3rd Sustainment Brigade NCOs Defeat Officers in Annual Turkey Bowl

FORT STEWART, Ga. - Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee once said, "We believe that competition breeds excellence, and that the lack of it breeds mediocrity."

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade demonstrated that statement when Soldiers of the unit came together for their first-ever Turkey Bowl football game, Nov. 25.

The football game pitted the noncommissioned officers against the officers, and was set up to promote esprit de corps and unity within the brigade, said Col. Shawn Morrissey, commander of the 3rd Sustainment Bde.

"It's good rivalry; it's good competition, because we're all in this together, and that's what today was all about," said Col. Morrissey. "I'm proud."

The entire brigade was in attendance - Soldiers not participating in the game cheered on the teams from the sidelines, some even brought pom-poms and led cheers.

The first quarter saw little action as far as points, but in the second, fans saw Cpl. Morrison Lee throw a pass down the field to Sgt. David Duren for a touchdown, which proved to be the only score of the game.

The quarterback of the NCOs, Cpl. Lee, gave all the credit to his receiver.

"It felt awesome," he said. "I had to go congratulate the receiver who caught the pass because without him, we wouldn't have won."

Sergeant Duren took a very modest stance when asked about his game-winning touchdown.

"I just like that I contributed to the team," he said. "Whatever they asked me to do, that is what I tried to do."

Although many attempts were made by the officers to answer their opponent's touchdown, some coming only a few short yards away from the end zone, they were unable to do so. That didn't keep anyone from showing good sportsmanship before, during and after the game, said 2nd Lt. Thomas Bloomer, who has high hopes for next year's game.

"It was a good game," he said. "We were a little disappointed that they got that one touchdown, but when we get to the sandbox, we're just going to have to work on our offense a little bit more."

After the game, a trophy was awarded to the winners, but Command Sgt. Maj. Clifton Johnson, command sergeant major of the 3rd Sustainment Bde., reminded everyone that the NCOs were not the only victors of the day.

"At the end of the day, we are all winners," he said.