Traditions and Courtesies: Commander's New Year's Reception

{Whether you are new to the military community or “have the t-shirt” the maze of customs and traditions can seem overwhelming. I’ve found that many spouses who feel that their military community is “too clique-ish” and “only for the in crowd” are struggling with nuances of military life that are often not written down and handed out. These details can be found if you know what to look for- but, honestly, who goes looking for a party dress code in a decades old Army regulation? Like many challenges facing today’s milspouse, the answer comes down to connecting the problem and the solution!

With that in mind, in 2012 White Gloves, Optional will share a series of write-ups on some of the common events in our community and some civilian friendly advice on navigating the social waters. }

Who doesn’t like to start the New Year off with a party! 

The military is no exception here with the traditional Commander’s New Year’s Reception. This party is a little different than the majority of those held to watch the ball drop. For one, it will likely be the weekend after New Years. In addition, the New Year’s Reception is considered a “command performance” event- which means that if a service member receives an invitation they are expected to attend unless they are on leave. It can vary from unit to unit as to who is expected to attend this event,  but it is typically Senior NCOs (either E-7 and up or 1st Sgt and up) and Officers.

Commander’s receptions are usually held at the battalion level or above, which means that the hosting Commander is the Battalion’s (or higher) Commanding Officer. This event can be held at the host’s home, at a local (usually installation) community center or a similar reception facility. The location will depend on the number of guests and space availability. 

Here’s one of the things that makes the New Year’s Reception different from most events: the guests attend in shifts. That’s right! On your service member’s invitation, there will be a time indicated. It can vary from 45 minutes to two hours in length and is strictly adhered to. The amount of time has nothing to do with the service member’s rank or importance or anything of that nature. The New Year’s Reception is formatted in this way to allow a very large number of personnel to have face time with the unit commander in an organized way. There is a break between “shifts” of attendees that allows the hosts to replenish refreshments and catch their breath.

What do I Wear?

The uniform for the service member at the New Year’s Reception is dress blues with a four-in-hand tie (as opposed to the bow tie which is the most formal version). This makes the dress code “informal”. If you’re not the in the army, informal can mean casual. Not so for the military community. Informal is dressy but short of black tie/evening gown. If you are accompanying your Soldier to the New Year’s Reception, you have a couple of options depending on preference and weather. A time of day appropriate cocktail dress, probably with something over it if the Reception is during the morning/day (which they often are) is an obvious choice. If the reception is earlier in the day or you are in a less than temperate climate, this is the perfect occasion for those really dressy suits. Every year, our New Year’s Receptions have had a line out the door that required a long enough wait that you will be grateful for a chic, warm jacket. For our gentleman spouses, a matching suit and tie are the best choice.

From Shade Clothing