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Team Shaw dines out

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daniel Blackwell
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  A Dining Out was held at the Carolina Skies Club and Conference Center here, June 8, in honor of enlisted personnel and the history of Shaw Air Force Base.

The event was sponsored by Team Shaw's: Air Force Sergeants Association, Shaw Diamond Council, Shaw Top 3, Shaw 5/6, Shaw Rising Four Council and the Shaw Enlisted Spouses Club.

"This event is held in honor of our enlisted personnel," said Col. Clay Hall, 20th Fighter Wing commander. "We appreciate all that you do daily."

The Dining Out's purpose is to provide an opportunity for Air Force personnel to see how ceremony and tradition play an important role in military life. It helps enhance morale and provide a setting for recognizing individuals and unit achievements.

There are three types of ceremonial dining traditions commonly recognized within the military. There's the Dining In, Dining Out, and the Combat Dining In.

Each has a unique place and can be interchanged to suit a desired goal.

The Dining In is a formal dinner for members of a unit or organization. This has tradition been used as a unit function in which attendance by other smaller units is acceptable.

There's also the Combat Dining In, which is the newest of the three functions. The general format is built around that of the Dining In, although it is a bit less formal; allowing attendees to come in combat dress, as opposed to semi-formal attire, mess dress or blues.

Lastly, there's the Dining Out. This, like the Combat Dining In, is a relatively new ceremony. The major difference with the Dining Out is it allows the attendance of spouses and guests to the event.

The history of such traditions is timeless and can't readily be pinpointed to a specific timeframe. It's been tradition to hold ceremonial feasts honoring military victories and accomplishments; from pre-Christian Roman legions, to second century Viking warlords, to King Arthur's knights in the sixth century.

Some however, trace the origins of the Dining In to the old English monasteries. The custom was taken up by the early universities and eventually adopted by the military with the inception of the officers' mess.

With the adoption of the Dining In by the military, these dinners became more formalized. British soldiers brought the custom to colonial America, where it was borrowed by George Washington's continental army.

The rest they say....is history.

During the Dining Out, enlisted and officer personnel played various roles with accompanying titles. Hall played the role of "President" during the Dining Out. Members of the "Mess" (or Team Shaw members attending the event) were made to address the president prior to doing anything throughout the event.

At the start of the event, a history of Dining Out and military protocol was given to those in attendance in the form of playfully informal banter between Mister and Madam Vice; the appointed masters of ceremonies and liaison for the "President." Any requests, toasts and protocol violations were given through them.

Additionally, during such events there is a head table in which distinguished leadership and guests sit. In honor of enlisted members and their service, two spots were reserved at the head table for the lowest ranking Airman and Soldier present in the room.

The Dining Out tradition has a set of rules and regulations that must be adhered to throughout the event. Violations of the Dining Out protocol result in the member being sent to the "Grog Bowl." Rules ranged from not leaving the mess without the president's permission, to not eating ones food in a manner befitting a gentlemen or lady.

The Grog Bowl is a communal container that contained a concoction of various liquids. Two options were available, "leaded" (alcoholic), and "unleaded" (non-alcoholic). The bowls and their contents were provided by funds from Shaw's 5/6 Council.

When sent to the Grog Bowl, members were required to face the bowl, fill their cup three-fourths of the way, about face, state a fact about Shaw's history and toast, "To the Mess!"
After which, they were required to drink the contents of their glass without removing it from their lips. Once completed, they had to invert the cup on top of their head and yell "Airpower," place the cup in the proper receptacle, salute the President of the Mess and return to their seat.

If at any point during this process there was an infraction of Grog Bowl procedure, violation of mess protocol or questioning of the "Presidents" decisions, they were made to restart the process until completed properly.

Rank, grade, duty title or stature within the community held no significance throughout the event. From E-1 to O-10, no one was exempt from Dining Out protocol.

Attendees were actually encouraged to look for Dining Out rule violations throughout the evening. They were warned however that if they wrong in their accusation, that they themselves could be sent to the Grog Bowl instead of the accused.

But before any fun and games started, proper military protocol, courtesies and honors were rendered.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Shaw's Color Guard posted the colors, the national anthem was performed and the significance of the Prisoner of War and Missing in Action table, set aside in honor and remembrance of those who were unable to attend, was recognized and explained.

Once dinner was served many individuals, varying in rank and Dining Out protocol violations, were sent to the Grog Bowl for dining infractions; and for the amusement of the Mess.

The Grog Bowl was closed after dinner was complete so attendees could let their guard down and focus on the message of the guest speaker.

The guest speaker was retired, and former, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Michael T. Moseley.

"We are privileged to have the caliber of person speak tonight as Gen. Moseley," Hall said. "He's very busy and is not duty bound to be here; he just bleeds blue."

Moseley spoke about the unique threats today's military face, to include uncertainly with various global powers around the world. Using history to illustrate and support his point, he encouraged military personnel to stay alert, be attentive, vigilant and not sacrifice their integrity during difficult times.

He also expressed his concern about the treatment of military members of each other, and why if not done properly the adverse affect it can have on mission success.

"Everyone here, from the youngest Soldier to the oldest Airmen has dignity, value and pride in who they are and what they do," Mosley explained. "If we are to achieve mission success there can be absolutely no compromise on the moral and ethical treatment of our men and women in uniform."

He finished by thanking Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and the Coast Guard for their tireless service to their country in defending freedom.

"Thank you for what you all do every day, and thank you for defending this country, because it's worth it." Mosley said. "Not often enough does someone like me tell you thank you, and salute you for what you're doing."

All in all, the Dining Out was an opportunity for Airmen to see leadership in a different light, and leadership to enjoy the company of their Airmen.

"This was my first time attending a Dining Out," said Senior Airman Amanda Miolan, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle management and analysis technician. "I had a lot more fun than I expected. I enjoyed every minute of it and also met a lot of new people."

"I enjoyed watching people go to the grog bowl and shout what they thought was Shaw History," she continued. "You could tell people were enjoying themselves and not taking it as a punishment."

"I would definitely recommend other Airmen attend the next Dining Out," Miolan said.

"We must never forget our history and traditions as Air Force members," said Tech. Sgt. Darius Harper, 20th Fighter Wing command chief executive assistant.

"Having events like this once a year should be the norm," he continued. "We should take time to fellowship together and appreciate our freedoms, and each other, for what we sacrifice each day."