# Drill Sergeant duty and petitioning



## alterian (Nov 17, 2015)

Hello everyone

I’ve been trying to petition for a while but due to Deployments, Schools and scheduling I’ve never been able to. I went to a lodge at Fort Hood and they told me to contact the lodge when I got here. Now that I’m here and about to start my tour I’m worried that I won’t have enough time to get to know anyone or study. I was really hoping I knew someone at a lodge around here to help with the process but so far no luck.

I did go to a lodge today and introduced myself but they said it would be hard finding time. They also said I would need to be here for a year and one of the two signing my petition would have to be a member from that lodge. I’m just feeling frustrated, I’ve been trying to for a while and it hasn’t worked. There is another lodge meeting next week, I’m going to introduce myself, talk to some people. Hopefully I know someone there.

If anyone else has had any of these issue a little advice would be welcomed. How do I get to know people with the little time we spend together? 

Thanks


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## Randy81 (Nov 19, 2015)

Hey Alterian, happy late veterans day! Thanks for your service! I too, am in the Army and have been stationed at Fort Hood as well. I've went through all the same hang ups as well with the deployments, and finding time. I'm now in a position where I've been able to start my journey. What lodge did you go to? Killeen? Finding the time could be difficult depending on your position there, but getting signatures shouldn't be an issue. There are a lot of AD NCOs/Officers and retired guys at the lodges around there. Had I not been a 1SG while I was at Hood, I probably would of been able to join then. I know the guys at Belton and Copperas Cove were very good guys and very accepting. As far as the year in Texas, I'm pretty sure that can be waved if you're a US Service member.


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## alterian (Nov 19, 2015)

I went to Killeen Lodge 1125 a couple of times. But I had a deployments, Air assault and DS School that got in the way. I went to one here and there was only 1 person I meet at the lodge that is AD in Army. I still havent felt them out, but I can say right now I dont think anyone would sign for me. They gave me the come around and get to know everyone talk. I doubt I can find the ideal time to get to know them while on the trail. I get to my unit next week, I really hope someone there is in a local lodge. Im going to another lodge monday ill post how it goes.


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## Manderthal (Nov 22, 2015)

Contact the Grand Lodge in your state and see if there is an Overseas lodge for military members. You might find luck there. 
FWIW although frustrating for you right now it's actually a very good thing that the lodges you talk to insist on taking time to get to know you before signing your petition for membership. Freemasonry isn't for everyone. Someday you'll look back and be glad they did and expect them to do the same for new candidates.


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## Randy81 (Nov 23, 2015)

alterian said:


> I went to Killeen Lodge 1125 a couple of times. But I had a deployments, Air assault and DS School that got in the way. I went to one here and there was only 1 person I meet at the lodge that is AD in Army. I still havent felt them out, but I can say right now I dont think anyone would sign for me. They gave me the come around and get to know everyone talk. I doubt I can find the ideal time to get to know them while on the trail. I get to my unit next week, I really hope someone there is in a local lodge. Im going to another lodge monday ill post how it goes.


Where are you on the trail at? I was a DS some time ago, I know the hours are ridiculous. It might take a little time but I think you'll be able to make it happen. Although you will work long hours, I doubt your battles would have an issue with you stepping out to go to meetings, and studying during the process. I hope it works out for you.


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## alterian (Nov 23, 2015)

I’m at Benning. I haven’t found anyone at local lodges that'll sign off, I really can’t blame anyone, who would want to blindly sign a petition for someone they don’t know. I’m going to keep going to lodges around here until I get to know members. Hopefully I make a good impression on someone or see someone I know. I just hate the feeling of being a complete stranger in lodges, it sucks. 1703 PM

Today I got a chance to go to both a MS and a PHA lodge. I’ve been reading about both and I have some questions I hope someone can help me out with, thanks in advance.

Is there still no mutual recognition in GA?
Is there a con about joining PHA in GA?
Do all PHA lodges recognize each other regardless if their recognized by their MS counterpart?
Do any MS lodges recognize PHA from GA? i.e. Texas 

Also is there any material I could study that'll help me for future EA decree, I’m thinking like basic stuff. I have a feeling every jurisdiction/lodge is different, although I figure some basic stuff would still be the same. If you can’t answer that’s fine.


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## Bloke (Nov 24, 2015)

i'll let someone who knows about the PH recognition and operation answer..

As to all lodges being different, they are.. .but they are all the same if you know what I mean.. the ritual and such vary. Traditions vary. Dress varies, including aprons, but we are all working to the same (regular) landmarks and all are working towards the similar thing. Freemasonry is like porn, you know it when you see it 

As to reading.. questions here are good. When it is not being vandalized, the wikipedia page is actually reasonable.. All that said, I would not do too much reading, the time to do that is when you are through your degrees and can compare what you read with your direct experience.. also, you do not want to go in knowing what happens.. it's like knowing what a birthday present is, you ruin the surprise and form preconceptions which might not be accurate. we initiated a guy who later admitted finding the (accurate) ritual on the web, he said it was nothing like what he expected. It's a bit like the lines in the movie Goodwill Hunting

_Sean: You're just a kid, you don't have the faintest idea what you're talkin' about. _

_Will: Why thank you. _

_Sean: It's all right. You've never been out of Boston. _

_Will: Nope. _

_ Sean: So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much._

Freemasonry's like that.. you can read about it, but you only understand by experiencing it. To guys I mentor, I always recommend hitting the books (beyond what we give them) *after* they are a MM... then they have the beginnings of the full picture.. and when you read that the devil or a goat shows up during the degree, or about the drinking of blood or eating babies, you know it is pure B.S.

Keep knocking, someone will answer. And if they don't, we will try to work out why (*Marks "watch thread"*)


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## Classical (Nov 24, 2015)

Bloke said:


> i'll let someone who knows about the PH recognition and operation answer..
> 
> As to all lodges being different, they are.. .but they are all the same if you know what I mean.. the ritual and such vary. Traditions vary. Dress varies, including aprons, but we are all working to the same (regular) landmarks and all are working towards the similar thing. Freemasonry is like porn, you know it when you see it
> 
> ...


Perfectly said! Great post!


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## dfreybur (Nov 24, 2015)

alterian said:


> I’m at Benning. I haven’t found anyone at local lodges that'll sign off, I really can’t blame anyone, who would want to blindly sign a petition for someone they don’t know. I’m going to keep going to lodges around here until I get to know members. Hopefully I make a good impression on someone or see someone I know. I just hate the feeling of being a complete stranger in lodges, it sucks. 1703 PM



I think you also mentioned you moved recently.  Masonry deliberately chooses to initiate men who have a stable domicile because the proficiencies are a lot of work.

The degrees of Masonry are earned so they take a lot of time.  You need to be able to dedicate an evening per month, preferably per week, until you have learned and delivered the proficiency for each one to be able to take the next one.  The work is similar in size to taking a lower division undergraduate class at college.  For someone with a job as grueling as Company Commander / Drill Instructor at basic training your work interferes too much until/unless you switch to less grueling work.

Time, patience and perseverance will accomplish all things.  These requirements currently exclude you but your situation will not stay what it is now.



> Today I got a chance to go to both a MS and a PHA lodge. I’ve been reading about both and I have some questions I hope someone can help me out with, thanks in advance.
> 
> Is there still no mutual recognition in GA?



Not yet this year.



> Is there a con about joining PHA in GA?



Until there is mutual recognition you will be limited to attending other PHA lodges.  In the US, near US military bases across the world and Liberia.



> Do all PHA lodges recognize each other regardless if their recognized by their MS counterpart?



Yes, but please look them up first.  A lot of clandestine jurisdictions use the words "Prince Hall" in their names.  Of course look up any lodge first.

http://www.conferenceofgrandmasterspha.org/gjlinks.asp



> Do any MS lodges recognize PHA from GA? i.e. Texas



Usually states recognize the list of all PHA jurisdictions that have local recognition, so not until GA recognizes.

I have read that Colorado and New Mexico recently recognized the entire list from the link I posted above.  So far I have not gotten copies of their recent proceedings to see if this is correct.  It's easy to confuse a policy of recognizing all that have local recognition with a policy of recognizing all independent of local recognition.  All lot of states recognize every state that has local recognition - That's called blanket recognition.  If any state has switched to recognizing all independent of local recognition it's time for me to submit the paperwork to do the same in the two jurisdictions I can submit grand lodge proposals.

[QOUTE]Also is there any material I could study that'll help me for future EA decree, I’m thinking like basic stuff. I have a feeling every jurisdiction/lodge is different, although I figure some basic stuff would still be the same. If you can’t answer that’s fine.[/QUOTE]

Please do not read anything that claims to tell the events of a degree.  Do you remember the surprise you felt opening each present on Christmas when you were a kid?  Keep it a surprise like that.  Step out in faith in the friend who does recommend you once your work situation has stabilized.

Read all you like about Masonic philosophy, history, philanthropy.


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## Bloke (Nov 24, 2015)

dfreybur said:


> I think you also mentioned you moved recently.  Masonry deliberately chooses to initiate men who have a stable domicile because the proficiencies are a lot of work



See, I'd have a different answer.... because historically it allows for a better situation to properly investigate your character.


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