Air Force Dining-Out remembers past heritage, looks to future Published April 17, 2007 PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Team Pete hosts its first-ever Air Force Enlisted Heritage Dining-Out on May 11 with a social hour beginning at 6 p.m. at The Club. The featured speaker will be Chief Master Sgt. Michael Sullivan, Air Force Space Command command chief. The entertainment will feature uniform and heritage displays provided by the Peterson Museum including the "Heritage Parade," one of the main events of the evening. The military dining-in ceremony is a time-honored tradition, and has most often been a formal dinner exclusively for the members of a wing, unit or organization. A dining-out, however, is a relatively new twist on this custom, brought about to include spouses and guests, so they can participate as part of the Air Force family. As with most deep-rooted traditions, the origin of the dining-in is not clear. Feasts to honor military victories, individual and unit achievements have been a custom dating from Roman times to 6th century knights of King Arthur. Some trace the origins of the dining-in to the old English monasteries. The custom was then taken up by the early universities and eventually adopted by the military. Air Force dining-in customs were initially influenced in the 1930s by the "Wing-Dings" of the late Gen. H. "Hap" Arnold. The close connection enjoyed by the Air Corps and the Royal Air Force during World War II wholly attributed to the American participation in the custom of dining-ins. In recent years, a number of variants, such as the Combat Dining-In, have been added to provide both variety and opportunity to focus on different aspects of military life. An enlisted dining-out is an occasion for our enlisted folks and their spouses to meet socially at a formal military function. It enhances unit esprit de corps, lightens the load of demanding day-to-day work, and allows all in attendance to create bonds of friendship and better working relations through an atmosphere of good fellowship. The dining-in has rich tradition, and that tradition lives today. Cost is $15 for E-4 and below, $20 for E-5 and E-6, and $25 for E-7 and above. Dinner choices include London Broil, roasted stuffed chicken and a limited number of vegetarian main courses. For information, contact Staff Sgt. Alexander Rodriguez at 556-3444 or Staff Sgt. Jessica McNabb at 556-1609, or see any first sergeant for ticket information.