National Restaurant Association Honors Hennessy/hill Award Winners

The National Restaurant Association today honored outstanding military foodservice facilities at the fifth annual Joint Armed Services breakfast at Chicago's Sheraton Hotel & Towers. The 2012 U.S. Air Force's John L. Hennessy Awards and U.S. Marine Corp's Gen. W.P.T. Hill Awards were presented in conjunction with this year's National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. Both awards are sponsored by the National Restaurant Association and recognize excellence at bases worldwide.

"We are honored to recognize our nation's military foodservice personnel through the Hennessy/Hill Awards program," said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. "The dedication, professionalism and talent of these servicemen and women is inspiring. They are a true asset to our industry and our country."

This year's featured speaker at the breakfast award ceremony was Lt. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C.

The 2012 John L. Hennessy Award winners are:
- Multiple Facility Base - Hurlburt Field, Florida
- Hennessy Single Facility Base - Incirlik AFB, Turkey
- AFGSC Best in Missile Feeding Operations - Malmstrom AFB, Montana
- USAFE Food Service Small Site Award - 702nd MUNNS Buechel AFB, Germany

The 2012 Major General W.P.T. Hill Award winners are:
- Best Military/Contractor Garrison Mess Hall - Mess Hall 423, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, MCB Camp S.D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan
- Best Reserve Field Mess - Marine Wing Support Squadron 473, Marine Wing Support Group 47, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corp Air Station, Miramar, California
- Best Full Food Service Contracted Garrison Mess Hall - Mess Hall 590, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, Eastern Recruiting Region, Parris Island, South Carolina
- Best Active Field Mess - Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan

The 2012 Hennessy Travelers' Association (HTA) Award of Excellence was also presented. This award honors Airmen who exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, attitude and culinary skill:

Multiple-Facility Category:
- SrA Oscar Vazquez, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst New Jersey

Single-Facility Category:
- SSgt Kimberly Cockrell, Malmstrom AFB Montana

Both the Air Force and Marine Corps appoint traveling teams that combine military and private sector expertise to evaluate domestic and international installations and recommend the winners of the coveted trophies. A National Restaurant Association Board Member serves on each of the four traveling teams. Each Air Force team also includes a representative from either the Society for Foodservice Management Board or the International Food Service Executives Association. Foodservice units for the Air Force Reserves, the Air National Guard, and small sites in Europe (USAFE) are evaluated separately through their headquarters, but are also honored for their achievements during the program.

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell prog