Posted on 09/25/2006 9:11:24 PM PDT by Coleus
It was 1926. Queen Elizabeth II was born, the first liquid-fuel rocket was launched and a pair of men's pants cost less than $6. It also was the year Charles Soldi joined the Boy Scouts.
Soldi, the middle of six kids living in Orange, was 12 when he was recruited by a neighbor. He quickly advanced in Scouting with the goal of making Eagle Scout, the organization's highest achievement. He earned 22 merit badges and in February 1932, at a court of honor, he was presented with his sterling silver Eagle Scout pin.
Yesterday, Scouting officials from northern New Jersey recognized "Uncle Charlie" with another court of honor, presenting him with an Eagle certificate, patches for his years as an adult leader, and pins to reflect his total years of service. The Scouts don't make a pin to reflect 80 years of service, and a 70-year pin was not readily available, said Dan Stryker, assistant commissioner for the Orange Mountains District, which oversees Scouting in the West Orange area. So, being a resourceful group, the Scouts gave Soldi 55-year and 25-year service pins.
"Your dedication as a leader has made a difference to hundreds of youth," Stryker told Soldi. Soldi received similar praise from Rick Shropshire, Orange Mountains District executive, who said: "This tribute is for you, Charlie. You are loved and admired and respected for all your efforts in your life." While the national Boy Scout Council doesn't keep records of older Scouts being honored, Soldi is among a small group of seniors recognized by New Jersey councils. In the last year, a 100-year-old Collingswood man and an 86-year-old Cherry Hill man were among those recognized for their years in Scouting.
Soldi, 92, said yesterday of his Scouting experience, "I enjoyed it."
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
I was a Scout. I would be very interested to hear what the Scout Oath is today...
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
I assume "God" has now been deleted?
It's still the same.
Bump.
Nope... GOD is most certainly still there! Some things don't change.
or this
or this
Emphasis on "straight."
It was quite a scene -- flags fluttering at every headstone in the cemetery! It was truly an honor to participate in such a memorial occasion. An experience never to be forgotten. I was certainly glad to be there.
My USMC son tells me that an Eagle award is good for an extra stripe out of boot. I guess that's on account of they should know how to camp.
I wish that I could have been involved in boy scouts -- but I was lucky enough to have two boys go through the scouting program. It was a very good experience for me as well!
Should have read: I wish that I could have been involved in boy scouts as a boy-- but I was lucky enough to have two boys go through the scouting program. It was a very good experience for me as well!
It is TRUE! (not that you doubted your son of course:-)
Here's the linkhttp://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:YFIu-0yKBQMJ:https://www.marines.usmc.mil/RS/BRC/BRCs/40/BRC%252040%2520HO.doc+Can+an+eagle+scout+be+promoted+in+the+Marine+corps%3F%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4&client=firefox-a
Here's part of the text:
3. Current base pay for a Private First Class Some applicants that you as a Recruiter enlist into the Marine Corps can go to recruit training as a Private First Class (PFC / E-2). Here is a list of the quilifying preresquites:
a. Has prior service (other service) with 6 or more months of active duty to include continuous
active duty training.
b. A high school graduate that has evidence of successful completion of a 2-year Reserve
Officer Training Course (ROTC).
c. A high school graduate that has evidence of successful completion of 2 of more years of
Junior Reserve Officer Training Course (JROTC).
Note: Completion of 2 years or more at a service academy satisfies this requirement.
d. Appliciants that are in the Delayed Entry Program, awaiting to ship to Recruit Training, who
refer two applicants that subsequently enlist into the Marine Corps.
Note: The individual making the referrals will be elgible for the higher appointment only if the referrals enlist into the Delayed Entry Program or directly into the Marine Corps or Secletive Marine Corps Reserve (including awaiting IADT) prior to the individual's graduation from recruit training.
e. Appliciants have completed the junior and senior course of the Platoon Leaders Class of the
male or female Officer Candidate Course.
f. When an appliciant enlist under the prvisions of the Musician Enlistment Program.
g. Appliciant is an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America or a Girl Scout Gold Award in the
Girl Scouts of America
h. Appliciant has attained grade E-3 or completed at least 24 – months in the Naval Sea Cadet
Corps.
Note: The individual must present full documentation, e. g., official Boy/Girl Scout certificates awarding Eagle/Gold Award status, Naval Sea Cadet Corps promotion / service certificates, ect.
We're really active with our pack this year. My son's 3rd and he's a Bear Scout now. We struck gold and got not only a record number of new scouts this year, we someone wound up with additional den leaders who are simply excellent. One is a mother/father team who are very organized and great with children. The den meeting last night was constant activity. The kids love it, even went fast for me - lol!
Looks like a great year ahead for Scouting.
Don't know why, but our Girl Scout pledge was worded a little differently.
"On my honor, I will try:
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout law."
Just thought of something else, lol. To this day, after having sung the "Star-Spangled Banner" 1000s of times, I still say to myself, silently, at the end "Goodnight, Girl Scouts" and turn to shake hands with whoever is standing next to me.
It's usually at a football game with 100s of people yelling and screaming and cheering for the kickoff to commence, but it is as automatic with me as breathing. At least I don't say it out loud anymore!
ping #15, learn something new every day
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