Nevada soldiers cooking up many success stories

Dick Benoit

Thursday, April 4, 2002 | 8:28 a.m.

It must be all of the restaurants in the state. Nevada soldiers, it seems, are good cooks.

First, Army Spc. William Holland III, son of Sharon Feldman of Las Vegas, was recently decorated with the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service in the performance of his duties as a food service specialist assigned to the 225th Forward Support Battalion, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Then a Nevada Army National Guard field kitchen unit picked up second place honors in the national Philip A. Connely Food Service Awards competition.

Major Gen. Terry Juskowiak, Army quartermaster general, presented the award Friday to the 321st Signal Co.'s food service unit representatives, Staff Sgt. Clifton Brown and Staff Sgt. Michael Sheely, at a ceremony in Tampa, Fla.

Sheely, of Reno, represented all of the cooks who participated in the competition, including Staff Sgt. Jim Hembree of Truckee, Spc. John LaCrocca of South Tahoe, Spc. Larry Dominguez of Reno and Spc. Leonard Friaz of Carson City.

"The last round we were out in the field preparing for a week in the worst kind of weather. It rained, snowed and the wind was blowing constantly," Sheely said.

Neither Brown nor Sheely is a cook in their civilian work. Sheely is in the insurance department at Nevada State Bank, Reno, and Brown works for T&G Construction in Winnemucca.

This is only the second year in the 30-year history of the award program that the Silver State has competed for the Connely award. They competed against Army National Guard food service units from all 50 states plus four territories.

Retiree day

A retiree appreciation day and information fair will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 27 at the Thunderbird hangar at Nellis Air Force Base. Retirees from all services are invited to attend the event.

Several of the base shopping and recreational services will feature specials for retirees, and tours of selected facilities will depart from and return to the hangar.

In brief

During the five-week course, Ford learned about organizational structure, leadership, communications skills and the profession of arms in order to be an effective noncommissioned officer.

She is a supply liaison for the 1st Logistics Readiness Squadron at Langley.

During the six weeks of training, the new airmen studied the Air Force mission, organization, and customs; performed drills and ceremonies; and received physical training and special training in human relations, earning credits toward an associate's degree through the Community College of the Air Force.