ment. It wasn't like I was in a tactical MP unit. We did standard police functions, and it was an excel- lent assignment. I was there for about a year and a half. And I came down on orders to go to Germany and was assigned to units throughout Europe. I reported to Germany in December of 1981. My first stop was Kitzigen, Germany, in the 981st MP Co., where they had major drug problems. After a short time, I realized this was not the place I wanted to be! The week before I arrived, Soldiers on the post put an LT (Lieutenant) into a wall locker and threw him out of the building! So, I was like, this is not the unit I want to be at. So, I talked to the CID (U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division) [leadership], and they reassigned me to Manheim. [By] 1985, I was selected to move to Pirmasens, Germany. … [During this assignment is when] I start- ed my journey, my Masonic career. In 1986, in Saarbrucken, Germany, I was Initiated, Passed, and Raised [to the sublime degree of master mason] as a member of Amos T. Hall Lodge #142 (now locat- ed in Kaiserslautern, Germany). I'll never forget, [going through the process of becoming a Mason] was a different environment for me. So, as we all know, when you walk with your class, and I had a class of 17, [I am suddenly in this situation where I] have to know everything about my classmates and their families. Overall, it was great, and it was something that we learned about that cable tow; you under- stood what it meant and how far that cable tow would go. When I started my Masonic journey, I learned under the tutelage of William “ Bill ” Crisp, Vern E. Jen- kins, and Alan “ Duck ” Webster. Those are the individuals that I grew up under in my Masonic journey. As most of you know, those were the champions of the Masonic Order in Europe during those times. Carlisle Jones, those men were all champions of the Masonic Prince Hall family. So, I was inspired [by these aforementioned people]. Not only did I pursue my Blue House travels in Germany, but it is also where I entered into the Scottish Rite family. I was advanced through Charles A. Spikes Consistory No. 323, and then I went to Al - Kerak Temple No. 194, where I was created [as a Prince Hall Affiliated Shriner]. Those were sometimes, you know, when you went over there [Europe], it was a family, you know, we had good times. After that, I went through the Shrine, the Black House, and the York Rite. You know you had to have the “ York Rite state of mind ”! I truly enjoyed my time and the friendship and the bonding that was developed in that community.
It was heartbreaking for me to leave Europe. But of course, I knew that my next assign- ment was somewhat important. I flew back to Washington D.C. to meet our first Afri- can American Commanding General of U.S. Army CID, MG Eugene R. Cromartie, whom I knew when he was the Provost Marshal of Europe in Mannheim, Germany. So, when I got selected to go to the Protec- tive Services Unit, I flew back to Washing- ton D.C. to see him, and we laughed and joked; then he asked if I would accept the
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