ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by Jip Travolta

Can anyone shed any light on opting out of The Mess? Appreciate it's not the 'done thing' but what's the score now?

It was still in QRs the last time I read them that SNCOs and officers had to be members of a mess.

Correct me if im wrong but QRs states that a SNCO must be a member of a mess.

how this works for some PIDs (recruiting posts etc) where no mess is available i dont know.

In the RLC a contribution is made to the Corps Mess from the one days pay scheme, maybe someone could argue this fills the provisions of QRs.

Just the asking of the question suggests that you need filling in!

Depends entirely on the Razzman at the Regiment you're referring to.

At ours you can opt out of the Mess albeit you have to have a damn good reason.

Naturally, career suicide follows shortly after this, but you'd be surprised at how little people really care about if you're in the mess or not.
Also, anyone that does get excited about it are simply jealous you're not getting spammed for money left right and centre for every shitty function that comes over the horizon.

Alternatively, break any piece of Mess decoration / picture / award / trophy etc and you'll soon be removed anyway. Although you might find yourself stagging on the gate for some time to come.

Originally Posted by cernunnos

Just the asking of the question suggests that you need filling in!

why? it's a fair question.

Originally Posted by cernunnos

Just the asking of the question suggests that you need filling in!

Why is that? Are you another person who believes in the mythical power of a Mess?

As Dingerr has pointed out, there are postings where there arent any Messes so it cant be that important to be part of one.

The Mess is an over-rated and in many places, a long dead tradition that a few of the horrible old and bold who drink too much and have nothing outside of the four walls of camp cling to for dear life.

Whenever there is a function it ends up with fists flying, women crying or people throwing up, lagging themselves and shitting in inappropriate and unfortunately unlocked offices. It gets old and boring very quickly.

Plus, with PAYD meaning that any rank can eat at the main cookhouse, why would I want to eat at my Mess and pay a slightly higher rate just for the luxury of some Polish dishwasher picking up my dishes after me instead of taking it to the cleaning hatch?
Most of our seniors eat in the junior cookhouse. Their free choice.

:/

Also, edited to continue the rant and add that since the introduction of SLAM, the communal living / bonding routine was long ago put to death so that the Mess isn't now a continuation of the lads that lived together in six or eight man rooms now living in singles in the Mess and enjoying the bar, it's empty because people are now more used to going back to their rooms and locking their doors to enjoy CoD 34, porn or whatever they get up to behind those closed doors. This in turn means that when people finally get dragged kicking and screaming into the Mess accomodation (Which is greatly inferior to most SLAM) they resent it so much they don't bother to use the Mess facilities and spend as much time as possible out of camp.

Also, you'll find the most successful Mess locations are the ones on camps in remote locations where there simply is nowhere to escape to without a fair bit of travelling. Here, the Mess serves the purpose of old where you can socialise and interact when other options are limited.

Tie in the explosion of digital entertainment and online access in camps now as well as ease of travel either publicly or in your car compared to moons ago, people have less reason to muster together in a dingy old building full of old memories that most of them can't relate to. More to be gained from hunting for vic... friends on Plentyofish, gaming, films, etcetcetc.

The Mess needs to update itself if it wants to survive and provide more in the way of meaningful entertainment that's available every day, not just three times a year.

Thanks for the comments. Basically I'm just fed up having my money thrown away every month for no benefit to me or the mob whatsoever. I'd much rather spend it on my family, thank you ta...

The reason I'd asked is because a few months back I overheard a conversation along the lines of some human rights (freedom of association) legislation (which, ultimately these days) would likely override Service rules as non membership wouldn't affect 'operational effectiveness'.