MSC CIVMARs Honored at 2026 Military Foodservice Awards

(Chicago, Illinois) May 15, 2026 – Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARs) from Military Sealift Command (MSC) were recognized for their exceptional culinary service at the 2026 Military Foodservice Awards, held at the historic Palmer House Hilton in Chicago and hosted by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF).

The Military Foodservice Awards honor individuals and teams from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces for their dedication to foodservice excellence, including management effectiveness, support of force readiness, food quality, employee and customer relations, resource conservation, and training and safety awareness.

MSC ships compete in their own categories for the prestigious Captain David M. Cook Food Service Excellence Award. This year, MSC Commander Rear Admiral Benjamin Nicholson and Captain John H. Tipton, MSC N4 Technical Director/Force Supply Officer, presented the award to personnel across small, medium, and large ship categories, recognizing the dedication, skill, and professionalism of MSC’s CIVMARs.

The 2026 award winners were:

Small Ship: USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52), accepted by Assistant Cook Alvin Turner

Medium Ship: USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201), accepted by Assistant Cook Jennifer Smoot

Large Ship: USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4), accepted by Cook Baker Merthel Grace J. Dela Cruz and Chief Cook Joseph Baiza

The Captain David M. Cook Award honors MSC’s former Director of Logistics, Capt. David M. Cook, who served from 1995 to 1998. During his tenure, Capt. Cook played a pivotal role in enhancing every aspect of MSC food service operations—from staff training to nutrition education for ship crews. The award recognizes excellence in military foodservice, including meal preparation, presentation, and contributions to morale at sea.

MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. MSC’s workforce includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.