Best way to handle a small dining in night?
The way it is frequently done by the 13-35 'dining club' in MPA (joint DIN between 1312 and 1435 Flts). Attendance is usually in the order of 15-20 Officers, but numbers are swelled by making it 'ladies guest' - ie scour the complex for the 15-20 reasonably attractive women that exist down there (they do, honest!). Seating is always 'boy-girl-boy-girl'.
And arsing about before the loyal toast is, as quite rightly pointed out above, verboten. A point made by the 'PMC' right at the start of the dinner - there usually follows a delay of roughly 5 seconds before the 'PMC' stands up again and makes the loyal toast! Sets the tone for the evening quite nicely.