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Born in Sumter, South Carolina
Oldest of 5 boys
Father was Air Force.
Went to High School in Columbus, Ohio
Joined the Army in July, 1993 as a PV1
Basic Training at Fort Jackson
Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee
Due to administrative reasons (security clearance issues), SSG Winks was a hold-over at Fort Lee until July 1994.
While at Fort Lee he worked at Kenner Army Hospital in the dining facility where he was awarded his first Army
Achievement Medal. He also got his first exposure to culinary competition while on detail washing dishes for the
USACAT.
He was assigned to Fort Carson in July 1994, to the 529th Field Artillery as a cook. He worked at the Division
Artillery Dining Facility, feeding around 500 troops, 3 meals a day, 7 days a week The same year, he became a
member of the DIVARTY culinary team and began competing in installation culinary competitions. He was selected
Installation Junior Chef of the Quarter in 1995. He went on training deployments to NTC and Pinon Canyon.
In October, 1995, He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a cook. He worked
at the LaRochelle Dining Facility, on the Special Forces Compound. He was selected for the Installation Culinary
Team and competed at Fort Lee in 1996, 1997 and 1998 where He won 2 bronze medals and 2 silver medals. In
1996, He was selected Installation Junior Chef of the Year. He went to PLDC (WLC) in 1996 at Fort Hood, Texas. In
2003, He was selected Installation Senior Chef of the Year. He went to BNCOC in 2003, at Fort Lee, Virginia. At
BNCOC he was the distinguished honor graduate, served as Student First Sergeant, won both the leadership
award and the high PT award, and received excellent ratings across the board. While assigned to Special Forces,
he attended Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, and Master Fitness School. He received certifications as a
Senior Boat Operator, Cold Weather Survival Instructor, and Convoy Team Leader. He went from Cook to First
Cook, to Senior First Cook and then to Senior Food Service Sergeant for the 3rd Battalion. He got to go on
training and operational deployments all around the country and the world. He went to the beaches of Florida and
California with scuba teams and the mountains of Colorado and Alaska with mountain and cold weather teams. He
went to Germany, Italy, Spain, Bosnia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and of course, Iraq. He had the opportunity to feed
Soldiers in just about every situation and environment you could think of and says he had a great time doing it.
In December, 2006, He was assigned to the Replacement Detachment, United States Army Garrison, as a cadre
member. He was asked to create a Basic Food Service Refresher Course, because the Army had so many Food
Service Specialists who had spent their entire career deployed and had lost much of their knowledge and
training. The course started as a 3 day workshop every month, and then became a 2 week course offered every
month for all Food Service personnel on the Installation. The course now includes Servsafe certification and
guest chefs from all around Colorado. His favorite aspect of the course was helping bring back the joy of cooking
that drew so many 92Gs to this career path to begin with. He says if you can inspire them, the rest will follow. He
also began writing narratives and filming videos for Food Service 101, a program that combines the Army on the
Job Training Program with a college degree plan and the American Culinary Federation’s Apprenticeship Program.
He joined the Installation Culinary Team again in 2007 and won a gold medal and a bronze medal at Fort Lee. He
was selected as Installation Senior Chef of the Year again in 2007. During the summer of 2007, He recruited an all
volunteer team and they ran food service operations for Operation Purple Colorado, a military summer camp for
kids whose parent or parents were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
In 2008 he was selected to be the captain of the Fort Carson culinary team. Under the remarkable guidance of the
team manager, CW4 David Longstaff, he was able to lead his team to 34 medals in 34 categories (10 gold, 15 silver,
9 bronze) including first place in the Student Team Skills and Knowledge Bowl categories, Best Team Buffet Table
and Installation of the Year.
SSG Winks is currently serving as Military Liaison at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. His
assignment is part of a program called “Training with Industry”. As well as assisting in the integration of all DOD
personnel who pass through the school, he also helps develop policy on the integration of civilian training within
DOD. In addition, he is learning the latest industry techniques in advanced culinary principles so he can, in turn,
apply that to the Army Food Service Program.
His awards are Army Superior Unit Award, 6 Army Commendation Medals, 11 Army Achievement Medals, 4 Army
Good Conduct Medals, 2 National Defense Medals, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary
Medal, and Global War on Terror Service Medal. He has a Driver’s Badge and a Turkish Parachute Badge.
His hobbies are cooking, reading and snowboarding.
He is married with 6 children, ages 17, 13, 9, 7, 2 and 1, so he cooks in large quantities at home as well as at work.
His wife, Lesly, is studying to become an architectural interior designer. They live in the Hudson Valley in New
York.
Oldest of 5 boys
Father was Air Force.
Went to High School in Columbus, Ohio
Joined the Army in July, 1993 as a PV1
Basic Training at Fort Jackson
Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee
Due to administrative reasons (security clearance issues), SSG Winks was a hold-over at Fort Lee until July 1994.
While at Fort Lee he worked at Kenner Army Hospital in the dining facility where he was awarded his first Army
Achievement Medal. He also got his first exposure to culinary competition while on detail washing dishes for the
USACAT.
He was assigned to Fort Carson in July 1994, to the 529th Field Artillery as a cook. He worked at the Division
Artillery Dining Facility, feeding around 500 troops, 3 meals a day, 7 days a week The same year, he became a
member of the DIVARTY culinary team and began competing in installation culinary competitions. He was selected
Installation Junior Chef of the Quarter in 1995. He went on training deployments to NTC and Pinon Canyon.
In October, 1995, He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a cook. He worked
at the LaRochelle Dining Facility, on the Special Forces Compound. He was selected for the Installation Culinary
Team and competed at Fort Lee in 1996, 1997 and 1998 where He won 2 bronze medals and 2 silver medals. In
1996, He was selected Installation Junior Chef of the Year. He went to PLDC (WLC) in 1996 at Fort Hood, Texas. In
2003, He was selected Installation Senior Chef of the Year. He went to BNCOC in 2003, at Fort Lee, Virginia. At
BNCOC he was the distinguished honor graduate, served as Student First Sergeant, won both the leadership
award and the high PT award, and received excellent ratings across the board. While assigned to Special Forces,
he attended Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, and Master Fitness School. He received certifications as a
Senior Boat Operator, Cold Weather Survival Instructor, and Convoy Team Leader. He went from Cook to First
Cook, to Senior First Cook and then to Senior Food Service Sergeant for the 3rd Battalion. He got to go on
training and operational deployments all around the country and the world. He went to the beaches of Florida and
California with scuba teams and the mountains of Colorado and Alaska with mountain and cold weather teams. He
went to Germany, Italy, Spain, Bosnia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and of course, Iraq. He had the opportunity to feed
Soldiers in just about every situation and environment you could think of and says he had a great time doing it.
In December, 2006, He was assigned to the Replacement Detachment, United States Army Garrison, as a cadre
member. He was asked to create a Basic Food Service Refresher Course, because the Army had so many Food
Service Specialists who had spent their entire career deployed and had lost much of their knowledge and
training. The course started as a 3 day workshop every month, and then became a 2 week course offered every
month for all Food Service personnel on the Installation. The course now includes Servsafe certification and
guest chefs from all around Colorado. His favorite aspect of the course was helping bring back the joy of cooking
that drew so many 92Gs to this career path to begin with. He says if you can inspire them, the rest will follow. He
also began writing narratives and filming videos for Food Service 101, a program that combines the Army on the
Job Training Program with a college degree plan and the American Culinary Federation’s Apprenticeship Program.
He joined the Installation Culinary Team again in 2007 and won a gold medal and a bronze medal at Fort Lee. He
was selected as Installation Senior Chef of the Year again in 2007. During the summer of 2007, He recruited an all
volunteer team and they ran food service operations for Operation Purple Colorado, a military summer camp for
kids whose parent or parents were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
In 2008 he was selected to be the captain of the Fort Carson culinary team. Under the remarkable guidance of the
team manager, CW4 David Longstaff, he was able to lead his team to 34 medals in 34 categories (10 gold, 15 silver,
9 bronze) including first place in the Student Team Skills and Knowledge Bowl categories, Best Team Buffet Table
and Installation of the Year.
SSG Winks is currently serving as Military Liaison at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. His
assignment is part of a program called “Training with Industry”. As well as assisting in the integration of all DOD
personnel who pass through the school, he also helps develop policy on the integration of civilian training within
DOD. In addition, he is learning the latest industry techniques in advanced culinary principles so he can, in turn,
apply that to the Army Food Service Program.
His awards are Army Superior Unit Award, 6 Army Commendation Medals, 11 Army Achievement Medals, 4 Army
Good Conduct Medals, 2 National Defense Medals, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary
Medal, and Global War on Terror Service Medal. He has a Driver’s Badge and a Turkish Parachute Badge.
His hobbies are cooking, reading and snowboarding.
He is married with 6 children, ages 17, 13, 9, 7, 2 and 1, so he cooks in large quantities at home as well as at work.
His wife, Lesly, is studying to become an architectural interior designer. They live in the Hudson Valley in New
York.
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