A group of Sailors and civilians at Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC) held a Mardi Gras potluck, Feb. 28, as part of an ongoing effort to foster strong relations in the workplace.

The group, named the NMOTC Spirit Committee, held its first event designed to bridge relationships and build morale in the form of a simple hot dog lunch, Nov. 9, 2016.

The committee came together in response to shared concerns by civilian employees and Sailors there was little time or occasion for both groups to associate with one another despite working in the same building. Spending dedicated time as a combined NMOTC family has led to more understanding and a more harmonious work experience for both the service members and civilians.

"Usually when we had lunches before, everyone would get their food and disperse," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Stephanie Chambers, a founding member of the committee. "Now, there's barely anywhere to sit because people know we're going to play games and laugh."

"[For] Thanksgiving we drew a giant turkey on the wall and used toy guns to try to stick darts on it," said Spirit Committee member Tracy Cusac.

"We kept track of everyone's points and added them up at the end; it was hilarious," said member Karen Shuttlesworth.

The most recent event was a potluck celebrating Mardi Gras. The Spirit Committee put out purple, gold, and green decorations, handed out beads, and prepared the tables and chairs for food. All around the room NMOTC Sailors and civilians ate muffuletta sandwiches, seafood gumbo, boiled crawfish, beignets, and king cake. Some NMOTC members danced to zydeco music played on a speaker in the corner of the room, while others talked about previous Mardi Gras experiences in the local area.

Mardi Gras, French for "Fat Tuesday" is a celebration involving eating richer foods just before the Lenten season. It is most popular in the southern states, and for one Sailor, it was a completely new experience.

"I learned it's not just about the parade," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Amy O'Dell, originally from Syracuse, New York. "There are history and tradition to it. I also learned about the baby inside of king cake. It's a fun tradition."

Looking ahead, NMOTC's Spirit Committee meets at least once each month, has their schedule of events planned out for the entire year, and has been a success so far.

"We have a lot of participation and a lot of positive feedback," said Shuttlesworth. "It definitely shows it's more about the camaraderie than the food."

NMOTC is part of the Navy Medicine team, a global health care network of Navy medical professionals around the world who provide high-quality health care to more than 1 million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ships, in the air, under the sea, and on the battlefield.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Navy Medicine Operational Training Center, visit http://www.navy.mil/.