20 Issue No. 43 There are a number of serving and retired Rocks that have joined another brotherhood Freemasonry. Personally, I joined the masons after I left the Corps in 2002, as it provided me with a new community that I had missed from my days in the mob. Yes, we all know there are some who think we are some dark and secret cult, well for a start no self-respecting illuminati new world order would let me be a member. Being a Mason doesn’t give you an advantage in any circumstances. Over the time I’ve been involved with the RAF Regiment Association and attending events such as the Tower of London, St Annes and AGM, I’ve met with fellow ex rock masons. Often, we would discuss why there was not a RAF Regiment Lodge, as other units such as the Royal Air Force, Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines have dedicated Lodges (the Parachute Regiment recently had a RAF Regiment member as its leader). The main driving reason for creating a new lodge is the need for continuing the esprit de corps that we enjoyed when serving. Joining a military masonic lodge offers veterans and serving personnel a unique opportunity to preserve the camaraderie, discipline, and structure of military life while transitioning into civilian society. It creates an environment of mutual trust where members can share experiences and support charitable causes. So, what do Freemasons have in common? I suggest that it’s very much the shared values of integrity, kindness, honesty, fairness and tolerance, which encompass and embrace the fundamental principles of good citizenship in all walks of life: Integrity: We say what we mean and when we make a promise, we keep it. Kindness: We believe in playing a key role in our communities – we willingly give time and/or money to assist those not as fortunate as ourselves. Honesty: We pride ourselves on transparency. Not only are we completely free to acknowledge our membership, but we are also encouraged to do so. Fairness: We treat everyone as equal – we listen to others, explore our differences and work to find the common ground. Tolerance: We show respect for the opinions of others and behave with understanding towards others. Currently there are approximately 70 lodges in Britain that can be regarded as military lodges – 60 English, 2 Irish and 8 or so Scottish. The term military means that they retain an ethos and culture of the Armed Forces of the Crown, which in practical terms means that about 60% of the membership, should be servicemen or veterans. The two Irish military lodges are today also the last remaining travelling lodges. Masonic Rocks a New Beginning
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