Navy dishes out awards for top mess halls

The U.S. Navy announced the winners of its annual award recognizing excellence in food service among the branch’s vessels, boats and installations. The fiscal year 2026 Capt. Edward F. Ney Memorial Award was given to eight afloat and three ashore mess hall teams on Monday, according to an ALNAV administrative message. “These annual awards encourage excellence in Navy food service programs with the objective of improving the quality of life for our Navy personnel,” said an administrative message issued by Navy Secretary John Phelan. The service has made its troops’ nutrition a main priority over the last decade, specifically with the introduction of the military-wide Go for Green program in 2016. The program assists service members searching for healthier food options, providing color coding to help sailors assess which meals provide the most nourishment. More troops may soon get access to expanded food options As of 2024 , the Navy is working hard to address the specific dietary needs of sailors and “warfighters,” which include the absence of any fried foods and plenty of vegetable options, according to Chief Warrant Officer Jeffrey Walker, the regional food service officer for Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. Beginning in Nov. 2025, the Navy began to test new technology to help streamline culinary practices aboard ships to ensure sailors had access to plenty of appetizing food: flavor-injection systems for ice cream flavors and an automated invention called the Breadbot that churns…