Thread: Eagle Scouts?

Did you earn the highest award possible in the Boy Scouts? If so, what does it mean to you to be an Eagle scout? What did you learn that you are glad you learned?

I am an Eagle Scout (once you earn it, you are always one) and I am thankful for the leadership skills and many simple life lessons such as establishing a household budget and learning to be responsible as a citizen of not just the country, but the world. I would say that my end all be all favorite thing that I learned is knots!
It seems silly, but knowing knots makes having a length of rope akin to having a tool box. Lashing, Hitching, connecting different ropes, or just attaching a pencil to the household calendar, I love knowing knots.

The most useful thing that I learned is this:
The Scout motto is "Be Prepared." I thought that this meant always carrying a first aid kit or flash light or generally trying to foresee and plan for problems. What I learned on my way to earning the Eagle is that being prepared means knowing that you will not always have everything you need to take care of a problem, but you can always ask for help and pool resources with others that may need your help. Now how about You?

yeah, I'm an Eagle Scout as well. (although I'm fair certain the BSA would revoke that if they could)

earned it when I was 15 years old. Most people don't really understand the difficulty or time commitment involved; the only other thing I've done that was equally difficult was getting a black belt in karate (which took 7 years)

looking back, I'm glad I was in the scouts, and I'm glad I stuck it out for so long to get my Eagle. there were a lot of life lessons learned, some more practical than others. I agree with SB that preparedness is definitely a mindset that stays with you, and I always make sure to keep a rope, knife and lighter in my truck because there is almost no problem you can't solve, survival-wise, with those items.

many of the lessons I learned have been exceedingly helpful to me in my adult life, professionally and otherwise. here are a few of the more important lessons I learned thanks to my experiences with Boy Scouts, that help me in the business world to this day:

1. a bribe will usually override common sense and moral trepidation. candy and toys will win you more troop elections than a sane stance or well reasoned speeches.
2. always kick someone when they are down. keep doing it until they are afraid to get up, and you'll always own them, plus the other boys will respect/fear you. this is more or less the basis for the patrol structure as well as Order of the Arrow.
3. hard work can get you to the top. so can having friends in high places. in the end, the results are the same. working hard for nine months on an important community service project or having an uncle who's on the Eagle Review Board: both get you the same patch.
4. cheating is only wrong if you get caught, because the winner is always right. always.
5. might defines right. the patrol leader is always the strongest fighter; that's how he got to be leader, and that's how he and his peers must control the pack/troop.
6. serious injuries inflicted on a scout by another scout are just "good clean American fun," and will earn you, at worst, some pushups and a stern talking-to. this includes injuries that require false teeth, stitches, casts, and skin grafts. (I saw all of these things happen. I got off lucky... my nose was broken 5 times and 3 ribs broken)
7. never trust anyone... loyalty can be bought and sold like anything else.

I could go on, but I think my point is made.

oh, and lesson 8, for a bit of levity: if it's trash, and it burns, put it on the campfire. if it's trash and it doesn't burn, put it in the fire anyway to see what happens.

Originally Posted by jockeys

yeah, I'm an Eagle Scout as well. (although I'm fair certain the BSA would revoke that if they could)

earned it when I was 15 years old. Most people don't really understand the difficulty or time commitment involved; the only other thing I've done that was equally difficult was getting a black belt in karate (which took 7 years)

looking back, I'm glad I was in the scouts, and I'm glad I stuck it out for so long to get my Eagle. there were a lot of life lessons learned, some more practical than others. I agree with SB that preparedness is definitely a mindset that stays with you, and I always make sure to keep a rope, knife and lighter in my truck because there is almost no problem you can't solve, survival-wise, with those items.

many of the lessons I learned have been exceedingly helpful to me in my adult life, professionally and otherwise. here are a few of the more important lessons I learned thanks to my experiences with Boy Scouts, that help me in the business world to this day:

1. a bribe will usually override common sense and moral trepidation. candy and toys will win you more troop elections than a sane stance or well reasoned speeches.
2. always kick someone when they are down. keep doing it until they are afraid to get up, and you'll always own them, plus the other boys will respect/fear you. this is more or less the basis for the patrol structure as well as Order of the Arrow.
3. hard work can get you to the top. so can having friends in high places. in the end, the results are the same. working hard for nine months on an important community service project or having an uncle who's on the Eagle Review Board: both get you the same patch.
4. cheating is only wrong if you get caught, because the winner is always right. always.
5. might defines right. the patrol leader is always the strongest fighter; that's how he got to be leader, and that's how he and his peers must control the pack/troop.
6. serious injuries inflicted on a scout by another scout are just "good clean American fun," and will earn you, at worst, some pushups and a stern talking-to. this includes injuries that require false teeth, stitches, casts, and skin grafts. (I saw all of these things happen. I got off lucky... my nose was broken 5 times and 3 ribs broken)
7. never trust anyone... loyalty can be bought and sold like anything else.

I could go on, but I think my point is made.

oh, and lesson 8, for a bit of levity: if it's trash, and it burns, put it on the campfire. if it's trash and it doesn't burn, put it in the fire anyway to see what happens.

LOL

Moral is as Moral does!
I know there are others out there! Speak up Eagles! What are your experiences?

If you did not guess it, I am also and Eagle Scout. (shocker I know). It is one thing I am very proud of, and will be proud of it to the day I die. I have accomplished many other laudable achievements in my life, but this is one that I desire to be known by. I continue to wear my eagle scout tie tack every time I put on a tie. In college, I was a business major (finance and real estate) and I was offered a job in the computer lab, just for being an Eagle. I submitted my application knowing full well that only computer science majors get these positions, but he offered me the job stating that "I always hire an Eagle when one applies."

I guess them main things I learned while attaining Eagle were persistence, self reliance, the reliance upon others, humility, love for my country, and a deep love for the outdoors. And the above rule #8 rocks. I followed it on my last camping trip with my family, but after my daughters went to bed of course so that I would not set a bad example. Why pack it out when you can burn it up. Also, I love being able to cook with a dutch oven. This is such a lost art, and when I host a gathering, and pull out the old dutch oven and make some kick butt peach cobbler on the coals, with some nice vanilla ice cream on top, man there is nothing better.

Matt

Edit: forgot to add what it means to be an Eagle. It means that you adhere to the highest moral and personal standards. You know who and what you are, and are not the chaff of society which gets blown away. You are a patriot. To put it more succinctly, you have demonstrated that you are trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. That you have demonstrated that you will do your duty, to God and to your country, to obey the above law, to help other people at all time, and to keep yourself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

I know that this meaning of being an Eagle is very cliché, but it is the base principle of what it means to be an Eagle.

I understand Eagles, for some reason, always get reasonable bail.

Okay, now THIS I want to hear more about....Sounds like a funny story in there somewhere...

Originally Posted by ScottS

I understand Eagles, for some reason, always get reasonable bail.

I'm one, too. I'd say I value the usual stuff that everyone else mentioned.

Then I made the mistake of becoming a professional scouter for a time. Can't say kind things about that. Scouting might be better off without the professional service.

j

Originally Posted by sicboater

Okay, now THIS I want to hear more about....Sounds like a funny story in there somewhere...

Just something one of the biggest stoners I ever knew told me after I started laughing when he told me he was an Eagle. His scoutmaster talked him into it by telling him Eagles always make bail.

I have seen some pretty nasty politics just at summer camp on the volunteer level. I can imagine. On the whole though, a lot of good is done in that organization I think.

Originally Posted by Nord Jim

I'm one, too. I'd say I value the usual stuff that everyone else mentioned.

Then I made the mistake of becoming a professional scouter for a time. Can't say kind things about that. Scouting might be better off without the professional service.

j

Not everyone who earns the award is necessarily deserving, I guess! That had to make you laugh harder!

Originally Posted by ScottS

Just something one of the biggest stoners I ever knew told me after I started laughing when he told me he was an Eagle. His scoutmaster talked him into it by telling him Eagles always make bail.