While the 2021 Military Foodservice Awards Dinner was cancelled due to COVID-19, NRAEF recognized the importance of celebrating this year’s award winners representing all branches of the military. For the second year in a row, they accomplished this by hosting a Military Foodservice Awards virtual celebration.
The program included an introduction to the NRAEF Military Program, the Military Foodservice Awards, highlights from the traveler’s program and base evaluations, recognition of each winning base, and messages from supporters as well as military leadership.
Robert Gifford, president of the NRAEF, provided opening remarks.
“You represent the best of the best in military foodservice. You’ve proven your success by being honored with these awards tonight,” said Gifford. “Thank you for your service to our country and to our industry.”
The Navy winners were announced in a March ALNAV message.
This year’s afloat winners, representing the Navy’s Undersea Enterprise, Surface Warfare Enterprise, and Naval Aviation Enterprise, were USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), USS McFaul (DDG 74), USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).
This year’s ashore winners, representing Commander, Navy Installations Command, were Trident Inn, Naval Base, Kitsap, Washington; Gator Inn, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia; and Ristorante Bella Etna Dining Facility, Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy.
Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) and Chief of Supply Corps Rear Adm. Peter Stamatopoulos provided the following statement congratulating this year's winners.
“Each of you and your teams have shown great skill and devotion while serving the fleet. Be proud of this special achievement and continue to take a tremendous amount of pride in the support you provide to our warfighters and the contributions you make that allow our Navy to be recognized as a force to be reckoned with across planet earth," said Stamatopoulos. "Without you our Sailors are not fed and our Navy does not fight."
NAVSUP oversees the development of the Navy Standard Core Menu, the Master Load List, and nutritional value of Sailors’ food options in conjunction with the Department of Defense Go for Green® initiative, contributing to Sailor readiness and ability to operate at peak performance.
The Secretary of the Navy and the International Food Service Executives Association established the Capt. Edward F. Ney Awards Program in 1958. The awards recognize the best galleys in the Navy and encourages excellence in Navy Foodservice programs with the objective of improving readiness and quality of life for Navy personnel.
NAVSUP is headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor & family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.