Boy Scouts of America (and other such organizations, globally)

In reading many of the back-page G.O. threads, I see that many of you gentlemen were members of the BSA, quite a few of you even attaining the prestigious rank of Eagle. Think of this thread as a roll-call for Scouts from all over the world. What rank did you achieve? Do you still serve in any capacity? Do you have any Merit Badge swag pics to show us?

I joined the Scouts, following in the footsteps of my brothers, at 12 years old. I achieved the rank of First Class, before I stopped attending meetings and events. Over the next 3 years my life changed pretty dramatically, and we moved from Montgomery, AL to New Orleans when I was 15. I was completely uninterested in finding a troop after moving. Part of my demotivation was a new Scout Master that assumed control after the amazing gentleman my brother's learned from resigned. I was never quite comfortable with him. He was smug and snooty, and his sons never seemed to have to wait the required time-period between the higher ranks. My oldest brother attained Eagle, and went on to serve in the Army, achieving the rank of Major before his retirement. My second oldest brother attained the rank of Life, before, like me, became unenamored with the new leadership.

So what about you gentlemen? Tell us of your experiences!

I was kicked out for laughing incessantly at the Webelos meeting.

I don't think I made it past Webelos either. But I did carry a scout knife for years. That thing got washed and dried so many times.

But, I know there are many guys on B&B who were active in Scouting, so I hope you get past this fluff and onto some others who advanced to Eagle. Good topic.

foverman said:

I don't think I made it past Webelos either. But I did carry a scout knife for years. That thing got washed and dried so many times.

But, I know there are many guys on B&B who were active in Scouting, so I hope you get past this fluff and onto some others who advanced to Eagle. Good topic.

Click to expand...

One of my favorite things is fluff! That's why I carry so much around my waist!

Tenderfoot as a youth, left after 6th grade. I did more with my family than the scout troop I was in, my parents getting divorced likely didn't help it either. As a youth it was enjoyable though there were social aspects that impacted my happiness, the program was solid.

As an adult, I served for just over 12 years, Den Leader, Webelos Leader, Cub Master, Committee Member, Committee Chair. I used to be an Antelope (NE-I-258).

My sons both participated through Cubs and into the troop. Oldest achieved Star rank, youngest was a Scout. I think the program was beneficial to them and I think they recall many good memories from it.

I'm no longer registered with the BSA and do not participate in any scout events.

I made many good life long friends through the program and am grateful for that time of my life but I believe it's good for people to move on and others to fill the roles.

-Stephen

I was in Boy Scouts until I was 18 at which point the troop I belonged to ran out of members and no longer existed. I did earn my Eagle Scout before that. I was also part of the Order of the Arrow. At the time I was in scouts I thought it was all fun and a good way to pass the time. I never thought it would help me in the real world, boy was I wrong. Even decades later I am still using the things that I learned in scouts. Not only did I learn skills that would help me later in life, it also taught me how to be a good citizen and a man.

I was thrown out for having a "Bad Attitude" after my third week when I showed the scoutmaster how to properly tie a sheepshank. My father was an ex Royal Navy man and we had spend many hours of wet weather tying knots!

The scoutmaster was making a real pig's ear of hs sheepshank!

Gareth

Eagle Scout here. Nice thread!

I started in Cub Scouts, did all that, and made it to First Class before my troop took a turn for the worst and I wasn't interested in finding another. Before that unfortunate turn, I attended the National Jamboree in 1985.

Since then, my sons went through Cubs and are both Boy Scouts, now. I was a Den Leader for about two and a half years, and I'm the Equipment Manager for my boys' troop. I just finished a stint as Lead Adviser for a Philmont crew. That was something, let me tell you.

I doubt my boys will make Eagle. They just don't show much interest in rank advancement. They enjoy Scouts a great deal, though, and they get a lot out of it, as did I. When things get going again in the Fall, my older son will be a Patrol Leader (my favorite job when I was a Scout).

Started in Cub Scouts, made it to Second Class (couldn't get past the swimming requirement)...quit and took up girl scouting...you know, scouting for girls

Eagle Scout here as well.

Never a scout (Boys Brigade then Air Training Corps), but now an active Scout parent.
We have a great and involved scout leadership team here.

I made it all of 5 meetings. I stopped going because the kids there wanted to play dodge ball with toy cars and trucks, they didn't hunt or fish and could not carry sheath knives unlike me. So my folks got me a scout manual and later a Tom Brown field guide. I always loved the outdoors and felt I would have done well with a good troop.

I love the BSA. See my forum name.

Eagle Scout in 1973. 30+ year adult volunteer. 2 Eagle sons. Currently Scoutmaster for the troop at our church for last 8 years. Troop was started in 1913, skipped some years, but has been continuously chartered since 1938, so 77 years and counting.

Scouts is hands-down the best program for developing young men of character outside of church. We teach leadership, citizenship, fitness and service equally. Boys get to have killer outdoor experiences while learning these skills.

I HATE to see the Scouts getting so much bad ink these days, but we just keep plugging along doing what we can to raise young men of character.

But what about the Girls? Always seemed strange to me that BSA would not go coed. Must be the LDS influence. Oh, and lest you think I am a rabble rouser, I spent a decade as a Pack Leader for Cubs.

Venture crews are co-ed. Leadership and staff also are.

I have no problem at all with single gender youth groups, whatever they are. Especially when you get to the adolescent ages, group dynamics change drastically when you mix genders. Sometimes that's good, and other times it's not. There are times for both.

I started in Cub Scouts in the second grade and I went up through Webelos but I never earned the Arrow of Light. I instead went into the Boy Scouts as soon as I turned eleven. I was in the Boy Scouts until I turned 18 and I am an Eagle scout. I earned Eagle back in 1989. One of the first "dates" that my then girlfriend and I went on was my Eagle Scout Court of Honor. She is my wife today.

I agree. I think there is a lot to be gained by single gender Scouting. I'll take some shots for this, but here goes. I strongly feel in these times of PC and so many single mom homes, that boys are over-mothered and far too sheltered. Boys want to run around and do dangerous, sometimes stupid stuff. The BSA provides a great outlet for this in a safe environment and also many positive male role models. We teach the character I cited above, but lots of practical, real world skills and an appreciation of nature and conservation.

Just two weeks ago, I had a high school junior Eagle Scout from my troop who had a classmate slump over from a seizure in the middle of class. Everyone, including the teacher, was stunned and had no idea what to do. This Scout calmly stepped up and rendered aid to the young lady by helping her unconscious body to the floor, clearing desks, etc. out of her way, and holding her head sideways to keep her airway clear.

This is a great example of a small sliver of the value of this program and absent this Scout's quick reaction and willingness to take charge, this young lady might have been injured in this event.

TexLaw said:

Venture crews are co-ed. Leadership and staff also are.

I have no problem at all with single gender youth groups, whatever they are. Especially when you get to the adolescent ages, group dynamics change drastically when you mix genders. Sometimes that's good, and other times it's not. There are times for both.

Click to expand...

BSAGuy, your comment about dangerous, stupid stuff made me think of my scouting days. We did things back then that would never be allowed by scouting now. (One incident with beach trenches and a fireworks war comes to mind.) There was a lot of crazy stuff that happened, and a few injuries along the way. But there was a certain independence learned by that that I value.

I wasn't your typical scout, didn't really love the camping and hiking, but I earned my Eagle anyway just because I didn't want to leave it unfinished.