Grissom readies for fun and frivolity with combat dining in!

  • Published
  • By Douglas Hays
  • 434th ARW Public Affairs
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. --  Uniform….check! Face paint….check! Water pistol….check! Wait, water pistol?

The 434th Air Refueling Wing is hosting a combat dining beginning at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 4, 2018 in Dock 6.

“We work hard here at Grissom, and this is an opportunity for us to play hard too,” said Col. Larry Shaw, 434th Air Refueling Wing commander. “I’m really stoked about this event!

While it’s been a while since Grissom hosted an event like this, other Air Force units have done similar events in recent years.

The event coordinator, Master Sgt. Stacie Crama, 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant, has experienced such events and couldn’t wait to bring that fun to Grissom.

“With deployments and exercises, I thought this was a great way for us get together and enjoy each other’s company and go into things with a certain camaraderie,” Crama said. “It’s a good way to bond together and get to know each other in a different light.”

Like any military function there are rules to be followed, and consequences if those rules aren’t followed.

Specially concocted charged and uncharged grog bowls will be on hand for those who are called out for infractions.

In addition an obstacle course will be in play.

“People will be issued AF Form 341s and if they commit an infraction, and that form will be pulled sending the violator to the ‘vice/versa’ table where they may be directed to run the gauntlet of the obstacle course before winding up at the grog bowls,” Crama said.

To keep things interesting the rules aren’t being distributed in advance.

“We want to keep things fun and free flowing, so the rules won’t be available until the event,” she said.

The dining in differs from a dining out in that they are normally only open to the military members.

Grissom is adapting that rule to allow military and Department of Defense civilians on base to attend.

“Our DoD civilians are a vital part of our mission,” Shaw said. “I want them to be a part of this great event as well because without them we couldn’t get the job done.”

Tickets are $15 and available for purchase from first sergeants. They will also be on sale at the dining facility in July.

Before ‘engaging’ festivities begin, dinner will be served, and a guest speaker will make some remarks. The guest speaker for the event is Maj. Gen. Kenneth Lewis Jr., director of air space and information operations for Air Force Reserve Command.

Dress for the event, is pretty much any combination of past and present uniforms – and modifications are permitted.

“We are not holding people to the normal uniform standards,” Crama said.

“This is a great opportunity to build camaraderie and spend time together,” Shaw said. “I want people to enjoy themselves, but I want them to be safe and respectful too. In the end we’re all on the same team, but a little light-hearted fun is good in maintaining a close knit family like ours.”

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. The Citizen Airmen from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

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