Every year, the military branches host a formal gala referred to as a military ball. In some cases, the balls are to celebrate the branch's birthday, but not always. In all cases, the ball is an opportunity for service members to honor and celebrate their military heritage.
During a Military Ball attendees honor Prisoners of War and Soldiers Missing in Action, give toasts to military leaders, and uphold traditional military customs.
For some branches, attending the ball is mandatory, even if you don't have a date. There is usually a table full of guys and gals without dates. Don't judge—some unmarried service members have significant others who live far away.
As mentioned above, a military ball is a formal celebration. It is held by each service branch. Hence, there are 5 military balls a year — The formal Army ball, the formal Marine Corps ball, the formal Navy ball, the formal Air Force ball, and the formal Coast Guard ball.
At least once a year each military branch hosts a formal military ball in which spouses can attend. It's an exciting time for military communities to get together, but often times, spouses get anxious about what to expect as they honorably represent their service member.
A lot of different people are invited to or attend military balls. Let's start with the most obvious attendees on the guest list. The unit or organization hosting the ball will invite all of its service members. Unless specified, everyone in the unit is invited and allowed to bring a guest.
Can girlfriends stay on an army base? No they cannot. Only family (spouse and children, not parents, siblings) can stay on the base if the military member has authorization for it and housing is available.
For the military, condoms can be ordered through your supply chain. Order a box and leave them for your battle buddies by the Staff Duty Officer. Male condoms are made of natural skin, latex or polyurethane (plastic).
Do not expect or offer public displays of affection whenever a service member is in uniform. However, brief kisses and hugs are acceptable during deployments and homecomings. Eating, drinking, using a cellphone and smoking while walking is generally banned in uniform.
For decades, U.S. military leaders have prohibited service members from growing beards, arguing that facial hair not only disrupts a clean, professional appearance, but also interferes with the seal of a gas mask, oxygen mask or other devices that service members wear to survive hazardous environments.
Female service members will wear a 'mess dress' or other appropriate version of their service dress uniform. Some however, may elect to wear full-length evening gown or cocktail dress. They will receive guidance from their command on which is allowed.
The annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball is a celebration of Marine Corps history and traditions. It represents where the Marine Corps started and where it is now; while giving us a glimpse of the past, present and future.
The Marine Corps Ball is a formal event by invitation only. Unlike some other branches, all active-duty Marines are expected to attend their units ball.
Marine Corps Ball History
The Marine Corps Ball is an event Marines and their loved ones look forward to every year. Since 1921, the Corps has celebrated their birthday and honored the legacy of the U.S. Marine Corps at the Marine Corps Ball.
This is not acceptable dress for this event. You will be allowed to change out of uniforms and formal wear for the dance. Must I have a date? - It is not necessary to have a date to attend the Military Ball. It is perfectly acceptable to come by yourself and meet with other friends at the ball.
PDA. Because members are required to maintain professionalism in uniform, personal displays of affection are typically frowned upon except in certain situations. For instance, moderate kissing and hugging is acceptable when there's a homecoming or deployment.
Everyone in your barracks will enter the shower room assigned to your barracks when commanded. The shower area is one large tiled room with multiple shower heads along the walls. Your instructor will give you a time limit for your shower and tell you when you may take your shower during the day or night.
AR 670-1. paragraph 3-6(d) Soldiers will not walk while engaged in activities that would interfere with the hand salute and greeting of the day or detract from a professional image. Examples include, but are not limited to, walking while eating, using electronic devices, or smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.
But that wasn't quite bold enough for one CIA operative, who drew up a plan to also have packets of extra-large condoms, labelled only “small” or “medium”, dropped on Communist nations. The idea literally was to lower their morale by implying the Capitalist Yanks were incredibly well-endowed.
Can You Get Pregnant in the Military? Yes! Each branch of the military has slightly different regulations regarding getting pregnant in the military, but you will not be discharged or reprimanded simply for becoming pregnant during service.
Bases have stores with menstrual products available.
Many troops live on them—sometimes with their families! —so there are restaurants, post offices, and stores known as “exchanges” that sell hygiene products (among other things), including tampons and sanitary pads.
Access to commissaries and exchanges. Free gyms, libraries and other recreation opportunities. Free tax services. Free, confidential non-medical counseling services.
In the U.S., nearly all barracks are coed, though individual bedrooms are still segregated. Once you are deployed, however, men and women often share the same quarters, especially if the base is in a remote location like Afghanistan.
It's normal to be confused about how the whole military lifestyle really works, especially if you're a new military boyfriend or girlfriend. Military relationships are fun, hard, interesting, challenging, and most of all, rewarding. No matter how foreign this all is, just know you don't have to struggle alone.