What’s a great program that’s been around for 100 years and teaches self-reliance, outdoor skills and citizenship? The Boy Scouts of America of course!
I joined the Cub Scouts in the 2nd grade. In 5th grade I graduated to the Boy Scouts. I was no longer a “cubby”. I had joined the big boys. I then spent the next 7 years in the Scouting program before achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and turning 18 years old.
A little history into the Scouting program…
Founded in England in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell, Scouting sprang from Baden-Powell’s time in the Boer Wars in Africa. Upon returning to England, Baden-Powell wrote several scouting guides for boys and took a collection of boys on a weeklong trip to Brownsea Island. In 1909 Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce was visiting London when he became lost in the fog. According to legend a local Boy Scout led Boyce to his destination. Upon arriving Boyce tried to pay the young man for his service. The boy answered that he was a Scout and that his service did not require payment for he was doing a good deed. W. D. Boyce returned to America and established the Boy Scouts of America. From these roots scouting has taken off around the world. The United States leads the world 9,500,000 registered scouts.
What are the ranks and how do they work?
Because I am long in the tooth (being 20 years old) I will only cover the Boy Scout ranks (not in depth) and not Cub Scout ranks (needless to say the methodology is similar).
First you start with the ‘Scout’ rank. You must recite, from memory, the Scout Oath, Law, Slogan and Motto along with several other rudimentary Scouting skills.
Next is the ‘Tenderfoot’ rank. Now we began to get into physical fitness, outdoor skills, first aid and citizenship. The Scout may also hold a leadership position possibly within the troop, but more likely within the patrol.
After that is the ‘Second Class’ rank. These requirements are more advanced than Tenderfoot and add to the Scout’s knowledge. They include knots, more first aid and hiking.
‘First Class’ rank. This is the first major milestone in a Scout’s career. The First Class rank requires a Scout to demonstrate leadership in the troop and cooking/nutrition come into play also. My former scoutmaster told me that this rank marks the beginning of turning a boy into a man. More leadership will be required of the Scout in the future and now the said Scout gets to help younger Scouts advance.
The ‘Star Scout’. The Star Scout now must focus his efforts on completing merit badges in order to advance. (NOTE: It has been my experience that this is the hardest rank to achieve as boys are now entering high school and find that Scouting isn’t “cool” anymore).
The ‘Life Scout’ rank. Now the Scout will have leadership duties in the Troop as well as the patrol. He must do community service as well as more merit badges.
Eagle Scout. The Scout has achieved the highest rank of Scouting. Only ~3% of boys who start the Scouting program achieve this rank. The Scout has planned and executed a service project that benefits his community. He has also earned at least 21 merit badges. He has set himself above his peers in dedication, perseverance, and citizenship.
So what will my kid learn in Scouting?
The list of skills that are taught (and hopefully learned) is numerous.
Outdoor skills: Learn to identify plants and animals. Orienteering skills both at night and over distances. Lashing and structure making, that is making useful camp items out of rope and poles. Cooking skills! He will learn how to buy food on a budget, cook it on a gas stove or campfire, and how to clean up. He will learn hiking and swimming skills plus many more skills that are useful to a prepper! Without going into all the merit badges (there are 128), each one advances a Scout’s knowledge in each area. He can learn to shoot .22’s, archery skills, backpacking, horsemanship and citizenship to name a few! The Scout has quite the plethora of options. He will also develop a love for his community, country and God along the way to Eagle Scout.
Sounds great! How can I find a troop/pack in my area?
The easiest way is a simple Google search. Search for Boy Scout council (your city). From there click the ‘join’ tab! Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs meet in locations such as churches, schools, Moose/Elk Lodges and other places. Troops usually meet once a week and have camping trips once a month (yes, even in the winter). An example would be my former troop. We met once a week, on Mondays, in a Moose Lodge for an hour and a half. We would start by posting the colors and reciting the Scout Oath and Law. From there we would either plan for the coming camp out or work on advancement/merit badges.
So you’ve found a local troop. Okay now go with your son and visit them during a meeting. You can either do it unannounced or arranged, your choice. Have your son join in on the activities if the Scoutmaster allows it. Observe how the boys interact with each other. Are they acting like boys? These behaviors are fine, but observe how they take instructions. Do they stop when they are supposed to? Do they listen and follow directions? Do they respect their leaders? Next, ask about going on a camp out with the troop. This will allow your son to interact better with the troop and allow you to get to know the adults better. If, by the end of the weekend, you and your son feel comfortable about joining then do it!
But wait! The Lord blessed me with daughters!
Not fear, the Girl Scouts of America are here! Founded in 1912 the Girl Scouts have been following the Scouting method for 98 years. I can’t say to much more due to lack of experience with the Girl Scouts but a simple Google search will yield lots of results.
Tips, thoughts, myths and more…
- Not all troops are created equal. Some are big (80+ boys), some are small (15+). Find which one bests suits you.
- Some troops are more boy-led whereas others rely more on the adults. Again the preference is yours.
- Boy Scouting is a religious organization. ‘Reverent’ is the final point in the scout oath. Some troops are more “churchy” than others. I will say that the only way to be denied as an Eagle Scout is to declare, publicly, that you do not believe in a higher power. (But your higher power can be anything from Jehovah God, to Allah, to Mother Nature or Buddha. )
- While Boy Scout regulations don’t specifically deny the wearing of fatigues, my troop has banned them. They promote a “militia” type feel. Boy Scouting is not militarily affiliated. We are not a militia. In the context of Scouting, camouflage clothes are also unsafe in the woods. You do not want camouflaged 13 year olds running around in the woods. Trust me, the last thing you need is kids who decide to be funny and hide from you.
- At some point your son will decide that Scouting isn’t cool. You will have to decide how hard to push him back to it or decide to sever the ties to the troop. Keep in mind that sports will also promote problems if not managed well.
- Myth #1. Boy Scouting is for white middle-rich kids. Wrong. Boy Scouting is for all colors and classes. There should never be a monetary reason to not join! There are scholarship opportunities to pay for many things and troops always have second hand camping supplies.
- Myth #2. Scouting is dying. Not even close to accurate! The Boy Scouts of America is celebrating its 100 anniversary this year. Also, the LDS Church is pouring vast amounts of resources into it. Scouting will be around for a long time to come!
- Myth #3. All you do in Scouting is help old ladies across the street. False. Well okay we do help them cross the street but we also retire American Flags, help with civic activities, and do service projects. For me personally, I look forward every year to going to Willamette National Cemetery and planting American Flags on the graves of our fallen soldiers.
Some famous people who are Eagle Scouts or who were apart of Boy Scouting include: Norman Rockwell, painter. Neil Armstrong, astronaut. Clive Cussler, writer. Edgar Cunningham, earliest known African-American Eagle Scout. Gerald Ford, President. Robert McNamara, Sec. of Defense. John “Jack” Murtha, decorated Vietnam War veteran and Congressman. Steven Spielberg, director. Chuck Smith, President and CEO of AT&T. Ken Whisenhunt, Super Bowl winning coach. Jay Zeamer, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient. And there are many more!
The Boy Scouts have given me many useful skills and wonderful memories. I can start fires from scratch, traverse forests with nothing but a compass and map, and have learned to wear a uniform with pride. I have learned how to put on a skit, how to sing camp songs, and how to cook a beautiful meatloaf in a Dutch oven. The memories and friends I have made will be with me throughout my life. The most important thing I have taken from the Boy Scouts is this: Be Prepared. It’s the motto for good reason. And it’s something we need to take to heart in these tumultuous times. Godspeed.