Heritage Room - Keeping The Bobs At Bay

[Runr6730]

Hoping one of you fine aviators can help me with our squadron’s Heritage Room.  We’re looking to renovate it and make it relevant again.  The JAG and others throughout the wing have historically scoffed at us having our own “bar”, even though the bar is just one piece of what this area means to the unit.  I’m looking to help justify its existence and keep the “Bobs” at bay, and having some AF-level guidance would certainly help in that endeavor.  Does anyone know of an AFI, MFR, or other guidance that speaks directly to a unit’s heritage facilities and what the requirements are to allow alcohol consumption in said facility?  

[HossHarris]

It usually starts with sq/cc, gp/cc, and/or wg/cc having a spine. 
 

good luck. 

[Khruangbin33]

Do you have office space behind a door with a cipher lock?  Put it back there.

[O Face]

1 hour ago, HossHarris said:

It usually starts with sq/cc, gp/cc, and/or wg/cc having a spine. 
 

good luck. 

That’s the best, and sadly the most accurate, quote I’ve heard in a long time.

For the OP, maybe try calling the heritage room a safe space or possibly a male lactation room?  That would probably get instant approval from the Pentagon!

Edited February 5 by O Face
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[FourFans]

Went through your struggle and came out the other end with a successful heritage room/conference room/squadron gathering area that just happened to have a 20 foot bar in it.  

The AFIs that I referenced nearly a couple decades ago are probably well past gone.  My recommendation is to get your Sq/CC to direct you to draw up plans for a squadron renovation 'in the event' of fallout money.  We did it for just over $150k in Japan in 2007...so account for inflation or something.  Long story short is get your plans together down to the tee and have your Sq/CC "Direct" you to have it ready.  The key here is that he needs to get the go-ahead from CE, preferably via a one-on-one conversation with the CE/CC.  If you do it right, the wing doesn't find out 'til you invite the Leadership to help christen your new heritage room...which seals the deal on their blessing of it. 

Your squadron CC should have got a slush fund that should cover drafting of renovation plans.  When fall-out money comes, he's just renovating his own building and it should be too late for someone to say no.  Whether you contract out the work to real contractors or to squadron members with renovation skill entirely depends skills available to you.  I recommend contracting out to construction contractors.

Pro Tip: It's not a kegerator, it's a cabinet refrigerator. 

Edited February 5 by FourFans

[DirkDiggler]

Can't speak to the renovation piece but we just went through this at my location WRT to alcohol consumption at the Sq.  Have your Sq/CC draft an MFR stating where/when in the Sq people can booze.  Have him put a blurb in there at the end that says something to the effect of "or any other location/time that the Sq/CC deems appropriate".  You should be gtg after that. 

[Smokin]

If you don't have an honorary squadron commander, get that program up and running.  A few local big wigs leaning on local businesses to each chip in a bit and you'll be a significant way there.  You'll also likely have an easier time making the bar a self-help process and purchasing morale stuff with a GPC.  Find a pilot in the squadron that is good at woodworking/construction (actually good, not 'I put together my IKEA desk after only 3 attempts' good) and that would be a huge help also.

[brabus]

36 minutes ago, Smokin said:

not 'I put together my IKEA desk after only 3 attempts' good

Ha! If this describes any of you, self report and turn your man card in immediately!

[Danger41]

Just do it over a weekend unless you're planning to make the bar crazy fancy. 

Also, I'll never forget the rage I felt as I walked into an AFSOC squadron bar after a long day wanting a beer and seeing AFI 34-219 plastered all over the place stating that the higher echelons hadn't approved the drinking beer plan so there was no alcohol. I've never felt more like Colonel Kurtz about how we train young men to rain fire on the nations enemies but don't allow them to have a beer (or write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene). Pursue that at your own peril.

[Biff_T]

We always had good bars.  In tankers and helicopters.  We had one Charlie Church CC who banned alcohol in my tanker sq, so we went to the sister squadron's bar for his tenure.   In helos, we always had good bars.  One of my squadrons' bar was the biggest room in the entire building.   

You are airmen, drink some god damned beer when you land.    

Dont tell the bobs anything.