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Press Release: EDUCATION

TRENTON – The first annual Skills USA state level MRE Challenge Competition was held at Mercer County Technical School on March 2, 2018 with members of the Mid-Atlantic Army Recruiting Battalion and the New Jersey School Board Association.

The MRE Challenge Competition began in 2017 with just one technical school, but expanded to a state level competition in 2018 with teams of three culinary students, representing 15 counties in New Jersey.

“In coordination with our education partners, NJSBA and Skills USA, the MRE competition was an idea of a couple of Army Recruiters as a way to enhance high school CTE education curriculum by testing student’s culinary skills and team work while creating a fun competition. What started as a competition with culinary arts students from Mercer County Technical School District has expanded to a state-wide competition. As a result of this we are sending the results to the Army’s Sustainment Center of Excellence so that the recipes can be sent out to the Army for Soldiers to use,” said Cpt. PJ Hartman, Commander of the Central Jersey Recruiting Company.

For more information on the competition and on the NJ Skills USA program, visit https://www.nj-skillsusa.org.

The competition provides culinary arts students an opportunity to demonstrate their culinary knowledge and creativity using military issue Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). Contestants are required to produce an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and 12 oz. beverage, using water and a heat source.

The MRE Challenge was created by an unprecedented three-way partnership between the U.S. Army, the New Jersey School Boards Association and the Mercer County Technical School District.

Winning recipes from the competition will be provided to the Army’s Sustainment Center of Excellence and fielded to Army Culinary Arts specialists.

The top three teams will be announced at a Banquet in New Brunswick, NJ where the winning teams will be presented the gold, silver, & bronze “MRE Challenge” Patch to wear on their uniform. All participants are awarded an olive drab patch to wear on their uniform as well. Skills USA plans on turning this state of NJ level event into one of their national level competitions next year.

Sergeant First Class Joshua Simpson, iSTEAM Fellow at NJSBA stated that “the MRE

Challenge in its third year is going to be a national competition. Through this competition students show that with ingenuity and creativity the MRE could go from somewhat boring and

bland to culinary masterpiece that could ultimately benefit the Soldier, by providing motivation during a time in need.

The mission of the US Army Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Battalion is to promote the Army and meet our recruiting goals by identifying committed young people. We seek opportunities with community leaders, corporate and civic organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and keep a strong working bond with local educators, school boards and administrators. Our shared goals will inspire those who choose to make America strong and help young people plan for life.