New Eagle Scout

[EHCAlum]

State. Eagle Scout is the BSA highest rank, akin to Gold Award for Girl Scouts. The UK equivalent is the Queen's Scout.

[jgcunningham]

My son put in a lot of work for his Eagle. He's been a Scout since he was 6. His Scoutmaster died last year of a heart attack. Stephen wanted to make sure he completed his Eagle just for his Scoutmaster's memory.

His project was to replace the front board fence (just over 200 feet total) at Fort Washita, a historical site here in southeast Oklahoma. The original fence was starting to look bad and the ground under the posts had subsided, causing it to lean and meander a bit. He got it all pulled apart and recycled what lumber he could out of it. It was 4 days of work in the middle of July with just a few boys and 3 of the fort staff helping. But he got it done. It's the first thing visitors see when they arrive at the front gatehouse.

But I understand your feelings about young boys not doing much and getting their Eagle. It all falls on the troop leaders and the district Eagle board to make sure that the projects are significant enough to merit the Eagle.

You can ask about serving on the Eagle board yourself. I served as Cubmaster and several other leadership posts while my son was in Cub Scouts. After his Board of Review was over, an invitation was made to me by the board members who remembered me from years before to serve on future Eagle boards. I don't have the time now but you can always contact your local district office if you have the time and inquire. They should be glad to have another Eagle to serve.

[Piper]

Congratulations to your son. Last year I piped the son of a Lodge brother into his Court of Honor to receive his Eagle. Nice ceremony

[MuffinMan]

My son is sixteen, and I have another at 14 who can finish up by December.
I do know about young Eagle scouts, but with today's society I would rather they go for it early and get it than fall out of Scouting.
Sometimes I laugh when I hear we cannot wear certain tartans here in the States, we wear what makes us feel good, proud and sucessful.

MM

[EHCAlum]

Congrats to them. I don't have a problem with younger Eagles in general, just troops that are more like Eagle Mills. I used to work with one like that.

Personally I have been involved in scouting for over 20 years as a youth and adult.

[jgcunningham]

I think my son would die, and his mother too, if I even threatened to wear my kilt to his court of honor.

[BEEDEE]

As the father of two Eagle Scouts, please add my congratulations to your son.

Brian

[Foyt20]

As someone who "fell out" of scouting at 18, but got everything out of it that I wanted, I say congratulations. Now, being a young Eagle scout, is the time that he can help lead the troop, and take on the other events that may have been missed. Philmont, Sea Base, etc here you come.

As a Life Scout, 3 time Philmonter, and an Assistant Scoutmaster for a Venture Crew (on paper, too busy being a newlywed to make meetings at the moment) I say CONGRATS and be Proud.

What are the Boy Scouts views on kilts by the way? I may being going on a backpacking trip next march and thought about doing it kilted, but we will see. Thanks, and Congrats again!!!!!

[EHCAlum]

I rarely know any troops who backpack and hike in Class A (or field uniform or whatever they're called now) so it would usually be Class B. B's are generally a scout related shirt. The bottom half is up to the wearer.

In Crews (I used to be a crew president, adviser and Ranger) the uniform is up to the Crew except in situations where the Class A (green shirt, grey slacks) would be warranted.

In Sea Scouts, kilts are a no go, as in any other loose fitting clothing and necklaces.

[EagleJCS]

Congrats to the fledgling Eagle from a 25-year Eagle Scout and 33-year Scouting veteran. Bravo! Well done! Welcome to the brotherhood.

Regarding the kilt and the Boys Scouts of America uniform: There is nothing in the Insignia Guide (the uniform regs) regarding kilts, but (per my Council office) since they are not listed as acceptable uniform attire, they are generally not allowed except by special permission, for specific events. (I'm allowed to wear my kilt with my uniform shirt when I'm piping.) Venture Crews are a special animal, as they are allowed - by charter - to select their own uniform. When mixing with other units, however, they are encouraged to wear the 'standard' Venturing uniform (the forest green shirt and gray trousers/shorts).

Some people ignore this and wear a kilt anyway. (It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission.) There've been other threads on this elsewhere, and I've had my say there, so I'm not going any further down that road in this thread.

Regarding the MacLaren tartan: EHCAlum got it pretty close. Gilwell Park is the home of Wood Badge. (Wood Badge is the premier leadership training course for Scout leaders the world over.) Every Wood Badge course, regardless of its physical location in the world, occurs "at Gilwell". The site is in Sewardstonebury, Epping Forest, close to Chingford, London. It was purchased by William de Bois MacLaren and donated to the British Scout Association to provide a campground for London area Scouts and a training site for Scout leaders. In recognition of this grand gesture, Lord Baden-Powell (the founder of Scouting) put a swatch of the MacLaren tartan on the Wood Badge graduates' neckerchief.

Regarding hiking clothing: unless your unit requires you to be in uniform while hiking, wear what you'll be comfortable in. (Technically, there is no 'Class A', 'Class B', etc. in Scouting - those are military shorthand terms. The correct terms per the Insignia Guide are 'Field Uniform' - the khaki/tan shirt and green trousers for Scouts or dark green shirt and grey trousers for Venturers - and 'Activity Uniform' - same trousers as before but any Scout-related shirt.)

OK, time to stop talking...