Any Eagles out there?

[Dr. Mike]

I don't know if anybody has put up a thread like this before, but just wondering if there are any other Eagle Scouts on the forum? Every once in a while I get to thinking about the BSA, and a piece I heard on the radio got me thinking about it again, and what a great program the Boy Scouts of America is. I joined the National Eagle Scouts Association as well.
So, any other Eagle Scouts in here?

[Gruder]

Yes. I'm a NESA lifer, as well. So many of fond memories of Scouting growing up (it's where I learned the dangers of burning poison ivy!). Perhaps my SSAD and RAD are simply functions of "Be Prepared"?:wink:

Great thread idea!

[yardpup01]

Another Eagle Scout right here. The thing I miss most is horseback riding at camp, ah memories. :a24:

[Dr. Mike]

I miss camping. My father was never a Boy Scout, but made sure all 3 of his boys got their Eagle Scout award, and some of his fondest memories were of being a scoutmaster. His first troop ever all earned their Eagle Scout awards, a point that brought him great pride. Many ended up very successful in life. He would take us boys out camping with him and his scouts as soon as we were old enough. My wife is not big on camping, so I haven't been in some time. But I look forward to taking my son camping as soon as he is old enough.

[Dr. Mike]

I also have fond memories of summer camp at Glacial Trails Scout Ranch in northern California - one of the great scout camps out there!

[Confuzius]

Chief Scout here.
To the best of my knowledge its the Canadian equivalent to Eagle scout.

Many great experiences, I'll probably get back into it when I have kids of my own.

[castlecraver]

Yes, I'm an Eagle. Looking back on things, I would say my time as my troop's Senior Patrol Leader when I was 15 taught me more about group leadership than any other position I've taken in my life. I too miss camping... I constantly tell myself I'm going to scrounge up some gear and take to the woods for a weekend, but I always find a reason to put it off.

[perry]

Eagle Scout here. Have my certificate hanging on my wall underneath my college degree :)

My favorite camping trip was to the High Adventure base in Maine. Canoeing down a river and coming across a moose grazing was too cool.

[Joe Eckman]

Yes, I'm an Eagle, class of '67.

Both sons are as well.

I'm on the council NESA committee. We are putting the final touches on the annual Eagle Recognition banquet. The speaker will be an Eagle Scout Staff Sargent just back from Afganistan.



My first shave mug wa an Order of the Arrow coffee cup sold at Scout Camp.

Used Williams then. I still use that same mug with Williams. I have other mugs for the better soaps.

I'm going to Philment in July for a workshop. Should I take along a straight?


Joe

[Trench]

You can count me in as a member of the club. It litterally took me my entire Scouting career to achieve. I didn't actually have my Eagle Board of Review until after I turned 18, which is legal as long as all other requirements are met before then.

[Hawkeye5]

As a former Scoutmaster I encourage you Eagles that miss Scouting's activities to become involved with a local troop.
These activities are fun as an adult also.
I'm still involved, but now as a Committee Member for Star, Life, and Eagle boards of review.

[Prince]

One of my biggest mistakes in life is quitting Boy Scouts before becoming an Eagle Scout. I made it to 1st Class and then quit. I've regretted it ever since.

Congrats to those who managed to keep on track and finish.

[Joe Eckman]

I would also encourage you to become involved with a local troop. Someone needs to show these boys how to shave :)



NESA has contracted with Harris in a campaign to find Eagle Scouts and update address records. Here is from the NESA Webpage:

The Eagle Scout court of honor is undoubtedly the proudest moment of a young Scout's life. Years of learning, teaching, and hard work culminate in this special honor that only the most determined Boy Scouts obtain. That is why the National Eagle Scout Association has launched a national Eagle Scout search program.

"We want to find and contact every living Eagle Scout and register his achievements, past and present," said NESA Director Bill Steele. "This effort will culminate in Roll Call: The National Eagle Scout Registry--a publication that will capture the tradition, history, and honor of our nation's Eagle Scouts and will be available only to bona fide Eagles." Steele added that only Eagle Scouts who agree to be listed and who are adults will be included in the directory.

Be sure to watch for updates about the search. NESA has partnered with Harris Connect Inc., the nation's membership publication experts, to help locate all Eagle Scouts and to produce Roll Call. If you know an Eagle Scout, please alert him about this important project. You might even contact your local council office to alert them of Eagle Scouts you know, and be sure to include their contact information.

[_JP_]

You can count me in as a member of the club. It litterally took me my entire Scouting career to achieve. I didn't actually have my Eagle Board of Review until after I turned 18, which is legal as long as all other requirements are met before then.

That's where I missed out on it. I did complete the requirements "in the nick of time." But because I had turned 18 I was not allowed to receive the badge.

My Grandfather earned his Eagle in the early 1920's when Scouting was still new. Two of my brother's sons have earned their Eagle badges and his third son will get his this year.

[spiffykyle]

Another Eagle Scout here. Great time with scouts (Troop 87 all the way!!). Whenever I settle into one place for more than a year or so I'll have to try and find a local troop.

Anyone been to Philmont in New Mexico? I fell in love with backpacking and hiking there (went twice). Even went back to work there for a couple of Summers.

I remember my awards ceremony being a huge deal because George Bush (the senior one) was there. There were like 8 of us in the same ceremony and since Bush was in Houston anyways, he came to our ceremony (ended up being like a banquet actually). My parents still have the picture of a 17 year old me shaking his hand.

spiffy

[castlecraver]

Steele added that only Eagle Scouts who agree to be listed and who are adults will be included in the directory.

Thanks for posting that. I got a card in the mail last week from them (absolutely no idea how they got my Cleveland address, as I cut off association with the scouts long before I left Indy, but whatever). I hadn't intended on calling them, as they had my directory information correct, but now I'm reconsidering it. I think I still have the postcard... hm.

[Trench]

That's where I missed out on it. I did complete the requirements "in the nick of time." But because I had turned 18 I was not allowed to receive the badge.

If you completed all the requirements in the nick of time, what did you not have done before you turned 18 that caused you to not receive your badge?

[Joe Eckman]

George Bush at your Eagle Ceremony! What a great memory. I saw George Bush the younger at the National Jamboree in 2005. All the American Presidents since Theodore Roosevelt have supported Scouting.

BTW the 100th Anniversary for BSA is coming up in 2010.

[thirdeye]

You can count me in too, another Eagle Scout here! My oldest son is also an Eagle Scout and my youngest is working his way up now.

I can't express the gratitude I have for the BSA and all it has done for me, my family and millions of men across the globe over the years.

Memories, ok here's a few of the silly ones from camp.


The left handed blueberry peeler.
The right handed smoke screen.
and the infamous Sky Hook.

:lol::lol::lol:

[Howard Newell]

Another Eagle Scout here. I got my badge in 2004, I think.

[Dr. Mike]

I received my Eagle in '93. I cut it close, but had everything done by my 18th birthday. My overall experience had its ups and downs, but Scouting was a great building experience.

Early on, while I was a Cub Scout and in Webelos, my family lived on the island of Kwajalein, in the Marshall Islands. The island was leased by the U.S. government, and run by the military, who were very supportive of scouting. They had 2 scout camps on the island (quite a lot, considering the island was only 2 miles long and 1/2 a mile wide), and would also allow us to travel to some of the nearby uninhabited islands for campouts.

[Scruff McGruff]

You can count me in as a member of the club. It litterally took me my entire Scouting career to achieve. I didn't actually have my Eagle Board of Review until after I turned 18, which is legal as long as all other requirements are met before then.

Same here! I didn't even have my ceremony until after the 1st semester of college. :biggrin:

[shaveme]

I am also an eagle scout.

I got two of them postcards (one with my middle initial and one without), i haven't called the # , because i figured i would get a high pressure sales pitch to buy a book. I wonder what NESA gets out of the book vs the publisher?

[Joe Eckman]

I just came back from another Eagle Court of Honor.

I am also been our council's NESA Committee. I don't know how successful the book project was, but NESA now has many more names and updated addresses and will try to reconnect Eagles with Scouting. Without too much pressure I hope.

I also wanted to bump this post.

Any more Eagles out there?

[stripec30]

Another Eagle Scout. I find it great the the NESA book project even exists regardless of if it actually turned out well. :wink:

[davecmu]

Another Eagle here. Class of '96.

[hedliniv]

BSA - Eagle
Order of the Arrow - Vigil
Assistant Scout Master for a few years...

Local scouting - I support 100%

National scouting organization (which really has nothing to do with the local groups) makes it their policy to discriminate (ban on gays); so I discriminate against them.

I am not gay and I do not believe you should discriminate a group for no reason; I hope that Nationals eventually wake-up and change their policy...

[Dr. Mike]

BSA - Eagle
Order of the Arrow - Vigil
Assistant Scout Master for a few years...

Local scouting - I support 100%

National scouting organization (which really has nothing to do with the local groups) makes it their policy to discriminate (ban on gays); so I discriminate against them.

I am not gay and I do not believe you should discriminate a group for no reason; I hope that Nationals eventually wake-up and change their policy...

Sorry, but I support the policies of the BSA. Incidentally, the policy is nationwide. That is what they choose to require for membership. Every organization discriminates in some way in its membership policies - otherwise it really isn't an organization at all.

It is a set of standards that the organization was founded around. I think it is wrong for groups to pressure private organizations to change their standards. And for pressure to be brought to bear against an organization that has done so much good for the youth of this country, to me, seems ridiculous in the extreme. It is just as ridiculous as trying to change a religious groups policies on who they will and will not accept into their congregation.

Understand, I have nothing personal against anybody who is gay. I have several friends and co-workers that are gay. I don't force my heterosexuality on them, and they don't force their homosexuality on me. In fact, the topics never come out. Mostly we discuss the new movies out and what we did the night before.

[hedliniv]

Please show me in the original scout handbook or even the scoutmaster guide where this was an established principle?

Belief in God - check
it's in there (founding principle)

Child safety - check
There as it should be (founding principle);

but Child safety and being gay are not connected.

So when did this "founding" (we can discriminate against gays) principle originate?

http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/html/review_bsa_gay_policy.html

[Dr. Mike]

Please show me in the original scout handbook or even the scoutmaster guide where this was an established principle?

Belief in God - check
it's in there (founding principle)

Child safety - check
There as it should be (founding principle);

but Child safety and being gay are not connected.

So when did this "founding" (we can discriminate against gays) principle originate?

http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/html/review_bsa_gay_policy.html

It stems from two ideas - first, a belief in God, and second, the oath to keep oneself "morally straight." Now, it is not really a foreign concept in many Christian religions that homosexual activity is outside the bounds of what would be considered moral behavior. Only more recently has it become more accepted in certain Christian churches. The BSA has long had the majority of its membership and charters in traditional Christian organizations. From all of this, it is not hard to surmise that homosexual behavior is not in compliance with the standards of the BSA. In addition, there is the concept of precedence. Whether it was specifically spelled out originally, I doubt. But it most likely was not necessary - it was probably not an issue at the time of its founding. More specific language was added as it became an issue.

This is a poor comparison, but it illustrates the point. Until recently, I'm sure the Catholic church didn't feel it necessary to specify that child molestation was wholly unacceptable behavior for a priest. But I'm sure that most people understood that to be the case. They understood that would be contrary to the general vows that not only a Catholic, but specifically a priest, would accept. I am not comparing homosexuals to child molestors. But the idea is that not everything has to be spelled out in specific detail for a concept to nevertheless be accepted.

The point of the matter is the BSA is a private organization. They are a part of the world scouting organization - which has not seen fit to revoke their membership because of their policies on homosexuals. If I wanted today to start an organization that accepted only right-handed males of English-Germanic heritage that had brown hair and brown eyes, I can, and you cannot force me to accept others into my organization that do not fit my membership criteria. Places of business can discriminate based upon dress standards. They can also discriminate based upon ability to pay. Why can't the BSA uphold their membership criteria?

[hedliniv]

Because teaching discrimination to impressionable youth is fundamentally wrong.

Implying that being gay equals being a child molester is wrong.

Also scouting does not stipulate Christianity, it stipulates belief in god.

Scouting is supposed to bring the best out of youth and create the next generation of upstanding citizens and leaders. The organization should not foster exclusion and stereotypes.

I am proud of what I learned and my experience throughout scouting. I am not proud of the organizations stance on this topic.

Lastly, in February 1988 the BSA dropped their ban against women in leadership roles in Boy Scout Troops.

Things change, organizations evolve and the BSA members should force the organization to do the right thing. :smile:

[davecmu]

Because teaching discrimination to impressionable youth is fundamentally wrong.

Implying that being gay equals being a child molester is wrong.

Also scouting does not stipulate Christianity, it stipulates belief in god.

Scouting is supposed to bring the best out of youth and create the next generation of upstanding citizens and leaders. The organization should not foster exclusion and stereotypes.

I am proud of what I learned and my experience throughout scouting. I am not proud of the organizations stance on this topic.

Lastly, in February 1988 the BSA dropped their ban against women in leadership roles in Boy Scout Troops.

Things change, organizations evolve and the BSA members should force the organization to do the right thing. :smile:

I have watched all day with interest to see where this would go, and now must speak up. Although I earned my Eagle Scout award, I am no longer active with Scouting, either locally or nationally. In 2000, after the Supreme Court ruling, I mailed back my badge and credentials. I was proud of my experience and what I had learned, but could not reconcile with BSA's desire to discriminate against homosexuality, and chose to disassociate.

I am very proud of George's willingness in this forum to speak up for his view of what Scouting should be, and I agree with his position completely. Although I disagree with their stance, I also clearly recognize BSA's constitutional right to do what they please as a private organization, and will continue to publicly defend their right to do it. It just isn't congruent with my beliefs, and so I exercise my choice to not be involved with them any more.

I can also still tie many of my favorite knots, and do it with some spare line while I'm stressed out at work. And I still recycle, which was my service project.

[thatguy1807]

I'm a PROUD Eagle scout, class of '05! To me, this was far more important than my high school graduation which occurred the same year and it still is! I have never been more proud of an accomplishment. I was also in the Order of the Arrow, I think I got that in '04. :biggrin1:

[The Nid Hog]

I'm proud to have become an Eagle Scout in the same troop where my dad and brother had been scouts. I have great memories of my years in scouting and the lessons that I learned have stayed with me my whole life.

As a small town boy, I also learned a lot about justice and tolerance through Scouting. It was certainly the first chance I had to meet kids from other countries, but it was also my first exposure to other Americans. Regardless of the color of our skins, we were all Scouts. I never forgot that either, and it saddens me to see the controversy that surrounds the BSA today.

[Brodirt]

I reached Eagle many years ago and retired from the scouts. I am accused to this day, though, of having the unflinching morals of a boy scout. They did a good job.

[Johnny Dale]

Did not make it to Eagle scout rank. Just to Star rank. I joined too late and in hindsite I wished I had joined earlier, My most favorite was the initiation to the Order of the Arrow. That was difficult and fun! Great times.

[garyg]

Yes, my Court of Honor was in 1968, I recently found the program amongst my late mother's treasure chests .. great memories, still think that the lessons learned in Scouts helped me on down the road ..

Anyone else ever make Tinnerman Canoe Base up on the French River? I still want to go back, but somehow haven't, afraid it has Starbucks & Macdonalds and all the bland, sameness that has overcome the world, or at least North America

[xdkeys]

Eagle Scout '91 and Order of Arrow. Just finished being Den Leader for my son's Cub Scout Pack. He just crossover to Boy Scouts last month. We have already been on two campouts, really brought back memories, but, boy has it changed.

[Joshua Da Silva]

I was never scout, but I really wish I had been. I would have loved it as a kid, and it would have helped me ALOT

[BarryR]

Because teaching discrimination to impressionable youth is fundamentally wrong.

Implying that being gay equals being a child molester is wrong.

Also scouting does not stipulate Christianity, it stipulates belief in god.

Scouting is supposed to bring the best out of youth and create the next generation of upstanding citizens and leaders. The organization should not foster exclusion and stereotypes.

I am proud of what I learned and my experience throughout scouting. I am not proud of the organizations stance on this topic.

Lastly, in February 1988 the BSA dropped their ban against women in leadership roles in Boy Scout Troops.

Things change, organizations evolve and the BSA members should force the organization to do the right thing. :smile:+1
I think BSA has a great deal to offer. I was a scout in my Junior High School years and enjoyed it very much. I now have a seven year-old son and would certainly allow him to join when the time comes and might even encourage it, but I am torn due to their anti-gay and anti-atheist stance.

It's not a question of what BSA has the right to do (that was settled by the Supreme Court), but what they should do. I think their moral stature would be enhanced by showing tolerance. As an atheist, I am offended by the apparent notion that morality depends on a religious belief. History has certainly shown us a great many immoral religious leaders and moral and altruistic atheists (though it can be hard to spot the latter as they often remain 'in the closet'.

[davecmu]

Wow, old thread. It will be interesting to see how this develops a year after I apparently killed it off with my Debbie Downer story about disassociating...

[weenerdog3443]

Time to bring this tread back from the dead. Im one. Any others out there

[flabajaba2213]

Don't know how I missed this thread. Eagle Scout and OA Vigil member. Ah, the memories. I still help out my old troop once in a while (mainly helping them organize fund raisers, something I was and still am particularly good at). In fact, I was asked by an old troop member to read him his eagle charge this past July. I was his senior patrol leader when he joined, so he wanted me to be a part of his court of honor. :biggrin1:

[Gruder]

Don't know how I missed this thread. Eagle Scout and OA Vigil member. Ah, the memories. I still help out my old troop once in a while (mainly helping them organize fund raisers, something I was and still am particularly good at). In fact, I was asked by an old troop member to read him his eagle charge this past July. I was his senior patrol leader when he joined, so he wanted me to be a part of his court of honor. :biggrin1:

Very cool. Great thread bump!

[orchestrion]

I know it's been a few days since the last reply, but I just discovered this thread. I'm one of the younger members here (only 19) but I was lucky enough to have a supportive father (also an Eagle) to introduce me to Scouting and eventually to encourage me throughout the process of working for my Eagle Scout award. I've been camping for years and have been lucky enough to spend two weeks in the mountains of Cimarron, New Mexico at the Philmont Scout Ranch. I'm probably going to work out there this coming summer as well.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the process, it starts when a boy first joins a troop. He has to do some incredibly basic things (know the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Oath and Law, etc.) to earn the very first rank of "Scout." From there, he has the chance to go through the ranks Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life. There are various requirements for each rank, getting more difficult and time-consuming as one advances.

If a boy (now closer to a "young man") so chooses, he can go for the rank of Eagle. This is a very long and involved process (stressful too...just ask my parents. :lol:). He must have 21 merit badges, 12 of them being "Eagle Required" badges with more difficult and specific requirements. He also must have served a number of troop leadership positions over the years. Additionally, he has to plan and carry out a project that must be approved by an "Eagle Board" made up of members from his local council. This "planning" includes everything from initial planning, fundraising, and carrying out the actual project. The catch is that the boy CAN NOT do any of the physical work himself...that's where the leadership experience comes into play.

Projects can range from landscaping a church to organizing a food drive. One guy I knew built a website for this church! Projects are not approved based on the intensity or cost of the project, but on the amount of leadership a boy must show in organizing others to finish the project.

Every little thing must be documented. Before my project was even approved, I had over 40 pages of information ranging from construction permits, material safety data sheets, blueprints, and general information. The goal is to choose a project in an area of expertise one knows nothing about so, in order to finish the project, a boy must talk to and get to know an "expert" in the respective field of work. Another catch is that the project must not benefit the boy's troop in any way.

For my project, I chose to install a water line running from my church's water source to a shelter house roughly 400 feet away. I raised money by speaking in front of my church congregation to ask for donations. A gentleman from my church worked as an electrician and was able to provide a trencher free of charge, so I took the $600 that I saved from that cost and bought about 25 tons of gravel to build a gravel driveway going down to the shelter house.

The project took me around 120 hours of planning in addition to 2 days of physical work done by the great guys from my troop who took time out of their schedules to volunteer and help me out. I also had some really awesome adults help guide me through the process and encourage me along the way. It's really a life-changing experience and I will do all in my power to encourage my son(s) to join Scouting and go for Eagle.

Here are some pictures from my project. This was from two summers ago. Note that I left some good pictures out due to the fact that they're of people and I respect that they might not want their faces on the Internet. Sorry for my rambling post but I hope you guys gained some more knowledge about the whole process.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5148/051lya.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/i/051lya.jpg/)

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/6598/062fo.jpg (http://img258.imageshack.us/i/062fo.jpg/)

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8325/063md.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/i/063md.jpg/)

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4670/080je.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/080je.jpg/)

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/6069/087o.jpg (http://img607.imageshack.us/i/087o.jpg/)

[Mr. Scruffy]

Great project Matt! :thumbup:


I'm an Eagle Scout, Sam Houston Area Council James A. Lovell Class of 1977.

OA - Ordeal Member. Never made it any further as other things in life began to reveal themselves to me. Funny thing... 35 years later and I still remember the 3 W's.

[orchestrion]

Great project Matt! :thumbup:


I'm an Eagle Scout, Sam Houston Area Council James A. Lovell Class of 1977.

OA - Ordeal Member. Never made it any further as other things in life began to reveal themselves to me. Funny thing... 35 years later and I still remember the 3 W's.

Thanks!

I forgot to mention that I'm an OA Brotherhood member as well. Unfortunately my OA chapter wasn't too active but the Order is a very cool group of guys.

[perry]

35 years later and I still remember the 3 W's.

Only 15 or so for me, and I remember them as well. Just don't ask me to spell them! :lol:

[SeattleSparky]

My boys are about to cross over to Boy Scouts with their Arrow of Light!!! So proud!! I have been there den leader (my son is included), since they were 6!!!

[Rangerpat]

Eagle class of 2002, worked as a summer staffer till our camp lost it's summer program, then worked as the Ranger for 5 years, still love going out there to volunteer.

[xjrob85]

I'm an Eagle Scout.

[galopede]

I was thrown out of the scouts after three weeks. I showed the scout master the proper way to tie a few knots he was making a real hash of. My father was a Navy man and we had spent hours tying knots.

Apparently I had a bad attitude!

Gareth

[gorgehiker]

Eagle and OA, eagle class of 1998, I can't wait till I can take my daughter to girl scouts or campfire. Congrats to all who have achieved this rank!
Inland northwest council btw.

[sgn2bapt]

Eagle class of 1990 here and OA Brotherhood.....great thread, lets keep it up.

[TankCommander1554]

Eagle Scout from Troop 2 in San Diego, CA...Got my Eagle in 2001. Definitely a great experience!