Mamma's Cookin' Was Never Like This!

Army National Guard cooks from the 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery demonstrated their culinary skills over a drill weekend recently by preparing a turkey dinner with all the trimmings under combat conditions.

As artillerymen from the 118th Artillery began lining up to eat, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Fischer, the battalion's food service sergeant, made a final check on the serving line."Got the cranberries?" he asked, while lifting lids on steaming pots to scrutinize the food.

Fischer said sanitation is a high priority. His cooks receive 16 hours of sanitation training every two years. "Our big battle is to make sure the food is safe," said Fischer. "If people get sick they can't function. We'd lose their combat skills."

The cooks are members of the 118th's units in Savannah, Jesup, Springfield and Brunswick. They were competing against National Guard cooks in seven other Southeastern states for the Army's coveted Philip A. Connelly Award, established in 1968 to recognize excellence in military chow.

Earlier this year they prepared a training meal during a Saturday drill. A month later another meal that was evaluated by a panel of experts during a Sunday drill.

Preparations and skill during drill paid off for the unit when its members won the state competition. Regional winners, which have not yet been announced, advance to national competition.

During the state competition, judges evaluated them on food quality, sanitation practices and their skill at setting up their "mobile kitchen trailer," a pop-up that can feed 250 soldiers.

Georgia's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. David B. Poythress, who visited Army Guardsmen in the field got a taste of the unit's cooking prowess and said his lunch "was as good as any restaurant."

Cook Johnny Moore, served coffee, tea and milk to the diners. "The lifeline to any soldier is through the belly," said Moore, a staff sergeant. "If a soldier doesn't eat right, he's not going to fight right."

Among those taking part in the competition were Dwayne and Dwight Stoutamire of Hinesville. Born two minutes apart in McKeesport, Pa., these brothers have stuck together for 41 years. They are next-door neighbors in Hinesville. They work for the same employer - the Georgia Department of Corrections. They are both correctional officers, and are members of the same Georgia Army National Guard battalion.

Dwayne, a cook with the rank of specialist, was responsible for cleaning the pots, pans and utensils used in the cook-off. Dwight, a medic, made sure his brother followed Army cleanup procedures.

"We're brothers," said Dwight, a sergeant. "We still love each other. This is my best friend. We hang out together. We have basically the same interests."

The lucky volunteers who ate the meal had to dine under conditions they would find in a combat zone. There were no fancy tablecloths or waiters. They squatted or sat in the grass, spearing food from their cardboard trays with plastic forks.

It also was not an experience that fostered intimate conversation. Soldiers had to spread out to minimize the risk of mass casualties in case they were attacked.

Conversation seemed to be discouraged. In that environment, a person could eat and run without being rude. Sgt. David Ragin, a National Guard mechanic, said he was disappointed there was no dark turkey meat, but was pleased overall with the meal. "You have to eat good, if you're going to stay combat ready," said Ragin, a Savannah portrait photographer.

Staff Sgt. Herman Golding, clearly the battalion's wise guy, joked about his assignment. "It's a hell of a drill weekend when your duty assignment is to eat lunch," Golding, of Blitchton, said Sunday. "Yesterday was just practice. They didn't let us swallow."

Pfc. John Drescher, a Savannah construction worker, used his slice of rye bread and lettuce from his salad to build a turkey sandwich. "Food, that's what you function on," he said between bites. Drescher praised the cooks, but put in a plug for home cooking. "It never gets better than mom's," he said.

Results of the national competition are expected by midsummer.