MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- With a bitter taste lingering in the mouths of a group of Station Marines due to last year's runner-up award, this was a chance for redemption and an opportunity to demonstrate who the best really is.
After placing second in last year's Maj. Gen W.P.T. Hill Memorial Awards, Iwakuni's food service Marines now knew what they needed to do to win and regain the title of the Marine Corps best Mess hall.
The 2004 Maj. Gen W.P.T. Hill Memorial awards were recently announced and Iwakuni's own R.G. Robinson Mess hall was crowned victorious. This marks the second time in the past five years the dinning facility recognized with this award.
The Ney and Hill Awards recognize overall food service excellence by judging key areas in customer service, cleanliness and management. Each category is evaluated by an independent team, which reviewed food preparation, management, financial stability, equipment safety, sanitation and disposal. After their final inspection winners from each service and sub categories are announced.
"I like this victory mostly for the Marines because I get to award them Certificates of Commendation and Navy Achievement Medals," said Capt. Stanley M. Weeks, food service officer. "It also feels great to be recognized as the best in the Marine Corps."
When asked how he felt to win this prestigious award so soon in his career, Pfc. Daniel Knox, galley cook and rookie on this championship team described the awesome feeling of coming to his first duty station and right away get recognized as being a part of the best in organization the field.
"This also shows how well our staff noncommissioned officers prepared us," added Knox.
"They showed us what would be expected once the inspectors showed up. The staff NCOs were very accurate with what they showed us and what was actually inspected."
Knox also added that as always a maximum effort was put into cooking everything correctly and making sure that everything was sanitized properly.
The hard work and dedication put by the food service community dates back to almost half a decade ago when the Ney and Hill awards started.
The Ney Awards were established in 1958 and the Hill Awards in 1985 by the Secretary of the Navy and International Food Service Executives Association to improve and recognize quality food service in the Navy and Marine Corps. IFSEA is a food service industry trade association whose members include executive chefs, operators, dietitians, consultants, managers and owners of catering firms, restaurants, hotels and clubs.
All the Marines put forth an overwhelming effort to be adequately prepared, said Cpl Demerice Pierre, subsistence chief. "Every Marine from top to bottom including Marines from the north side mess hall put an unselfish amount of hours including along with the north side mess hall, to ensure our readiness for the inspection," added Pierre.
To help prepare for the Ney/Hill awards, experienced Marines where called upon to play a major role in building the first class mess hall environment. "The best NCOs and staff NCOs from food service were gathered to ensure everything was perfect," said Pvt. Lisa Wells, subsistence clerk.
The hard work and dedication put by the food service community dates back to almost half a decade ago when the Ney and Hill awards started.
As the best Mess hall in the Marine Corps R.G Robinson now has a year to improve in their past performance and maintain the level of perfection.
All we can do is keep the doing our job to best of our ability and continue to improve, concluded Pierre.
"We really think that all the Marines put a tremendous effort and deserve to be rewarded accordingly," said Staff Sgt. Frank Williams. "As a way of showing the junior Marines that we do appreciate their hard effort we have rewarded everyone with time off and took the time to go paintball."