How much do you pay for mess dues?

[Jarnhamar]

I'm looking for feedback from both the reg force and reserves.

I'm wondering what the Junior Ranks mess at your respective regiments charge per month or year (for reg force) and for the training year (for reservists).

I would also be interested in hearing what the SNCO/Officers mess charge for comparison.

 

[aesop081]

My mess dues doubled when i went from the JRC to the WO & Sgts mess. I'm currently paying a little over $20 a month.

 

[jollyjacktar]

$12/month I believe.

 

[Lex Parsimoniae]

$30/month currently but in the last year belonged to two other wardrooms which were $28 and $35.

 

[kratz]

In the past seven years I have seen MS&B messes charging between $4 per month up to $12 per month depending where you are.

 

[SupersonicMax]

22$ a month, O' Mess in Bagtown.

 

[Jarnhamar]

While it's a reserve mess I thought out $35 a year was high. I've been looking to increase profit and raising the mess dues was one way. Maybe $45 or $50 for the training year. (Sept to May).    I know lots of regular force members pay mess dues and don't even step foot inside the mess.

Maybe raise price of beer from $2.50 a beer to $3 or something could work too.

 

[cn]

What exactly do these mess dues get you?  And what exactly goes on in said mess?

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

paying 10 onboard

 

[Shamrock]

And what exactly goes on in said mess?

Ecretsay uffstay.

 

[aesop081]

What exactly do these mess dues get you?  And what exactly goes on in said mess?

The answer to both is different for each mess.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Well I've stood infront of the CO and RSM a few times as PMC but I'm sure that's not what you meant..

We'll generally have a mess function every month. Back to work BBQ. Halloween party. Rememberence day. Christmas Dinner.  New Year party. Apollo Diomedes party AKA Valintines day. St Patricks day. etc..

Mess is open every Tuesday and Thursday which members have access too.  Usually a free round and free pizza after Ex's. Members can request the bar and mess open for a  movie night on the big screen,  Xbox 360 night.

 

[dogger1936]

20 something bucks for one mess and 60 dollars a year for another private mess

 

[cn]

I'm aware there are separate messes for Officers, NCOs and NCMs but are they messes for the base? For each unit?

 

[a_majoor]

Every mess is different, but some are far worse than others.

Here in Meaford I will be paying $40 for two months. In these two months I have had exactly 3 opportunities to actually go given the insane workload of RST for the leadership (most nights I just want to go to bed after finishing vetting files and paperwork about 2000hr or later). This mess manager also gave me a "f*** you" answer when I inquired about them getting the National Post (when I arrived, I had the expectation I would be able to go in every so often and read it...), so the mess dies are certainly not going to support me as a "member".

The OR's have it even worse; my MCpl section commanders pay $20 for two months and are locked out of a room which had all the expensive sound system/42" plasma tv/comfortable couches paid for by their mess dues (the sign on the door says something to the effect of "reserved for permanent staff only"). Candidates never get into the mess at all but must still pay.

Of course I must now contend with an equally responsive mess in London trying to get the payment/double payment of dues sorted out.

Your experience may be different (and hopefully better)

 

[George Wallace]

Gotta love those Messes.  On OP CADENCE we got to live in a couple of classrooms in Denison Armouries after being moved out of our hotels.  We were told that the Junior ranks would be left open for us to use after hours.  Great!  Their big screen TV had been broken for months.  Their Overhead Projector was missing (away supposedly for repairs for several months).  There were no darts for the Dart Boards.  No balls for the Pool Tables or Fussball game.  AND THERE WAS NO FRACKIN BAR TENDER to open the bar.  Yet another demerit point for LFCA HQ.   


Please deposit your negative milnet.ca points on the profile of Commander LFCA.  Although it is not really his fault that he has a JUNIOR RANKS MESS COMMITTE that is totally INCOMPETANT, he is guilty of having allowed it to still function as if normal.

 

[a_majoor]

Frankly, the vast majority of messes in the places I been over the last decade (London, Gagetown, Kingston, Petawawa, St Jean etc.) are more like ghost towns than real establishments. Even in Meaford, despite the tens of thousands of dollars they get each summer, still does not find it worthwhile to hire two bartenders, rather a small note on the bar suggests you call a number if you want a bartender to come sell you a drink.

Makes you wonder if the reasons for having a mess at all have faded into history as this generation of soldiers head off to their "real lives" after the end of the workday or parade night.

 

[Franko]

I pay $16/ month for one and $60/ year to another. Then of course there are the manditory mess dinners and other functions one must attend.

A way to drum up support for your mess is to get all the MCpls of your unit together and brainstorm the problem.

One solution is to have a mandatory half hour at the mess after your parade night.

We had it when I was in the Reserves eons ago and it worked. If anything it got the Esprit de Corps up a wee bit. No one forced anyone to drink alcohol.

You're there for 3 - 4 hours on a parade night...what's another half hour to have some laughs and play some pool?

Regards

 

[Zoomie]

Approx $30/month - TGIF with free food every friday.  Major party every quarter.  Cheapest beer that the law allows.  Brand new $40,000 entertainment system. New BBQ patio built by the contractor.  Mess dinner every month or two.

MJ has one of the most robust Mess life in the CF - Portage is not too far behind.  Something to do with an ample number of Junior Officers hanging around on friday night...

 

[a_majoor]

I really am in the wrong trade/unit/base.

The last mess meeting the committee didn't even put out a pot of coffee.....