Iditarod wins 2016 Hennessy Award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Valerie Monroy
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Feeding Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson personnel isn't an easy task. Most will only see food being placed on their plates and not realize the hard work that put it there.

"This job is a beast," said Air Force Master Sgt. Krista Kotz, 673d Force Support Squadron dining facility manager. "If you think food service is easy, it's definitely far from it.

This year, the Iditarod Dining Facility won the 2016 John L. Hennessy Trophy Award for excellence in both food and customer service. The Hennessy Award is annually presented to Air Force installations for their food-service program.

There are many things going on behind the scenes, and this award brings validation to the work tirelessly put into the job, Kotz said.

According to Hennessy Travelers' Association, the award winners must display excellence in management effectiveness, force-readiness support, food quality, employee and customer relations, resource conservation and training and safety awareness.

The judges evaluate five things: Kitchen operations, serving and dining operations, training personnel and readiness, sanitation and repair maintenance, and management.

Kotz explained many of their personnel are young Airmen who came in within the last year and are fairly new to the Air Force.

"Training is the hardest part," Kotz said. "You don't get people who came in as culinary experts."

Though the Airman are new, they are constantly coming up with ways to improve customer service and ways to do things more effectively which brought a lot to the table, Kotz said.

The winning of the Hennessy Trophy was a team effort, she continued. During the evaluation, eight Airmen and two contractors were also recognized for outstanding performance.

"I've never worked with a more motivated group of individuals," Kotz said. "The teamwork they all have is phenomenal and they're a great group of Airmen."

The award is not only a high-level Air Force award, but benefits all those who receive it if they decide to pursue a culinary career outside of the military.

For Airman Ruta Bartkute, 673d FSS food services apprentice, she said this award comes from the energy and great attitude put forward by her teammates.

"Without them, we wouldn't have gotten to where we are now," Bartkute said. "We all push each other to do the best and be the best."

Bartkute was also awarded the individual Hennessy Travel Award. Bartkute has been at JBER for eight months and is also a part of the JBER culinary team. The award gives Bartkute the opportunity to travel to California and learn from multiple culinary experts. 

"Honestly, I was on the verge of tears when they called me," Bartkute said. "It was a very emotional moment.  I'm thankful all the hard work I'm doing is getting rewarded and seen."

This year is the 60th anniversary of the Hennessy Trophy Awards which makes it extra special, said Kotz. Not every Airmen gets this experience, she continued.

"I've been in 13 years and this was first time I have ever been part of a team who won a Hennessy Award," Kotz said. "It's amazing for the young Airmen to experience this so early in their career."
For more information on the award and a list of other winners, go to http://www.hennessyaward.org.