I identify. I was in the infantry, and while I didn't make it a career, I'm proud of my service record.
Really what I'd like to see, brass tacks, is the Sojourners expand their membership requirements to simply military veteran with an honorable discharge.
I think they are likely to face a membership crisis, if they haven't already. WWII era folks are in their 90s now. Korea vets in their 70s and 80s. And maybe it is just me, but I don't run into many vietnam vets who are masons. Membership in masonic bodies overall is dropping. Do the math.
I also find that vets of the combat arms are pretty rare. Just a lot more fuelers, logistics folks, and what have you. Especially the latter, among the masonic vets who were officers. Three or four Air Force supply or Navy engineers to every Army or Jarhead tank commander easily. I'm not saying one is better than the other, but as a practical matter it would make certain conversations easy.
Like, why sure, come on down. When they get there, ask em what they did in the service. Is that right, fascinating. Well me, I was just a grunt - you know, grenades, flak jackets and dirt. Sure is a shame you fellas don't allow in buck sgts, I'd be happy to purchase an endowed membership.
And I reckon they leave the lodge with not a man jack from it joining, even the folks that are eligible, because if I can't get in, the logistics man probably won't be inclined to. And the presenter goes back to his next stated meeting saying what a shame it is that they can't get new, young, capable men like the ones he ran into and were so respectful to him.
But I'm an aww shucks sorta fella if you catch my drift.
Inevitable they expand it, you watch - they'll go to e-5 first I bet. One good solid petition with a hundred thousand names or so would be all it would take about now even I betcha.