Dining in is a formal military ceremony for members of a company or other unit, which includes a dinner, drinking, and other events to foster camaraderie and esprit de corps.
The United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, and the United States Air Force refer to this event as a dining in or dining-in. The United States Marine Corps refers to it as mess night. Other names include regimental dinner, guest night, formal mess dinner, and band night.
The dining in is a formal event for all unit members, male and female; though some specialized mess nights can be officer- or enlisted-only. The unit chaplain is usually also invited, if an invocation is needed. A unit's dining-in consists of only the members of the unit, with the possible exception of the guest(s) of honor. An optional formal dinner, known as the dining-out may include spouses and other guests. The dining-out follows the same basic rules of the dining-in, but is often tailored to minimize some of the military traditions and be more approachable to civilian guests.
History
The practice of dining in is thought to have formally begun in sixteenth-century England, in monasteries and universities; though some records indicate that militaries have held formal dinners as far back as the Roman Legions. The Vikings held formal ceremonies to honor and celebrate battles and heroes. During the eighteenth century, the British Army incorporated the practice of formal dining into their regimental mess system. Customs and rules of the mess were soon institutionalized rules, known as the "Queen's Regulations". The mess night or "Dining in" became a tradition in all British regiments. The Americans, taking many of their traditions from the British military, held mess nights in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, but the tradition waned after the Civil War.
Dining in took a temporary halt in the Navy and Marine Corps when Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels imposed prohibition of alcoholic drink, but soon the tradition was restored. During World War II, the custom was revived in the U.S. military, initially in the US Army Air Forces 8th Air Force, which was based in Britain. AAF Officers were invited to participate in British military hosted Mess Nights and then were obligated to reciprocate.
British traditions
Formal functions
A formal function is one at which all mess members may be required to attend and service personnel are on official duty.
The entitlements for official functions are:
Officers' Mess
12 Formal Functions per annum. Generally these are 2 x seasonal balls and 10 x other functions (e.g. Mess Dinners) as agreed by mess committees.
Warrant Officers' and Senior Rates/Sergeants' Mess
6 Formal Functions per annum. Generally these are 2 x seasonal balls and 4 x other functions (e.g. Mess Dinners) as agreed by mess committees.
Loyal Toast
The port
decanters are to be placed at pre-determined places and in front of the President and Vice President. The President and Vice President will remove the stoppers simultaneously and pass the decanters in a clockwise direction/to the left. Wine stewards are to follow the decanters round the table with a jug of water, filling the glass of any diner who declines port or madeira. The glasses of the President and Vice President will be filled last, after which they are to re-stop the decanters. All stewards may then be required to leave the dining room before the President calls upon the Vice President to propose the Loyal Toast. Whilst personnel of the Army and Royal Air Force (RAF) stand for the Loyal Toast, those in the Royal Navy (RN) remain seated. While passing the port, RN Senior Rates traditionally ensure the decanter does not leave the table, typically by tipping the decanter to fill a glass held below the table edge, before sliding it to the next guest. In the RAF, it is passed from hand to hand without touching the table. In the Army, it will depend on the traditions of the regiment.
Army
By the late 18th century, the British Army's "mess night" developed formal rules, as a result of troops being stationed in remote areas. Officers elected mess committees to conduct their meals. Towards the latter part of the 19th century, attending officers were expected to adhere to the rigid etiquette of Victorian-era society.
In modern times it is sometimes known as a "regimental dinner".