'Best Mess' Awards
Enlisted dining facilities at Quantico, Va., Santa Ana, Calif., and Iwakuni, Japan are the winners of the Marine Corps' first "Best Mess" Awards.
The MajGen W. P. T. Hill Awards Program was initiated this year to pick the best enlisted dining facility and runner-up in three geographical areas - east and west coast and overseas. Evaluation teams judging the competition placed greatest emphasis on the quality of food served and service provided the individual Marine.
The winners from the three areas are:
EASTERN AREA
Weapons Training Battalion, Dining Facility #27219, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico.
Commanding officer: LtCol William W. McMillan
Unit Mess Officer: 1stLt Frank R. Zadlo, Jr.
Mess Management chief: GySgt William I. Gilbert
WESTERN AREA
Enlisted Dining Facility, MCAS (Helicopter), Santa Ana.
Commanding officer: Col Deam Wilker
Unit Mess Officer: Capt James P. Weaver
Mess Management chief: MGySgt Frank Crocco
OVERSEAS AREA
Enlisted Dining Facility #1, H&HS, MCAS, Iwakuni.
Commanding officer: Col H. L. Van Campen
Unit Mess officer: Capt Edwin J. Coyle
Mess Management chief: GySgt Raymond P. Middleton
Each winner will receive an inscribed trophy and pennant, while runner-ups will receive a plaque and pennant.
HQMC officials said that the competition was extremely keen within each geographical area. They also noted that the professionalism and expertise displayed by food service personnel was impressive and indicative of outstanding efforts by commanders in improving food and food service throughout the Marine Corps.
BGen Charles D. Mize, Commander, Marine Corps Base Quantico, presents the trophy award to LtCol William W. McMillan, Commanding Officer, Weapons Training Battalion and Marksmanship Training Unit (MTU).
General Leonard E. Fribourg, presents Maj. Gen. W.P.T. Hill mess award trophy to Major Edward J. “Jim” Land, Jr. of Weapons Training Battalion.
First Lieutenent Bonnie Allen, area food administrater and Captain Hester of Weapons Training Battalion with Maj. Gen. W.P.T. Hill mess award trophy.