calling all eagle scouts!

[ShooterJM]

On a similar vein, how do you guys feel about Order of the Arrow? In our troop it was a very very high honor to get picked, but in others it seems almost like you are expected to get voted in.

[fire1811]

like most things it depends on your area.
in mine it was a high honor to be selected and when and where i went it was very hard core. they didnt cut you ANY slack you did not make it though it.

it was very fun
and the meal after the day of no eating was GREAT

[ShooterJM]

Yeah it was a great time! That and the first ceremony I participated in were both very memorable.

[fire1811]

"you are chosen go to the chief"

man that was fun too. tiring but fun

[Sir_Brass]

Originally posted by ShooterJM
On a similar vein, how do you guys feel about Order of the Arrow? In our troop it was a very very high honor to get picked, but in others it seems almost like you are expected to get voted in.

It's not getting "voted in" that's the honor, it's actually passing the ordeal that you're elected by your troop to take, THEN it becomes a valuable thing that you made it through your ordeal and then stay active in the OA.

I'm currently a Brotherhood Honor member. When I get involved with scouts and the OA again, then I hope to make vigil honor (which is almost as difficult as obtaining Eagle).

As with most things in scouting: It's easy to start out in, but difficult to finish, and it's the finishing that brings the greatest pride and feeling of self-satisfaction: that you made it all the way through, not simply made it half-way.

[ShooterJM]

Understood. But what I was saying that simply getting elected was an honor in our troop. Despite the size of the troop we generally only elected ONE person, as opposed to the 3-4 that most area troops sent.

[paintbattler]

I'm not being mean or anything, but isn't eagle scouts, cub scouts, etc. for younger "kids" and not teenagers?

[hAppy]

eagle scout is the highest rank in boy scouts (for teens) it is widely recognized as the most honorable achievement, will tag you for the rest of your life as a good citizen. good for college and work life and everyone who knows you.

thanks for the replies guys!

[Cryer]

Originally posted by paintbattler
I'm not being mean or anything, but isn't eagle scouts, cub scouts, etc. for younger "kids" and not teenagers?

yes and no...
Cub Scouts is for kids up to 12

Boy scouts is 12 to 18.

An Eagle Scout rank lasts a lifetime

Every job I've got since my Eagle court of honor, I got in part to the fact that I was an Eagle Scout. It has never failed to catch positive attention during an interview.

[AssassN]

Originally posted by ShooterJM
On a similar vein, how do you guys feel about Order of the Arrow? In our troop it was a very very high honor to get picked, but in others it seems almost like you are expected to get voted in.

For us its no big deal.

[Vash02]

Just BARELY got my eagle rank. I found out that my project got the final signature only two days before i turned 18. How bout that for close? But anyways, i had a great time in boy scouts during my younger years. Me and all my friends used to have an absolute blast at summer camp. Unfortunatly, after my second year at camp we couldnt play water polo anymore because we got in a fight.

I'd have to agree. Boy Scouts isnt the same as it used to be but i think it has to change. Boy Scouts is about expanding your knowledge and learning skills usefull in life. That is why it is such a credential to have the rank.

P.S. Order of the Arrow is kind of a joke around here. Some take it seriously but others dont care. Personally i never joined because they never did anything worth-while anyways.

[Lakeview Bulldog]

Talk to the Optimist Clubs if you have them. Any community groups would be willing to help Im sure. Post donation jars inside local stores too.

I am a proud Eagle Scout in my community. My troop has been in existence for 65 years. However, Boy Scouts is declining in the region. It is sad to say that the Boy Scouts have gone soft due to outside pressure. I have seen numerous people been awawrded ranks and badges that they did not deserve. I served as Senoir Patrol Leader for over a year becasue there was no one else to do it. My first order of business was to weed out all non-hackers. If kids gave me attitudes and did not want to participate I made it so that they would not want to be involved. Not through physical or verbal abuse though. My eary years in scouts consisted of some of my most miserable weekends ever. My Scout Master did not coddle us. If we forgot to bring raingear, we got wet, if we burned our food, we ate burned food, and if it was -15 outside, we still slept in tents and stayed the whole weekend. These expirirnces made me hard. They taught me that no matter how tough things were, they would not kill me. These lessons produced group after group of motivated and dedicated Eagle Scouts that I would gladly choose to work with to complete any task. With our new Scoutmaster our boys always sleep in heated cabins, the Scoutmaster cooks for them, and he leaves early if the weather is bad. This has produced group after group of lazy scouts with bad attitudes. I cooked breakfast for them one very cold morning, as they filed past and I gave them their food not a single one of them said thank you. I was outraged, when I was their age I was sleeping in a tent and cooking my own breakfast no matter how cold. Then when I made the comment that they should be cooking their own breakfast one of them made the comment that 'You dont know what it is like and why dont you go sleep outside' I calmy told him that I was camping outside in colder weather than this cooking my own food and saying thank you to my Scoutmaster before this snot nosed kid was even born. I am now an Assitant Scoutmaster and plan on becoming ScoutMaster as soon as the current one retires. Believe me, things will be going back to the way they were. The Boy Scouts can be saved by us Eagle Scouts, for those of you who are agreeing with what you just read, go out and find a leadership role in your local troop. Take back Scouting and bring back the camping hiking, and other outdoor activities that helps turn boys into strong young men.

[gamarada717]

I just went through my ordeal this weekend. It was awesome, because we worked so hard that we finished all of the work that was setup for us to do, and cleaned all of the bathrooms and pavilions in the entire camp. One of the things we had to do was build a new ring for the cermemonies. I spent half of my time cleaning up the creek, because some idiot threw all the grass in it. I can't go to any of the meetings this spring because of soccer, so that kinda sucks. I just hate it when people just do it so they can tote around the sash and flap. I plan on getting at least brotherhood, vigil if I have a lot of fun.

[Sir_Brass]

Originally posted by Lakeview Bulldog
Talk to the Optimist Clubs if you have them. Any community groups would be willing to help Im sure. Post donation jars inside local stores too.

I am a proud Eagle Scout in my community. My troop has been in existence for 65 years. However, Boy Scouts is declining in the region. It is sad to say that the Boy Scouts have gone soft due to outside pressure. I have seen numerous people been awawrded ranks and badges that they did not deserve. I served as Senoir Patrol Leader for over a year becasue there was no one else to do it. My first order of business was to weed out all non-hackers. If kids gave me attitudes and did not want to participate I made it so that they would not want to be involved. Not through physical or verbal abuse though. My eary years in scouts consisted of some of my most miserable weekends ever. My Scout Master did not coddle us. If we forgot to bring raingear, we got wet, if we burned our food, we ate burned food, and if it was -15 outside, we still slept in tents and stayed the whole weekend. These expirirnces made me hard. They taught me that no matter how tough things were, they would not kill me. These lessons produced group after group of motivated and dedicated Eagle Scouts that I would gladly choose to work with to complete any task. With our new Scoutmaster our boys always sleep in heated cabins, the Scoutmaster cooks for them, and he leaves early if the weather is bad. This has produced group after group of lazy scouts with bad attitudes. I cooked breakfast for them one very cold morning, as they filed past and I gave them their food not a single one of them said thank you. I was outraged, when I was their age I was sleeping in a tent and cooking my own breakfast no matter how cold. Then when I made the comment that they should be cooking their own breakfast one of them made the comment that 'You dont know what it is like and why dont you go sleep outside' I calmy told him that I was camping outside in colder weather than this cooking my own food and saying thank you to my Scoutmaster before this snot nosed kid was even born. I am now an Assitant Scoutmaster and plan on becoming ScoutMaster as soon as the current one retires. Believe me, things will be going back to the way they were. The Boy Scouts can be saved by us Eagle Scouts, for those of you who are agreeing with what you just read, go out and find a leadership role in your local troop. Take back Scouting and bring back the camping hiking, and other outdoor activities that helps turn boys into strong young men.

My scoutmaster didn't coddle us either, though if it rained and some boy forgot his rain jacket and we had another one, then we'd let him borrow it. Usually, however, it was a makeshift poncho made from a glad garbage bag made right there on the spot. Boys that had to wear those b/c they didn't have raingear soon got rain gear.

Our scoutmaster also never let us stay in the heated cabin on our winter campouts. The heated cabin was where all the adults were allowed to stay, and the boys were allowed to hang out in there, but they usually go up to where they have a campfire and chill up there.

As a fellow Eagle, I say "more power to you" when you take over as scoutmaster, b/c there's nothing worse in scouting than for me, a proud Eagle Scout, to see scouts who do not live up to the scout oath and law.

My advice: whenever they cop an attitude or whatnot, remind them of whatever part of the Scout Law they violated. Like, if one doesn't say thank you, tell them, "Hey, remember, a scout is courteous." Eventually they'll get so sick of being reminded, that they'll start to act right . Hopefully, that is.

Originally posted by gamarada717
I just went through my ordeal this weekend. It was awesome, because we worked so hard that we finished all of the work that was setup for us to do, and cleaned all of the bathrooms and pavilions in the entire camp. One of the things we had to do was build a new ring for the cermemonies. I spent half of my time cleaning up the creek, because some idiot threw all the grass in it. I can't go to any of the meetings this spring because of soccer, so that kinda sucks. I just hate it when people just do it so they can tote around the sash and flap. I plan on getting at least brotherhood, vigil if I have a lot of fun.

If you liked your ordeal weekend, then you're going to LOVE being in the OA, trust me . It's lots of work, but after the work is done, the play is a blast as well , and it also feels like it was earned, so just getting to hang out with your fellow arrowmen and play around feels even better than usual b/c you worked hard all day.