I received my Eagle Scout on November 4, 1984. I was one of 4 scouts to receive their Eagle that day. I am a second generation Eagle Scout. My father got his Eagle in 1964 just before he turned 18. I can honestly say I don't remember my Cub Scout Pack, other than my Mom was my Den Leader. I crossed over into a great Troop in Centerville, Ohio. Troop 516. This Troop is a very active Troop. We had camp outs every month, meetings every week, patrol meetings on a regular basis and an adult leader staff that was second to none. We were, and I'm sure they still are, a boy run Troop. This is the key to a great Troop, and to help mold our young men into the leaders that they become. I don't think I realized that back then, but I totally see it now. We went to Camporees, Summer Camp, Order of the Arrow activities, and Firecrafter activities. I'll talk more about Firecrafter more if there is any interest. During the holidays, our Troop was THE Troop to get our Christmas wreathes and roping from. It was one of 2 ways that we made our money to support the things that we did. We went on some great trips, including to the High Adventure Base in Ely, MN. That was a fantastic trip that I will never forget. My father wasn't a very smart adult leader and reached into a fire to move a rock that wasn't cooperating with our breakfast cooking. He'll never forget it either.
I served in many leadership roles within the Troop. I became a member of the Order of the Arrow in 1981 (I'm waiting on my former lodge to get the exact date to me). I became a brotherhood member in 1983 (I think). I was a Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and more. In 1982, I took what was then called Bear Claw. I believe it is now called JLT, Junior Leader Training. I thoroughly enjoyed it, so much that I was asked to be on the staff for the next class. I was then honored to be the Senior Patrol Leader for the following Bear Claw training. Shortly after that, I received my Eagle.
1985 was a crazy year. It was the 75th Anniversary for the Boy Scouts of America. I went to my last summer camp as a scout. I served on staff at Camp Ransburg. I was Senior Patrol Leader for Troop 677 at the jamboree. After that, my scouting exposure was really limited to nothing other than my brother getting his Eagle about 8 or 9 years after I got mine.
UNTIL, 1999 when we had our first son. Within days of his birth, I couldn't wait to get him into scouting. Now let's fast forward to 2005. Our oldest son joins a Cub Scout pack. He loves it, and I don't really have a ton of interest in it. My wife steps up to the plate and takes over the Den as their Leader and does a fantastic job. Fast forward a little more to 2010, and we have committed to a Troop, the Blue and Gold Banquet is scheduled and I was asked to wear my uniform to the Banquet. I put the uniform on, and it felt weird, not a bad weird, but it felt like something that I hadn't felt in a long time and it felt great. It was a fantastic ceremony. Our new Scoutmaster did something, that even my father (the life long Scouter) hadn't seen. As the boys crossed over the bridge, they stopped half way and gave one last Cub Scout salute to their Cub Master, and then finished their walk across the bridge to their new Troop. I came home that day and started thinking about all the great things that I experienced and thought about how I want our boys (not just my own, but our Troops too) to have just as much fun and memorable experiences as I had. So I started thinking. I know, it's a scary thing. It has now been almost a month and my mind hasn't stopped going on this topic. I think this is something that I am destined to do.
I'll stop my rant now. I'll write more about what has happened in the last few weeks since then and then update as the weeks go by.
Eagle Scout Doug
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