eagle scouts

[SAR-EMT40]

As with any organization. The people at the bottom, the scouts, will rarely ever get any better than the people at the top, the scoutmasters. If you have a very experienced group doing the leading it should make for a very experienced group of kids.

I have seen some "camping" groups in the scouts in my area and they usually "camp" in buildings during the summer, and sometimes the leaders stay overnight in the cars.

Again, I know they all are not like that but the point stands. Each group of adult leaders will have its own level of knowledge and training so it would be hard to make a blanket statement about the experience of the kids that they turn out.

I moved to a new house as a kid so I only got to Lion as a cub scout.

Keith

 

[blacklab2020]

I am an Eagle Scout.

Experiences in scouting over time lead to being more "qualified" in the mid-atlantic region. Climbing and winter qualifications came from my own experiences with friends after scouting. Scouting in MD did not nearly fulfill my own interests in rock climbing.

I was impressed to see a group of boy scouts heading out winter camping in the daks when the temps were dipping well below 0 F. Also impressed to see scouts about treeline in the whites in the winter.

My troop never pushed these extremes in MD, but it was relevant to the leadership, location, and quality of the troop. Certainly some troops have the adult leadership to support such situations. I would completely support that and hopefully someday I will on a first hand basis.

I believe scouting taught me how to be resourceful, well-rounded, and how to approach goals

 

[Stan]

I was a Boy Scout briefly but got discouraged when they wouldn't adopt a more colorful version of the scout's oath ... which I will happily teach anyone at a tequila tailgate.

However, a generation later I found myself leading a cub scout den which was noted for its frequent and adventurous field trips, including camping and hiking in the Whites where my son Erik and I decided to go back for the purpose of hiking further and higher ... and that was just the beginning of a beautiful journey.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I bailed on Boy Scouts after I earned First Class but flunked the cooking merit badge in my attempt for Star. Our ex-marine troop leader was more into war games on Tuesday nights in the church basement, from which I received lots of cuts, bruises, chipped teeth, etc. Hiking has been much safer than Scouts from my experience.

 

[Dave Bear]

I was never in scouts and any experience I gained was through parents, friends, an earth science teacher that used the mountains for his class room and mother nature giving me a few good lessons while I grew up working in the woods. My sons attended scouts, judiciously chosen wording since you get out of it what you put in, and I was supportive. I went to the functions and helped out with dens at times. My oldest became a troop leader and got disgusted with the immature behaviour of guys his own age in his troop. Two of those stand trial for the murder in Mount Vernon soon and I went to one of the guys Eagle Scout ceremony. So much for their oathes!

Setting goals and achieving things used to say something about a young mans intentions and the rank of Eagle Scout at one time would help open doors for your future. Those days are in my opinion gone and a person is a meld of every experience and belief they choose to take to heart. It is still a great thing to get people involved in so they get out and experience more than television and video games but it is a stretch from being a survivalist.

 

[brianW]

One thing of Scouting that I retain to this day is the motto, “Be Prepared.” It is a very open-ended statement, and concept. I learned early that being “prepared” was not just a matter of what goods you carry in your pocket or pack, but also (and perhaps far more) a matter of what you carry in your kit of skills, and in your head and heart.

G.

Have to agree with Grumpy and could not say it any better.

the troop I was involved in had a very active outdoor componet with monthly hikes and most of the time camping trips. this really got me intersted in outdoor activities since family outdoor activities consisted of mom saying "go out side and play"

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

My oldest became a troop leader and got disgusted with the immature behaviour of guys his own age in his troop.

Probably patrol (rather than troop) leader, right? We had four patrols in our troop, with our patrol being the wimpiest in our troop leader's eyes. But, our patrol won a jamboree of over 500 other patrols in Gonic, N.H., (every kid in my patrol could swim well enough to reach a float about 25 yards from shore and get back), which seemed to infuriate our troop leader all the more, which may also explain why he flunked me for the cooking merit badge. I still have the jamboree patch, which means more to me than an Eagle patch ever could have meant.

 

[John H Swanson]

To be fair this thread should have options that cover Girl Scouts.

It seemed that the previous thread spoke directly and specifically to the Eagle Award. Thus my interest.

While I didn't spell it out clearly, I did mention "the Gold Award" as an invitation for former Girl Scouts to enter the thread. I'm told the Gold award it their highest award, akin to the Eagle.

 

[explorer13421]

I think Little Rickie nailed it. Boy Scouts is not intended to make someone an expert in hiking, camping, etc. The outdoor program is a tool to teach self-reliance, teamwork, preparation, etc.

Quality of scout troops is highly dependent on the quality of the adult leadership.

I have been an assistant Scoutmaster, troop committee chair, district chair, and member of the governing board of a council. I have also been an adult advisor twice on expeditions to the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, once as senior advisor to two crews of 10 Scouts each. The Scouts we took to Philmont could camp and hike anywheres, and were well prepared for 11 days and 10 nights on the trail.

I have no doubt there are some very expert persons who frequent this forum, and also have no doubt that there are many Scout leaders who would love to have one or two of you come to a troop meeting to discuss your outdoor activities, and do a show & tell with equipment. Listening to you would help interest Scouts in hiking, camping, climbing, etc.

My wife is a Girl Scout leader, and has been on the Girl Scout council board. There are many Girl Scouts who would like to do more hiking and camping. I am sure there are lots of Girl Scout troops who would love a show & tell.

I do not think either Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts is a perfect organization. However, Boy Scouts does expose a lot of boys to the outdoors. Girl Scouts exposes a good number of girls. Both organizations can use more adults with a love for and knowledge of the outdoors.

 

[Nessmuk]

I didn't make it to Eagle before my troop folded, but I am proud to say that my son made it. I've been volunteering at the pack/troop level since he was a cub. Long after that, for the past 18 years I've been heavily involved at the region level as an instructor training BSA high adventure guides to lead wilderness treks. When I started volunteering I was disappointed at my impression that over the years the scouting rank program was "dumbed down" in terms of performance and requirements for advancement from what I remember as a kid years ago. I wrote it off to balancing keeping boys involved vs a change in emphasis - that is we are not trying to make them an expert at anything, but rather giving them the tools and broadening potentials if they choose to later pursue life as they might not otherwise have done. I think that is the true meaning of advancing through the ranks up to becoming an Eagle.

But achieving Eagle adds another layer. There is a large volume of small accomplishments that make a boy an Eagle, capped off by the Eagle Project, in which the candidate is required to develop and demonstrate leadership skills (if the adult committee is doing their job to evaluate the boy overall as well as the capstone project). Much does depend upon the adult leadership, but regardless of that it is easy for any of us to get distracted at any point along the way, to say "this is meaningless crap", and to give it up. By those who hold it high, I firmly believe that achieving Eagle shows that a young man has the grit and to stay with not just a project, but an entire program to the very end. To borrow a Air Force phrase, "Aim High". Then stick with it for the duration and do all that is required to reach it.

This is how the service academies look at Eagles, and they do place a great deal of weight on that award when selecting cadets to enter their ranks. For as long as I can remember my son from the time he was a very young boy had a single goal. With guidance, he researched, started early, and never let up to develop himself into a person that would reach that goal through the Air Force Academy. Same thing once there... suck it up and stick it out, get through the crap to reach the real goal. As a result, now he is a flight leader and an instructor pilot training Air Force fighter pilots. We credit the concept of "sticking with it" as much as any other attribute in reaching that goal.

We don't train boys to be outdoors experts. We use the outdoor classroom to teach the boys: self-reliance, teambuilding, problem solving and leadership.

Being an Eagle Scout does not mean he is an expert in anything. It does mean he has had significant experiences and challanges over the years it takes to be an Eagle. Experiences and challanges many adults never have or will not have for decades into adulthood.

What each boy gets from Scouting will be different as the boys are different. The commitment of the adult volunteer leaders to Scouting's values makes all the difference in the world as to how Eagle Scouts turns out.

What Little Rickie said is very very true. I am saddened when I see adult scout "leaders" who have little spirit and fail to offer all that scouting offers to boys in their troop.

No Eagle for me though I managed to get Wood Badge as an adult leader.

"I used to be a FOX and a Good 'ol Fox too..."

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I grew up in a very small town (< 250 people) and one of my friend's dad tried to organize a Boy Scout troop, but there were never more than 5 or 6 boys available. Still, we did a couple of overnights which were fun. Since we lived in a very rural area anyway, I can't say I learned much more from Boy Scouts than I knew already, as we grew up learning how to fish, hunt, find our way in the woods and fields, etc.

What I did glean from Boy Scouts was their magazine, Outdoor Life - they often had neat projects, and I built several of them, including a sailfish. I ended up building 2 of them, and still have the plans.

 

[NorthShore]

"I used to be a FOX and a Good 'ol Fox too..."

"and now I'm finished BUFFALOING I don't know what to do"

I was thinking about how to add value in this thread, but Little Ricky and Nessmuk and a few others have said it well. I do have a recent story to tell; take it for what its worth.

I took a few boys from my son's troop (where I am an assistant scout master) to assist my younger son's cub scout pack with their annual "uniform inspection" about a week and a half ago. I was standing at the back of the school cafeteria (meeting room) in a scout uniform, when one of the parents who I did not know poked me in the arm and asked me if I was with the older boys who were helping out that night and that he really wanted to tell me a story. He said that he is a High School guidance counselor in another school district and that he had two students apply to a college (I think he said Georgetown...but not sure) and one of them got in. He told me that he spoke to the admissions people and the difference for the boy who was accepted had been his achievement of Eagle rank.

Personally, I have seen some scouts who seemed to skate by some of the lower rank requirements, but to get to Eagle, most will run out of room to skate. It is an accomplishment.

Although a little off topic, for those who don't know, one of the main differences between the cub scouts (including Webelos) and boy scouts is the degree of handholding. The parents pretty much plan, carry out, and oversee every activity for cub scouts and webelos. Those same privleges and responsibilities fall to the boys themselves in Boy Scouts and our (adult leader) main roles fall to encouraging and facilitating that, as well as monitoring for safety and serving as chauffeurs.

 

[jfb]

I was a Scout and earned the 50-miler award at Philmont. I had no interest in achieving the Eagle Scout rank, but I did earn merit badges for activities that interested me.

 

[Puck]

What I find strange is that on VFTT I meet someone (~10 years younger) for the first time that grew up in the same small hometown and was in the same scout troop. I am sure there are others out there that I may have crossed paths or have the six degrees thing happening.

So who els was inthe GreenMountain Council and went to the Scout camps at Mt Norris, Orwell or Plymouth?

 

[Chip]

I am sure there are others out there that I may have crossed paths or have the six degrees thing happening.

Not terribly strange as I now live in the same town I grew up in...BUT...I am in the Lions Club with my former Troop Leader. He's been involved in the troop for almost 50 years ! He must've started in college. He's a great guy, perfect memory, and we often have great conversations about the trips we took and the people in the troop.

Any former scout ever instructed to locate a "Left Handed Smoke Shifter ?"

 

[WinterWarlock]

I am an Eagle Scout, as well as an Assistant Scoutmaster for my son's troop.

The specific knowledge gained will vary from troop to troop - mine was excellent as a kid. We camped twice a month, did parts of the AT, and each summer took a bunch of canoes and spent six weeks in Algonquin Park.

After high school, I attended the US Naval Academy - much of what I learned there was similar to the important points of my Eagle....it wasn't always what you knew specifically, but how you handled things and thought through problems that mattered. I do believe Scouts gives you a moral compass (at least mine did), and a basis for a process. It's the process that's become ingrained in me - and I carry it with me every day of my life, whether on the trail, as a father, or as a senior manager in my company.

 

[dr_wu002]

There's no "I was in Scouts for a year or two and got kicked out" option for me to chose. Can't vote.

-Dr. Wu

 

[WinterWarlock]

There's no "I was in Scouts for a year or two and got kicked out" option for me to chose. Can't vote.

-Dr. Wu

Let me guess...for drinking while hiking?

 

[J.Dub]

Let me guess...for drinking while hiking?

Um...

If Wu is setting up the joke I think he is (which is really the only joke about Boy Scouts I ever remember hearing) the punchline isn't really great for mixed company.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I am an Eagle Scout too. Scouting is more of a thing of charecter building than gaining expertise. Consider the outdoors as a school in which to train you for life skills in camping and hiking. Yes much can be said elsewhere, but the whole experience was a unique one that you'd have to experience. Much has been said better than I can explain. Thanks for the thread idea.