Tonight we went to a mandatory fun event where we got to interact with cadre in an informal setting, at a really nice establishment that had refreshing beverages and hors d'oeuvres. Mandatory fun? Yes, the concept the military has to get 100% participation in fun events, they require you to come and have a good time. This works well because otherwise you probably couldn't get people to show up that otherwise don't like to go out and hang out with people in public. Plus it makes things look better with a full room vs. a room that only has a few people in it. Besides, the idea of meeting and talking with people that are higher ranking than you in an informal setting is daunting to some. Probably the coolest thing we got to do was speak with a British Liaison Officer. He had a good accent, so it took me a minute before I could really understand what he was saying.
So the evening starts off with us heading over there from the dining facility. Being the first group there, a couple of us decide that we are going to be the receiving line. So we stand there and welcome other LTs into the reception hall. I am the one that is starting the conversation with random LTs and passing them down the line to the other two guys. It's completely random and funny and most people are getting a kick out of it. I misread one guys rank and thought he was an LT (he was a Major). I did the same routine and passed him down the line. He had a good sense of humor for me misreading his rank. Right after he finished going by, one of the guys was like "Guys, that was a Major!!" We were like Oops and "the greeting line is over." Then we dispersed and went back into the reception. We laughed about it right after, but that could have been a butt chewing for goofing off.
So in this reception the idea is that we interact with our cadre and talk to them about things we want to learn or random things like sports. What I noticed is that people that already knew each other hung out in the little groups. This is pretty normal for any party. I kind of wondered around and took the time to meet some more people, although I can't say I really got to talk to any cadre. The problem with this is you don't really get to talk long with everyone you talk to, and you don't get to form the really close bonds that you might like to with a few people. This is how I am by nature, so it doesn't bother me too much. Some of these guys I will be spending the next five months around, because we are going to the same school after this is over.
Afterwards we were bused back to the barracks where some changed and made trips to the bars, others stayed in, and I went to a winery for live music and to meet some friends.