# Mess Regulations



## Bassil_Inf (8 Nov 2013)

Good day,
Just wanted to give some advice to any reservist starting BMQ and parading with your unit. ASK for the rules in regards to the Mess at you're unit. Today I hung my beret on the coat hanger rack where only NCO's hang their berets. I had to buy everyone a round for my mistake. Just my 2 cents, ask before you make a mistake like me. Cheers.


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## q_1966 (8 Nov 2013)

Keep it in your pocket next time.


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## Bassil_Inf (8 Nov 2013)

Get Nautical said:
			
		

> Keep it in your pocket next time.


Rog!


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## Robert0288 (8 Nov 2013)

When in doubt, use your SA and take a look at what everyone else is doing.


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## GnyHwy (8 Nov 2013)

I'm guessing that it wouldn't have mattered what you did, you'd be buying a round.  All kinds of rules and traditions come out of the woodwork when free beer is involved.


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## Pusser (8 Nov 2013)

GnyHwy said:
			
		

> I'm guessing that it wouldn't have mattered what you did, you'd be buying a round.  All kinds of rules and traditions come out of the woodwork when free beer is involved.


 :ditto:

I've certainly seen that over the years.  The reality, however, is that they cannot actually make you buy a round.  Whether you want to push that point is largely dependent on how well you want to fit in with your unit.  Just don't be a gullible patsy and become the guy who always ends up making some "mistake" and is expected to buy a round.

In some messes you will get in trouble for NOT hanging your hat in the cloakroom.  When I was a much younger NCM, we would routinely remove our cap badges from our hats, as a theft prevention measure, when leaving  them in the cloakroom.  When I became an officer, I watched a PMC go into a fit when he saw a cap in the cloakroom *without* a cap badge.  The gist of his tirade was that it was un-officer-like to imply that a fellow officer would steal your cap badge.


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## Bluebulldog (10 Feb 2014)

DarkInfantry232 said:
			
		

> Good day,
> Just wanted to give some advice to any reservist starting BMQ and parading with your unit. ASK for the rules in regards to the Mess at you're unit. Today I hung my beret on the coat hanger rack where only NCO's hang their berets. I had to buy everyone a round for my mistake. Just my 2 cents, ask before you make a mistake like me. Cheers.



LOL. Some things never change. 

However, by providing your words of warning, you have effectively buggered yourself out of a free beer in your future from any potential Horny Lorney that may happen across it.....

Sometimes it's better to remain silent, and enjoy the spoils. There were probably a few guys in the mess who enjoyed your round, who at one point in time, ponied up for their own.


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## Tibbson (10 Feb 2014)

DarkInfantry232 said:
			
		

> Good day,
> Just wanted to give some advice to any reservist starting BMQ and parading with your unit. ASK for the rules in regards to the Mess at you're unit. Today I hung my beret on the coat hanger rack where only NCO's hang their berets. I had to buy everyone a round for my mistake. Just my 2 cents, ask before you make a mistake like me. Cheers.



In my 34 years in uniform, some of them as a reservist years ago, I can honestly say the one thing I've always known about traditions and rules such as this is that there are no traditions and rules such as these.  Five years ago nobody in your Unit would have heard of such a rule and 5 years from now nobody will know about it either since they have moved on to some new rule or tradition.  What ever it takes to pick on the new guy and get a round of beer.


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## Bluebulldog (10 Feb 2014)

Schindler's lift said:
			
		

> In my 34 years in uniform, some of them as a reservist years ago, I can honestly say the one thing I've always known about traditions and rules such as this is that there are no traditions and rules such as these.  Five years ago nobody in your Unit would have heard of such a rule and 5 years from now nobody will know about it either since they have moved on to some new rule or tradition.  What ever it takes to pick on the new guy and get a round of beer.



LOL. Yes. I was A Coy 20 years ago. I don't recall a set of hooks for NCOs......


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## a_majoor (10 Feb 2014)

When in doubt, ask to see that in writing (i.e. the Mess constitution or regulations). The mess is a cesspit of that kind of petty abuse, and resistent to change because, hey, they _already have your money_. It also speaks to the character of the membership and Mess executive if they pull stunts like that.

I certainly don't condone that sort of abuse, and no one should have to stand for it.


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## Pusser (11 Feb 2014)

Thucydides said:
			
		

> When in doubt, ask to see that in writing (i.e. the Mess constitution or regulations). The mess is a cesspit of that kind of petty abuse, and resistent to change because, hey, they _already have your money_. It also speaks to the character of the membership and Mess executive if they pull stunts like that.
> 
> I certainly don't condone that sort of abuse, and no one should have to stand for it.



Even if it's in the mess constitution, it would be unenforceable.  There is no QR&O, CFAO, DAOD or article under the NDA that can be used to force someone to buy a single drink, let alone a round for any infraction of a so-called mess "rule."


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## chrisf (11 Feb 2014)

I'd be more concerned about the sort of horse-shit "NCOs" who expect a brand new private to buy a round for everyone in the mess.

Abusing rank to mooch off your subordinates, not really a great leadership trait.


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## George Wallace (11 Feb 2014)

a Sig Op said:
			
		

> I'd be more concerned about the sort of horse-shit "NCOs" who expect a brand new private to buy a round for everyone in the mess.
> 
> Abusing rank to mooch off your subordinates, not really a great leadership trait.



In fact, it is a chargeable offence.   >


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## chrisf (11 Feb 2014)

Who's the COE for the principles of leadership? We really need to add "Don't be a douche"


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