VOL.54 NO. 4 JANUARY 29, 2015
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, DAM NECK ANNEX, AND NALF FENTRESS CS2 James Onuska (l) and CS1 Niles Harper from NAS Oceana serve food to guests at the CPOSF “Best of the Mess” culinary showdown Jan. 23 at Founders Inn in Virginia Beach. Best of the Mess is a CPOSF fundraising event in which six teams of three CSs from local commands compete for the title “Best of the Mess.” Oceana’s team, also including CS2 Derrick Bates, took home the People’s Choice Award.
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MCPON VISITS FRCMA OCEANA —Page 3
Local culinary specialists compete in ‘Best of the Mess’ competition STORY/PHOTO BY MC2 (SW) ALYSIA HERNANDEZ NAS Oceana Public Affairs The Chief Petty Officer’s Scholarship Fund (CPOSF) hosted the “Best of the Mess” competition, an annual fundraising event, Jan. 23 at Founders Inn in Virginia Beach. The CPOSF provides educational scholarships to qualified family members of Navy chief petty officers. The Best of the Mess is the CPOSF’s flagship event in which six teams of three culinary specialists from Hampton Roads get the opportunity to compete and prepare a three course tasting menu for guests and judges to sample. Judges awarded the first, second and third place teams for their dishes and also for the team who had the best decorated station, while guests had the opportunity to vote for the team they thought should win the People’s Choice Award. The six teams that participated were from USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) who was awarded first place for the sec-
ond year running and also best decorated station, USS Tortuga (LSD 46) who was awarded second place, USS Harry S.Truman (CVN 75) who earned third place, Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana who won the People’s Choice Award, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). NAS Oceana’s team consisted of Culinary Specialist (CS) 1st class Niles Harper, CS2 James Onuska and CS2 Derrick Bates. Harper said this was his second time competing in Best of the Mess and though his team did not place the first time, winning the People’s Choice Award this year meant everything to him. “I want these guys to strive for better, so the fact that we got the People’s Choice Award — it means more than the regular award because this award is the one that everyone that was here chose … It’s nice and I just want to see my guys, not so much me, but my guys, get to take
— See Best of the Mess, page 8
CPOSF Since the chartering of the Chief Petty Officers Scholarship Fund in 1998, more than $900,000 in scholarships has been awarded to eligible family members of chief petty officers. This year they plan on hitting the $1 million mark. For more information about the scholarships or to make a donation, visit www.CPOSF.org.
FFSC’S CAREER WEEK HELPS WITH TRANSITION —Page 13
OCEANA’S GOT TALENT SHOW FRCMA Site Oceana’s Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions will sponsor “Oceana’s Got Talent” on March 26 at the base theater. Anyone with normal base access is encouraged to show off their talent or attend the event. For more information and to register to perform, contact AT3 Hayden Shrewsbury at 433-4756.