my oldest son just joined boy scouts!

[devildogcruiser25]

That is awesome that your boy joined the scout program! When I was young my mom put me in cub scouts and I loved it! I was involved in the program until I got my eagle scout in high school. From there I went on to join the Marine Corps. Boot camp was much easier for me than the other recruits because I had experienced everything already with the scouts. From field survival, land nav, swimming, uniform regs shooting and rappelling. Also if you son had military plans he should know that most branches give a rank advancement to those with eagle scouts coming out of their basic training.

 

[Brentbba]

Also if you son had military plans he should know that most branches give a rank advancement to those with eagle scouts coming out of their basic training.

This is true today, but I've heard rumors from ex-military leaders in scouting that the military is revisiting this policy as they feel some troops are nothing more than parental eagle mills degrading what the rank of Eagle really means.

It's too bad if true, because to me it still means something and the boys in our troop earn every bit of their Eagle. Having sat on almost every eagle board of review for our troop over the past 10 years, I can tell you there is a difference in the character of the boys sitting for an eagle board vs the ones that don't make it, my own son included.

 

[Dynosoar]

My boy just earned Life Scout. He is already looking for an Eagle project. He is 13 and plans to earn Eagle before he turns 15. He wants to knock out the project first, then earn his remaining 3 merit badges The kid is way motivated (competitive). The next closest boy in his age group just earned Star scout. Any ideas for Eagle projects? We are in Ventura County.

Dyno