Table decorum
From USAFA Folklore
Basic cadets and fourth class cadets have been expected to exercise a strict table decorum while at meals.
Contents |
[edit] Sitting at the Table
Fourth class/basic cadets sitting at the table are expected to:
- Sit at a modified position of attention: feet flat on the floor, head and back erect, shoulders back and down, elbows pinned to sides
- Sit on the front third of the chair, napkin in lap
- Position their plates 1" from the edge of the table with the eagle at the 12-o'clock position
- Focus their eyes on the eagle unless speaking or being spoken to
- Have two glasses, one with milk, one with juice or water, touching each other and both flush with the top of the plate, with the clearer beverage to the left
- Keep utensils next to the plate, or grounded on the plate from 12:00 to 3:00 if they have been used
[edit] Serving Food
After the command "Wing, take seats" is given, the waiters very quickly unload their carts of family sized serving pans of food to the basic cadets or fourth class cadets at the end of the table. The basic cadets and fourth class cadets then pass the food to the table commandant, saying "(Food item) please sir/ma'am" as each item is passed. All items must be passed across the body--for instance, using one's left hand to pass a dish to or receive a dish from the right.
After the table commandant takes her serving, the pan is passed back down the table, with each cadet serving himself, until the pan reaches the fourth class cadets again. Once the food has been served to all cadets at the table, the basic cadets or fourth class cadets either keep the remainders at their end of the table or seek additional portions from the waiters. Many waiters were very sympathetic to the plight of basic cadets and fourth class cadets and seemed to know just when to have that extra pan of food ready.
[edit] Eating
- Eventually it became a policy that all basics/smacks start eating at the same time, normally by raising their glasses and taking a sip of juice or milk simultaneously.
- Basics/smacks may take no more than seven chews with each bite of food, to be able to respond quickly to any comments or questions.
[edit] Requesting Food Items
If a basic cadet or fourth class cadet wished to eat any item of food on the table (or wanted seconds of a food item), the smack would ask the table commandant: "Cadet (Name), Sir (Ma'am) do you or anyone else at the table care for a serving (or another serving) of (Food Item)?" If the table commandant said, "No, go ahead," the basic cadet or fourth class cadet would then say "[Food Item], please" and his or her classmates would pass it. If the table commandant wanted some of the food item, it would be passed to him or her first and then to all other upper class cadets, making it possible that there would be none left for the requesting basic cadet or fourth class cadet.
[edit] Retrieving a Napkin
Cadets were required to place their napkins on their laps. If the napkin of a fourth class cadet fell to the floor, the fourth class cadet was required to make the following request of the table commandant: "Cadet (Name), Sir/Ma'am Cadet (fourth class cadet's name) requests permission to make a low pass and return to altitude."
[edit] Positions at the Table
Generally, cadets sit in descending rank order from the head of the table to the foot of the table. Certain cadets at the table have special responsibilities during the meal. These cadets are designated:
[edit] Other Fourth Class Responsibilities
- Pour all beverages (some upperclass had special standing beverage requests, such as two milks and no juice, which fourth class cadets were expected to remember after being told once)
- Ensure a serving utensil is in every serving dish
- Ask the waiter if there will be seconds of anything
- Fill out the Form O-96
- Recite a post
