Castle Heights wins 6th annual Thanksgiving Day competition

JOINT BASE BALAD - Five dining facilities at JBB competed against one another, evaluated on decoration, menu, theme and culinary presentation. They were judged by food service reps from both the 13th ESC and the 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Sqdrn, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mark Sutton, food service tech with the 13th ESC.

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It takes skill to create the sculptures and decorations used in the comptetition, said Sutton, and it's the aesthetic arrangement they evaluate. Sutton said the DFAC workers used limited materials to make the works of art. It's a huge undertaking, and the DFACs planned for 2 months, he said. Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Bates, NCO-in-charge of Castle Heights with the 50th Multi-Road Bridge Co, 37th Engrs Bn, said "a lot of these guys aren't school trained; a lot of them did it free hand. Like the watermelon carvings; they just looked at a picture and carved it themselves." Matthew Manoj did much of the planning. "I got ideas; I'd explain it to the guys, and I have some talented artists who just make it happen," said Manoj.

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