Army Reserve Team earns Bronze in ice sculpting

Photo By Capt. Rachel Morgan | Staff Sgt. Markos Mendoza, a cook assigned to the 257th Transportation Company, cuts into a block of ice with a chainsaw during the ice sculpting competition at the 40th Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event held at Fort Lee, Va., March 11. Mendoza and his teammate Spc. Nathanael Dewey, a cook assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), represented the Army Reserve in the ice sculpting competition, and although neither Soldier had ice carving experience they managed to earn a bronze medal for their carving of the characters from the "Minions," a popular 3-D computer-animated movie.  

FORT LEE, VA, UNITED STATES

03.11.2015

Story by Capt. Rachel Morgan 

210th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORT LEE, Va. - The 40th Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event was held here March 11, and drew a host of competitors from around the country.

Two of those competing were Army Reserve Soldiers: Staff Sgt. Markos Mendoza, a cook assigned to the 257th Transportation Company in Las Vegas and Spc. Nathanael Dewey, a cook assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in Des Moines, Iowa.

The duo volunteered to represent the Army Reserve team in the ice sculpting portion of the competition, despite having no experience or formal training. But what they lacked in experience, they seemed to make up with in confidence and quick learning skills.

"Ice is interesting," said Mendoza. "There is a physical aspect to carving ice and it requires mental agility."

Prior to the event, they were given a brief class on the basics of ice carving from their team coach, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Trent Skinner, a former Army Reserve team member assigned to the 650th Regional Support Group, Las Vegas. He has plenty of experience carving ice, not only from the past military culinary competitions he has competed in, but also from his civilian profession.

At the competition site Skinner took about an hour and a half with Mendoza and Dewey to familiarize them with the various carving tools, explain the characteristics of the ice and give general guidance on how to properly carve it. Once Skinner finished his class, Mendoza and Dewey were eager to begin carving. They had already decided to carve the minion characters from the "Minions" 3D computer-animated movie using three blocks of ice they were given for the competition.

The decision to carve the minions came while they were traveling from their hotel to the competition site that morning. "We decided on the minions because they are well-known, the shape is simplistic, and they are fun-loving characters," Mendoza explained.

The time restraints of the competition required them to complete their carving in three hours. According to Skinner, the time aspect of the competition is one of the many ways the competition mirrors real-life for a cook in the Army. "Participating in the competition requires the Soldiers to work as a team, to think on their feet, and to be ready to react in the event something goes wrong," said Skinner. "Although the entire event is labeled as a competition, it is really more about the training the participants get."

The three hours Mendoza and Dewey spent carving went quickly. They worked non-stop, only taking a break if they had to ask their coach for advice. Throughout the morning, spectators gathered around the carving area to watch them turn blocks of ice into pieces of art. When the final seconds of the competition ticked away, the ice-carving duo put down their tools and admired their finished creation.

"I'm proud that I finished the event," said Mendoza. "I definitely want to compete again next year." Dewey echoed Mendoza's sentiments. "I had a lot of fun doing it," said Dewey. "It's an adrenaline rush."

Not only did the two have fun and gain valuable training, they also earned third place in the competition clinching a bronze medal. The experience seemed to ignite a spark in the Soldiers to compete again next year.

They hope to use the experience and skills they've gained to improve the sculptures they carve in the next competition, and next year they aren't going to settle for third place. "I'll do whatever it takes to win next year," said Mendoza. "If I have to cut out ice cubes all day, I'll do it."

• Date Taken: 03.11.2015
• Date Posted: 03.27.2015 16:12
• Story ID: 158397
• Location: FORT LEE, VA, US