Quick House Cleaning Note

On the right I put a widget that will track what I am currently interested in researching in Freemasonry, if you would like to exchange information with me, please feel free to contact me offline.

S&F,

-Bro Vick

Just One Black Ball...

This week is when the Grand Lodge of Texas meets for our Annual Communication. Since the majority of people that read this blog aren't Freemasons, here is a quick summary. The Grand Lodge meets once a year to vote on proposed resolutions, to elect a brother to south to eventual become Grand Master and get a state of the union of Freemasonry in Texas. To vote on the resolutions one has to be a Worshipful Master, Warden or a Past Master. Texas holds our annual meeting the first week of December. My plan was to attend this year but was overcome by family obligations, unfortunately. Every once in a while a Grand Master introduces legislation to be considered by the voting members for consideration. This year the MW T.E. "Gene" Carnes puts forth the following recommendation:

"Rescind the Three Blackball Rule by amending Art. 1. 352, 389, 418, 420, 421425, 428, and 429. Purpose to enhance the selection of qualified candidates. The recommendation will effect reinstatements in a Lodge or the petition to affiliate with a Lodge. One blackball or protest will stop actions on joining the Lodge."

Currently if a man petitions a Texas lodge it takes three black balls for that man not be elected to receive the degrees of Freemasonry. The above amendment would make it so one ball would exclude a man from joining a lodge, a brother who wishes to be reinstated to be denied, or a brother wanting to affiliate with another blue lodge. The argument for this is that this will help ensure that the highest quality of men will be allowed through the West Gate.

Now, I think it's been pretty well documented on this blog and by those that know me that I am a Past Nothing (PN), and don't have a vote on this issue, but it does bring up some concerns. Anyone that has any long term and heavy involvement in our fraternity knows that pettiness seems to be a far to often occurrence. While the teachings of Freemasonry teach tolerance and forgiveness, sometimes men push that aside in attempt to secure their own power or personal grievances (shocking, I kn0w). My fear is that the "one black ball" could encourage this type of petty behavior.

MW Carnes is right that we must be diligent in the men that we bring into this fraternity, and that we must ensure that they will reflect well upon Freemasonry in their respected community. But a man that isn't right for Freemasonry or vice versa should be vetted in the investigation phase and a brother that feels strongly about that a man receiving the degrees would bring this up during discussions of voting, not sitting in the shadows knowing that he can deny a man the right, lights and benefits of Freemasonry, because of an inconsequential matter.

I have no idea how well received this recommendation is with the brothers, it seems from various conversations it's about 50/50 and will most likely be a close vote, I just hope it's not a short sighted attempt to fix a problem that seems sporadic at best.

Thoughts?

-Bro Vick

Having Plenty to be Thankful For

Given that a year ago I was recovering from dysentery in Afghanistan and was actually discharged on Thanksgiving back to my camp, I am very thankful this year for a lot of things.

I had surgery on the 17th on my right hand to correct a fracture that never healed correctly during my deployment last year. It has been painful, but at least I am going through it here in San Antonio with family and friends, and not in a combat zone, so I am thankful for that.

This has been a year of transition both as a warfighter and as mason. My seemingly marathon of deployments has finally ended and I have started living a normal life again. I came back in June to my motherlodge that told me that my services as a Mason were not needed, that my profession and status as a reservist was too volatile. Ironically at the same time I was contacted by my other lodge that I have plural membership with and was asked to be a member of the lineup, to which I said yes, and everything started again.

I was installed on the 24th of July as Senior Steward three weeks later I was awarded the Bronze Star for my service in Afghanistan and I had started my civilian job again, life was telling me to move on, and I have. For all of the Past Masters that were thrown into the Senior Warden’s chair and then sitting in the east I am thankful to go through the chairs in a natural progression and not accelerate to the east in an unnatural manner. There is comfort that a man can take away from preparing and feeding his brother Mason. It’s far more work than one thinks, until they have served in that slot, but it has its rewards and brings me a sense of accomplishment Masionically that I haven’t had in a long time.

I am thankful in 2011 for the following:

I am thankful for my family and friends

I am thankful for my second chance in Freemasonry, and the comfort it has brought me

I am thankful for my civilian job and being employed

I am thankful to be alive and to be able to continue my journey here on earth

When I returned in June I had a lot of guilt coming home alive, like I didn’t do enough. I survived 70+ combat missions and have seen my share of lost soldiers. I think of them on any four day weekend, or holiday. But we all must keep on living, sorrow is no way to live life.

Happy Thanksgiving my brothers, Happy Thannksgiving.

Re-establishing My Life

I wanted to update everyone after my last draconian post. I first want to thank the men who came back and encouraged me and gave me support electronically. Both in my blog and personally, it means the world to me that men who have never met me would show such support.

I got over myself. J

I am becoming more optimistic about things, I was elected to positions within the Chapter and Council, and while my mother lodge decided that I was not to be in the lineup this year. I was never given a concise reason what I was told behind closed doors was that my profession and my reserve status was entirely too volatile for a position in the lodge. There are men who I helped raise who will most likely sit in the east before I ever get a chance, I am at peace with this happening.

My other lodge has asked me to sit in the Senior Stewart’s position, to which I gladly accepted, and will perform. There are even members of this lodge that have some skepticism about this, but I want to do what I can, education series, serving dinner, it doesn’t matter.

I owe so much to Freemasonry, when I was in Bermuda an older lady by the name of Margret who I had multiple conversations with about my service in Afghanistan said “You must have a strong foundation of faith to be able to do what you did.” I was taken back by this then realized that while I have always had a faith in GAOTU and Jesus Christ as our Savior (I know that makes some of you uncomfortable, sorry). Freemasonry fortified that and prepared me for death in the third degree, my effectiveness in service to this country is in part to my involvement with Freemasonry.

I wrote earlier that Freemasonry stalked me while in Afghanistan, and I will write about that later, but I wanted everyone to know, that I am moving on, and that is the first step to anything.

S&F,

-Bro Vick

My Life Right Now

I don’t know if anyone still reads this blog, but I wanted those very few that do, that I came home two weeks ago. When I got back to San Antonio, I knew the world had changed, and not for the better. My house was sold, I came back to the airport and was greeted by no one, but as the saying goes “You made your bed, you can lay in it.”

I got a room in the Visiting Officers Quarters and slept from Friday 10 June to 13 June, the next two weeks were spent what the Air Force calls “re-constitution” . It’s been rough to be honest with you all, while I was in theater I ate, slept and shit the enemy and suddenly being back in the states it’s hard to let go of that. The GAOTU blessed me as I conducted ~70 combat missions in Afghanistan, but everyone of them have taken a toll on my soul. Masonry was always on my mind, it was stalking me every turn while I was there. The greatest impact that was before any serious or dangerous mission I would clean my M4 and my M9 as a good Airman would do. I would clean my weapon while watching some testosterone filled TV show, after I was finished and I put the rifle and pistol back together I would do a prayer that we are taught during the third degree, in Texas the prayer goes as follows:

"Thou, O God, knowest our down-sitting and our up-rising, understandest our thoughts afar off. Shield and defend us from the evil intentions of our enemies, and support us under the trial and afflictions we are destined to endure while traveling through this vail of tears. Man that is born of a woman is a few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down; he fleth also as a shadow and conintueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with Thee; Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; turn from him that he may rest, till he accomplish his last day.

For there is hope of a tree that if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea man giveth up the ghost and where is he. As the waters fall from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down, and riseth not up till the heavens shall be no more. Yet Lord, have compassion on the children of Thy creation; administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation. Amen"

Before I would go out I would write my birthday down through the current day and would say that today is the day I am going to die. It cleared my head, instead of caring pictures of loved ones or half-in/half-out I just said “Well, today I will die”.

Like I wrote before Freemasonry followed me everywhere I went while I was in Afghanistan, the Canadian’s set up not only an impressive military lodge in Kandahar but a York Rite, when I was traveling through KAF I would see the flyers and smile, it was good. I also met many men who were deployed and were brothers, one of them Chief Munro who is a Navy Chief and a Navy Seal, one of the few in the entire Department of Defense.

Freemasonry was always more to me than a position in the line-up or memorization of lines; it has been a standing institute in the betterment of man.

I crave of Freemasonry in my life; I just don’t know where I can find it. On a positive note, I received a note from a member that a The Masonic Society where a member paid for my membership in 2011 because of my service, and for that I thank him, deeply. Notes like that mean the world to me. Keeping up with dues while deployed is a pain in the ass, and this was one less thing to worry about.

Things are okay now for me personally; I have waves of guilt and sadness, like I am grieving. I sometimes have crying fits, this past Friday I was hit with such sadness that it made me sick, and I threw up. Same thing happen yesterday morning as well, but so goes the uncomfortable readjustment of returning from the forgotten war.

I ask and plead with anyone that is reading this, if you have lodge members that are deployed, please try and take care of them. Contact while deployed is priceless, and reaching out to a member could turn their shitty day into a great one, please remember that.

My journey in Freemasonry continues, and so will this blog, but it might be a bit rocky from here on out.

S&F,

-Bro Vick

Less Than 60 Days

Ahhh my poor neglected Masonic blog, I apology for the near year long absence. The operations tempo is horrible, lack of interaction from my brothers at home, 2010/2011 hasn't been a great Masonic experience.

With that being said I have less than 60 days left in Afghanistan before I make the long trip back to the great state of Texas. As many of you know I was by-name-requested by then GEN McChrystal to return to theater and later retained by GEN Petraeus (who I just briefed last week).

Stan McChrystal recently was at a leadership seminar in which he discusses themes of leading men who are far younger than himself, and how he had to listen to them first, then lead them. I think that the majority of the Masonic leadership reading this blog and leading men in lodge many generations far removed would agree. If you have 15 minutes take a watch, a great video:

http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2011/04/stanley-mcchrystal-listen-lear/

Grand Lodge of Texas, Prince Hall, and Afghanistan

I know I have been neglectful of this blog, and there are a lot of things that I have wanted to write about, and receive feedback on. I am hoping that I can start that again with this post. The three topics above may not seem all interrelated, but for me they are, and I hope to explain myself with this post.

In early April of this year I received an e-mail from the Joint Chief of Staff Personnel directorate:

Gen McCrystal, AFGHAN CC, has submitted a by name request for Capt Vickery.

From there everything went downhill and fast, my wife was fit to be tied, my civilian career which was just getting back to normal was in shambles, and my abscene from the Craft was going to be extended. For the first time in my life I understood what it meant when they say “Service before self”. For a long time, especially in the Air Force it is almost seen as a tagline, or something you have to say, but now I know. I have a skill set that has become valuable for the commanders in Afghanistan, and because of that I was called back to serve for a minimum of a year, so here I sit on a break, writing this post in Kabul, Afghanistan.

In regards to the Craft (which is what this blog is about), I don’t have to be deprived of the work, but I am because of the Grand Lodge of Texas and their current recognition of Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas. For the longest time I was going to refrain from posting about the GLoTX and the Prince Hall issue, because honestly I didn’t want the headache. I know that most brothers who are reading this feel that the entire issue/blame is to be placed at the feet of the Grand Lodge of Texas that it is all on them to make everything right, not so fast. While the GLoTX did recognize the Grand Lodge of Prince Hall Texas, they put on the restriction that no Masonic communication is to happen between the two organizations in any manner. This was agreed to by our Prince Hall brothers, and so while GLoTX recognize their right to exist, neither party agreed on much else.

Now the reasons for this particular arrangement is that our Prince Hall brothers didn’t want communication, only recognition to be able to apply to the UGLE to be formally recognize, and while that can seem like the old excuses of segregation “they like it that way”, I don’t feel that blind racism is the culprit as others may have you think. You go into most lodges in south east Texas you will see Past Masters with names like Ramirez, Hernandez, and Garcia. We need to call the Masonic communication issue what it is for parties, xenophobia, period. It isn’t unreasonable that members of the GLoTX and the MWGLPHTX don’t want to delude their Masonic traditions with one another, hell I see this with lodges across town from one another, being highly critical in how the other performs the work, etc.

So what is my point? All this posturing, crusading and shrill arguments are fine for you back in the states, but the sad state of affairs is that while Prince Hall lodges operate in Afghanistan on military installations; myself and others are unfortunately precluded from taking part. I am regulated to read and pontificate on this blog about the work, instead of beholding the fellowship and enlightment it can bring a man in some of the most horrible places imaginable.

For some reason, I have a feeling that the Masonic year of 2010/2011 will be a very dark one for me.

-Bro Vick

The Rough Road to Reintegration in Freemasonry

When you get back from a deployment from a combat zone, you are constantly told the concerns about reintegration. Most notably they worry about how you are going to interact with your family, your friends and your co-workers. That reintegration was for the most part smooth for me, I returned to work in December, started to go to drill in January, and life was starting to move at a normal pace. My patience with people has gotten back to its normal levels, so overall it’s been pretty smooth, except for my reintegration back into Lodge.

Rejoining the Masonic brotherhood has been the hardest part in adjusting back to civilian life.

While I was deployed I often thought long and hard about Freemasonry and would read the monitor, and reflect the most on the first three degrees, the Knights of Malta and of course the Order of the Temple. When I returned there was nothing more that I wanted than to sit and have those familiar staples of dinner w/ the lodge, then retiring to the lodge room for some work. I alluded to it earlier, about the when I returned to lodge a week after returning to the states. I guess after much reflection I realized the contributing factors (and ongoing factors) in trying to find out what has changed, and why I just can’t feel comfortable at my mother lodge. First my lodge has had an influx of new brothers since about August, this seems to be happening due to increase in community activity and involvement with the local Army post. These men didn’t know me, I didn’t know them and so there seem to be an almost stand-offnish attitude between the both of us, this of course normally (and it has) breaks down if someone sees you often enough

The second factor is that first meeting when I returned the WM did not extend to me any recognition of my safe return from my deployment. While this sounds self-important but everywhere else; work, home, my guard unit did this, and they were my co-workers/friends not my brothers. I was later told that this didn’t happen do to the attention that was being given to an upcoming event. After my first meeting at the lodge I didn’t go back until January.

Returning again things really didn’t change, I was then involved in deep reflection, did I move on from Freemasonry or did it move on from me? I decided to return to the one thing that has always brought me solace within the Fraternity, the Work. My mentor invited me to start the work again, and I was starting to realize that re-learning (or dusting out the cobwebs) seems to be the initial step in reinvigorating my path in Freemasonry.

Will this work? I don’t know for sure, today we have three EA degrees (like I said, we have had a huge influx of members), I have been offered the part of Senior Warden, and with some practice this week I am ready (as I will ever be) to start being more active again.

I am as always open to your suggestions and will try to do a better job of updating my progress.

S&F,

-Bro Vick

Jay-Z The Freemason – Just Let It Go

Here we go again, every time that Jay-Z releases a new album, the internet crazies from all over claim that he is deep in the occult and of course is a Freemason. This started back in 2000 when he used his hand jester that professional wrestler Dimond Dallas Page trademarked called “The Self-High Five” way back in 1996. Page sued Jay-Z for the use of the sign. Internet crazies, conspiracy nuts everywhere were claiming that the sign was Masonic in nature and that Jay-Z was actually a member of the Illuminati. Though I can’t find the same allegations for Diamond Dallas Page, which is interesting as he is the first to use it, or so he claims.

Well it seems that every time Jay-Z releases an album and the videos for that album he is accused of promoting occultism and Freemasonry. This happened when he officially released the video for his song “On To the Next One”. Critics claim that it is full of Masonic references, but I see one kind of, but not really. They also claim it for the video for his hit “Run this Town”, in the trailer when Jay-Z is explaining the video he is wearing a shirt that reads “Do What Thou Wilt” the mantra of the Ordo Templi Orientis and was created by Aleister Crowley the self proclaimed wickedest man on the planet. This of course sent most of the Anti-Freemasons over the edge as absolute proof that he is a Freemason and OTO.

So is Jay-Z a Freemason? Most likely not, though anything is possible, some of his critics and fans are claiming he is doing all of this to provoke the crazies, that seems like a possibility. Only Jay-Z knows if he is a Freemason, or a self worshipper form the OTO or whatever. Bottom line, controversy sales, and Jay-Z is milking it for all it’s worth. Here is the video for “On To the Next One” which I am sure you will here at your next secret lodge meeting:

New Year – Time to Start Blogging Again

Time to wipe off the dust of the blog From Darkness to Light, and start G*A*S*P blogging again, so to begin things I will give a quick update.

I returned from Afghanistan on 3rd of November, I wasn’t expecting to leave the country for another week when I received a phone call from PERSCO telling me I needed to be out in the next 72 hours. When I got into Baltimore and smelled the fresh air and the clean airport, I realized how much I missed the states.

After a week of trying to recoup, get demobilized and get my wits about me I decided to return to my mother lodge for their stated meeting. I have to be honest that both the fellowship and the meeting were a little uncomfortable. Even though a lot of the brothers come from military backgrounds, we just didn’t click like I did before I deployed. This “reintegration” time is always difficult. I learned that this was the case at my work, and even my reserve unit. Still, I thought somewhere that Freemasonry was going to be different, but human nature, is just that, human nature.

After attending a couple of more meetings, and talking over e-mail things are starting to feel like where I left them, it just takes time to reconnect. The noticeable difference is that since the lodge roof was repaired and renovated the lodge was starting to practice better Freemasonry. We have about 6 candidates going through the degrees, we do community events, it’s amazing that just rolling up your sleeves and fixing up your lodge room can put some wind in your sails.

This past December I had a shock as I was elected to Junior Warden of my Allied Masonic Degrees Council. Considering I am not in a chair in either of my Blue Lodges or any other apendent body, along with the fact that I am not a Past Anything, I accepted this position with great honor and I am looking forward to serving in that capacity.

Hopefully this will be the start of a great Masonic year as 2010 promises to bring renewed faith in a lot of my ventures. I hope I am faithful to this blog and continue to update it regularly on my Masonic journey.

-Bro Vick