Mess


The mess is a designated area where military personnel socialize, eat and live. The term is also used to indicate the groups of military personnel who belong to separate messes, such as the officers' mess, the chief petty officer mess, and the enlisted mess. In some civilian societies this military usage has been extended to the eating arrangements of other disciplined services such as fire fighting and police forces.
The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food", drawn from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send" and "to put", the original sense being "a course of a meal put on the table"; cfr. also the modern Italian portata with the same meaning, past participle of portare, to bring. This sense of mess, which appeared in English in the 13th century, was often used for cooked or liquid dishes in particular, as in the "mess of pottage" or Eton mess.

Canada

Messing in the Canadian Armed Forces generally follows the British model, from which most traditions have descended. Basic regulations regarding the establishment and administration of messes is contained in the King's Regulations and Orders and the Canadian Forces Administrative Orders.
As in the British Forces, there are normally three messes: the officers' mess, for commissioned officers and officer cadets; the warrant officers' and sergeants' mess, for senior non-commissioned officers and warrant officers; and the junior ranks mess, for junior non-commissioned officers, privates, and seamen. Some bases, such as CFB Kingston in the 1980s, had a master corporals' mess separate from the junior ranks'; all of these, with the exception of the CFB Valcartier master corporals' mess, have been amalgamated with the junior ranks' messes. Certain other bases, mainly training establishments such as HMCS Venture have messes known as the gun room for the use of subordinate officers.
Most bases and stations have three messes. Many of these establishments have lodger units who also have their own messes. All of His Majesty's Canadian ships have three messes aboard; this extends to Naval Reserve divisions and other naval shore establishments which bear the title HMCS. Due to limited budgets and declining revenues, many messes have been forced to close or amalgamate: for example, at CFS St. John's, the junior ranks' mess of the Newfoundland Militia District closed, its members moving to the station's junior ranks'; the station's officers' mess and warrant officers' and sergeants' mess later amalgamated.
Headdress is not worn in Canadian messes, except:
  • by personnel on duty, such as a duty or watch officer, or the military police;
  • as permitted on special occasions, such as during costume parties, theme events, etc.;
  • by personnel for whom wearing headgear is mandatory.
All Canadian Forces personnel, regular and reserve, must belong to a mess, and are termed ordinary members of their particular mess. Although normally on federal property, messes have been ordered to comply with the legal drinking age laws of their province; for example, an 18-year-old soldier may legally consume alcohol in a Quebec mess, but not in one in Ontario, where the legal age is 19 years. However, despite being underage, the soldier may not be prohibited entry into the mess.
Canadian Forces personnel are normally welcome in any mess of their appropriate rank group, regardless of element; thus a regimental sergeant-major of an infantry battalion is welcome in a chiefs' and petty officers' mess. Personnel of a different rank must ask for permission to enter; that may be granted by the president of the mess committee, his designate, or the senior member present.
These restrictions are normally waived on certain special occasions, when the messes are "opened" to all personnel, regardless of rank. These occasions may include ::
The commanding officer of the establishment or unit that owns the mess is permitted access to all his messes; thus a ship's captain has access to the vessel's chiefs' and petty officers' mess, the commanding officer of a regiment may enter any of the regimental messes, and the base commander is welcome in any of the base's messes. In practice, commanding officers rarely enter anything other than the officers' mess unless invited, as a point of etiquette. In addition, duty personnel — such as a duty NCO or officer of the watch — or the military police have access to any and all messes for the purposes of maintaining good order and discipline. Chaplains are usually welcomed in all messes.
As in the UK, Canadian messes are run by the mess committee, a group democratically elected by the members of the mess. One exception is on warships, where the president of the junior ranks mess is appointed by the commanding officer. The committee members are generally the same as those of their British counterparts, with the addition of special representatives for such things as sports, housing, morale, etc. These positions are normally spelled out in the mess constitution, which sets out the bylaws, regulations, and guidelines for such things as conduct of mess meetings, associate memberships, dress regulations within the mess, or booking of the mess by civilian organizations. The constitution and any amendments are voted upon by the members of the mess.

Germany

The Federal German Armed Forces differentiates between three different mess areas.
1. HBG - More commonly called Enlisted Mess : it is common for most bases to have one, where food and drink can be purchased. Newspapers and in some cases equipment and souvenirs such as key chains may also be available. There is generally no strict regulation of conduct, even though access is not limited to enlisted personnel, and NCOs or officers may also be present, ensuring some regulation of conduct.
2. UHG - also called UK - Non-commissioned Officers' Mess: this is the area where NCOs can dine or spend their evenings. As opposed to the HBG, the UHG has a constitution, bylaws and a board. Access is usually restricted to NCOs, while officers can gain entry, even though it is usually frowned upon by the NCOs. Some bases have a joint NCOs' and Officers' Mess.
3. OHG - Also called Casino. Much like the UHG, the Kasino also has a constitution, bylaws and a board. Gentlemanly conduct is mandatory: for instance upon entering the main hall, officers are expected to stand at attention and perform a small bow. Additionally, veterans' meetings are usually held either in a UHG or in a Kasino. As with the UHG, Kasinos have permanent personnel, as a general rule enlisted men, called Ordonnanzen, a military term for waiter or barman. Some Kasinos have grand pianos, and hold recitals, as well as having music played during luncheons or dinners. Official events such as balls and unofficial events such as weddings, informational events and the like, are held here.
The German Navy call their messes Messen, with the distinction Offiziermesse. The land-based messes are also called Offiziermessen.

India

The Indian Army follows a system similar to the British. A typical regiment/unit would have one mess and two clubs, one for the commissioned officers, club for the Junior Commissioned Officers and one for the NCOs. Havildars/Daffadars are considered to be NCOs. The Air Force, however has an SNCO mess for Warrant Officers and sergeants, while lower-ranking NCOs would be members of the NCO's mess.
In the officer's mess and the JCO's club, there also is rank of Mess Havildar. A Mess Havildar is a senior NCO who manages and executes the day-to-day activities of the mess/club.
On Republic Day the JCOs are formally invited for cocktails at the Officers mess. This is reciprocated on Independence Day by the JCOs at the JCOs Club.
The term mess is also used for South Indian restaurants that serve meals.

Israel

In the Israeli Navy, although Hebrew speaking, dining rooms on missile ships, Dolphin submarines, and the kitchen in the patrol boats are named Messes, Crew Mess and Officers' Mess. Also, every special meal brought by a crewmember, like celebrating a birthday or a rank promotion, is called Mess.

United Kingdom

On a naval or military establishment there are usually two or three messes:
Officers and SNCOs are required under King's Regulations to be a member of a mess and unmarried members usually live, eat, and socialise in them. Members of the Officers’ and SNCO mess are also required to pay a subscription fee for supplies and upkeep. The amount is decided upon by the commanding officer within the limits stipulated by the Regulations.
Soldiers, sailors or airmen are welcome in any mess for their rank or equivalent, should they be away from their home unit, as long as they are paying dues in at least one mess. For the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess the highest ranking member is known as the Presiding Member.
A mess is run by the Mess Committee, a group democratically elected by the members of the mess, but normally agreed by the commanding officer or regimental sergeant major.
  1. President Mess Committee - or Chairman of the Mess Committee
  2. Vice President of the Mess Committee, who is responsible for toasts during mess dinners. He or she is rarely the deputy of the PMC but instead the most junior person in the mess.
  3. Secretary, who handles the administration of the committee whose purview usually also includes handling correspondence on behalf of the mess and keeping records and minutes of mess meetings, updating documentation and involvement with the arrangements and logistics for mess events.
  4. Treasurer, who handles the financial affairs/records of the mess, where there is a member of the mess who runs the pay/accounts office of the unit, they would usually be appointed to this role and carry out the duties of treasurer.
  5. Wines Member, who is responsible for keeping the bar stocked.
  6. House/Properties Member, who is responsible for furniture and infrastructure.
  7. Entertainments Member, who is typically responsible for formulating the social calendar and promoting special events or parties in the mess, as-well as coordinating social events as directed by the Mess Committee.
Some messes also have a Senior Living-In Member who represents the living-in members and supervises their conduct.
The commanding officer of the unit has right of veto over the mess, and any changes or events must have his approval. The CO is allowed into any mess, but it is often considered an abuse of power, unbecoming conduct or disturbing the order for a CO to drink in a lower rank mess, except when invited on special occasions.
The Officers' Mess in a Royal Navy ship or base is called the wardroom. Associated with the wardroom is a gunroom, the mess for midshipmen and occasionally junior sub-lieutenants. The captain of a vessel is not normally a member of the wardroom, which is always run by the first lieutenant or executive officer, thereby known as the Mess President. This post is part of the job of being a ship's XO. Other committee members are generally appointed by the XO.
Mess dress is the military term for the formal evening dress worn in the mess or at other formal occasions. It is also known as mess kit. Mess dress would be worn at occasions requiring white tie or black tie.