Dining In - Fall 2013

On Friday November 15, all cadre and cadets University of Minnesota’s AFROTC Detachment 415 joined together for their annual Dining In event.  We all met at the Fort Snelling Officer’s Club in St. Paul for dinner, speakers and good times.  Dining In is a tradition of the Air Force that represents the most formal aspects of Air Force social life.  It is a very old tradition that can be traced back centuries to celebrate military victory and individual achievements. 

The night started out with an introductory social hour where cadre, cadets and our guests had chance to acquaint themselves in a new environment.  It was a great opportunity for the GMC to get to know POC and cadre in a more relaxed environment.  As expected, our special guest, Brigadier General Robert F. Cayton was very popular with all the cadets.  Everyone wanted to introduce themselves and shake his hand before the proceeds of the night began.  After a semester of hard work, it was very fulfilling to have a great time with the people you spent so much time with in the classroom and in training.  For some, it would be their last Dining-In as a cadet. 

 As the mess opened, several ceremonies and procedures followed.  We welcomed the head table with General Cayton, Colonel Hoopes, and our Cadet Staff.  Cadet Gulsvig and Cadet Hash sang a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem followed by invocation.  Our detachment’s Arnold Air Society then carried out a POW/MIA Ceremony led by Cadet Krapf.  Toasts proceeded followed by dinner.  We had a delicious dinner prepared by the Fort Snelling Officer Club.  This was our chance to reward ourselves after all the hard work at PT this semester.  Dinner was followed by opening of the grog.  Cadets prepared rhymes calling out other cadets.  They had a chance to send a rebuttal but the President of the Mess, Cadet Tietz, had the final say.  The loser was sent to the Grog to take a glass of unsavory liquids, and toast, “To the Mess!”  It was difficult to escape the wrath of the Grog this year. 

 As the Grog closed we had awards for the detachment, from the best group centerpiece to the most plates consumed at dinner that night.  We then welcomed General Cayton to the mic for his motivational speech to our detachment.  He spoke about the riveting story of Captain Lance Sijanin, a POW in the Vietnam War, and how it applied to being a leader.  Speaking for the Cadet Wing, we really took a lot from his meaningful words that night.  It was an honor to have him as our guest for Dining In.  The night closed with some final words from the cadre and cadet staff.  Dancing proceeded after to top off the successful fall 2013 Dining In.  It was a great night for our guests, the cadre and cadet wing. The night really brought a lot of people closer in our Air Force family and was truly a great night to be a future Airmen.

-Cadet Wolsky