Posted on 07/29/2010 6:29:25 PM PDT by SandRat
ARLINGTON, Va., July 29, 2010 – The Utah National Guard's 141st Military Intelligence Battalion will deploy to Iraq in a few weeks with 83 soldiers who have earned Eagle Scout badges from the Boy Scouts of America.
|
The 286-member unit is in field training at its pre-mobilization site, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
During a recent meeting with civilian employers, Price said, he asked all the Eagle Scouts in the room to stand. Almost half of his unit stood up. So during the next battalion formation, the Eagle Scouts were asked to stay behind for a group photo. That is when they counted off as 83 Eagle Scouts representing all ranks and many military occupational specialties.
The unit’s senior noncommissioned officer, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Lofland, is a scout master.
“We feel like [part of the] the scout program,” Price said. “To me, the Scout Law is similar to Army values.”
Price said he believes Robert Baden Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, would be proud of his creation. “We’re celebrating 100 years of Boy Scouting this year, and if he could look back and see what is going on, he would be quite happy.”
In Iraq, the battalion will conduct human intelligence missions with Iraqi security forces. “We will be directly training and advising them how to do force protection,” Price said.
Price said he appreciates the uniqueness of his citizen-soldiers. They are older and college educated, with more real-world experience as teachers and police officers, he noted.
“I am bringing a group of community leaders with me to Iraq,” he said.
Price said his Eagle Scouts also bring additional skills to the Guard. “The Boy Scout program itself teaches young men to be men,” he said. “You teach them values. … You are teaching them survivability skills. They are used to camping, and used to roughing it.”
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men, according to published reports. The title is held for life.
Between the ages of 12 and 18, a Scout will work to achieve Eagle rank by earning 12 required merit badges and nine elective merit badges. He also must demonstrate “Scout Spirit” through the Boy Scout oath and law and through community service and leadership, which includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads and manages.
Earning the Eagle Scout's badge was "the only thing I had done in my life that led me to think that I could make a difference; that I could be a leader," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told an estimated crowd of 45,000 gathered on 12,000 acres on Fort A.P. Hill, Va., as part of the annual National Scout Jamboree yesterday.
"It was the first thing I had done that told me I might be different, because I had worked harder, was more determined, more goal-oriented, more persistent than most others," Gates said.
Price said the key to scouting is service to others.
“To be able to protect yourself and your family but also look outwards and help others,” he said. “These are different kinds of soldiers. They look beyond themselves. We are bringing a higher quality of citizen-soldier with us who is looking for ways to help other people.”
| Related Sites: Utah National Guard |
As the proud mother of an Eagle Scout - God bless ‘em!
I earned the Eagle award in 71. Opened many career opportunities for me. I owe it to my parents who kept me in Scouting.
83 in one unit.....Wow !
I am a proud scoutmaster...Troop 332 ROCKS.....!
Received my Eagle Scout award in 1963...it’s been a blessing in my life since...Thank You BSA for teaching me the values of God, Life and Liberty!
Salute !
Tough job these days. I am not a scoutmaster but I teach wilderness survival to scouts an their families....
Hope yer well....
It really does give one good base for leadership an ethics to expand on the rest of our lives.
My medal an certificate along with congrats from Nixon are framed an on my den wall....
I see a lot of the eagle patches but have not attended a court of honor in years. Does the BSA still award the medal ?
Thanks!
Teaching young boys how to survive in the wilderness
is awesome. They may need it one Day....you are a
true scouter. Keep up the good work...
Bullfrog
I would have been having deja vu as I was leaving the room as asked. Did he just say "You Webelos go cut some nice green willows. Just wait outside, we will roast hot dogs after the meeting". Talk about a kick in the slats.
I can’t get enough of hearing about Boys Scouts. I’m the proud Mother of two Eagle Scouts, they are the best!!
I gave a speech for a young man receiving his Eagle Award about 10 years ago...they did give the metals out then...what I noticed was the back side of the Eagle was ground off flat (mine has full feathers on the back)...I mentioned this to my son who is involved in Scouts and he said they now award the Eagle Metal that looks like mine...I guess someone thought it would be a cost savings but it didn’t last long...Let’s face it...for those that have earned it know how hard it is and they should receive the “full” bird...
Yep....mine is full bird as well....
Grateful for the info.
Nite !
“You can trust them”, Only until it comes to chow time baby. We are a hungry bunch in the field. Awesome story! Thanks SandRat.
Just checked mine. Full Bird! May, 1983. Proud Asst. Scoutmaster and father of a Life scout (in two months).
I earned mine in 1963 as well. I pinned it on my son in 2003. One of the proudest days in my life.
I took a training course at Philmont dealing with various aspects of older boys, venture, explorers and in a regular troop. There were several leaders from Utah, all were Mormons.
The Mormon church places Scouting in high regard and has troops at many churches. They early recognized the problem with keeping older boys interested and developed solid retention programs and activities.
Since the Guard unit is from Utah, Probably mostly or all Mormon, the fact there are many Eagles is to be expected.
Taking training at Philmont is a fabulous experience. You stay in a leaders tent village, have classes in the Phillips mansion and meet great scouters. All you need is to ask your council office and they will likely get you hooked up.
I’m an Eagle since about 1956 and am a 47 year veteran scouter
Worked at Philmont three summers when I was a scout an attended it twice with my troop.
Stationed in NM later in in military an I was up there or around it as much as possible.....
Awesome country to hike an camp in.
Still go hunting mulies an elk around there every year....m
NM politics suck yet it is a beautiful landscape...
Yes, the BSA still awards the medal. The presentation kit includes the medal, a patch, a pin, a mother’s pin, a father’s pin, and a mentor’s pin. That last, new since any of you earned Eagle rank, is awarded by the Eagle to an adult who he views as having been important to him. Some Eagles buy one or two more from the Council office and award more than one, although it is not usual.
I do not have the medal or patch. I do have a father’s ping. I have about 5 mentor’s pins.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
