Mil Ball

So anyhow, last night was our Civil Air Patrol group's ball. (Note to those of you who don't know what a group is: Each state [called a "wing" in proper CAP terminology] is further broken down into groups, which is basically like a county. The group is comprised of several squadrons in the area.) It was my very first occasion of its type, with the prom-style dresses and the makeup and the fancy-dancy room and food and the music and dancing, etc. And I enjoyed it, which you should be able to tell by the end of this lengthy post.

I rode up there with my cadet commander, whose parents drove us up because the weather was nasty. We got there fairly early and found our room. Our squadron had 3 tables assigned to it, so we found them and picked our spots. Then we mingled until the dinner and ceremony started at 7, or in proper CAP terminology, 1900. There were some opening things (presenting the colors, an invocation, and introductions of just who in the world was sitting at the head table which I couldn't actually see) before they let us eat. It was a buffet-style meal, and it was good. After the dinner, the real stuff began: sitting through hours of endless, wandering speeches, wondering when it would end and wishing the speaker would just get to the point and quit lying about how he isn't going to take too long as he drones on and on..wait! No, actually, I was impressed (in a very good way, and I say this with all respect) with how short-winded the speakers were. It made me happy that they were able to say what needed to be said quickly and concisely. Go NYWG!

Okay, then it was time for the real, real stuff to happen: cadet awards. One sentence, folks: Jamestown Composite rocked the show. Not to sound proud or anything, but there were 4 squadrons containing cadets (i.e. not just senior member squadrons) there, 7 cadet awards, and we took 4. Our squadron commander also got an award. And a promotion. And then: Group Squadron of the Year was (drumroll, please): Jamestown Composite Squadron!! We all started clapping and screaming because we were so proud of us. I think everyone else clapped too, but I was too excited to notice.

The rest of the evening was picture-taking and dancing/mingling. I took pictures and mingled. So, of course I have to share my pictures with all of you!

This is the room we had. I would estimate there being around 150 people there.

These are the attendees, listening intently (or otherwise; I didn't actually ask them) to whatever the person at the head table is saying.

Yes, the dancing. Motion blur is cool, is it not?

And this is me with my squadron. I'm on the left, right in front of the aforementioned cadet commander, who on this evening was awarded Cadet of the Year and her Earhart Award. (I put that in there to embarrass her, because she just found my blog and I imagine she'll be back.) (But hopefully next time she comes she'll leave us a comment. (Right, Captain?)