11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

Story by Sgt. Giancarlo Casem

FORT IRWIN, Calif.--Brig. Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams, National Training Center and Fort Irwin commanding general presented 12 Troopers from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment with Army Commendation Medals during a presentation ceremony at Fort Irwin, Calif., March 3.

The Blackhorse team competed in the Active Army Field Kitchen category and represented the NTC, the 11th ACR and Army Forces Command at the Department of the Army level of the 2009 Philip A. Connelly Awards Program for Excellence in Army Food Service.

"It is extraordinarily difficult, I've been in almost 28 years and this is the closest I've been to a Connelly Cup winner," Abrams said at the awards presentation. "This is not insignificant, this is a big deal."

From providing nutritional meals to creating morale-boosting environments, food- service professionals keep the Army rolling along. The Connelly Awards program honors those who rise above the standard and continually demonstrate excellence in food service.

The program is managed by the Quartermaster Center and School's Joint Culinary Center of Excellence and co-sponsored by the International Food Service Executives Association and the Department of the Army. The competition is named in honor of the late Philip A. Connelly, past president of IFSEA, highly regarded as the driving force behind obtaining IFSEA sponsorship of the Department of the Army's recognition of excellence in Army food service.

The JCCoE and IFSEA evaluators traveled the globe in throughout the year in 2009 to obtain first-hand knowledge of how Army food-service personnel perform their jobs. Connelly judges descended upon Fort Irwin in December to assess the team. They were graded on the whole gamut of food services ranging from preparing and ration control to proper record keeping. The success of the Regiment at the competition hinged on teamwork said Sgt. Sergio Enriquez, Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 11th ACR.

"It shows the teamwork and support that food service personnel have for each other," said the native of Vacaville, Calif. "We accomplished a great mission."

The program also allowed junior Soldiers to participate and work with others outside their unit and with other job specialties, it also allowed them to see their leaders operate in a field environment said Spc. Nayeli Carter, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 11th ACR.

"It showed to me how the Army can work together; we had Soldiers from all over the Regiment," said Carter, native of Ingleside, Texas. Carter worked as a cook in the mobile kitchen during the competition. "It also showed leadership skills. The junior Soldiers saw how leaders work."

Enriquez, who worked as the sanitation noncommissioned officer-in-charge, agreed with Carter and added that winning the competition has set a standard for other food-services Soldiers.

"It's important because it shows what the standards are and should be," Enriquez said. "It gives the Soldiers a motivation, a goal."

Before he awarded the Blackhorse Troopers, he added that even though the 12 Soldiers were receiving the awards, it was indeed a whole team effort.

"It took everybody's support," Abrams said. "It is a mark of excellence, the Regiment's got a whole lot to be proud of."

Associated Images

Control Panel