Goodness, gracious great bowls of chili

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Magen M. Reeves
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.- --  Wing One Airmen took a break out of their busy day to gather at the 341st Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department for the inaugural 341st Mission Support Group Chili Cook Off, Nov. 6.

Approximately 75 Airmen from across the base enjoyed tasting from several different chilies.

The event was hosted at the fire department, where 24 slow cookers full of homemade chili were placed strategically around the room to form a tasting line.

The smell of beans, beef, chicken, veggies and chili spices hung pungent in the air as Airmen tasted chili to their hearts content, some going back for seconds, thirds and even fourths.

"It was the idea of (Col. Denise Cooper, 341st MSG commander)," said Master Sgt. Daniel Parker, 341st CES fire protection flight assistant chief of operations and point of contact for the event.

Parker, along with the 341st MSG, worked diligently for almost a month to host an event that was financially affordable and morally profitable.

"We wanted to have an event to bring the wing together to mingle," said Parker. "We want to find events like this to bring people together to talk and network."

And network the Airmen did.

The event offered Airmen a chance to relax and spend quality time sharing stories of defending the nation's nuclear assets over a small paper cup of chili and a plastic spoon.

Several members of the 341st MSG made their own chili recipes to donate to the event.

However, the chili chefs weren't just there to offer a heartwarming mouthful of delicious food. The chefs competed against each other in three categories: best looking, best tasting and hottest.

Kat O'Neil, 341st Contracting Squadron civilian contracting specialist, is no stranger to chili competitions. O'Neil has been winning 341st CONS internal chili cook offs for some time already. Some would say she is a chili master.

"My chili has pinto beans, hamburger meat, potatoes and green chilies," said O'Neil. "The green chilies are the secret!"

Senior Master Sgt. Toni Wiser with the 341st Contracting Squadron, however, is not a chili master. Despite that fact, she donated a chili to contribute to the efforts of the chili cook off.

The proceeds from the chili cook off will be donated to the Combined Federal Campaign through Operation Warm Heart, and the CFC will donate the money back into the base fund. Operation Warm Heart is a first sergeant run organization that raises money to assist Airmen in their times of need.

Wiser said she wanted to help raise money, and that there can never be enough money to help fund base morale boosting events. "The more money in the pot to bring back to the base, the more we can help bring morale as well," said Wiser. "I love being part of the MSG, the (Wing One) family where everyone can come together."

"We raised $656.70 at the chili cook off," said Col. Denise Cooper, 341st MSG commander. "All this money goes to Operation Warm Heart!  Our firefighters (also) raised $516.30 at their 'Fill the Boot,' for a total of $1,173 raised for the CFC today from MSG.  What a great way to bring our campaign to a close."

The winners in the three categories for the chili cook off are: 

Hottest chili: Terry Woodard, 341st Communication Squadron.

Best Looking chili:  Master Sgt.  Micheal Filipovich, 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant.

Best Tasting chili:  The team of Master Sgt. Abiegail Moses and Tech. Sgt.  Lateshia Nunn, 341st Force Support Squadron. 

The winners will receive a small prize and ultimate bragging rights for best chili in the 341st MSG.

"Some folks are starting to plan for next year's chili cook off because it was a great time," said Cooper.