Fort Bragg soldiers prep for Thanksgiving dinner on post

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Dozens of Fort Bragg soldiers are cooking up a storm on post. They're preparing for the Thanksgiving meal that will be served Tuesday.

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It's kind of like Santa's workshop, only these elves are soldiers and they're not making toys.

"It's tradition. We come in at night and prepare all our meats, starch and vegetables," said Sgt. 1st Class Marcus Sanders. "We're making two steamship rounds, we have some prime rib, ham, turkey, and roast turkey."

Soldiers with the 25th Quarter Master Company are hard at work preparing for the annual Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds.

"In the 92 golf world, this is one of our biggest meals that we gun for," said Staff Sgt. Shammara Stevens. "It's a competition: best food, best creation and dining facility."

It's a friendly competition between eight dining facilities on post on which food service hall can cook up the best homestyle meal. This unit is working to take home first place this year.

"Oh yeah, we are going to take it," Stevens said, smiling. "We are speaking it into existence that we won already."

It's not just about the food. Decorations are just as important. Soldiers paint and create candle holders made out of candy. It's a joint effort aimed at giving so many a slice of home through full bellies and full hearts.

"We work hard for them to make sure they have a place to go and enjoy their food," Sanders said. "It's not like mama's, but we try to get as close as we can."