Air Force Dining-In And Dining-Out - Introduction

Air Force Dining-In And Dining-Out - IntroductionAir Force Dining-In And Dining-Out - IntroductionFormal military dinners are a tradition in all branches of the United States Armed services. In the Air Force and Navy, it is the dining-in in the Army, the Regimental Dinner in the Marine korporation and Coast Guard, Mess Night. As with fruchtwein ancient traditions, the origin of the dining-in is not clear. Formal dinners are rooted in antiquity. From pre-Christian Roman legionsto second century Viking warlords, to King Arthurs knights in the sixth century, feasts to honor military victories and individual and unit achievements have been a custom. Some trace the origins of the dining-in to the old English monasteries. The custom was then taken up by the early universities and eventually adopted by the military with the advent of the officers mess. With the adoption of the dining-in by the military, these dinners became more formalized. British soldiers brought the custom to colonial Am erica, where it was borrowed by George Washingtons continental army. The Air Force dining-in customprobably began in the 1930s with General H. Hap Arnolds wing-dings. The close bonds enjoyed by Air Corps officers and their British colleagues of the Royal Air Force during World War II surely added to the American involvement in the dining-in custom. The dining-in has served the Air Forcewell as an occasion for military members to meet socially at a formal military function. It enhances the esprit de corps of units, lightens the load of demanding day-to-day work, gives the commander an opportunity to meet socially with their subordinates and enables military members of all ranks to create bonds of friendship and better working relations through an atmosphere of good fellowship. The dining-in and dining-out represent the most formal aspects of Air Forcesocial life. The dining-in is the traditional form, and the term will be used throughout this document. However, most of the informatio n applies equally to both dinings-in and dinings-out. It is important for the success of a dining-in that members enjoy the evening, and that the ceremonies are done in a tasteful, dignified manner. A dining-in should have a theme around which the decorations and ceremony are built. The purpose of the dining-in is to bring together members of a unit in an atmosphere of camaraderie, good fellowship, and social rapport. The basic idea is to enjoy yourself and the company. The dining-in is also an excellent means of providing hail and farewell to members of a unit. It is an excellent forum to recognize individual and unit achievements. The dining-in, therefore, is very effective in building high morale and esprit de corps. Dining-in. The dining-in is a formal dinner for the members of a wing, unit, or organization. Although a dining-in is traditionally a unit function, attendance by other smaller units may be appropriate. Dining-out. The dining-out is a relatively new custom that inclu des spouses and guests. It is similar in all other respects to a dining-in. The dining-out is becoming increasingly popular with officers and enlistedmembers alike. Combat dining-in. The combat dining-in, the newest of the dining-in traditions, is becoming increasingly popular, especially in operational units. The format and sequence of events are built around the traditional dining-in, however, its far less formal atmosphere and combat dress requirements (flight-suit, BDUs) have made it very appealing to the masses. There is not a great deal written on the subject and the only limit seems to be that of the imagination of the planning committee. Dress. Officers wear the mess dress uniform. Retired officers may wear the mess dress or civilian attire. For enlisted members, mess dress or the semi-formal dress uniform is worn. For retired enlisted personnel, the mess dress, semi-formal dress, or civilian attire is appropriate. Refer to AFI 36-2903, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air F orce Personnel for appropriate wear instructions. Male civilians should wear appropriate black tie dinner dress. The proper dress for civilians should be clearly stated in the invitation. Key Players President. This officer is the central figure of the dining-in. Normally the commanderof the organization hosting the dining-in is the President. The President is charged with the overall responsibility of the dining-in. Specific duties of the president are as follows Oversee entire organization and operation of the dining-in.Appoint any or all of the following project officers.Vice PresidentArrangements OfficerMess OfficerEscort OfficersSecure an appropriate speaker, set the date, and determine location.Arrange for a chaplain to give the invocation.Greet all guests before dinner is served.Opening and closing of the mess. Many of the duties of the President are delegated to the arrangements officer who must work closely with the President to ensure the success of the dining-in. Vice President.The Vice President serves as the Presidents principal assistant. The Vice President is traditionally the most junior officer of the mess however, the President may select another member to serve in this demanding position. The success of the evening hinges largely on the imagination and humor of the Vice. Essentially a master or mistress of ceremonies and a toastmaster or toastmistress, Mister/Madam Vice keeps the program moving and stimulates table conversation through keen wit and impromptu speaking ability. The Vice President also notes and makes special mention of the violations of the rules of the mess and breaches of protocol and etiquette. Traditionally, the Vice President sits alone at the back of the dining room facing the President. This position allows them to observe the proceedings in order to monitor the flow of the program. Convenience and the physical layout of the dining area may dictate seating in another location however, the Vice President is never sea ted near or at the head table. it is essential that the Vice be totally familiar with the customs and traditions of the mess. Duties of the Vice President Open the lounge at the appointed time.Sound the dinner chimes at the appropriate time.Prepare appropriate toasts as directed by the President. The composition of appropriate poems or witticisms in good taste relating to personalities and organizations present is encouraged.Keeps the party moving, and is the last person to leave. Arrangements Officer.The Arrangements Officer is directly responsible to the commander for the comprehensive planning of the dining-in and for attending to the numerous details required for a successful event. The person selected for this task should be a top planner and supervisor, as the Arrangements Officer is the architect of the dining-in. The Arrangements Officer should not make any final decisions on major aspects of the dining-in without consulting the President. Duties of the Arrangements Officer After the facility has been reserved, establish the correct table and seating arrangement and arrange the necessary name and organization cards.Make sure that flags and any awards are in place before the opening of the lounge, unless posting of the colors is part of the planned ceremony.Arrange for a suitable public address system.A lighted lectern with a microphone should be provided for the convenience of the guest speaker and chaplain.Place dinner chimes at the Vices location.Arrange for a photographer if desired. Publish a detailed agenda and prepare a recommended guest list. Distribution and content should be determined by the president.Ensure hat/coat checker is available.After the dining-in, prepare letters of appreciation for the Presidents signature to the guest of honor and others who rendered service. Mess Officer.The Mess Officer is an optional player, however, it may be very useful to appoint one. Once preliminary decisions are made concerning the facilities which will be used for the event, the Mess Officer may take over all responsibilities associated with the dining facility. Protocol Officer.The Protocol Officers duties Ensure formal invitations to all guests are mailed out at least four weeks prior to the event.Establish procedures for taking RSVPs.Make necessary billeting and transportation arrangements.Assist in determining the seating arrangement for the head table.Brief the escort officers on specific protocol requirements relating to the guests.Prior to the event, ensure biographical sketches of guests are distributed to the President, Vice, and other interested parties.Ensure a parking plan has been established. Assist escort officers as required.Advise and assist with flag arrangements. Escort Officers.One escort officer should be appointed for each official and personal guest. Duties of the Escort Officer Contact the guest in advance to discuss dress, location, meeting point, and composition of the audience.If the guests are from out of town, meet them at their initial arrival point and arrange for transportation and accommodations during their stay.Meet and escort the guest into the lounge.Brief the guest on the customs, courtesies, rules, and procedures of the dining-in.Make sure the guest is properly introduced to as many members of the mess as possible.Ensure the guest is always in the company of several members of the mess, yet take care that no individual or group monopolizes the guest. Upon the guests departure, escort the guest to the point of departure and bid farewell on behalf of all members of the mess. Guest Speaker.The guest speakers presentation is the traditional highlight of the evening. By custom, the speaker should be distinguished either as a military officer or official of the government. The speaker should be contacted well in advance and advised of the nature of the evening. Arrangements should be made for them and other invited guests as protocol and custom dictate. Introduction of the gu est speaker should avoid remarks too flattering or too lengthy. The speakers ability will be evident. Planning Considerations Start early. Two or three months should be considered a safe time to start. Set a firm date, location, and general action plan. It is a good idea to appoint a planning committee chaired by the Arrangements Officer. The size of the committee generally depends on the magnitude of the function. A potential committee includes members responsible for the following RecorderFinanceInvitations and reservationsFood and beveragesDecorationsPublicity The people appointed as committee members must be motivated and action-oriented. The best approach for appointing committee members is to draft a letter for the Presidents (Commanders) signature. Where possible, select committee members who have expertise in the area of their responsibility. The following is a general list of some of the more important committee tasks Setting date and locationChoosing a guest speakerPre paring and sending invitations to senior officials and guestsPreparing place cardsProviding suitable appropriate musicDeveloping a menu, including wine selectionProviding seating arrangementsPlanning for decorationsDeveloping a programEnsuring suitable financial planning is doneEnsuring adequate bartenders are availableAdequate Photo supportChaplainGift for speakerSite inspection Continued in Part II Conducting the Dining In Above Information Courtesy of theUnited States Air Force Academy?

7 Ways Your Résumé and LinkedIn Profile Should Differ

7 Ways Your Rsum and LinkedIn Profile Should Differ7 Ways Your Rsum and LinkedIn Profile Should DifferAt the core of your LinkedIn experience is your profile. As you complete it, you are prompted to include information for all of your educational background as well as companies and positions that youve held over the course of your career. Sounds pretty much like a rsum, right? Not so much.LinkedIn is evolving and if you are a savvy job hunter, you will seize the opportunity to utilize its new features to your advantage.When looking for a new job, you might be tempted to choose the easy way of simply cutting one section of a rsum after another and pasting them in turn into the corresponding spot on your profile. However, doing this demonstrates a failure to understand what social media is all about, and limits the information about yourself that you can convey. Both your rsum and LinkedIn profile speak about you, but they do so in at least seven different ways1. Rsums are limited in l ength to a page or two. Meanwhile, on LinkedIn you can use a personal branding statement thats up to 2000 characters in your profile summary. Plus there is no overall constraint for the total length of your profile.2. The etiquette of how you present yourself in these two media sharply differs. Rsums are formal documents for instance, you would never see the pronoun I in a well-written rsum. While you should view LinkedIn as a business site, it is social. Rather than you conveying information to your reader, social media is about two-way communication. It is beneficial to be personable, if not personal, and that includes commonly speaking about yourself in the first person.3. A well-crafted rsum will be tightly worded, conveying a story in just a very few lines. STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) bulleted points, or something close to them, is the expected norm. Although you might include a link to something online, your rsum remains simply a text document.On LinkedIn, your lan guage should be much less formal, and you can ditch the STAR format. Demonstrate your accomplishments by including multiple forms of media both in your profile summary and tied to any relevant position you list. Depending on your profession, you might include a PowerPoint financial presentation, a portfolio of your art, pictures of your work product, a portable document format eBook, videos or links with an explanation to whatever you wish.4. Typically you send your rsum out on a targeted basis to recruiters or companies at which you want to be considered. On LinkedIn, your profile is searchable and thereby becomes bait, making you findable by anyone seeking to develop a targeted candidate pool of people like you. Positions which you had no idea existed can thereby be brought to your attention. Rather than trying to create a document appropriate for a job, online you can provide a more rounded view of your interests, knowledge and activities.5. Once you complete your rsum, you will continue to tailor it to mirror the priorities of any particular position. Still, it is a completely finished document for whomever you submit it to whenever you hit send.By comparison, your LinkedIn profile grows organically each time you include a new skill, accomplishment, share information or engage in various other types of LinkedIn activities. When someone comes back to your profile time after time, what he or she sees will be somewhat different if you take care to keep it up to date.6. Generally, you shouldnt include a picture on a rsum. But a close in headshot is now expected for an optimized LinkedIn profile. Again, LinkedIn is about building relationships with real people with real faces.7. Your rsum is about the past. Your profile, while also conveying your prior professional history and accomplishments, is ultimately about the present and future.The status updates that you post become a part of your profile. They need not be limited to accomplishments, but can include ar ticles you find of interest, references to events you plan to attend, and more. Also, LinkedIn now allows hashtags, which makes your updates easier for others to find. You can also include rich media such as pictures, e-Books, links to other articles or sites, etc.When you send a rsum into an employer, it might just sit there until someone happens on it. But each time you post an update on LinkedIn, it is shared with all your first-degree connections, plus you can also opt to have them appear on your Twitter feed and more. You can thereby put yourself in front of your audience repeatedly.Often, even if a recruiter or menschenfreundlich resources professional has your rsum in hand, they will still check out your profile to learn more about you to determine if they would like to initiate a conversation with you. LinkedIns new features enable your profile to shine in ways far beyond a rsums capabilities. When you take advantage of them, youll be able to demonstrate very clearly the val ue you bring to any employer lucky enough to find and woo you.Happy huntingArnie Fertig is the head coach of JOBHUNTERCOACH.COM, where he utilizes his extensive background in HR Staffing and as owner of a recruiting company to help mid-career job-hunters land their next job. Arnie provides one-to-one coaching services to individuals throughout the U.S. in all aspects of the job hunt, including resume writing, personal branding, utilizing social media, enhancing networking skills, preparing for interviews, and negotiating compensation.

Hospital Corpsman (HM) Navy Enlisted Rating

Hospital Corpsman (HM) Navy Enlisted RatingHospital Corpsman (HM) Navy Enlisted RatingIn the Navy (as well as the Marine Corps), NavyHospital Corpsmen (HM) are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Most are nicknamed Doc as an informal way to address the medically trained member in your unit. Though they have more education and training than the basic EMT, they also perform duties as assistants in the prevention and treatment of disease and injury and assist health care professionals in providing medical care to Navy people and their families. Many have higher functions as clinical or specialty technicians, medical administrative personnel, and health care providers at medical treatment facilities. HMs also serve as battlefield corpsmen with the Marine Corps and Special Operations Units, rendering emergency medical treatment to include anfangsbuchstabe treatment in a combat environment. Qualified hospital corpsmen may be assigned the responsibility of independent duty amainboard ship s and submarines, Fleet Marine Force, Special Forces and Seabee units, and at isolated duty stations where no medical officer is available. List of Many of the Duties of the Corpsman If you are considering becoming a medic in the Navy, you will be trained and required to perform most of these tasks maintaining treatment records and reportscaring for sick and injureddeploy on ship, submarines, aircraft commandssupervising preventive medicine programssupervising air, water, food, and habitability standardsperforming clinical laboratory tests and operating sophisticated laboratory equipmenttaking and processing X-rays and operating X-ray equipmentfilling prescriptions, maintaining pharmacy stockassisting in prevention and treatment of disease and injuriesadministering immunization programsrendering emergency medical treatment instructing sailors and marines in first aid, self-aid, and personal hygiene procedurestransporting the sick and injuredconducting preliminary physical examin ationsperforming medical administrative, supply, and accounting proceduresserving as operating room technicians for general and specialized surgeryperforming preventive maintenance and repairs on biomedical equipment Working Environment Hospital corpsmen work in a variety of environments. Most HMs works indoors in hospitals or clinics. Others work aboard ships and submarines with air squadrons, special operational environments (e.g., SEAL, Recon Forces, Seabee units, and Deep-sea Diving). In the Navy, Corpsman will become Navy SEALs or Divers attending Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training or Navy Dive and Salvage School to be the medical professional in those commands. To become a USMC RECON corpsman, you also have to graduate the Basic RECON Course and attend theSpecial Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) Course which is a 36-week program. Sailors in the HM community can expect 36-month sea tours followed by 36-month shore tours except for those with NECs that are shore-intensi ve. Those with operational extensive NECs can expect longer sea tour lengths. Women are assigned to most ships and field medical support units of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). Women corpsmen are not assigned as SEALs, RECON, and otherunits of the FMF at this time. A-School Information and Requirements A-School is in Great Lakes and lasts 96 days. The school teaches basic principles and techniques of patient care and first aid procedures through group and modular instruction. After completion of A school, hospital corpsmen are normally assigned to Navy medical treatment facilities, although some are assigned to operational units. Advanced training in a C school, a tour at sea or ashore, overseas, or with the Marine Corps may follow this initial tour. The HM field has several sub-specialties in which personnel may request advanced C school training. ASVAB Score Requirement VEMKGS146 Security Clearance Requirement None (Note Some special ops assignments may require a Security Clear ance) Other Requirements Applicants must be informed that they will be assigned to duties involving direct patient care and clinical services.Male applicants must be informed that they may be assigned to the Fleet Marine Force for duty.60-month service obligation is required.A licensed physician or dentist licensed or graduate of the medical or dental school in any country is not eligible for this rating.No history of drug abuse or commission of offenses involving alcohol, narcotics, or other controlled substances with the exception of the experimental or casual use of marijuana. Applicants must be of the highest standards as requirements are strictly adhered to before accession into the HM community. The Navy Hospital Corpsman not only care for the military members in their unit but in Navy Medical Centers, they also see dependents (wives, husbands, children) and retirees. Giving fellow service members and their families preventive and emergency health care is a calling and a p rofession you can be proud of doing for a career. The Navy Corpsman will also take part in relief missions, providing aid for hurricane or earthquake victims usually on board the U.S. Naval Ships Mercy and Comfort.