Originally Posted by bwoody

I would, but my battalion has a "1 Meter Rule" meaning that when in uniform you're supposed to stay an arms length away...Which of course means that if I were to toast to the ladies (which I would love to do) I would be beaten to death by my SAI and AI.

"To the President of the United States"
-To the President!

"To fallen soldiers"
-To Fallen Soldiers!

"To the ladies "
-Uhh...

Wow, drop it for mil ball - thats a requirement if you want to have fun - thats why everybody "undresses" . Basically, if you have anything like a service dress/Class A's, then you take off the coat and just put the nameplate on what you are wearing. Not sure how dress whites work, but if there is anything you can do to make it less uniformy, then do it.

By the way, when you toast the ladies, on the command of "Gentleman, please seat your lady", you pull out you dates chair and seat them. All males remain standing. Then the same person who gave the command says, "To the beautiful ladies!" and the guys repeat then everybody gets to sit.

If I'm not mistaken, real military balls don't involve ladies wearing uniforms - I believe it is the standard "women have a choice" deal. Actually i'm almost sure because traditionally, women are supposed to wear a white dress, but that has been loosened and they wear what they like.

Dress whites...well for officers, you go take off the China-collar tunic and put on a Service Dress White shirt. Enlisted are pretty much stuck with dress white uniforms if they wear them in the first place...I suggest winter blue.

concerning the dresses.. our ball is divided into two parts.. one is formal with toast and speeches and an orchestra is playing waltzes and so on, where males have to wear uniforms.. ladies not .. and when it ends with a fireworks the DJ starts to play and everybody can change to their casuals which is good because it usually gets kind a out of hand in the morning

Well I went to the Mil Ball Friday and it was terrible this year...Thanks in no small part to this year's staff. They forgot the Cadet Creed, Pledge of Allegiance. Our S3 for next year was late, so we missed the invocation. The whole thing was a jumbled mess.

Well here's the schedule as we had it in a typed up little booklet.
1830: Members and Guests arrive
1840: Call to dinner (Please be seated)
1845: Saber Arch - Introduction of seniors and their guests
1850: Presentation of the Colors / Pledge of Allegiance (Please Stand)
1855: Invocation: C/1LT DerMatteosian
Welcome and Introduction of head table and other distinguished guests
1900: Toast (Please be seated)
1905: Buffet Dinner
2015: LET 3 Recognition ceremony (Changing over of ranks)
2025: Cutting of Cake by graduating seniors
2035: Benediction by: C/CPT Harper III
2035: Cake/Coffee/Ice Cream Sundae Bar/ Dancing until 2245

Our Battalion staff planned ours, and it was fun ! The food was great and all ! Our guest speaker was pretty good, she commented the battalion alot ! The Grog ceremony was pretty funny.

As for dress code, we dressed in class A and then the females could change into prom gowns for the crowning ceremony (King, Queen, Prince Princess) and the dance ! Oh and get a GOOD DJ for the dance !