Chef Irvine USOUSO-Metro Salute Military Chefs

PENTAGON CITY, VA – USO-Metro Salute Military Chefs was held to honor the Department of Defense’s top enlisted chefs and to announce the Enlisted Aide of the Year.

Each of the military chefs, alongside Chef Robert Irvine of the Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible” series, showcased their skills preparing elaborate dishes for the audience.

Each chef was introduced by a senior military leader before being honored. The “top chef” honorees are nominated by the offices of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, and by the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This year’s honorees included:

  • Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alex Arevalo, nominated by the President of the United States.
  • Marine Gunnery Sergeant Andrew Atkinson, nominated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
  • Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Paul Brown, nominated by the Chief of Naval Operations.
  • Air Force Technical Sergeant Erica Coleman, nominated by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  • Navy Senior Chief Derrick Davenport, nominated by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
  • Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Shawna Mayer, nominated by the Vice President of the United States.
  • Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Sullivan, nominated by the Commandant of the Coast Guard.
  • Marine Sergeant Anthony White, nominated by the Secretary of Defense.
  • Army Staff Sergeant John-Joseph Williams, nominated by the Chief of Staff of the Army.

This year’s Enlisted Aide of the Year was Navy Senior Chief Wes Tavares, the senior enlisted aide to the 29th Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughead.