Clanky, thanks for your support (I think). However I would Emphasise that I don't care what I'm getting for the money, it's mine and mine alone to decide what I spend my money on, i.e. my CHOICE. For all of you who agree with mandated mess fees I suppose it boils down to this:
Who on earth do you all think you are that you can tell me and my family what we have to spend the money we earn on. What strange alternative universe do you occupy where you think it is a genuine argument to say that it is there if I want it so I have to pay for it. There are numerous pubs and shops and services in Helston for which I pay nothing unless I choose to call in and make use of them. This is generally how the free world works, the reverse way of thinking to which you all seem to think. What your proposing is a tax whereas, like it or not, a mess is legally a charity - voluntary by defenition.
Being an involuntary member of some little boys club that can't support itself otherwise will do nothing to raise the profile or improve the status of killicks and is a long way short of the most efficient means of improving the effectiveness of the RN. If you really want to do something to increase your effectiveness in the armed forces then donate your £5 per month to the Sports Centre. I dislike football immensley, but if I was being told to spend £5 a month for enforced membership of a football club to make me fitter I'd have less of an argument against it than I do against a killicks mess. At least that would have some tangible benefit with regards to my fighting fitness. And by christ, lets face it, there are those of us out there that need that more than we do cheap beer.
I was, some years ago, in the Army, back before the CPLs had their own messes. POs (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) have been members of and paying for SR messes from day dot. I can catagorically tell you now that the first thing I noticed when I joined the RN was how much like CPLs POs were with regards to presence, status and profile. A sentiment voiced by a fellow ex squaddie just recently. BS, you've hit the nail on the head. Increased responsibility in the working environment is the way ahead. CPLs commanded their sections in basic training unlike PO's who do it in the RN. They lived in their own bunk at the head of the barracks and from there maintained order instead of hiding in their own mess so as to avoid that responsibility, etc . All those years of paying SR mess fees didn't do much to improve the POs status.
I personnaly am a bit of an IT geek. I personally feel that enforced payment of £5 a month from all killicks to the cybercafe would be a much more worthy cause but hey, that's just my opinion. Unlike some of you out there I can recognise the difference between my opinion and what I can legally enforce, luckily for you or you'd all be subsidising my web surfing. Getting my point yet. Its un-arguable that improved and enforced membership and use of the gym facilities would be beneficial to the fighting effectiveness of everyone at Culdrose but if they want more equipment they have to encourage people to give them their money with worth while schemes such as the sports lottery - something which you have a choice to opt out of it you want.
There you go, bearly a single legal quote in sight but never the less still the same argument.
Who on earth do you all think you are that you can tell me and my family what we have to spend the money we earn on. What strange alternative universe do you occupy where you think it is a genuine argument to say that it is there if I want it so I have to pay for it. There are numerous pubs and shops and services in Helston for which I pay nothing unless I choose to call in and make use of them. This is generally how the free world works, the reverse way of thinking to which you all seem to think. What your proposing is a tax whereas, like it or not, a mess is legally a charity - voluntary by defenition.
Being an involuntary member of some little boys club that can't support itself otherwise will do nothing to raise the profile or improve the status of killicks and is a long way short of the most efficient means of improving the effectiveness of the RN. If you really want to do something to increase your effectiveness in the armed forces then donate your £5 per month to the Sports Centre. I dislike football immensley, but if I was being told to spend £5 a month for enforced membership of a football club to make me fitter I'd have less of an argument against it than I do against a killicks mess. At least that would have some tangible benefit with regards to my fighting fitness. And by christ, lets face it, there are those of us out there that need that more than we do cheap beer.
I was, some years ago, in the Army, back before the CPLs had their own messes. POs (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) have been members of and paying for SR messes from day dot. I can catagorically tell you now that the first thing I noticed when I joined the RN was how much like CPLs POs were with regards to presence, status and profile. A sentiment voiced by a fellow ex squaddie just recently. BS, you've hit the nail on the head. Increased responsibility in the working environment is the way ahead. CPLs commanded their sections in basic training unlike PO's who do it in the RN. They lived in their own bunk at the head of the barracks and from there maintained order instead of hiding in their own mess so as to avoid that responsibility, etc . All those years of paying SR mess fees didn't do much to improve the POs status.
I personnaly am a bit of an IT geek. I personally feel that enforced payment of £5 a month from all killicks to the cybercafe would be a much more worthy cause but hey, that's just my opinion. Unlike some of you out there I can recognise the difference between my opinion and what I can legally enforce, luckily for you or you'd all be subsidising my web surfing. Getting my point yet. Its un-arguable that improved and enforced membership and use of the gym facilities would be beneficial to the fighting effectiveness of everyone at Culdrose but if they want more equipment they have to encourage people to give them their money with worth while schemes such as the sports lottery - something which you have a choice to opt out of it you want.
There you go, bearly a single legal quote in sight but never the less still the same argument.
