by Capt. Mitch Humphrey, III Armored Corps Public Affairs
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – Soldiers from across III Armored Corps showcased their baking talents today in a unique cake decorating contest celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday. The event, held at Phantom Centralized HUB, featured intricately designed cakes reflecting the Army’s history and values.
Teams from 13th Armored Corps Sustainment Command and 1st Cavalry Division competed to have their creation serve as the centerpiece for the III Armored Corps and Central Texas’ 250th Army Birthday Ball June 19 at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center.
“Both teams are training together and competing against each other, but they’re building bonds and friendships as well,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Bogle, Fort Cavazos culinary arts team manager, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, about the competition. “I want the Soldiers to gain confidence. They started timid, worried about making mistakes, but now they’re capable and willing to tackle these tasks independently.
“It’s a life lesson,” he continued. “Practice makes perfect, and we are supposed to learn from our mistakes. It’s just food; you can always start over.”
After careful deliberation, a panel of judges awarded first place to the Soldiers of 13th ACSC. Their cake, a four-layer cake featuring a fighting position and U.S. flag, was a diagonally stacked, 45-degree angled square cake that incorporated black, gold and camouflage. Each layer representing a different era: 1775 for the American Revolution with four historical figures, layers for World Wars I and II and a final layer representing the present with a rucksack and patrol cap.
“Both cakes were phenomenal,” expressed Col. Paul Bonano, deputy commanding officer, 13th ACSC. “The winning cake was impressive as were the ideas of bringing together the theme of 250 years of the Army’s existence and a walk through time with the various layers of the cake.”
Bonano said he was not surprised by the level of talent displayed in the competition, adding the skills chefs learn and embody at the Phantom Centralized HUB is impressive and the mark of true professional. He enjoyed watching the Soldiers compete and put their skills to the test.
“In the Army, winning matters … and when you saw the reaction of the winning team and the jubilation and emotion that was pouring out of them as they celebrated this victory today, that was impressive,” he said. “Competitions like this are necessary; competition brings out the best in people. I love the fact that we created this opportunity for the teams to compete against each other, but I really love the leaders that are here representing and making this a big deal. That is something these Soldiers won’t forget.”
Pfc. Carolina Sanchez Lozano, a culinary specialist assigned to 1st Cavalry Division, said participating in the competition was both an accomplishment and a blessing.
“Working with a team has taught me a lot about how collaboration can truly create a masterpiece,” Lozano said. “I always grew up doing things alone, but the Army gave me the opportunity to work on a team.
This was a great experience, and I hope to do it again,” she continued. “I know the other team put a lot of effort into their cake, and I am proud of them; I am proud of everyone.”
For b-roll and interviews from the event, please visit this link or paste the following into your address bar: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/962116/iii-armored-corps-hosts-army-250-cake-contest.
For photos of the event, please visit this link or paste the following into your address bar: https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9026935/iii-armored-cake-competition.
