i went to my nephew's eagle scout ceremony today, one hell of a good kid. in the past year i think that there have been 5 or 6 that have achieved eagle from his troop now him and one more coming in the next month or so.

Life.

My grandfather was the oldest living active boyscout before he past and had so many great honors. My dad is an Eagle Scout. My oldest brother did the Royal Rangers thing and got the highest award they had. Now he is a Ranger and Special Forces... Go figure. The other two brothers for some reason didn't have to do Rangers or Scouts. Never asked why. Being the youngest I had no choice in what to do. Though I enjoyed the scouts the guys I was in with were not the best of guys and I rather wanted to be out playing sports. I guess I really just don't talk about Scouts because it isn't a big deal to me though I see the relation to helping boys become men. I went through everything until my parents finally said I didn't have to do it anymore. My grandfather wasn't happy when I stopped but oh well.

Hmmmm
I became a scout cuz I needed to get outta my house and really came to enjoy the
Outdoors. The only thing that kept me involved was the hikes.
Living in th PNW you cant belive the beauty of the nature until you experiance it.

The things I couldnt stand were all the stupid ceremony and pseudo religious overtones. My Troop had a bunch of older (20 -21) radical scouts that had the
same idea use it for what it offered and dump the rest. The master was a complete
"Boy Scout" and operated in denial about the real motivation of his "scouts"

Looking back I still have great memories of those outings, learned some things but never considered
the Eagle thing. What for?

I was kicked out of scouts so I formed my own para-military group. we planned and executed raids on various scout camps, learned how to build traps for fish, game and camp intruders. hung teh mayor of Port Jervis new york by his ancles for 2 hours in one of my traps. met up with a native american tracker in upstate new york who mentored my group and taught us the native ways to track anything. joined the Navy and used my native skills to track republican guard north of Kuait in teh early 90s. spent 6 years at Naval special warefare group 1 in coronado CA. I love America.

the youth of today needs direction. scouts may be a good thing.

I really enjoyed scouts, have great memories and learned some life skills. But I advanced as far as I wanted (Life). I respect those who decided to make Eagle a priority for them (congrats to your Nephew), but for me, I really had no desire and it didn't do anything for me. It's sort of like a few years back I looked into getting my Masters in EE. I looked at the classes and only a small percentage interested me at all so I didn't do it.

I grew up in a small town whose troop was disbanded before I came of age, so I didn't have a chance to be a boy scout. When our two boys were scouting age, 11, I became a leader in their troop and really enjoyed working with the boys for many years. It was gratifying to see both of them become eagles. Even after my sons moved on, I stayed with the troop. I have many great memories of the outings and ceremonies. I can see how it changed kids' lives. My last troop was an inner city troop in Valdosta where a lot of the boys didn't have a father at home. You could really see a difference in their lives. Most of them had never been out of the city, much less canoeing on a 4 day trip in the Okefenokee Swamp. Scouting is a much needed program for our youth. Just an old man's $.02 worth.

super congrats to your son on such an achievement. Becoming an Eagle Scout was one of my proudest lifetime achievements, and these days so few young men aspire to become one. Such a rewarding experience.

I only made it to 1st Class but I enjoyed the scouts. Dad was in the military and we moved around a lot during the late 50's and early 60's. Some places had them and others did not. Today's youth could use some training that goes with scouting. I know kids that can not tell time if it is not a digital clock or even return change if the register does not tell them.

I made Eagle, as did all my brothers. It's a great experience for a teenager. I currently help out as an adult leader. It is very rewarding to see some kids grow up by filling just small leadership positions. They get outside involved with nature instead of sitting at home playing Wii. It's nice to have my kids enjoying the outside helping in a conservation program. There are so many worse places for them to be....

Made Eagle. Took the application to the council office on my birthday.

I got Monique's son, Zach into scouts when he turned 11. Troop went from 5 scouts to about 35 now but just because the leaders are excellent. Monique and I have been involved alot and that is why I don't make the TeenerTuesday meets as its the scout meeting date.

Zach just finished all his requirements for Eagle and will have his award ceremony in May I think...All in all he has had some great adventures ie Igloo Camping, Jamboree's, Clam digs, hikes that he has loved. I taught him to fish on a hike...

Scouts has taught him to think for himself and make the right decisions...he's stayed out of trouble going to Garfield HS where there are tons of drugs, shootings etc.. Kids today have a lot to learn and how to think for yourself in one of them.
Being outdoors in the NW every month has taught him a love of the outdoors which being a City kid is important...He always says "yes" if his mom and I ask if he wants to go on a hike instead of sitting home playing Xbox..even thou we are boring adults.

oh yeah, I made it to Life scout.

I am an Eagle Scout.

So is John.

Congrats for your nephew!
I grew up with Scouts and was lucky enough to be in a great Troop in Austin, Texas growing up. I was one of the Maverick Scouts who got their Eagle by the time I was 13. I was encouraged by my peers and leaders to go for it because, it only would get harder when you enter high school. Many more distractions (girls, sports, cars, job, more girls)
Now, I am the Advisor for the local Explorer Post here in Redmond for the Fire Explorers. It is a blast training the kids in a vocation that I think is the best job in the world!
Scouts are a great activity to keep kids out of trouble and to help learn some 'life skills'.
Plus, we have almost a dozen Eagle Scouts in my 150 member Fire Dept. (Something to do with playing with fire )

Cheers!

I didn't quite make it to Eagle. I loved all of the trips, less so of the other aspects of scouting. Nothing wrong with it all, just not for me.
Eventually I was kicked out of scouts. I got busted for running the biggest scouting porno and alcohol ring ever, west of the Mississippi. Maybe you heard about the bust? Riverside, CA., late '70's, a garage full of porn was illegally seized.
I had to do weekends in Juvie, I had a paper route so they let me work.

I am a Queen Scout (no homo comments please!) which would be the British Commonwealth equivalent I think. A proud moment for me and scouting has given me many great memories and some of the friends made are still friends today. I agree with those who feel being part of the Scouting movement is a very good way for youth to get out and enjoy nature and also to learn some cool stuff. I also feel it gave me an advantage during basic training in the military as a lot of stuff was review for me.

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

Well, I am an eagle scout and the older I get the more proud I am of it. It was a rite of passage for me, and proof that I, as a distracted teenager, could show enough discipline, attention and follow through to achieve a significant goal.

When I was in scouts in upstate NY, the troop was made up of about 50% of the kids who liked scouts for what it was, learning about the outdoors, etc. and about 50% who really needed a father figure, to get out of mom's hair, to find some semblance of discipline, etc. My Philmont trip is one of the most memorable trips I have ever had, and some of that was because a few of the kids who started out the trip as whining babies, ended that trip as confident young men. Amazing what the right guidance, challenge and attention can do for a struggling kid.

As my father was scoutmaster for the late part of my scouting membership, he had to be a father to many boys. To this day I still occasionally hear from the boys in the troop and how much of an impact my dad had on them. My dad also took the approach of not treating me as his son during scouts to make sure he didn't show any special treatment toward me. One of the assistant scoutmasters would act as SM for me.

Congratulations to all those who stuck it through to Eagle. It is what you made of it. I had fellow scouts whose parent's did it all for them and they probably feel very little (but contempt) toward the eagle rank, and friends who pushed themselves and did it all (and more) to get there.

Funny, as I always thought I'd be a scoutmaster, and now having our last child (two girls) it is less likely that I'll ever be so. I'll take the other side path and try to be a good role model in their lives and maybe one day, will join scouting again.

My two sons are both Eagle Scouts, and I was their Scout Troop Committee Chair. Our Troop (Ashland Oregon Troop 112 Crater Lake Council) is the oldest continuously registered Troop in Oregon, dating from 1919. When I got into the troop heierarchy I discovered that the true philosophy of Baden-Powell was a boy lead troop with adult assistance. His theory was that this was the way to make boys into leaders. Our troop at that time was a top down adult run military organization (the Scoutmaster was a Captain in the Army National Guard).

We (my other leaders and I) did a complete overhaul of the troop structure making it a boy lead troop. The philosophy really worked. We adults facilitated the things the boys wanted to do, and after a few shenanigans they settled right in to doing the right things. They always knew we adults were there to help and facilitate structure. In my 12 years of involvement we had dramatic increases in numbers, and had at least 12 boys achieve Eagle.

Myself? I never made it past Tenderfoot, discovered music and girls (in that order). But as an adult I acheived the Wood Badge (WEI-491-99 Patrol Leader Bear Patrol Gilwell Hall Troop 1) which considered the adult equivalent of Eagle.
I am very proud of that.

Life & then we moved to where there was no troop. Good times.

I never made it to Eagle, but when a kid applies for a job at my business and I see Eagle Scout on the application, I know they have the ability to do a job if they set their mind to it.

I don't know if these kids understand that this means more to an employer than grades in school.

I never made eagle scout ..but i did eat a brownie once at a camp out

Another one here.

Was originally going to comment that you're not really 'spose to make a big deal about it, but am glad to see so many Eagles sound off to offset some of the negative comments.

I'm a fan of Boy Scouts. I think it does a lot for young boys and young men, and for their appreciation of nature and the environment. "Leave a place as -- or better than how -- you found it" is an ethic that still carries weight with me, and not just when I'm in nature. I think all the work to earn the various merit badges probably also served to make me appreciate many different subjects and the people who excel in them, even if I've forgotten most of the particulars. And then you have all the trips, time to socialize with other kids and their dads. Maybe a bit hokey to some, and it certainly CAN be with some, but being out in nature and depending on others in a way you just don't have to at home in the city or even countryside is instructive.

As to Eagles, Lifes, Second Classes, etc. I have a healthy respect for any kid who participated and grew as a result of Scouting, but especially those who pursued the higher ranks and achieved them.

It's easy to take potshots at Scouting, just as it seems to be with many of the few remaining "wholesome" activities out there, but that's just nuts if you stop to really think about it. A few non-PC issues with re: to Scouting aside, it's VERY hard to argue with the vast majority of what Scouting promotes.

Oh yeah: Congratulations!

pete

I was just trying to be funny kinda my sick sence of humar.I hope i didnt offend anyone that was not my intentions at all.I always leave it better then i found it,and i respect nature greatly and spend alot of time in it with my boys Hunting,fishing,hikeing,camping and all the like stuff.The scouts is not a hooky thing to me at all but its just not around(or safe) like it was when we where kids and with some of the people running the programs Molestors and petophiles its kinda scarey to want to send my kids off to a camp for days at a time.The things i teach my boys out in the woods is to respect nature and it will be a good host to you and i spend more time in the woods the your average bear and my boys could servive better then most adults in the woods .much more then todays scouts and i dont have to worry about them coming home with sad tale of some perv trying to molest them...No disrespect to anyone

No worries, and no offense taken!

Very funny (and yet very NOT funny ) about the "safety" of Scouts these days. Unheard of in my days (not that long ago, or am I kidding myself? ), but it's one more reminder to be sure I actually *go* to stuff if my kids ever join, rather than just sending them. How sad to think that happens, and has...but I can tell you it wouldn't go over well with me if I learned of it happening.

pete

My dad was actually at most of the events when I was younger because of that reason. WHen I was a cub scout and went into being a boy scout was when the first news of some Scout leader did some unthinkable things to another Scout down South. My dad always wanted to make sure all the other leaders , and other Scouts themselves, were above that. Plus, he always loved the camping and hiking and all. He's a true farm boy turned millionaire and loves his roots.

He and I actually took a 100 mile hike by ourselves that was a real adventure. We took five days and lived off the land.

I really don't want to do that ever again but it was a cool learning leason.

The last Eagle Ceremony I attended I think the speaker was Newt Gingrich ( former Speaker of the House) and if I remember correctly he said that 80% of the astronauts are Eagles.

Mucho congrats! You have much to be proud of!!

I missed Eagle by two merit badges, and I look back and say to my teen age self "Idiot! You don't get that close and not close the deal". I did break my leg right at driver's license age. and that seems to change a lot of priorities for teen age boys.

I served in pretty much all the leadership aspects of scouting, as well as learning all the critical skills you get from scouting;outdoor, survival, and safety/first aid/lifesaving, and teamwork. I was tapped for OA, and went to a national Jamboree.

Scouting is an excellent program for growing boys. It teaches so much. I do find it a indicator of our social woes when a phrase like "what are ya some kind of Boy Scout" has a negative connotaton.

Kind of reviving an old thread.

As I was cleaning my home office recently I came across this which I had bought off eBay MANY years ago for the very reason that I am into Porsche's, and 914's, and more specifically 914/6GT's and am myself an Eagle Scout.

So, I remembered this thread and this has got to be the perfect place for this stuff. How strange, a Boy Scout topic on a Porsche 914 site and a Porsche article in a Boy Scout Magazine! And to top it all off alot of 914 content!

I didn't scan it, just took pictures with my digital camera. Not so qualified at scanning documents on my printer...only printing.

Peter

what year is that from?

cool

That issue is August '71

I am too young to have gotten it myself. But most certainly my older brothers would have gotten that issue.

Peter