The End of the Officers Club

[Flash]

How about the Oceana club? I always heard it was a good time even when I was starting out, post-Tailhook.

The only O Clubs I have been that seem come close to the 'old days' are the ones overseas, even those pale from the stories I heard though. Misawa was a good time on Friday and Saturday nights, mainly because there was nowhere else to go and we made our own fun. Kadena was a good time too, at least on Fridays, they had an all-hands Country and Western night on Saturdays. Bahrain had a small 'O Club' when I was there which was fun when you were on restriction, but it was not much more than a small bar with dice.

The best 'new' one I have been to was Iwakuni's, which was part of a bigger building housing all of the clubs on base. They did a good job of seperating the clubs though and the O Club was its own place with all the requisite plaques, wood model airplanes, pool tables and suffleboard table. When all of the squadrons were in town it was pretty crowded and a good time. Again, not as great as the 'good old days' but still a good time and soemthign that the squadron wardrooms took and active part in on the weekends.

P.S. Has eanyonje else noticed that all ofthe Marines in the article's picture are breaking a cardinal rule?

 

[Bevo16]

P.S. Has eanyonje else noticed that all ofthe Marines in the article's picture are breaking a cardinal rule?

I guess they all want to buy a round.

 

[Semper Jump Jet]

I agree the target should be the Captains, but make no mistake this is also an upper leadership problem; younger officers are wary of being punished if they get a little out of hand when they're boozed up. The problem is that a little buffoonery at the club is a great esprit de corps starter. I've seen the difference here on exchange, recently one of the squadrons, after a good night at the bar, dragged the piano out of the Officers' Mess and set it on fire. The next day the purpetrators collected money to replace the piano, apologized to the manager, and although they did get a brief 'debrief' from the CO there was nothing else said about it. Could you get away with that at your O-club? I think 'No', at least not without some paperwork and a comment on your fitrep. But it might almost be worth it.

 

[AJTranny]

How 'bout the golf course painting fiasco in Oceana 07? Using certified turfpaint for a little squadron spirit on the course prior to the Strike Fighter golf tournament. The "Guilty" squadron owed a weekend of manual labor to make up for 2000 dollars of "damages" and a lot of pissed off base staff. Well worth it though. Awesome display of fighter spirit and the O club got a new deck out of the deal. Helluva lot more inventive than painting the parking lot......for the millionth time.

Still a far cry from the 100 foot flybys but its a lot harder to push the line these days, I think.

 

[scoolbubba]

An unnamed O1 was told the morning (afternoon when he woke up) after attending a successful winging "you were lucky to leave when you did. The Club Manager was going to call the skipper." No damages, no fighting, no vomiting, took the duty van home... still almost caused a carpet dance.

He never went back to the NASCC O-Club. Not worth the effort, and certainly not worth lining the club owner's pockets after that. ORM works... go where they'll take care of you.

 

[Bevo16]

ORM works... go where they'll take care of you.

To piggy back on this, picking your liberty/drinking buddies is as much a part of the Drinking ORM process as is where you go. If your CO/XO is a stick in the mud, leave their ass at the admin and go with a better group.

My front office was usually leading the charge for the "big" night of port calls. It was nice to know that you could party your ass off and not be called on the carpet for routine shenagians. It was all good.

How can a group of aviators expect to fight as a team when we don't even allow ourselves to go out and drink as a team without fear of reprisal? It is a shame that many of our units now operate in that manner.

 

[A4sForever]

....How can a group of aviators expect to fight as a team when we don't even allow ourselves to go out and drink as a team without fear of reprisal?...

Boy, now ain't THAT the truth !!!

Especially when 12 of us ... that's as in a 'dozen' ... after drinking ourselves to hell & back ... woke up in the same bed (O.K. ... the mattress had been pulled onto the floor, so it was technically a king mattress/box spring) at the SIN ADMIN (SIN = Singapore ... how appropriately named) in the master bedroom ...

Since I was running the ADMIN, I insisted on my 'own' bed and adjoining room the following night ... it's just too hard to get a good night's sleep when you have to keep pushing Jim-Willie's arm off you ...

 

[Pugs]

Boy, now ain't THAT the truth !!!

Especially when 12 of us ... that's as in a 'dozen' ... after drinking ourselves to hell & back ... woke up in the same bed (O.K. ... the mattress had been pulled onto the floor, so it was technically a king mattress/box spring) at the SIN ADMIN (SIN = Singapore ... how appropriately named) in the master bedroom ...

Since I was running the ADMIN, I insisted on my 'own' bed and adjoining room the following night ... it's just too hard to get a good night's sleep when you have to keep pushing Jim-Willie's arm off you ...

Hmmm, that mirrors an experience of mine that I suspect was 20-ish years later in 91 in Rhodes Greece, we had a villa up on the hillside as an admin, good port call, very good, at the end of a six-pack cruise.

 

[Pags]

How's the Norfolk O club doing these days for Happy Hour? It seems to me the place has turned into an all hands and civilian buffet lunch establishment.

Doling out weak sauce. However, it is easily requested for functions if you plan more than 2hrs in advance. My squadron has used it for AOMs and other events such as a welcome home party for a pilot back from IA. Just had to call and let em know. No overhead on our part other than paying the tab. Nice deck too.

 

[MasterBates]

And some days, even when we crash it unannounced, they give us a couple pitchers on the patio.

At least they did when me and Squorch crashed it back in Feb-ish.

 

[Herc_Dude]

When someone calls for a JOPA lunch via email the location at Miramar goes without being said. Golf course. No one has even suggested the O Club. Only time I have been there is for mando fun a few times. Shame.

 

[Hozer]

I humbly submit that there's an entire generation of 0-5's who don't support the clubs. Not an indictment, I just don't see any of them there either. If they are there, it's because the Commodore is and as soon as he's gone, they're gone.

Oh well, one Friday at a time! See you there!:tongue2_1

 

[A4sForever]

I humbly submit that there's an entire generation of 0-5's who don't support the clubs. Not an indictment, I just don't see any of them there either. If they are there, it's because the Commodore is and as soon as he's gone, they're gone......

If you can't bring yourself to 'do it' because of career considerations ... what ARE you doing here, anyway -- in Naval Aviation???

Just waiting for retirement ... ??? How sad ...

E.O.D. .... and the defense rests.

 

[KBayDog]

When someone calls for a JOPA lunch via email the location at Miramar goes without being said. Golf course. No one has even suggested the O Club. Only time I have been there is for mando fun a few times. Shame.

What grinds my gears is how "O-Club" somehow means "Open Club." Not too long ago, when the golf course restaurant didn't exist (and because the SNCO club closed down), I could almost understand it becoming an all-hands place for lunch. As you pointed out, though, the Golf Course is now open (to anyone), and there is a brand-new SNCO club right next door. Why, then, are "all-hands" still allowed in the Officers' Club? I was there today (mainly to get out of the hanger for a bit) and saw numerous enlisted personnel eating lunch there, and not as guests of officers.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not being elitist (I have more than a few prior-enlisted years under my belt); I just don't like the blurring of the lines. If it is an Officers' Club, it should be a place for officers. I would never dream of going to the SNCO club to grab a bite to eat - the SNCO club is for SNCOs, and it would be inappropriate for me to impose on their territory.

As far as company grade tomfoolery at the NKX O-Club, it ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Sure, we occasionally get together for lunch, but none of us will even consider getting together for beers at the club. Not in this day and age. Considering that we live in a time where the chain of command (Group level and higher) seemingly gets a "Flash Report" every time someone farts, the risk outweighs the benefits. It just ain't worth it.

 

[xj220]

Well I'm game for a KNUW O-club revival if anyone else is interested. I'm still about two months out but I'm willing to hit it hard when I get there.