MCAS Beaufort --
Marine Air Control Squadron 2 gathered as a unit at the
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Officers’ Club for a Mess Night, Aug. 1.
Mess Night is one of many Marine Corps traditions which
allow a unit to come together and build camaraderie amongst one another.
“A tradition such as Mess Night not only increases unit
cohesion but it also brings us together,” said Lance Cpl. Jose Pena, a radar
tech for MACS-2. “It brings the whole marine brotherhood aspect back to
us.”
While Mess Night is one of the traditions that build
camaraderie, there are some old traditions that tear a unit apart.
“A Mess Night is more about having fun and joking with those
around you,” said Pena. “Hazing on the other is the epitome of what we are
trying to get rid of in the Corps.”
“Mess Night is a tradition that allows us to come together
outside of work in a professional but still laid back manner,” said Capt. Jack
Larimore III, the detachment commander for MACS-2. “When you have an act such
as hazing it affects the entire morale of the unit and it creates distrust
between the young Marine and the senior leadership.”
Pena believes that traditions are much like the knowledge
that you learn during recruit training.
“Most Marines hang on to the traits that are embedded in
them during recruit training,” said Pena. “Traditions are the exact same way,
you have to hang on to them in order to keep going and make sure they are upheld.”
According to Larimore, a Mess Night is the perfect
opportunity for two things to happen.
“It allows you to stick to some strict guidelines such as
the toasts that go to Continental
Marines,” said Larimore, who served as the president of the mess. “It allows us
to have a good time with the fines, and it’s in good taste and allows everyone
to have fun.”
Staff Sgt. Roger Martin, a radar technician for MACS-2, says
the most important part of Mess Night is the camaraderie.
“This really brings back an old tradition of the Marine
Corps that I like,” said Martin, who served as Mr. Vice during the Mess Night.
“It brings back esprit de corps and allows Marines to function as brother and
sister.”
Martin believes every Marine should care about the
traditions of the Marine Corps because it’s what sets us apart from the other
services .
“It brings back a piece of the history,” said Martin. “It
allows us to remember the Marines that came before us and their
accomplishments.”