SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - "Bring it on."
With those words, Col. Douglas Mulbury, commander, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, started the food competition judging during the USAG-HI Organization Celebration, May 13, at the Nehelani, here.
An alphabet soup of directorates and offices competed against one other for bragging rights and other prizes in events like golfing, bowling, basketball, Texas Hold’em and Minute-To-Win-It.
USAG-HI’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation was the overall coordinator and sponsor of the event wherein Soldiers, civilians, family members and contractors mixed together to strengthen bonds and connect faces with names and email addresses.
“I enjoyed the day, as it provided an opportunity for garrison employees to socialize and enjoy each other’s conversations,” said Andrew Young, chief, Family Movements, Directorate of Human Resources. “Many of the employees in the garrison deal with each other only during work hours, and this event gave us a time to relax and feel appreciated.
“Everyone enjoys kindness and good company,” he added.
“Organizing the garrison Organization Celebration never gets old,” said Aubrey Kiemnec, special events coordinator, DFMWR. “There is a lot of planning and organizing that goes into putting these events together, but it is all worth it when you see everyone enjoying the activities throughout the week.”
USAG-HI staff " who work in DFWMR; DHR; the Directorate of Emergency Services; the Directorate of Installation Safety; the Directorate of Logistics; the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security; the Directorate of Public Works; the Chaplains’ Office; the Equal Employment Opportunity Office; the Garrison Commander’s Office, the Internal Review Office; the Plans, Analysis and Integration Office; the Public Affairs Office; or the Resource Management Office "clumped together under tents, at tables and over board games and cards to promote camaraderie and esprit de corps, while not-so-subtly competing amongst each other.
"The day was well-organized, and the activities were great," said Tanya Toussaint, DHR, who also won first place for her entrée in the food competition. "I really enjoyed the Minute-To-Win-It event. The teamwork and support was outstanding. I didn’t know we had such competitive individuals at work.
"Some say that the overall day was much better than last year, so that’s a plus," Toussaint added.
This was the first year the food competition branched out to include entrees and side items, in addition to the ever-popular dessert section. Judges for the cook-off included Mulbury; James Duttweiler, deputy garrison commander, USAG-HI; Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Williamson, senior enlisted leader, USAG-HI; Fred Makinney, operations officer, DES; and Mike Egami, PAO.
While flavors of the day represented a grocery store’s variety of grilled meats and tasty dishes, the recipe of laughter and friendly relationships remained consistent throughout the groups.
"It is a great time to fellowship with people from other organizations," said Makena Davis, chief, Personnel Operations, DHR. "Sometimes you encounter people while working, but never get to put a name with a face. Organization Day allows you the time you would not ordinarily have to do that.
"It also allows you to bond with coworkers outside of the usual work environment," Davis added. "It is nice to see the fun side of coworkers. In some cases, you even learn something about them you did not know, despite working alongside them every day."
Social Sharing