Congratulations! MCCS Lauds Winners of the 2025 Food & Hospitality Excellence Awards
Seventeen MCCS Okinawa restaurant and hospitality activities representing MCB Camp Butler continued their winning tradition as they were among 34 facilities across nine installations recognized Marine Corps-wide for their exceptional performance in 2024 with Food and Hospitality Excellence Awards.
About the Awards
The Food and Hospitality Excellence Award Program was established in 1999 by Marine Corps Community Services at Headquarters, Marine Corps to recognize restaurant and hospitality activities that exceed the highest level of operational excellence and service. The award program allows any club, restaurant, snack bar or lodging facility, regardless of size or location, to measure their results against criteria in pre-established categories of customer service, financial performance, human resources development and operational excellence.
Okinawa Winners
The criteria for achieving this award goes far beyond financial performance; to achieve an Excellence Award, activities must be agile, seasoned and place the customer at the center of all they do. Thirsty’s Enlisted Club, located on MCAS Futenma on Okinawa, personified this trait as it was honored as the Club of the Year. Also, here on Okinawa, Mr. Gerald Stokinger, Food & Beverage Manager, MCCS-MCIPAC, was named Hospitality Manager of the Year.
Honored Facilities
The following MCCS facilities on Okinawa were recognized for their outstanding performance and commitment to excellence:
- LifeJuice Cafes on Camps Kinser, Foster, Hansen, Schwab, and MCAS Futenma
- BeachHead Consolidated Club, Camp Schwab
- The Palms Consolidated Club, Camp Hansen
- Legends Officers’ Club, Camp Courtney
- Hashmarks SNCO Club, Camp Courtney
- Bayview Enlisted Club, Camp Courtney
- Tengan Castle Restaurant, Camp Courtney
- Ocean Breeze Consolidated Club, Camp Foster
- Butler Officers’ Club, Plaza Housing
- Habu Pit Officers’/SNCO Club, MCAS Futenma
- Surfside, Camp Kinser
Leadership Remarks
“Congratulations to the exceptional recipients of the 2025 Food and Hospitality Excellence Awards! Through your passion and dedication, you elevate the standards of service and hospitality, making a lasting difference in the lives of our Marines and families. It’s fantastic to see all regions, from east to west and across the Pacific, well represented. Thank you for your outstanding contributions and for always going above and beyond to deliver our very best to the very best customers,” stated Francisco Badiola, Chief of Staff for HQMC, Business and Support Services Division.
“For the third year, HQMC (MR) recognizes two professionals who embody Hospitality in their words and deeds—Mr. Stokinger from MCCS Okinawa and [winner of Hospitality Associate of the Year] Ms. [Octavia] Carter from MCB Camp Lejeune. The many testimonials we received in support of their nominations were overwhelming, and we at Headquarters are very proud of them and their efforts to take exceptional care of Marines and the military community. OOHRAH MCCS!” added Ric Pomeroy, Branch Head of Food, Hospitality & Commercial Recreation at USMC Business and Support Services Division.
To learn more about these award-winning facilities, visit them at www.okinawa.usmc-mccs.org//dining-entertainment/dining and www.okinawa.usmc-mccs.org/dining-entertainment/dining/clubs.