Civil Air Patrol Lehigh Valley Composite Squadron 805 held its first Dining-Out event April 15 at Northern Valley Reception Center, Coplay, to recognize achievement of cadets and honor its history with the U.S. Air Force. The event was attended by some 60 cadets, senior cadets, commanders and family members.

Col. Thomas J. James, commander, 111th Air Operations Group, 111th Attack Wing, Horsham Air Guard Station; Brian Craig, representative for U.S. Congressman Charlie Dent and an imagery analyst for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard; and Lt. Col. Kevin Berry, deputy commander of Pennsylvania Wing of Civil Air Patrol, were featured speakers at the event.

The Squadron 805 received Squadron of the Year Award for Northeast Pennsylvania Group 4. Former cadet commander Cadet 1st Lt. Alex Pantaleo of Bethlehem and current Cadet Commander Cadet CMsgt. Nate Starett of Palmerton received an award for their outstanding work and contribution to the squadron. Cadet Staff Sgt. Justin Sikorsky of Palmerton was named Cadet of the Year.

Formal military dinners are a tradition in all branches of the U.S. Armed Services and represent the most formal aspects of Air Force social life.

The Air Force Dining-Out event is believed to have originated with General Henry “Hap” Arnold at March Air Force Base in 1930, but its origins are deeper than that. Arnold was impressed with the British traditions of mess rules, out of which evolved the formal Dining-Out. Some of these customs were clearly intended to have a restraining influence upon the conduct of young and junior officers.

The purpose of the Dining-Out event is to bring together members of a unit and their families in an atmosphere of camaraderie, good fellowship and social rapport. Its attendees are referred to as “the Mess.” The event provides an opportunity to recognize individuals and unit achievements. While the dinner function follows prescribed rules, the latter part of the evening is designed to further comradeship and esprit-de-corps.

In accordance with tradition and Dining-Out protocol, there is a strict, yet fun, set of guidelines everyone in attendance should know about, known as the Rules of the Mess. For example, rule No. 1 is “thou shalt not be late.” If a member violates this or any of the rules of the mess, they might be required to sing a song, tell a joke or get sent to the Grog Bowl.

The tradition of drinking grog originated with the British Navy. In Civil Air Patrol, all grogs are nonalcoholic.

Civil Air Patrol, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force, which consists of regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, along with Air Force retired military and civilian employees. Civil Air Patrol, in its Total Force role, operates a fleet of 550 aircraft and performs about 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the center with saving an average of 78 lives annually.

Civil Air Patrol’s 56,000 members nationwide also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. Its members additionally play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 24,000 young people currently participating in the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program.

Performing missions for America for the past 75 years, Civil Air Patrol received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014 in honor of the heroic efforts of its World War II veterans. The patrol also participates in Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of U.S. military veterans. Visit capvolunteernow.com for more information.