All Branch Topic (ABT) Why does every base have a bowling alley?

[Perrotfish]

I was exploring my base, and I passed by the bowling alley, which I didn't realize we had. I have now rotated through about half a dozen military facilities, and they ALL had bowling alleys. The only exception was my MTF for residency, which was 10 minute drive from a base that did have a bowling alley, so that doesn't really count.

Does this seem weird to anyone? I mean its not exactly a common thing for 18 year old Marines to do on a Friday night, and its not like a fully staffed bowling alley is a cheap piece of equipment. I can easily think of half a dozen other hobbies that most bases don't support. So who decided that bowling is a mandatory part of base architecture? For the old salts here, was there ever a time without bowling alleys or has this been going on since time out of mind?

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[DrMetal]

Because the enlisted (especially those underage) need a place to drink and cause trouble.

 

[j4pac]

What do you have against bowling...punk? (Slurring my words...naturally...) 🙂

 

[Perrotfish]

What do you have against bowling...punk? (Slurring my words...naturally...) 🙂

 

[Gastrapathy]

1. Need a place for TAPS class.

Dude, bowling alleys are a required part of any navy installation. Second only to the package store.

 

[alpinism]

Sort of like how every base has a pool and a movie theater....

Probably since they're a staple of your typical americana hometown that most enlisted folks hail from.

As a side note, the bowling alley grill often has the best food on base.

 

[j4pac]

Where else are you going to go to impressive your Asian girlfriend? Don't judge!

 

[Perrotfish]

Sort of like how every base has a pool and a movie theater...

That's my point though. Pretty much everyone goes to the pool in the summer. Pretty much everyone goes to the movies at least every few months. Is bowling really that kind of universal? I always thought of bowling as being like ice skating or paintball: a hobby that some people do often, and most people do once every few years when they're exceptionally bored. Are the kids these days just WAY more into bowling that I realize? And if so, where are all the bowling selfies?

 

[sonofva]

That's my point though. Pretty much everyone goes to the pool in the summer. Pretty much everyone goes to the movies at least every few months. Is bowling really that kind of universal? I always thought of bowling as being like ice skating or paintball: a hobby that some people do often, and most people do once every few years when they're exceptionally bored. Are the kids these days just WAY more into bowling that I realize? And if so, where are all the bowling selfies?

 

[d2305]

My DDG crew got banned from the bowling alley in RR PR due to belligerent behavior. We were confined to the base during our visit. It used to be the only place to buy beer at 10 am.

 

[Homunculus]

i think it's a vestigial thing from back when people all lived on base that has perpetuated due to government contracting. theaters, bowling allies, o clubs, e clubs, commissary, px/nex, golf courses-- all those MWR and social things used to be part of the military culture when many of the bases may have had more infrastructure than the surrounding communities. then the defense budget exploded, GS employees sprang to life, and the surrounding towns starting drinking that tasty government defense budget milk. they grew up codependent on the base, then created self sustaining communities, and now everything is duplicated off post and on and looks redundant.

overseas (i've only been to germany pre and post deployment for a few weeks) though i think these offerings are much more appreciated and utilized.

i always find the run of army base specific eateries amusing. robin hood, anthony's pizza, and popeye's or some other fried chicken joint and burger king seem to be prerequisites for an army base.

--your friendly neighborhood tax free shopping!! caveman

 

[j4pac]

OCONUS it's a big deal to have restaurants, movie theater, and bowling alley. I was averaging 200 right handed and 180 left handed while I lived in Japan for two years. The leagues are actually quite competitive.

 

[Ziehl-Neelsen]

When the BRAC construction was going on in Bethesda circa 2010, the pool and the gym were closed down but the bowling alley remained open. I'm pretty sure the CPOs had something to do with that.

OCONUS it's a big deal to have restaurants, movie theater, and bowling alley. I was averaging 200 right handed and 180 left handed while I lived in Japan for two years. The leagues are actually quite competitive.

Quite true. My wife spent a number of her teenage years at Yokosuka. And every Sunday consisted of Mass at the base chapel, brunch at the O-club, and a movie at the base theatre in the afternoon. My Father-in-law told me there were even a couple of Americans playing in the Japanese Big Leagues (baseball) who befriended Navy families and regularly came to Sunday brunch to escape from another day of Bento boxes and anime.

Naval officers and their families stationed in Japan indeed take their bowling seriously. My wife's family was legitimately upset when they found out that I considered bowling an excuse to drink High Life and quote Lebowski.

 

[NavyFP]

1. Need a place for TAPS class.

Dude, bowling alleys are a required part of any navy installation. Second only to the package store.

Package store second??????????? Noooooooooooooooooooooo. Must have booze.

They wonder why I drink...
Or They wonder why I don't drink more...

 

[DD214_DOC]

It gives the younger ones an excuse to gather together and drink, until they get old enough to realize it's ok to simply gather together and drink

 

[notdeadyet]

Or until they get even older and realize it's okay to simply drink without gathering together.


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[DD214_DOC]

Well played

 

[d2305]

Wonder if the club alliance is still around in Yokosuka?

 

[j4pac]

Wonder if the club alliance is still around in Yokosuka?

It's still open...here's their website. http://www.navymwryokosuka.com/programs/0fa03f12-a05b-42c8-be24-d18d346bc448

That is probably my biggest regret about getting out of the military...not being able to go back to Yokosuka. I absolutely loved it.

 

[d2305]

I liked going up to Tokyo and exploring.

 

[j4pac]

I liked going up to Tokyo and exploring.

Yokohama is better...just my opinion.

 

[HighPriest]

Why does every rose have its thorn?
Why does every night have its dawn?
Why does every cowboy sing a sad, sad song?
Why does every fat chick have a gay friend?

 

[alpinism]

i think it's a vestigial thing from back when people all lived on base that has perpetuated due to government contracting. theaters, bowling allies, o clubs, e clubs, commissary, px/nex, golf courses-- all those MWR and social things used to be part of the military culture when many of the bases may have had more infrastructure than the surrounding communities. then the defense budget exploded, GS employees sprang to life, and the surrounding towns starting drinking that tasty government defense budget milk. they grew up codependent on the base, then created self sustaining communities, and now everything is duplicated off post and on and looks redundant.

overseas (i've only been to germany pre and post deployment for a few weeks) though i think these offerings are much more appreciated and utilized.

i always find the run of army base specific eateries amusing. robin hood, anthony's pizza, and popeye's or some other fried chicken joint and burger king seem to be prerequisites for an army base.

--your friendly neighborhood tax free shopping!! caveman

Same for every air force base.

Welcome to Iraq. Would you like Burger King or Pizza Hut for lunch? (circa 2007)

 

[esob]

Really depends where you are even with regard to stateside. If you are stationed somewhere like Ft. Leonard Wood (especially for AIT or some other training) without a car, then the amenities are the only game in town. However, at someplace like Fort Sam, well then yeah, they are just redundant.

 

[Gastrapathy]

A better question is why we let the ****ing Canadians secretly poison us with Tim Hortons. Those bases are a little part of 'murica and Timmy Ho should not be authorized.

If they were going to import our neighbors cuisine, how about some Robertos.

 

[Shikima]

I always preferred Robin's over Timmy's. But I guess Robin's lost that war several years back.

 

[d2305]

The food I missed in europe and asia was pizza hut. One would think the Italians could make good pizza, but they can't.

 

[j4pac]

I always preferred Robin's over Timmy's. But I guess Robin's lost that war several years back.

NOOO!!!!!

 

[The Buff OP]

Because 'Murica is always ready to strike!

 

[TheEarDoc]

The food I missed in europe and asia was pizza hut. One would think the Italians could make good pizza, but they can't.

They make awesome pizza if you are used to it in the way Pizza was originally made. If you like Americanized pizza aka pizza hut then yeah you wouldn't probably like Italian authentic pizza unless it's Sicilian style.

 

[Neogenesis]

A better question is why we let the ****ing Canadians secretly poison us with Tim Hortons. Those bases are a little part of 'murica and Timmy Ho should not be authorized.

If they were going to import our neighbors cuisine, how about some Robertos.

Don't you DARE F$&? With Tim Horton's!

 

[Gastrapathy]

Don't you DARE F$&? With Tim Horton's!

Have you been to the one in Kandahar? **** them.

 

[d2305]

I just found out the the Club Alliance is onbase now. The old one was near the train station in town. I need to go back there and look around.