Enforced fun at my expense

I'm sure this has been asked many times before but I can't seem to find any historical posts. I'm not looking for a slating so please resist.

What are the rules when you are told that you absolutely MUST and WILL attend a leaving function, at your own expense, but you really don't want to attend? Two questions - is telling you to attend a function at your own expense, and outside of the 'normal working day', a legal order? Secondly - what can they do (officially) if you outright refuse to attend?

Many thanks.

 

As a junior officer I suggest you do as you kin told, or perhaps you have realised the the Army isn't for you!

 

As this applies to all ranks at all sorts of functions, Normally not alot can happen "offcially". Howerver if you want to be tagged as a barrack room lawyer for the rest of your career, crack on.

 

Do what the rest of us have to do, mumble into your pre dinner drinks, whinge during the starter and then finally realise that you are sat around having a three course dinner with your mates, in comfortable surroundings, with loads of free wine, port and good banter and get the hell on with it? Could be sat in a PB in the rain in Afghan scoffing corned beef hash right now big shag...

 

If not a wind up.
I really don’t know where to start, this is why within a decade, there won’t be such a thing as Mess life, we will just have All Ranks cafeterias.

I am not going to slate you, however, what did you think you was signing up for when you decided to join the British Army

 

"Outside of the normal working day"? I take it you mean 24:00 hrs because anytime between 0001 - 2359 hrs is a normal working day in the Army.

 

Is it? Do you usually work those hours?

 

Not a wind up and I think I've been misunderstood. This is NOT a Mess function but rather an enforced piss up to say farewell to a Senior Officer that I couldn't particularly care for. That said, the real reason I don't want to attend is because I have things I have to do the next day and don't want to be tired and unprepared.

So - yes I know about labelling as a barrack-room lawyer but I couldn't care less as I'm in my last couple of years and, yes, I have realised the Army isn't for me.

Thanks

 

"family emergancy"

 

Think of it this way! When they decided to say farewell to you and all your supossed mates don' turn up for it because: A. They don't like you. B. They don't want to be ordered to attend. Do not sit there whinging to the ones who did that they are ******* for not turning up!!!!

 

Right - but this isn't about friends is it....this is being MADE to attend for my boss. Completely different. Anyways I think I had the answer above; they can't do anything. I'm going anyway but just wondered the ramifications if I dug my heels in.

Bye all.

 

In life we all have to do things that we dont like or want to do. This may be one of them for you, but its one of the nicer things that you will have to, but don't like or want to do. As has been said, instead of sitting at a nice table eating nice food, chatting to your pals, you could be sitting somewhere in Afghanistan eating crap food typing to some **** wit of a sprog officer who thinks he joined the armchair squad instead of the army.

 

No ******** but I was expected to be available during those hours if my presence was required!

 

So not a "NORMAL" working day then, eh ********?

 

Strange, it was usually expected that between certain hours I would be in bed, and woe betide any ****** who tried waking me.