Pershing

~I. 27, No. 4

58th Reid Artillery Command

able
Serving success
by Stephen R. Schroeder
Pershing Cable Staff Writer
This fall was a very busy and successful season for
the cooks of the 56th Field Artillery Command.
Sand"iched between field problems and regular
du,ies, many cooks spiced up their lives when they
mixed i, up with other cooks in two USAREUR
compe,i,ions.
In Berlin, seven cooks served winning dishes ar
USAREUR's 7th Annual Culinary Am Competition, bringing home a plateful of awards.
A, Camp Redleg in Heilbronn, the dining facility
was recent!)' evaluated for the Philip A. Connelly
Award - USAREUR's best dinin~ facility.
The Command's eight-man culinary >res team savored s,veet success after taking second place in the
imracommand competition and winning two gold, .
two si h-er and six bronte medals.
Sgt. Roy Richards, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th Signal Battalion, and Sgt. Melvin
Cheeks, Charlie Bmerv, 4th Bmalion, 9th Field Artillery, teamed up to put ,he icing on a trip to Ft.
Lee, Va. with USAREUR's Culinary Arts Team in
March.
The rwo grabbed first place in "Field
Cooking". Richards also won a bronu in "Pulled
Sugar." Pulled sugar, which resembles taffy, is used
to make decorations such as Roses.
Sfc. John Crawford, Headquarters and Headquarters Service Battery, 419, took silver in "Cold Meat
Buffets~ and Spec. Cynthia Henry, HHSB, 1st Batta-

._., ....

Under the watchful eye of Philip A. Connelly Award

evaluator and envlronmenllll health speclaliet Sgt.
Karen Smith, Alpha Battery, 4th Battalion, 9th Field
Artillery cook, Sgt. Reba Bounds, checks the cooking
temP9rature, of several roasts. Correct cooking
tamP9ratures ware only one Item Smith and the other
evaluator, Inspected at Camp Redleg's dining facility.

l,on, 9th Field Artillery, won silver in "Petit Fours"

and bronze with her "Complete Meal for Two."
Sgt. Allen Cannon, Delta Battery, 1/9, took one
bronze in "Sculpture" and another in "Vegetable
Centerpieces."
The other bronze medals went to Sgt. Thelma Bell
of Bravo, l/9, and Delta, 4/9's Sgt. Napoleon
Grimes.
Meanwhile in Heilbronn, Camp Rcdleg's cooks
were busy training, cleaning and preparing for the-ir
L1pcoming taste of victory or defeat.
After a final G. I. Party, the facility was ready for
the arrival of the three-man Connelly Award evaluation team on December I.
The competition is divided into three categories;
large, small and field. The Command's competitor is
"P against IO other facilities in the small category.
The winner of each division will be USAREUR's
Best Dining Facility and advance to All Army Competition.
CW03 William Evans, team chief, said an evaluation takes eight to ten hours. "We watch one shift
do what it does in a normal day." he explained.
For the evaluation team it may have been a norm al
day, but for the dining facility staff it was one they'd
spent months preparing for. The evaluation was the
fmt ingredient in the cook's recipe of dreams.
"There's no question that if has been a lot of
work," said Sfc. Jerry Biggar, NCOIC of Camp Redleg's dining facility. "But, if we win, it'll all pay off.
W e'll be number one!
"There's no greater honor than this award. It is
something to strive for."
Spec. Phil Moss, Charlie Company, 38th Signal
Battalion, said just being chosen to compete was an
a.ccomplishment. "We're proud of ourselves and our
facility but I'll be prouder if we win.
If they don't win, Spec. Carl Icenhour, Charlie
4-19, won't be too disappointed because "we have alrudy proven that we are the best dining facility in
the Command!"
According to Evans the competitors know what
will be looked at before the evaluation. "The evalua'tion is no secret," he said, "they know we're going
to look at everything."
Evans does mean everything. During their stay,
evalu2tors check cash shuts, production schedules
a.nd accountability procedures. They watch the preparation of food and the overall operation of the facility. They look for safety and energy awareness, sanitation and correct cooking and serving temperatures.
"The competition is very stiff. Standards are very
high," remarked Evans. "We're dealing with the best
in the business."
Because the competition is so stiff and standards so
high, Sgt. Karen Smfrh, evaluator and environmental
health specialist, said it's very hard to find major
flaws that would produce an easy winner.
That's why the evaluators "walk around with a
'white glove on," Smith said. "The competition is so
intense. Everyone wantS 10 be number one. It's tight
and we have to come up with a winner somehow."
If all goes as the cooks of Camp Redleg hope, the
'white glove' worn at their faciliry will be the cleanest.
Then they will be one of USAREUR's Philip A.
Connelly awardces and Richards and Cheeks won't
be the only Command cooks competing at All Army
level.

Janu.y 1989

Update FYI
New jobs for women
A yearlong review of the military's treatment of
the women in its ranks has ended and the Army
has announced that it will open a number o f noncombat occupations that have been closed to women.
Though no count of the occupantions was given, the Pentagon said the change could mean as
many as 11,138 new Army jobs open to women .
The Task Force on Women in the Miliiarr
found that while roughly SO percent of personnel
were assigned to combat positions and rouijhtly SO
percent to noncombat jobs, thousands of 1obs required judgment calls that frequently went against
women.

The new rule specifies that a parcicular occupation be judged not on the basis of the skills involved or the unit 10 which it is assigned, b ut on
whether the postition would expose an individual
to the same risk of hostile fire as a combat job.
(Associated Press)

Customs cautions
Customs inspectors will examine your car before you ship it to the United States. In order to
shorten the processing time, the 42nd Military Police Group is urging soldiers to clean their vehicles
from top to bottom before turning it in for shipment.

Diseases and pests transmitted in soil cause

great harm to the U.S. farming industry, so soil, in
any amount, is prohibited from going to the U. S.
Ensure your car is clean before you try :>nd turn
it in. Simply running it through the local car wash
won't do the trick. In many cases steam cleaners
or high pressure hoses are needeed.
According to the 42nd your car is not a shipping container. You are only allowed co ship
things which promote safe operation, such as a
first aid kit. Flammables like car wax and cans of
oil are strictly forbidden.
For more information on shif.>ping a car contact
your local 42nd MP Group fie d office.

Black History help

Preparations for Black History month have already begun. The Neu Uh-i:i, Hcilbronn and
Schwabisch Gmiind commun1t1es are expected to
participate with a variety of events, celebrating
Martin Luther King's birthday, emphasizing the
contributions of important black people, and educating soldiers and family members about black
history.
.
.
In Schwiibisch Gmiind, Sfc. Robin M oms,
equal opportunity advisor for the Comm and, is
looking for books dealing with black history,
paintings, figures, costumes and jewelry to display
,n the Bismarck Library.
Also planned for Schwiibisch Gmiind arean essay contest; a Manin Luther King birthday party;
a memorial service in January; an ethnic food casting afternoon or evening; a film presentation; and
displays.
,
If you have any ideas about how to improve the
black history celebrations, you are encouraged to
contact Sfc. Robin Morris in Schwabisch Gmiind,
427-5994; Sfc. Castillo in Heilbronn; and Sfc.
Jerry Sanchez, in Neu Ulm.

Pe,$hmg Ca/JI
January 1989

Mud, motors move mechanics

by Troy Darr
Pershing Cable Staff Writer

For mechanics In the field there's a lot more to do

than just pull vehicles out ol the mud. Here, Spec.
Michael Monte and Spec. Troy Hatcher, both from
Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, repair an
alternator at one ol the two field site tactical
headquarters.

It was raining when I arrived at the field training

exercise site. Three days later I still hadn', seen the
sun.
lt was time to move out on a mission but there was
a mudhole bigger than Texas in fron, of the 3/4-ton
truck. "Well, I thought to myself, American soldic:rs can do anything.
Fortunately, I wasn't driving so it made ,he decision easy. "Let's go for it, we c:tn make it."
We didn't.
A fter rwo hours of struggling, we were no closer
10 getting out than when we started. The driver said,
"Go find a wrecker.
Thi.rty minutes later we were merrily on our way
to complete our mission.
Rescuing mud-enveloped vehicles is only one of
the jobs mechanics face while in the field.
According to Spec. Kevin Henderson, a light wheel
"!'echanic and wrecker driver for Alpha Company,
38 th Signal Battalion, mechanics have 10 pick up
pa.rts, retrieve and repair broken down vehicles and
"m aintain vehicles a, all times m keep them combat
ready."
"We can', get by without them (mechanics)," said
In Lt. Larry Turner, executive officer, Headquarters
and Headquarters Battery. "When you take as much
cquipment 10 the field as we do ch ere has to be somebody who can make a part out of nothing whee,
something goes down."
According to Henderson, mechanics put in a lot of
long hours in the field "pulling guard duty and road
work."
"When the vehicles break down, most of the time
it's small things like alternators and seals going out,~
sa.id Henderson. "But it's still more difficult in the
field because we're working outside and sometimes

we have to drive four hours 10 pick up a part."

If a vehicle breaks down on the road, mechanics
have to go out and "fix it or bring it back" to the site
with a wrecker.
"When we get a broken down vehicle we ha-e to
trouble-shoot to find out what the problem is. If an
alternator belt breaks, sometimes we have m make do
with another belt that we have handy - one that's designed for a different truck," H enderson said. "One
time we had to chain an axle 10 the frame of a vehicle
so we could drive it back to the site."
Henderson said most of the time it's harder in the
field. "It seems like eve,;body has a problem. We
have to decide which problem is worse and try m fix
it first."
"I like 10 operate the wrecker. It's exiting because
of the different situations that can occur," said Henderson.
The hardest recovery job Henderson has ever done
was two years ago when a "five-ton tractor trailer rig
rolled over. It took us about six or seven hours 10
turn it back over with the assistance of cv.-o other
wreckers and a M.A.N. truck," he said.
Spec. James Clawson, a mechanic for Headquarters
and Headquarters Battery, said his field duties include trouble-shooting, supervising, and pulling
other vehicles out of the mud with his HMMWV
(High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle).
"One difference between the motor pool and the
field is that we use field expendicnt methods such as
wrapping things with wire co get the vehicle to its
dest ination, so it can be fixed proper!;-," ~aid
Clawson.
He enjoys going to the field because it "breaks the
monotony of everyday kaserne life."
I dont' know about breaking the monotony, but I
do know that if it weren't for mechanics like Henderson and Clawson I would still be out there, breaking my neck - trying to get my truck out of the mud.

Field is no cakewalk for cooks

by Stephen R. Schroeder
Pershing Cable Staff Wricer
In garr ison they wear white, like angels, serving
the boun ,ies of the ,arch, breathing life in,o weary
bodies.
In the field they v.ear green and look like any
ocher soldier but still fulfill one of man's most basic
needs becau'.'i:e an "army travtls on its stomach."
"Cooks are vital to troops in the field," said Reginald Sha,v, 38th Signal Battalion Dining Facility
manager. "Take the cooks away and you take away
life support."
Under the Army's Combat Field Feeding System,
according to Shaw, his cook's mission is serving cwo
hot, balanced meals and one MRE (Meal, Ready 10
Eat) daily.
To accomplish this mission and those common to
all soldiers in the field, "our cooks work 17 10 19
hours a day," Shaw said. "We set up our tents and
camouflage, conmuct fighting pomions and tear
down like everyone else. Plus, we keep everyone
fed."
Pfc. Theresa McAfce, Headquarters and Headquarters Compan)', 38th Signal Battalion, recently
went on her first field problem as a cook and found
tlm a lack of sleep was the only problem she had.
"Three or four hours night after night just doesn't
cut it. I found myself 'sneaking' sleep, getting
quickies.
Although Pfc. Roy Dozier, HHC, 38th Signal, also
thinks lack of rest is a problem for cooks in the field,

the self-proclaimed outdoorsman looks forward to

the field because it's a chance to "gee outside, sec the
trees and hear the birds sing. "
Through the use of T -Raes (Tray Rations), 'keeping
everyone fed' has become a little easier for those who
satisfy one of the field soldiers "most important
needs," Shaw said.
T-Rats are complete meals, wh.ich resemble large
T. V. dinners. According to Shaw each entree mun
only be placed in boiling water for a predetermined
time and it is finished, ready to serve.
Not only arc these rations easy to prepare, they
also "use less manpower, less fuel and less water than
A-Rations and can save rwo to three hours of cooking time, Shaw said. A-Rations consist of perishable
foods like fresh meat and fruit.
Whether preparing T-Raitons or A-Rations, the
cooks need somewhere to do their job.
The MKT 75A Mobile Field Kitchen is that place.
It has all the comforu of home; cabinets, burners,
gr ill, serving tables, ice chest and serving utensils.
O ne four-man crew, Shaw said, can pull into a
field site, set up and be cooking a meal in 30 m 45
minutes.
Both Dozier and McAfec agree that cooks are ap
preciated much more in the field than garrison. Dozier said many soldier's attitudes take "a 180 degree
swing in the field. They know there's no Burger Bar.
If they want to cat they have to come to us."
But, it makes no difference 10 the Command's 'angels' whether they are in the field or garrison, wearing
green or white, there are always hungry mouths to
feed and empty stomachs to fill.

Ptloto by Yack191

"Serving two hot, balanced meals and one MRE a

day" te not tha only thing Spec. Mark Mendoia does
when he's In the lleld. Mendoza la cook a.signed to
Delta Company, 38th Signal Battalion.