SAN ANTONIO (July 23, 2014) -- Patricia Keilberg bested husband Keith to win a trip to Las Vegas in the inaugural "Quest for the Best," a test of trivial knowledge played in an interactive game-show fashion by Armed Forces contestants July 19 at Fort Sam Houston Theatre.
The U.S. Army Installation Management Command teamed with Rising Tide Sports and Entertainment Group to present the 90-minute experience to mostly young troops from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. Military retirees and Department of Defense identification cardholders also were eligible to compete in the Army MWR's pilot event.
Many in the audience said they came to see and hopefully meet host Bruce Campbell, who stayed in the South Texas heat well into the night autographing and posing for photographs while the troops were served complementary dinners by Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, one of several sponsors that donated gifts for prize rounds of trivia. Campbell is best known for his roles as Ash in "Army of Darkness" and "Evil Dead" movies and Sam Axe in the television series "Burn Notice." He also wrote the books "If Chins Could Kill" and "Confessions of a B Movie Actor."
"That was the most humbling thing I've done in 20 years of producing live events," said Rising Tide Sports and Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Matthew King, who added that he got very emotional when he peeked through the curtain from backstage and saw all the uniformed troops in the theater. "It's an honor that we're able to do what we do because they do what they do. It's as simple as that. It's an honor to be able to bring this to them."
During the "Quest for the Best," the Keilbergs were the last two competitors standing on the stage.
Patricia retired as a 24-year Navy veteran in 2011 and now works at the Navy Medicine, Education and Training Command and Navy Medicine Training Support Center on Fort Sam Houston. Keith, 42, is retired Air Force and an avid fan of Campbell.
The finalists were determined by five rounds of five multiple-choice questions, during which everyone in the audience of nearly 600 participated. The highest-scoring member of each team in the preliminary rounds competed in the finals, during which contestants had to "know" the answers (no multiple choices).
The Keilbergs said they almost returned home when they saw all the young military students entering the theater, but Keith wanted to meet Campbell. Being crowned "the best" wasn't considered an option, they agreed. Next thing they knew, Patricia, wearing civilian attire, and Keith, sporting a ZZ Top-style beard, were on stage alongside three competitors in military uniforms playing "a game show like no other."
Red McCombs Toyota, Rudy's Bar-B-Q, Lucchese Boots and the Texas Rangers provided gifts for the prize rounds. Other sponsors included The Mirage and Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and Saddlebrook Resort, near Tampa, Florida.
Seaman Recruit Mike Walling said the "Quest for the Best" was the best "mandatory fun" he could imagine.
"Out in the fleet, it's more like company barbecues and stuff like that," Walling said. "But this is a good experience of mandatory fun.
"We were 'voluntold' to be here, but this was awesome," he said.
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