Champ Kind Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I'm just trying to get some opinions on what you guys think about the Club... Right now I'm a member at CAFB, and honestly, I never use it. I don't have the time, for one, and I just don't really partake in any of the "advantages" or "discounts" that they offer. I kind of feel like I might as well be taking $16 a month and throwing it into the trash. Is that money really as important as they tell us, even if we don't use the club all that often? ("they" being the upper chain of command and the club management) Don't get me wrong, I go to the club for assignment nights, and on occasion a "regular" Friday night if a few of my classmates are going too. But even then, you don't really see any kind of discount as a result of the monthly fee. I hear that the Club used to be the place to go for mentoring, and just plain, good 'ole fashioned debauchery. If that's the case, it is a shame to see that it's struggling, at least at Columbus. Is this the norm throughout the Air Force, or is it just because I'm at a UPT base? Thanks a lot, hopefully this makes for a good discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaver Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Sad to say, but besides Nellis, UPT bases have the best club bars in the Air Force. Not even the Auger Inn is what it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jmac2222 Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Our's doubles as a retirement home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mambo Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I don't know about the rest of the overseas bases but the clubs at Kadena are pretty nice. I say "clubs" because we have an Airmans Club, an NCO club and an O'Club...good food at all three and the Airmans club is pretty hoppin' on a Friday night (not much consolation for the O's...sorry). From what I've seen on my limited trips to the O'club, they seem to do pretty well too. Now if we could only get Dos Gringo's to do an overseas tour we'd be set!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 My take on it is...why would I want to go to the O'Club Bar when there's one in my squadron -- one where all my friends hang out and the alcohol is (more or less) free. I was a club member when I was a 2Lt because my SQ/CC told me it was the thing to do. I haven't been a member for the last 8 years or so, and aside from a dozen times when I haven't gotten a discount at lunch there, I haven't seen any negative impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rainman A-10 Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Like just about everything else...it depends on your wing leadership. The Nellis club kicks ass for two reasons. There are plenty of TDY folks who are looking for a place to drink beer. The leadership will allow you to do whatever you want at the club as long as no one gets hurt and you pay for the damages. It is actually quite rare that anyone does something stupid. Everyone goes to the club because there is no threat. The Nellis club also stays active because it is the center of the Command Barstoolers universe. I remember when we first showed up at Pope. We were playing crud on one pool table and rolling the bones on the other one. The club manager about shit himself. "Be careful with that pool table, that's new felt!" "No gambling in the O'Club!" We ignored him and kept showing up, just to prove a point. Everything was great until a highly motivated (and insulted) pencil neck geek paste eating services commander got a hard on for the fighter guys because someone gave his wife a barracuda or something. He convinced the Wg/CC that jobs/careers might be at risk because of the "illegal" club activity. The Wg/CC was already in the notch for the mid-air and our squadron's front page AF Times headlines "DRUNKEN FIGHTER PILOT SEX PARTY IN THE DESERT!" so he clamped down. The O'Club died immediately. Nothing but cobwebs and crickets. The fighter squadrons hosted each other in their own squadron bars on Friday nights. Squadron bars are great. They are mostly for Mon-Thu drinking (especially after night flying) and writing in/reading the squadron Hog Log. Nothing replaces getting together with the guys from the other squadrons and the "Old Heads" at the O'Club on Friday night. Guys used to get kitchen passes because their wives would show up at the club (and subsequently drive themselves home early to pay the sitter). It is a lost tradition. The only way to revive it is for the leadership to show up, be cool to the young guys by listening to what they have to say, give them some advice, give them some crap, buy them beer, be nice to their wives and tell some good stories. It used to be fun and worth every penny, no sh!t. BTW, I forgot an important aspect of the club. You must have something for the young single guys to do other than listen to the sage advice and boring stories of a fatass commander. The best O'Club I have ever been to was at Ft Rucker. The Army Post was open and the club let in all the pretty little Southern Belles...that place was rockin' on Friday AND Saturday nights. Nothing packs 'em in like the scent of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest copenhagen Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Our club told us that they would give our class a "discount" on graduation if everyone joined from the class and was a member for the whole year at UPT... Some "discount" - I worked out the numbers and it is something around 5:1 in their favor. I just don't see how it can be worth it. I would rather spend the money elsewhere and I really, really don't need another damn credit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bergman Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Originally posted by Rainman A-10: It is a lost tradition. The only way to revive it is for the leadership to show up, be cool to the young guys by listening to what they have to say, give them some advice, give them some crap, buy them beer, be nice to their wives and tell some good stories. It used to be fun and worth every penny, no sh!t. BTW, I forgot an important aspect of the club. You must have something for the young single guys to do other than listen to the sage advice and boring stories of a fatass commander. The best O'Club I have ever been to was at Ft Rucker. The Army Post was open and the club let in all the pretty little Southern Belles...that place was rockin' on Friday AND Saturday nights. Nothing packs 'em in like the scent of... Concur 100%!! Since they've closed the bases to (female) civilians O'club crowds have tanked. With the shoe clerk persecution mentality these days plus no chicks, bands, or drink specials it just doesn't make sense to hang out at the O'club. Why go to the O'club on base and risk my career when I can go downtown to push it up with no repercussions? Another example of the higher-ups forgetting what it's like to be a CGO. I'm sure the Col's b1tched about this sort of thing when they were Capts, but now they are O-6's with careers to protect, so it's time to over compensate. On a side note...there are still a few good Cols out there. Ref Lt Col's Luken, Brown, and Mattison at XL a few years ago. They'd buy shots as long as we kept it to a dull roar! We need more like 'em!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toro Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 For the most part I can't stand the club for many of the same reasons Rainman A-10 has listed. I've also got a couple of my own personal gripes. At Laughlin as a UPT student, we were forced to get Services cards. You could either get the club card with dues or just a services card. Either way, it was another credit card that a brand new 2Lt didn't need. At our track select and assignment drop parties we looked into the club for food and drinks. They charged nearly double for beer kegs and food than what we would pay from the Shopette and Domino's pizza. So we said we were going to do the parties on our own to save a couple hundred dollars. Totally dissaproved by the leadership (OG/CC, I believe it actually got up to the WG/CC) and we end up paying through the nose. At Columbus as a FAIP, we were bombarded with requests to join the club. Yet the $15-ish a month got you nothing more than a $2 discount on the Sunday brunch. Since they didn't serve lunch on the weekdays and you didn't get discounts in the bar on Friday, your membership fees got you nothing. At Seymour Johnson we had a OG/CC safety meeting on a Friday afternoon which adjourned to the club -- a couple hundred fighter pilots looking to lay down some cash on the bar. It just so happened that they were checking club cards that day and wouldn't let anybody in without one. While there quite a few guys who had cards, there were many who didn't. Mutual support - we all pocketed our money, went back to our respective squadron bars, and drank for free. At Lakenheath, the club had a good Sunday brunch and served lunch on the weekdays, so when they offered a three month trial membership, I took it. I forgot about the trial membership and about midway through the third month I deployed to the desert. When the fourth month began I got a bill for that months dues. I called back and told them that I wanted to cancel -- they said I couldn't unless I turned in my card...kind of tough from the desert. I explained this and they said they'd work something out. Next month I got another bill with late fees from the previous month which had not been paid. I tried unsuccessfully to try to deal with the situation from the desert. When I returned, I managed to convince them to remove the second month's charges and late fee, but they never took the first month dues off. My biggest gripe with the club is that their stronghold on AF related activities and their refusal to change their marketing skills. Originally posted by Rainman A-10: Everything was great until a highly motivated (and insulted) pencil neck geek paste eating services commander got a hard on for the fighter guys because someone gave his wife a barracuda or something.What the hell is a barracuda? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guardhopefull Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I’m a brand new 2dLt who knows very little but Iv already been told by my squadron members to not waste any money on the club. The general consensus from the older guys is that it was a great place back in the day but now it’s aging dinosaur. They tried to get all of us to sign up at an OTS function one night and I guess the rumor spread cause I did not see one person sign up. I don’t know what anyone else has heard or been witness to, but I’ve been told guys have been busted with public intoxication trying to walk back to their on base house after a night at the club. So I gather that incidents like this have caused some folks to shy away. It’s one thing to drive intoxicated but walking home? Give me a break. Granted, I don’t know if they were doing something else while walking but at least they had the presence of mind not to drive. [ 19. April 2005, 09:50: Message edited by: guard/reserve hopefull ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaver Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Misawa has the nicest club facilities that I have seen. It was built 3 years ago and everything is brand new. But all the services pounders decided that the bar would be a "classy" place. It was decorated in early f*ck. It had pictures of airplanes, but they were these photoshopped impressionist looking pieces of crap. The furniture was straight out of the Holiday inn. There was a dance floor instead of a crud table. This is what happens when you let the pounders think they run the place. We did make some progress; we got the crud table in the bar and some actual flying memorabilia put up. It was mostly stuff we donated. We had to make the best of our club because it was the only option. In the states, I wouldn't even bother. When nobody shows up maybe they'll figure out that they don't really have a monopoly. The club tries to increase revenue by increasing membership, and they can't see how back assward that is. How about making people WANT to come to the club, then membership will increase. Step 1: Civilian chicks in the bar Step 2: Cater to flyers Step 3: Civilian chicks in the bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HercDude Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I'd reccomend canning your membership. Aside from forcing you to have a worthless credit card with a 17% interest rate, you get practically nothing out of your dues. At Pope I think it is $2 off the lunch buffet at the club. The only fliers I know who eat at the club are the one's whose wives work behind a desk somewhere on the other side of the base. The Club at Lakenheath was decent, but it was more like the Officers-civilians-DoDDs teachers Club than the O'Club. Seeing as people in the Fighter Squadrons had to actually work past 1500 on friday afternoon, the buffet was always gone by the time beer call at the Sq bar was over. A lot of well fed old farts in civies and doctors in BDUs were always there to greet us though. It's sad to say that that is the best non-UPT Club I've ever seen. Anyone here at Columbus when the Fraz Factory was in effect? I remember getting a briefing from none other than the OG/CC informing us that showing up at the O'Club on an assignment night, and NOT being a member, was an integrity issue. His opinion was that if you didn't have the credit card, and weren't paying your dues so you could get $1 off the lunch you never had time to go to, then you had no bussiness in the Club . . . ever. That scared us because it was our first week of UPT, but after being indoctrineated by the upper classes we larrned that a lot of bovine fecal matter flowed from this chum's mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NCaviator Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 What is the deal with Wing CCs and OG CCs harassing UPT classes about joining the club or holding track select and assignment night in the club? The Wing CC is telling us that he would "like" for all future classes to start holding track select at the club instead of the auditorium. What a rip off, our class will save a few hundred dollars by avoiding the club. Are they getting some kind of kickback off of this pet project? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champ Kind Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 Maybe being in charge of a unit that has a high percentage of officers who are club members looks good on an OPR or something. By the way, thanks for all of the insight! I cancelled my club membership today. Maybe I'll re-open it some other time, but it was definitely a waste of money for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bergman Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 Originally posted by Stud@ENJJPT: Our Wing CC told us that we MUST have assignment night at the club. We were a little bumed because the club here isn't the greatest and we're gunna pay much more for far fewer options. Many people who have worked with them say that they tell you what you're gunna get, how much of it, and how it's gunna go, you just shut up and pay. I haven't delt with them, just what I've heard. Tell your SRO to grow some balls and confront those clowns! Its YOUR classes money after all so the club ought to work with you. FWIW the O'club at XL was great to work with although a little pricey! $105/keg of Miller Lite is a bit steep if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperStud Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 We had the same prob at ENJJPT but we had planned a real party afterward that cost about $6k. We did the bare min at the club, maybe 1 or 2 kegs, got the assignments and bolted to our party. When the brass got wind of this, like 2 days before they came down hard. Threatening that our wings along with some paperwork were on the table if anything went wrong. I think they even tried to cnx the whole thing until they realized it was on private property and had no right. We were totally responsible, inviting all kinds of random local women and an off-duty cop to provide security. Absolutely nothing that could even be construed as negative happened, and did the leadership say a word? No. Oh well at least it shut them up. Maybe if enough people were to do the same thing the club would be forced to change their gameplan if they want any business. Totally driving the fight, charging way over $100 a keg, limiting the entertainment/food/services we can have and trying to basically plan any old assignment night according to their lame blueprint is getting them nowhere. Viva la resistance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rainman A-10 Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 I always thought the pilots should no-sh!t run the O'Club. It is an additional duty (LPA type thing) in the RAF and they do a great job. They only have themselves to blame if the Club sucks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jmac2222 Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Beav...you are absolutely right BUT... I love how you guys blame the shoe clerks and ground pounders. Do you ever ask why all the pools have concrete in them? Why the Aeroclubs are closing? Why the club sucks? Yes the SVS/CC typically push for the safer events (but thats thier jobs and most of them are still waiting to kiss a girl so what do you expect?). But they cant do anything without the Wing/CC, who is almost never a non-rated guy. The wing/cc wants Gen. If the aeroclub has a fatal crash, or some kid dies at the pool, or a young officer gets drunk at the club and kills himself in an accident...there goes the Wing/CC's promotion (in his mind anyway). This is b/c in the rated community, gential shrinkage is directly correlated to increasing rank (That's quotable, just make sure you attribute it to some a$$hole on the internet). We had a fashion show at the O'club here. At the time we were an ABW, and had a nonrated WG/CC. The promoter got the base to agree to relax base access for the night and it was pretty heavily advertised. It was bar non the best night I have ever had at the club. You want to talk about stink...you would have thought we had an orange grove b/c it smelled like TANG everywhere (I'm on a roll, I know). We havent had one since we became an AW. I asked the promoter why not, and you guessed it, she told me (true or false) that the new Wing/CC doesnt want it. Someday you will be the Wing/CC. Remember how much you hated the "shoe clerks" and "pounders" and dont listen to the SVS/CC when he/she tells you that this or that will get you in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 How many clubs actually require you to be a member to go in there and drink? I have been to around 6 O'clubs, a Navy O'club, and a few E-clubs and have never had to prove I was a member to go in there and give them my money for drinks. My logic, like others, is that if you don't need to be a member to hang out there (assignment nights etc.) and drink, and you are not using $16 worth of lunch discounts per month, then it is not worth it. PS if anyone is planning on going to ASBC anytime soon, the Maxwell Club gives out $50 in coupons (yes, good for beer and food) just for already being a member. So don't cancel right before you go there if you are already a member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jchrampanis Posted April 23, 2005 Share Posted April 23, 2005 Yokota's club is newly renovated and very nice; Leather couch's, plasma tv's, lots of samurai sh** all around. There's some bartender chick there that makes sick long island ice teas that will have you on your ass laying in the gutters of bar row later that night. No chicks. You need to smuggle in J-girls for lovu-lovu! The Vance club blows! The old lady bartender pours guinness like a f-ing milk shake and forget your idea of ever getting a buy back. I tip for incompetence -- that sucks! I'm going to cancel my membership this weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADFNZ Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Me and my wife want to have our wedding reception at the Randolph O-Club because the Sky Lounge is pretty nice and it's extremely cheap. The catering manager told my wife that to have the reception there, I have to be a member of the O-Club. She gave my wife a phone number for me to call to sign up since I am TDY right now. I call the number and tell the lady I want to become a member of the O-Club and she seems somewhat confused and says I have to fill out an application for some credit card. So I told her I had the wrong number and hung up, but the number was the correct one that my wife was given. So I know I'm a newbie to the AF, but is there a CC associated with being a member of the O-Club? Is it something like Diners Club? Any guidance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chaffman Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Me and my wife want to have our wedding reception at the Randolph O-Club because the Sky Lounge is pretty nice and it's extremely cheap. The catering manager told my wife that to have the reception there, I have to be a member of the O-Club. She gave my wife a phone number for me to call to sign up since I am TDY right now. I call the number and tell the lady I want to become a member of the O-Club and she seems somewhat confused and says I have to fill out an application for some credit card. So I told her I had the wrong number and hung up, but the number was the correct one that my wife was given. So I know I'm a newbie to the AF, but is there a CC associated with being a member of the O-Club? Is it something like Diners Club? Any guidance? The club card is a credit card, nice huh. My advice is to apply for the card, the club wil give you a temp card in the meantime, and then cancel the card. I did just that when I was at Laughlin, ended up never paying due and had all the benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HercDude Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Another O'club scam, and another reason no one wants to be a club member anymore. I signed up for one one night because the Club was "Member's Only" that night. So I signed up at the door, got in, and cancelled the card as soon as I got it on the mail. Think I still used the card for like a year though. I think it's a way crappy card too - like 15% interest or something gay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADFNZ Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 (edited) So it looks like I'll have to keep it until November when we have the reception, then cancel. Does anyone know what the monthly dues are? Edited June 17, 2008 by BADFNZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brabus Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I think they're $15 or so. I never did it b/c like others said, the card sucks. In your case, just sign up and cancel ASAP after the reception. Also, just don't actually buy anything on the card, that way you won't forget to pay it off and then owe 20% interest or something insane like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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