[alleramilitaria]

edit] United States Army
In the United States Army, the mess is called a mess hall. The Officers' Club is somewhat comparable to the Officer's Mess. A mess can also refer to the formal afair of having a dining in/out. A dining in being held for military members and is closed to the public. A dining out is a social event for military personnel and their families.


[edit] United States Air Force
Social clubs on United States Air Force installations were at one time called Open Messes, even though most were known in vernacular as Officers Clubs or NCO clubs. At one time each squadron had its club, but these disappeared after World War II and the club became a facility of a base rather than a unit. Most are now officially referred to as officer or enlisted clubs; the term "mess" has largely disappeared from the Air Force lexicon. Though a few bases (usually major training bases) have separate Airmen's Clubs for junior enlisted and NCO Clubs for noncommissioned officers, this is no longer normally the case. Physically separate Officers' Clubs are still the norm; however, smaller Air Force installations may have one consolidated club with separate lounges. Membership is voluntary, though highly encouraged for senior NCOs and officers. Most NCO and Officers Clubs contain a sit-down restaurant in addition to social lounges, meeting/dining rooms, and bars.

Mess halls in the USAF, where unmarried junior enlisted residing in the dormitories are expected to eat, are officially referred to as "dining facilities," but are colloquially called "chow halls," although dining facility workers traditionally take offense at the term



you are working off some old data
mess halls are now nearly 90% civilian run with the only military personell being afew cooks and the SR NCO on duty. most of the people cooking are civilians. the only time you normaly catch the CO and other officers there is for thanksgiving dinner and christmas where they serv the food in there dress uniforms to the lower enlisted. there are no NCO or officer messes in the US army outside of DC.

nearly all the EM and NCO clubs are now closed, they are renamed multi use centers. this is due to all the off post clubs (90+ for the 101 abn in clarksvill ky, 30+ near ft hood tx, with 100+ more in nearby auston tx )

officers clubs are opened and cater to some functions but normaly are used as confrence centers and officers wives clubs.

i think what you are talking about is our dining ins and outs. there we have the president, VP, master at arms, etc.... at the dining outs the wives are there and the troops are expected to act proper (everyone hates it!!!). dining ins are where the fights and drunking gets out of hand. THE DINING INS AND OUTS FOR THE MOST PART ARE NOT HELD ON POST ANY MORE.

for the USAF everyone now draws money for food in his check and that has killed the mess hall. there is still one but you have to pay for the items by swiping your ID so everyone who wants to can eat there or at the other places on post / base.

dave d