Sunday, September 25, 2016

The Bi-Weekly celebration in the dining facility

Every second Friday was the Celebration of the Senior flight's departure from Bravo company and the TH-55a. This was at the dinner meal and was the only time you would see beer in the dining facility (I know I was surprised). This was one of the time honored traditions and it was a great stress reliever. Each class attended bringing with them their class cup) Tea size plastic tumbler of the flight color with the flight logo on it (One of the many things that the car washes paid for) and the best part of the evening was the skits.

Every celebration required a short skit about flight school presented by each flight. Like most skits, they were crass, vulgar and generally forgettable. But one skit stands out in my mind. The Maroon Flight TAC was Mr. Hall. Mr. Hall had a reputation for being a real hard ass. He was bad enough to Maroon Flight, but he was death to candidates from other flights, if you encountered him in your daily duties in the company area. He was most known for putting you in the "Rocker" as punishment. Face down on the ground, arms and legs extended and back arched rocking back and forth till Mr. Hall tired of messing with you. (He was a very patient man is seemed.)

Our skit this night was about Mr. Small chewing out our largest candidate (Todd Pryby). Todd stood six-foot six-inches and was a body-builder. 240 lbs. and all muscle. Mr. Small was played by David Guido. David was minimum height (five-foot four-inches or so, he was just barely the minimum height.) but what he lacked in stature he made up with swagger and voice. This made him the perfect person to play a TAC officer.

Like most TAC/candidate encounters, this skit involved Todd being chewed out for some infraction. It was hilarious, Todd played a trembling candidate perfectly (Like any of us couldn't) and at one point with Todd braced against the wall, David took a huge army stock pot (it stood at least 2 feet tall) turned it over and used it as a step to stand on to yell at Pryby eye to eye. The entire room was in hysterics, except Mr. Hall who walked out of the room. These celebrations lasted till 7:30 or so, then of course we cleaned up and congratulated the departing class.

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