First Formal Air Force Affair

We attended our first Air Force dinner tonight. It was a "Celebrate Your Stripes" dining out. I wasn't sure what to expect. We didn't choose to go. We were voluntold as Anthony calls it. But, I'm glad we went. It was a neat experience.

We started with mingling and socializing. After that was all the formal introduction and color guard and such. Then they sat a place for the fallen and missing soldiers. That was very touching.

There were certain rules for this dinner. You couldn't talk about work. You couldn't clap...you had to hit a spoon on the table. When people did something wrong, it was called to the "president's" attention. Then they had to go drink from the "Grog bowl." It was a toilet bowl filled with liquor, juice, and other random food and drinks to represent things such as blood, vomit, urine, and fuel. It was really funny and entertaining.

After dinner, there was a retired chief that spoke. He gave a really good talk about being a good Airman which could really translate into life. He talked about the importance of attitude and aptitude. He was pretty entertaining.

So, atleast I now have that over with. I now kind of have an idea of waht to expect. People were dressed from as casual as a cotton dress or flowered church dress to as formal as long gowns that glittered. And I loved getting all dressed up!