Currently Browsing: Uncategorized
The Military Ball
Written by Lance Dye, A&E Editor
The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Dobyns-Bennett High School has an annual event known as the Military Ball. Male Cadets dress up in their uniforms with dress coats and neck ties, while female cadets and dates of male cadets wear evening gowns and cocktail dresses. The ball is held each year at the Meadowview Convention Center during the month of February. This event is planned and run by cadets from the corps. This year, the MC will be Cadet Master Sergeant Cody Comer, the invocation will be delivered by Cadet 2nd Lieutenant Dustin Dean, and the POW/MIA table will be presented by myself, Cadet Captain Lance Dye. The ball begins with some measure of formality. There are a few ceremonies which include the invocation, the formal change of command ceremony, and the reverent POW/MIA table. The POW/MIA, or prisoners of war and missing in action, table is an extremely somber ceremony. It is nothing more than a table set for 1 when first observed but everything about it is symbolic. The table has a white table cloth for the purity of their intentions, a single rose in a vase for their families, a yellow ribbon around the vase for the Americans who demand retribution, a lemon on the bread plate to represent their bitter fates, salt on the bread plate for the tears shed for them, the glass is inverted to show they can not toast with those gathered, and the single empty chair shows they can not be with those present. All of this is pointed out by the MC and is shown from the table by the person conducting the ceremony. After all the symbolism is displayed, the MC leads a toast to all of the POW’s and MIA’s. After the ceremonies dinner is served, the formality is greatly reduced while cadets and their dates dine. Following dinner the event turns into a dance, similar to prom, and the dancing begins with a slow dance for the couples at the head table and after a few moments others are invited to join. After that slow dance, it gets kind of crazy, to put it lightly. The ROTC military ball has developed a reputation for breaking the dance floor every year, and last year did it twice. Also, last year’s ball had an extensive amount of crowd surfing done by some of the smaller cadets. Everyone always has a wonderful time and no one goes home disappointed.
Email This Post
Print This Post
Leave a Reply