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Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
So are you saying that I am not proud of my service? I am very proud of my service. I am still an MP. I will get out as an E-6. I have ran the Admin, Supply, and Training for a Unit. I have the Purple Heart. Multiple Deployments and because I will not make E-7 I can not join? It goes against being on the level.
I am not saying that about you at all. But you have to admit that the majority of people who dont make it to 7 and get out are disgruntled, its just away to make sure that the organisation doesnt have a bunch of people who didnt make it through BT but have a 214 so they can join. I meant no offense. There are so many groups with in Masonry that "discriminate" Look at the KT you must profess to be (or to protect- depending on the commandery) the christian faith. look at all of the invitation only appendant bodies.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
I am still an MP. I will get out as an E-6.

Are you positive that you wont make 7 on this board that is coming up? Also I was an MP beofre becoming a Recruiter. I was in Germany with the 527th MP CO and at Mother Bragg with the 65th MP CO (ABN). what about you man?

BTW thanks for your sacrafice! Hopefully that PH isnt soemthing crazy that you have to deal with for the rest of your life
 

L.E.Avery

Registered User
I know I wont get the E-7. Pissed off the right person this time. lol. It is all good. The PH was for a road side IED 03-04 Baghdad. Nothing staying away from an MRI can not fix.

I totally get the requirements I am just saying that maybe they could vet a lower enlisted to join their ranks. Through 214's and such. To keep out the Basic Training ranger.
 

L.E.Avery

Registered User
Started out in the MOARNG went AD AF for 8years. Got out because they would not let me reclass. Took a 10 year break and got talked into joining the MOARNG to finish out my 20. I have been with the 1139th MP Co. deployed with them to Iraq attached to the 82nd AB. Then moved to the 3175th MP Co. Then took the Admin for the 3175th MP Co. Moved to the 1140th MP Co. to be the Training NCO for them. Now I am with the 2175th MP Co. Fun times. I have applied for recruiting but never accepted for the position. So I will just continue to do what I do which is deal with order, JPAS, DTS, DTMS, AFCOS, ATRRS and a whole slew of other abbreviated programs.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Started out in the MOARNG went AD AF for 8years. Got out because they would not let me reclass. Took a 10 year break and got talked into joining the MOARNG to finish out my 20. I have been with the 1139th MP Co. deployed with them to Iraq attached to the 82nd AB. Then moved to the 3175th MP Co. Then took the Admin for the 3175th MP Co. Moved to the 1140th MP Co. to be the Training NCO for them. Now I am with the 2175th MP Co. Fun times. I have applied for recruiting but never accepted for the position. So I will just continue to do what I do which is deal with order, JPAS, DTS, DTMS, AFCOS, ATRRS and a whole slew of other abbreviated programs.
ah ok..now your comment about pissing off the right person makes more sense. NG...
 

CLewey44

Registered User
So are you saying that I am not proud of my service? I am very proud of my service. I am still an MP. I will get out as an E-6. I have ran the Admin, Supply, and Training for a Unit. I have the Purple Heart. Multiple Deployments and because I will not make E-7 I can not join? It goes against being on the level.

You could maybe make the same argument for York Rite having a Christian requirement. Honestly, when I was an E-6, I was told I could probably join with no problem. They make exceptions and I'd imagine their membership is sort of dwindling. You could always enquire about it. E-6s to me are for the most part running their sections and should be treated as such maybe but rules are rules as with YR. To be a Shriner back in the day, you had to be a 32d degree SR member. So there has always been some restrictions on appendant bodies vs. Blue Lodge.
 

L.E.Avery

Registered User
CLewey44 I do agree with what you have said. Right now I am just looking forward to studying and doing all I can for my Lodge maybe later I will seriously look at trying to venture further out on my Masonic travels.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
National Sojourners was once limited to Officers. We went through the same discussion during that change. I suspect the organization will eventually be opened up to all ranks, as fewer Officers (well, fewer anyone) now join Freemasonry.

We have any number of bodies for which the prerequisite is that of Master Mason, but which have additional requirements. Sometimes those requirements are simply "I like you." At least Sojourners has a transparent requirement.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
..... they could vet a lower enlisted to join their ranks. Through 214's and such. To keep out the Basic Training ranger.

We're freemasons and part of that is mutual respect and growth but bro, your comment made me laugh. You start with complaint against the Sojourners for not letting in all military personnel, then propose keep other military personnel out.

Its a special interest group for officers but will likely keep dropping the rank requires to join. As others have said, there is all sorts of prerequisites for joining certain masonic group, including personal core (non-masonic) beliefs such being a Trinitarian Christian.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
We're freemasons and part of that is mutual respect and growth but bro, your comment made me laugh. You start with complaint against the Sojourners for not letting in all military personnel, then propose keep other military personnel out.

Its a special interest group for officers but will likely keep dropping the rank requires to join. As others have said, there is all sorts of prerequisites for joining certain masonic group, including personal core (non-masonic) beliefs such being a Trinitarian Christian.

Hes not propsing keeping other military people out. there is a huge number of people in America that claim to have served and have paperwork to back that up. However they never made it past Basic or were kicked out shortly after getting to their first unit for failure to adapt to military life or for a slew of other reasons that amount to that person being to weak to serve their country after swearing to. To the general public these people served. To those of us that have actually served they are worse then those people who never served but say crap like " I almost joined" or "I couldt serve cause if a Drill Sgt yelled at me Id yell right back at him"
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
If you want to be in a unit that will take any Brother who is an Honorably Discharged veteran, check to see if your local Shrine has a military unit. Many do.

If you want to be in an organization that takes veterans, look at the Amvets, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars. They each have their own specific rules as to who qualifies and who does not.
 

CLewey44

Registered User
The York "Rite" doesn't have a Christian requirement, the Chivalric Orders do.

I'm not a member of the YR but I've been told that by several members and going by the petition says.

From what I understand to receive the last few degrees you must be a Christian or at least favor that religion. I don't think I'm too far off base here. Not so much to merit correction I wouldn't think.
 

ess1113

Premium Member
Correct me if I am wrong but were we not subject to being judged fit to join the Masons when we petitioned the lodge? With that being said I feel that we were judged on a level and we are to be on the square. So how can the National Sojourners limit the membership to E-7 and above and be associated with Masons?
I understand that there are rules but it seems that if they were open to all ranks that would be more square in their dealings. I have served and will never see E-7 because of Medical Issues from my deployments, but because of the E-7 or above rule I can not join.
I know that there are other Brothers that served in the Military that might like to join but can not due to the fact that they maybe did one enlistment and got out, or they were medically retired, or they received wounds in combat that made them unfit before they attained the rank of E-7. Does that make them not worthy of being a National Sojourners? It should not.
So it is with a heavy heart that I will not promote the National Sojourners until they open their organization to lower enlisted Masons.

The Shrine has the Legion of Honor and there are National Sojourners throughout the world. Both predicate their membership on honorable service in the armed forces.
Technically, anyone of any rank can join National Sojourners but that makes you an honorary member.
I have difficulty finding fault in any Masonic organization that predicates their membership off of patriotism and national pride regardless of their membership qualifications.
While I am disappointed in your attitude towards National Sojourners, perhaps we can both survive you not counting yourself as a member.
 
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