Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced, March 25, aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is the aircraft carrier category winner of the 2015 Capt. Edward F. Ney Memorial Food Service Award for Excellence in culinary services.

In a message to all 2015 Ney Award winners, Mabus said the annual awards encourage excellence in Navy Food Service programs with the objective of improving the quality of life for Navy personnel.

"I commend the Navy Undersea Enterprise, Surface Warfare Enterprise, Naval Aviation Enterprise, CNIC, (Commander, Navy Installations Command) and individual commands for their hard work and commitment to excellence," Mabus said.

The award is the result of an annual, one-time surprise inspection co-sponsored by the International Food Service Executives Association in which all branches of the armed forces participate. The goal of the program is to inspire and reward excellence in food service organizations.

"This award required a level of effort from the entire crew, and all of Ike should take pride in this accomplishment," said Cmdr. Tim Griffin, Ike's supply officer. "Capt. Paul Spedero and, before him, Rear Adm. (select) Stephen Koehler, put constant emphasis on greater operational and mission readiness, and this award shows that we are making ground in that direction."

The winners are awarded additional training from Naval Supply to assist the command and to provide specialized career training for the ship's culinary specialists.

"This is an award some culinary specialists never see in their careers, and I'm grateful that ours received this honor," Griffin said. "Hopefully that training will give us an edge on next year's competition."

Ney inspectors look at every effort that goes into a command's food service, from the food itself to the paperwork, cleanliness and inventory management.

"It takes every entity of food service to prepare for this inspection because there are several categories that they look at," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Aleithia Castro, Ike's food service officer. "We are judged on management, administration, sanitation, food preparation, and customer and chain of command support."

Castro said her biggest concern was making sure the Sailors who work in the galleys and on the mess decks, day in and day out, were recognized.

"With inspections, I always want the inspectors to see what I see," Castro said. "I want them to see the greatness in each and every one of my Sailors. It's nice to know that these inspectors saw that."

Castro said serving food on a carrier is an incredible task, one that is crucial to mission success.

"It takes everyone doing their job well to be chosen for this prestigious award," she said. "I admire the culinary specialists and food service attendants, and I respect what they do every day. I thank them and have the utmost respect for them for working the hours they do to make sure the crew is happy."

For more news from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), visit www.navy.mil/