The Mason Abroad By: Jamin Morrison
My name is Benjamin T. Morrison III, my friends and family knows me by Jamin. I am a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, and I’m currently deployed in Iraq. I have been in the Army for 10 years, and this is my 3rd deployment. I was deployed to Bosnia in 1999, Baghdad, Iraq 2003, and now Bayji , Iraq. Becoming a Mason was something that I always knew I would be. I just didn’t know when.
On 30 December 2009, during my mid tour leave, I was raised a Master Mason through courtesy of Tarrant Lodge #942, and became a member and brother of Fort Worth Lodge #148. I returned to Iraq 7 days later. The whole time I was excited to meet some masons and be able to, “talk the talk and walk the walk.” In my excitement I was trying to think back to my degrees and remember things so that if I got tested I wouldn’t look like a Cowan. Of course one of the first things that happened after I was raised was that my family gave me a ring, so I have that and wear it proudly but that just intensified the sense to make sure that I would be ready if I was tested, now that I was broadcasting that I was a Mason.
As soon as I got to my camp I was met by friends that were eager to hear about leave and find out what was going on back in the states. One of them was the Medic section leader that I had become friends with during the beginning of the deployment. I was talking to a couple of guys, him being one of them and he noticed my ring and acknowledged that it was very nice. After the other guys walked away, he started to walk away himself and turned around and asked me if I had seen his little dog, (giving the EA due guard) with a blue collar? (the sign) I smiled and repeated. We then had a lot more to talk about other than what new movies were being played in the states.
Recently I was selected to be an instructor at the Iraqi Army Officers School in Baghdad. I was the only one selected from my Battalion, and I had to pack my bags and say goodbye to all off my soldiers and friends in my unit for the rest of the deployment. I am with a group of 9 other Sergeants also from other units spread out all over Iraq. We will be teaching the Iraqis how to “properly emplace and deploy mortars” from what I remember from 2003 they didn’t need much help shooting the mortars at us, but now we’re going to teach them the proper way to do it. Makes much sense I know right.
So this morning I was running a little late getting out of the shower, so I had to rush to get dressed and make it to breakfast before we had to leave to go to the classroom. Everyone else was already in the dining facility, and was mostly done with their food. So I just tried to find an open seat close enough to the TV so I could see and hear what was new on CNN. I chose to sit two seats away from a civilian contract that was sitting at a table by himself. He was an old crusty looking guy that you could tell life had been hard on him. As soon as I sat down, we gave the courteous head nod and the, “how you doing” to each other. I got settled and reached to the middle of the table where the, Texas Pete Hot Sauce, was setting. (Got to have that on everything) The old man looked up from his food to make sure I wasn’t invading his space then back down at his plate, but then looked up again real fast, and I knew ol’ hell here it comes he saw my ring. I took a deep breath and braced myself for what test this old timer was going to hit me with. He finished his bite of food, took a sip of his drink, looked over at me and asked me, “your name wouldn’t happen to be Hiram Abif, would it?” I smiled and I wasn’t quite sure how to respond so I just said the first thing that came to mind and I said, “I am a widows son.” That satisfied the old man enough that he began talking with me about mild Masonic talk and we sat there and talked until I had to leave.
Being a Mason is one of the most exciting things I have ever experienced, and I can’t wait to meet more brothers and continue to learn, live, and grow in Masonry.
Fort Worth Lodge
