Post #177378 by Satan's Sin on Thu, Aug 4, 2005 3:04 PM

I've actually been on British warships and have enjoyed their great hospitality -- and drinks. There is no rum ration anymore, of course, but alcohol is still allowed and their officers' mess -- the "wardroom" -- always contains an admirable collection of many fine spirits. For sale. Each time an officer takes a drink it is put on his tab.

I'm sure there must be a limit to how much a sailor or officer can drink at sea, but don't know what it is.

The U.S. Navy has the distinction of being the only navy in world that prohibits alcohol on board ships. This is in my opinion a very bad idea. Having been at sea quite a bit, I can tell you that after 30 or 40 straight days of 14+ hr. days (sprinkled with the occasional Very Scary Moments) one very much wants a drink, and when the ship pulls into a liberty port for one or two days of R&R before going back out for another 30-day pop you can imagine how much "catching up" there is to do.

The French Army I think still issues wine. Not sure. Got lost in this tiny country in Africa called Djibouti once (my friend and I had rented a jeep) and wound up at a French Foreign Legion base, of all things. Back then, I could still speak passable French. Talked our way onto the base (I was still on active duty then; I convinced them giving us directions and lunch would be good for NATO, or something like that) and they were very very nice, served us lunch and what I believe was French Army Wine. Very nice people, very civil, but their working uniforms were a little on the gay side, and I mean "scary" gay, not "Queer Eye" gay.

Great post, R.N. Davey!