CONTACT: Capt. Chad Clark, (cell) 201-637-8509

FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Jun 13, 2010

WINDSOR, NY (06/11/2010)-- Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard 's 204th Engineer Battalion's Forward Support Company (FSC) will be competing for the Army's Philip A. Connelly Award For Excellence In Army Food Service on Sunday June 13 at the Windsor Quarry. The cooks make up the Field Feeding Section of the FSC which is headquartered in Binghamton, NY. WHO: 11 Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 204th Forward Support Company's Field Feeding Section, led by Staff Sgt. Susanna Stacy WHAT: The Soldiers will be evaluated on their ability to prepare a meal from a mobile field kitchen or MKT. Established in 1968 the Connelly Award program is designed to recognize military cooks for their ability to serve healthy, hearty meals in a field environment. Winners in the award can win certificates and trophies and some selected Soldiers get the opportunity to study at culinary schools. The cooks will be feeding Soldiers working in the quarry. WHEN: 11 a.m. -- 1 p.m. June 13, 2010 WHERE: Windsor Town Quarry, 1 Story Lane, Windsor, NY 13865. A Quarry Detachment of the 204th Engineer's is also working in the Windsor Quarry as part of their annual training. Background: The Philip A. Connelly Awards Program: The Philip A. Connelly Awards Program was established on 23 March 1968 to recognize excellence in Army Food Service. The program is named for the late Philip A. Connelly, former president of the International Food Service Executives Association, who was responsible for obtaining IFSEA's sponsorship of the event. Much of the professionalism associated with today's Army Food Service Program is a direct result of the Connelly. The bowls and plaques provided to competition winners by the Association are important as tangible rewards for significant accomplishments. The greatest value to the profession, however, is the program's fringe benefits, which, in essence, produce improvements in the quality of food and food service afforded the soldier diner. For example: The Connelly competition represents a personal challenge to individual soldiers. This results in a proliferation of outstanding effort as one individual inspires another to seek the satisfaction found in doing a job well. The Connelly competition is comprised of five categories, two categories for active duty garrison and three for field feeding. The active duty garrison categories are: small dining facilities (capacity of 300 or less) and large dining facilities (capacity of 301 or more) and active Army field kitchens (field food service operations which are an organic element of and provide food service to a unit in the field). The fourth and fifth categories are comprised of Reserve Component units representing the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve Field Kitchen (field food service operations which are an organic element of and provide food service to a unit in the field). The Quartermaster Center and School and IFSEA provide evaluators for the DA phase of the Reserve Component competition. Winner and runner-up units are selected in each of the categories. 204th Eng. Bat. Forward Support Company: The battalion's Forward Support Company is responsible for providing maintenance, food service support, and general supply support to the other companies of the 204th Engineer Battalion.