It wasn't a shock that Lt. Col. Sean Kirschner gave credit to his Army background for helping his "Team Smokin' Chickens" take home the trophy for the best chili in the battle of the services Feb. 3 at the 13th annual Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Chili Cook-off.

"The Army pulls together as a team and we come out victorious every time," said a jubilant Kirschner, a Soldier with the 23rd Chemical Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The yearly event, held at the McGavick Conference Center on the campus of Clover Park Technical College, brings together local business and community leaders to taste chili from restaurants and various organizations and raise money for the chamber's scholarship programs.

The cook-off also pitted the Army against the Air Force in a battle for the best chili on the base. With several Soldiers and Airmen in attendance, Kirschner's team garnered more votes from those in attendance than the McChord Field team - comprised of Senior Airman Erik Brunson, Airman Brad Hansen, Airman 1st Class Robert Pease, Deena Kyckelhahn and Sheri Warren, wife of Chief Master Sgt. Greg Warren, the 62nd Airlift Wing's command chief.

Kirschner's wife, Kristi, and Command Sgt. Maj. Ken Graham and his wife, Melony, cooked a smoky chicken chili that put smiles on the face of many in attendance.

"I'll tell you the truth ... he's upset he didn't win for overall," Kristi said with a laugh.

Despite needing to make an early morning run to the store to buy more chicken for the recipe, things went smoothly for "Team Smokin' Chickens." With the spouses keeping a watch on their husbands ("The kitchen harmony was high-pitched at times," Melony said), all the ingredients came together. The entire Kirschner family pitched in to make the victory possible, as the children helped with getting all the ingredients prepared, and even cleaned up the kitchen after the cooking.

"I think it turned out great," Kirschner said. "It's a lot different cooking for 200 people versus the small batch at home for the family every night. There were some challenges, but I think we pulled it off. It was a team effort. "

The Air Force team - decked out in blue shirts with "#1" emblazoned on the front and "Atomic Airmen" across the back - put forth a solid effort with a chunky chili filled with beans and bits of sausage, but came up just short of votes.