The four classes of membership are:
Full Mess Membership
Officers on the retired list who work in a defence related business are eligible for Full Mess Membership. This costs £9 per month. Benefits include a vote on mess business, a credit facility (mess number) and attendance at all mess functions at a zero profit rate. ID card and vehicle passes will be issued on request to facilitate access to the establishment.
Associate Mess Membership
Officers on the retired list who do not work in a defence related business are eligible for Associate Mess Membership. This costs £9 per month. Benefits include a credit facility (mess number) and attendance at all mess functions at a zero profit rate. There is no vote on mess business but the views of Associate Mess Members will be represented at the Mess Committee. ID card and vehicle passes will be issued on request to facilitate access to the establishment.
Active OA Membership
Serving and retired Officers who do not wish to make full use of the Wardroom on a regular basis, may wish to apply for Active OA membership. The cost is levied at £25 per annum. Although the cost of mess functions will be at the guest rate, it is envisaged that, subject to OA funds and agreement by the OA Committee, the majority will attract a subsidy. A credit facility is not available and therefore all transactions within the wardroom will be on a cash basis. ID card and vehicle passes will be issued on request to facilitate access to the establishment.
Country OA Membership
Serving and retired Officers who only visit the establishment very occasionally may wish to apply for Country OA membership. The cost is levied at £11 per annum. The cost of mess functions will be at the guest rate and all transactions within the wardroom will be on a cash basis. Due to the nature of Country Membership, an ID card and vehicle pass will not be issued however, access to the establishment can be arranged at reasonable notice via the OA Sec.
Please note that all of the above types of members will receive the bi-annual newsletter and, if your email details are known, regular updates on wardroom social events. Members may opt out of receiving these if they wish.
Please note that Sports & Recreation Centre (SARC) membership is not included within mess membership. All ex-service personnel are eligible to join the SARC; members who wish to join the SARC can apply via the OA Secretary.
For clarity, a tabulated version of this membership structure is available here.
If you have queries on this structure you should in the first instance contact the OA Social and Membership Secretary, Lt Cdr Martin Carr, on email social@hmscoa.org who can provide advice and assistance. Alternatively, any member of the OA Committee will be glad to discuss the membership structure.