constellation Brands, New Chef, Penfed Credit Union, Trinchero, Victorinox, Cambro, Geezer Consulting, Kitchens To Go, N’Genuity, Sack Family Foundation, and Tyson.
In addition to recognizing foodservice excellence within the armed forces, the NRAEF provides military foodservice training on established industry standards of restaurant management and culinary training, connects transitioning military to apprenticeship opportunities, supports military spouses and provides scholarship opportunities.
Visit ChooseRestaurants.org to learn how to get involved with the NRAEF and its work to build pathways to meaningful jobs and careers in restaurants and foodservice.
About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation 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 on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.
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