OFFICERS MESS - MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS - Facets of Military Life

Do you know the genesis of the military institution called OFFICERS MESS?

Here is an updated and abridged version of an article I had written 3 years ago on DEFINITION AND MEANING OF OFFICERS MESS (Maintenance of Equal Social Status)

ARMY AIR FORCE OFFICERS MESS and NAVY WARDROOM

Definition and Meaning of MESS

MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS

The Officers Mess – A Place to Promote Camaraderie

By

VIKRAM KARVE

WHAT IS AN OFFICERS MESS ?

If you have served in the Army, Navy or Air Force or are familiar with Military life, I am sure you know what is an OFFICERS MESS

In the Navy an Officers Mess is called WARDROOM or Wardroom Mess.

There are two words in the term OFFICERS MESS.

The first word OFFICERS is the plural of Officer and surely you know what the term “OFFICER” means, especially in the context of the Military.

But do you know what the word MESS stands for?

I am sure you know, but if you don’t know, then let me tell you.

Actually, the word MESS is an acronym.

The acronym MESS is the short form for Maintenance of Equal Social Status.

Yes,  MESS = MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS

The very aim of an Officers Mess is to maintain Equal Social Status among all its members, irrespective of their ranks.

Long back, during a party, I heard an Admiral once say:

“ All Officers have equal social status. Ranks are for administrative purposes only ”

If I recall correctly, he attributed this maxim to Field Marshal Cariappa.

Field Marshal Cariappa probably felt that excessive rank consciousness at social functions would adversely affect camaraderie among officers.

As a consequence, this would damage cohesion of the officer cadre.

That is why in an Officers Mess, all members are equal and have the same social status, irrespective of the ranks and positions they hold outside the Mess. 

ALL MILITARY OFFICERS HAVE EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS

In the army there is a saying: “Rank Has Its Privileges” (RHIP).

But that is outside the Mess. 

Yes, Rank Has Its Privileges outside the Officers Mess - inside the Mess all Officers enjoy Equal Social Status.

Yes, all officers, especially the senior officers, must remember that RHIP operates outside the Mess or Wardroom.

Inside the Mess it is all about comradeship, friendship and fellowship and that is why all members enjoy equal social status.

FUNCTIONS OF AN OFFICERS MESS

An Officers Mess has 3 main functions:

1. It serves as a home for single officers (in-living members) where they live, eat and can entertain friends.

2. For married officers and their families, the officers mess serves as a social club where they can gather for moments of relaxation and recreation and bonhomie with fellow officers and their families. A good mess has many facilities for sports and pastimes.

3. For a ship or unit, the wardroom or officers mess is the centre of social life. 

CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Each service has its own unique customs and traditions pertaining to wardrooms and officers messes.

In the Navy, the Captain is not a member of the ship’s wardroom and customarily the Captain messes separately. 

The Captain or Admiral customarily enters the wardroom by invitation only.  

The senior-most member of the mess on board a ship is designated PMC (President Mess Committee) and is the head of the wardroom.

The mess is a place for officers to let their hair down and relax in a cosy atmosphere and foster bonhomie. 

While it is courteous to show respect in a subtle manner to your seniors, the disgusting spectacle of fawning upon senior officers or appearing obsequious needs to be avoided in an officers mess.

In an officers mess, there must be absolutely no tension due to rank-consciousness. 

All members of the officers mess must interact freely and without inhibitions.

A good wardroom or officers mess has a stress-free happy high-spirited lively atmosphere which is conducive for promoting esprit de corps among officers. 

There is a saying: 

“A Happy Wardroom is a Happy Ship”

Maybe it is the same in the army too - a happy officers mess indicates a happy unit.

So the next time you go to an Officers Mess don’t forget that the abbreviation MESS stands for MAINTENANCE OF EQUAL SOCIAL STATUS

An Officers Mess is a happy place where you can forget about rank differences and interact freely and informally with your fellow officers.

I have had the best of times and made the best of friends in Navy Wardrooms and Army Officers Messes. 

Maybe, I’ll tell you about it, at least a few nostalgic yarns, sometime later right here in my blog.

Till then, Cheers and Godspeed.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

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