RELEASED by Col. Michael Wunn PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER OFFICE: 515-252-4582 CELL: 515-971-6385
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RELEASED BY Col. Michael Wunn PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER OFFICE: 515-252-4582 CELL: 515-971-6385 RELEASE: IMMEDIATE CAMP DODGE JOHNSTON, IOWA Jan. 29, 2020 4:00 P.M. *MEDIA ADVISORY* IOWA NATIONAL GUARD FOOD SERVICE SECTION COMPETING IN NATIONWIDE CULINARY SKILLS COMPETITION For the first time in more than 20 years, Iowa Army National Guard food service Soldiers are competing for the national title in the U.S. Army’s Food Service Excellence awards program for reserve component units. This Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, National Guard evaluators will assess the Iowa City-based 109th Multifunctional Medical Battalion (MMB) food service section during a field-feeding exercise for 150 Soldiers at the Iowa City Readiness Center. The media is welcomed and encouraged to cover the event. These Iowa National Guard food service Soldiers will begin meal prep at 8:30 a.m., using the Army’s primary field kitchen, the Mobile Kitchen Trailer (MKT). Evaluators will look at 10 areas of emphases including food preparation, field sanitation and troop appeal. The section will have four hours to complete the meal and have it ready to serve Soldiers and senior Iowa National Guard leaders including Maj. Gen. Ben Corell, the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard. The 109th MMB food service section is competing against National Guard units in New York, Virginia and Nebraska for recognition as one of the best culinary operations in the Army National Guard field feeding category. This evaluation is part of the Phillip A. Connelly awards program, known throughout the Army as the Connelly competition. The namesake of the annual competition is Philip Connelly, a food service industry innovator, who sought to help the military improve its culinary program. IOWA NATIONAL GUARD Always Ready IOWA NATIONAL GUARD Page 2 of 2 Always Ready The object of the program is to promote Army food service through incentives, competition, training and recognition. Quality food service programs are a critical component of Army readiness. The Department of the Army Headquarters G-4 will announce category winners once all evaluations are complete. The teams are competing for a gold trophy presented during the National Restaurant Association 2020 Military Food Service Awards program on May 15, 2020, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. For more than 60 years, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) has recognized excellence in military food service. The NRA helps evaluate finalists, present awards and offers culinary training opportunities for military food service Soldiers. * * * * * * * * * For questions concerning this release as well as additional information about the operations, training and activities of the Iowa Army and Air National Guard, please contact Col. Michael Wunn, Iowa National Guard Public Affairs Officer by email at [email protected] or 515-252-4582 (office) or 515-971-6385 (cell). -- END -- IOWA NATIONAL GUARD Always Ready .