Ben Traines and Garritt Emaus in patch trading mode!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Scouts Prepared for Historic 'Shining Light Across America'
FORT A.P. HILL, Va., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, and Miss USA Rima Fakih are among the celebrities who will participate in one of the most historic events in the 100-year history of the Boy Scouts of America on Saturday, July 31.
The spectacular show, "A Shining Light Across America," will be available around the world via Webcast or satellite broadcast. The main show will originate at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree in Virginia, and entertainers and others based in New York City; Raleigh, N.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Rapid City, S.D.; and Fort Wayne, Ind., will participate in the BSA centennial extravaganza via two-way satellite link to the jamboree stage. Entertainment includes alternative rock band Switchfoot and magician Giovanni Livera.
Karen Stone, a committee member for Troop 631 in Kansas City, Mo., is eagerly anticipating the Shining Light show. "I'm really ecstatic about it," said Stone, one of many Scouters who posted on the BSA's Facebook page how eager she and other member of the Heart of America Council are to see the show. "It's something the BSA has never done before, and I wouldn't miss it."
Scouts, adult leaders, and thousands of BSA families and supporters are expected to view the Webcast or watch the show on cable television, and many BSA local councils are hosting their own Shining Light festivities in venues large and small. Anyone with a high-speed Internet connection can see the Shining Light activities at www.ustream.tv/shininglight or on the Shining Light section of the BSA's Facebook page. BYU-TV, available in most basic cable packages, will broadcast the event and stream it on the Web site, http://www.byutv.org/.
No one seems more excited about the Shining Light show than the BSA's Chief Scout Executive, Bob Mazzuca. "It will be an awe-inspiring celebration of our first century and our first step into the adventure of our second," he said. "This celebration has been a hundred years in the making, and I'm just honored to be able to share it with the millions of members of the Scouting family."
The Shining Light preshow festivities will be available via Webcast beginning at 5:30 P.M. EDT. The highlight event begins at 8 P.M. EDT and concludes at about 10:30 P.M. EDT.
People who cannot view the show Saturday can see it at www.ustream.tv/shininglight in the archived videos available there. BYU-TV is scheduled to rebroadcast the show at 9:30 P.M. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 3, and at 7 P.M. EST on Saturday, Aug. 7.
About the National Scout Jamboree
Since 1937, the National Scout Jamboree has provided unforgettable experiences for more than 650,000 Scouts and adult leaders. More than 2.9 million youth are members of the Boy Scouts of America. More information on the 2010 National Scout Jamboree is available at http://www.bsajamboree.org/.
AT&T Official Exclusive Communications Sponsor of the Boy Scouts of America's 2010 National Scout Jamboree
FORT A.P. HILL, Va., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, and Miss USA Rima Fakih are among the celebrities who will participate in one of the most historic events in the 100-year history of the Boy Scouts of America on Saturday, July 31.
The spectacular show, "A Shining Light Across America," will be available around the world via Webcast or satellite broadcast. The main show will originate at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree in Virginia, and entertainers and others based in New York City; Raleigh, N.C.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Rapid City, S.D.; and Fort Wayne, Ind., will participate in the BSA centennial extravaganza via two-way satellite link to the jamboree stage. Entertainment includes alternative rock band Switchfoot and magician Giovanni Livera.
Karen Stone, a committee member for Troop 631 in Kansas City, Mo., is eagerly anticipating the Shining Light show. "I'm really ecstatic about it," said Stone, one of many Scouters who posted on the BSA's Facebook page how eager she and other member of the Heart of America Council are to see the show. "It's something the BSA has never done before, and I wouldn't miss it."
Scouts, adult leaders, and thousands of BSA families and supporters are expected to view the Webcast or watch the show on cable television, and many BSA local councils are hosting their own Shining Light festivities in venues large and small. Anyone with a high-speed Internet connection can see the Shining Light activities at www.ustream.tv/shininglight or on the Shining Light section of the BSA's Facebook page. BYU-TV, available in most basic cable packages, will broadcast the event and stream it on the Web site, http://www.byutv.org/.
No one seems more excited about the Shining Light show than the BSA's Chief Scout Executive, Bob Mazzuca. "It will be an awe-inspiring celebration of our first century and our first step into the adventure of our second," he said. "This celebration has been a hundred years in the making, and I'm just honored to be able to share it with the millions of members of the Scouting family."
The Shining Light preshow festivities will be available via Webcast beginning at 5:30 P.M. EDT. The highlight event begins at 8 P.M. EDT and concludes at about 10:30 P.M. EDT.
People who cannot view the show Saturday can see it at www.ustream.tv/shininglight in the archived videos available there. BYU-TV is scheduled to rebroadcast the show at 9:30 P.M. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 3, and at 7 P.M. EST on Saturday, Aug. 7.
About the National Scout Jamboree
Since 1937, the National Scout Jamboree has provided unforgettable experiences for more than 650,000 Scouts and adult leaders. More than 2.9 million youth are members of the Boy Scouts of America. More information on the 2010 National Scout Jamboree is available at http://www.bsajamboree.org/.
AT&T Official Exclusive Communications Sponsor of the Boy Scouts of America's 2010 National Scout Jamboree
Don't forget to watch the show tonight with all of us here! You can do it from home.
Feel the Jamboree Spirit
Join the Celebration!
"The Shining Light" broadcast will be available via satellite and via Webcast starting with the Jamboree Arena Pre-Show festivities at 5:30 p.m. EDT. The highlight of the broadcast — the spectacular Centennial Celebration Show — will begin at 8 p.m. EDT, and will conclude at approximately 10:30 p.m. EDT. Click here for more information
Here is a link to the site:
http://www.ustream.tv/shininglight
Feel the Jamboree Spirit
Join the Celebration!
"The Shining Light" broadcast will be available via satellite and via Webcast starting with the Jamboree Arena Pre-Show festivities at 5:30 p.m. EDT. The highlight of the broadcast — the spectacular Centennial Celebration Show — will begin at 8 p.m. EDT, and will conclude at approximately 10:30 p.m. EDT. Click here for more information
Here is a link to the site:
http://www.ustream.tv/shininglight
Our Scouts Help Establish a World Record!
Troop 1221 took part in this event!
3,469 Scouts and Scouters Establish World Record
By Doug Fidler Jamboree Today Staff
Scouts and Scouters at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree established what organizers believe will be a world record of 3,469 people trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation/ automated external defibrillator in a 24-hour period. The all-day event Thursday at the arena attracted thousands of participants and scores of instructors to the series of hour-long instruction courses on correct lifesaving techniques.
This number must be verified by the Guinness Book of World Records before it will be entered as a record. Since this event was the first of its kind, however, the final number will establish a baseline for other organizations to challenge around the world.
In a well-choreographed training session, Scouts and Scouters completed basic CPR and AED training qualifications with an assigned CPR personal training mannequin.
"It was a Guinness Book of World Records attempt and our Scoutmaster wanted us to come and it was a good refresher of CPR skills," said Life Scout C. Crookston, 13, of League City, Texas. A. Michaelis, a 12-year-old Life Scout from Trophy Club, Texas, was pleased with the training. "I think it was well worth it. The people knew what they were doing." Thursday's mid day thunderstorm failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the staff or Scouts trying to set the world record. Newell minimized the impact, explaining that one training session was delayed and only one canceled because of a weather alert.
The shortness of the course may have been a surprise to those who have taken other CPR/AED courses in the past. Sharon Allen, RN, an assistant coordinator of the event and the manager of the American Heart Association Training Center at Mary Washington Hospital in nearby Fredericksburg, Va., emphasized that the shortened curriculum resulted from a rethinking of the way basic lifesaving training should be conducted.
"As long as Scouts know how to compress and breathe properly, they will be able to help the person until professionals arrive," she said.
By Doug Fidler Jamboree Today Staff
Scouts and Scouters at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree established what organizers believe will be a world record of 3,469 people trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation/ automated external defibrillator in a 24-hour period. The all-day event Thursday at the arena attracted thousands of participants and scores of instructors to the series of hour-long instruction courses on correct lifesaving techniques.
This number must be verified by the Guinness Book of World Records before it will be entered as a record. Since this event was the first of its kind, however, the final number will establish a baseline for other organizations to challenge around the world.
In a well-choreographed training session, Scouts and Scouters completed basic CPR and AED training qualifications with an assigned CPR personal training mannequin.
"It was a Guinness Book of World Records attempt and our Scoutmaster wanted us to come and it was a good refresher of CPR skills," said Life Scout C. Crookston, 13, of League City, Texas. A. Michaelis, a 12-year-old Life Scout from Trophy Club, Texas, was pleased with the training. "I think it was well worth it. The people knew what they were doing." Thursday's mid day thunderstorm failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the staff or Scouts trying to set the world record. Newell minimized the impact, explaining that one training session was delayed and only one canceled because of a weather alert.
The shortness of the course may have been a surprise to those who have taken other CPR/AED courses in the past. Sharon Allen, RN, an assistant coordinator of the event and the manager of the American Heart Association Training Center at Mary Washington Hospital in nearby Fredericksburg, Va., emphasized that the shortened curriculum resulted from a rethinking of the way basic lifesaving training should be conducted.
"As long as Scouts know how to compress and breathe properly, they will be able to help the person until professionals arrive," she said.
Scouts Climb High at the Action Centers
By Reed Skyllingstad Jamboree Today Staff
Portable climbing walls are popular at every jamboree. They're so popular that for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, climbing walls have been set up at each of the four action centers.
Scouts can climb belayed to the top of the tower, then be lowered by belay. Staff members provide helmets and other safety gear.
Each action center has expanded its program since 2005. Action centers provide the kind of activities—climbing, rappelling, shooting, mountain boarding, and others—that Scouts love.
Confidence courses provide team-building and low COPE activities to Scouts. Their design reinforces a Scout's confidence in other Scouts, and their physical and mental awareness. COPE is an acronym for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience. The low version of the activity includes rope courses and challenging puzzles. The confidence course is best tackled by a team or patrol of six to eight Scouts.
Each action center also provides other popular activities such as shooting sports, bikathlon, and motocross courses.
The shooting sports include trapshooting and archery. For trapshooting, Scouts use a 20-gauge shotgun to blast clay pigeons out of the sky, raining orange bits all over the ground. At the archery range, Scouts fire arrows at large paper bull's-eyes. On the bikathlon course, Scouts ride geared mountain bikes cross-country, stopping at designated stations to fire air rifles at targets. This event is based on the Olympic biathlon.
Motocross is more strenuous. Scouts ride BMX bikes around a dirt track with many short hills, dips, and banked turns. They also get a shower of water at the end of the course from a staff member with a hose.
B. Sabel, 15, Life Scout from Jamboree Troop 1104 from New Boston, Ill., said, "The bikes are a little small; being 6-foot-2, it isn't easy for me to ride a 4-foot bike." But Sabel also said he enjoyed the ride.
By Reed Skyllingstad Jamboree Today Staff
Portable climbing walls are popular at every jamboree. They're so popular that for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, climbing walls have been set up at each of the four action centers.
Scouts can climb belayed to the top of the tower, then be lowered by belay. Staff members provide helmets and other safety gear.
Each action center has expanded its program since 2005. Action centers provide the kind of activities—climbing, rappelling, shooting, mountain boarding, and others—that Scouts love.
Confidence courses provide team-building and low COPE activities to Scouts. Their design reinforces a Scout's confidence in other Scouts, and their physical and mental awareness. COPE is an acronym for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience. The low version of the activity includes rope courses and challenging puzzles. The confidence course is best tackled by a team or patrol of six to eight Scouts.
Each action center also provides other popular activities such as shooting sports, bikathlon, and motocross courses.
The shooting sports include trapshooting and archery. For trapshooting, Scouts use a 20-gauge shotgun to blast clay pigeons out of the sky, raining orange bits all over the ground. At the archery range, Scouts fire arrows at large paper bull's-eyes. On the bikathlon course, Scouts ride geared mountain bikes cross-country, stopping at designated stations to fire air rifles at targets. This event is based on the Olympic biathlon.
Motocross is more strenuous. Scouts ride BMX bikes around a dirt track with many short hills, dips, and banked turns. They also get a shower of water at the end of the course from a staff member with a hose.
B. Sabel, 15, Life Scout from Jamboree Troop 1104 from New Boston, Ill., said, "The bikes are a little small; being 6-foot-2, it isn't easy for me to ride a 4-foot bike." But Sabel also said he enjoyed the ride.
I thought the speech given by Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense was excellent! You can watch the speech on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ2nRNj2HJg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ2nRNj2HJg
5k Run on Friday
Participants take off on the first leg of the 5K run/walk Friday morning at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, Friday July 30, 2010.Friday, July 30, 2010
Rain Storms Yesterday
The rain came hard for about 20 minutes yesterday. We were in Merit Badge Midway and got under one of the many tents.
Bowling Green, Va. --
BOWLING GREEN While a fast-moving downpour sent thousands of boys scrambling to their camps yesterday, others braved the much-needed rain and stayed in line along Merit Badge Midway in hopes of getting closer to achieving Eagle Scout status.
Boy Scouts need at least 21 merit badges, in addition to completion of a service project and other leadership requirements, to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
The 2010 National Scout Jamboree offers expert instruction in disciplines that might not be available to Scouts back home. Merit badges range from geology to scuba diving to pioneering.
Metalworking is one of the more traditional trades on the Merit Badge Midway, and although it has to compete with such modern activities as snorkeling, the line never grows short.
"These guys are trained professionals, where some of the counselors at other merit badges are reading from books," said Jeremy Verheyden, 16, of Portland, Ore.
Verheyden and troopmate Jeremy Linch, 13, were timid at first when approaching the 3,000-degree forge, but they enjoyed learning basic foundry skills from Newport News scoutmaster Andrew Hagemann.
"You can't do this at most summer camps," Linch said. "I like working with my hands, and you're working with professionals."
Hagemann is one of those professionals. Though he specializes in blacksmithing, he also wrote the current "little book" on the metalworking merit badge.
Each merit badge has a short book written by an expert in the field. At this Jamboree, Scouts can work toward a metalworking merit badge in three of the book's four skills: foundry, blacksmithing and tinsmithing, all of which have the boys working with extremely hot metals in solid and liquid forms.
An expert is not on hand this year to teach the fourth skill, silversmithing.
"You get instant gratification when you watch what's going on," Hagemann said. "Every little boy likes to play with fire.
"I think there's something primitive, primal, that without even knowing it, you're connecting back into the day of the earliest technology."
Hagemann, a NASA engineer, first took up blacksmithing in 1974 after serving in the Navy. He became an Eagle Scout in 1969 and believes the instruction for merit badges has improved dramatically since then.
Nicolas Gruenbeck, 16, of Costa Mesa, Calif., got acquainted with blacksmithing last year during a trip to Philmont, N.M., at the Boy Scouts of America's premier adventure base. Gruenbeck said metalworking doesn't run in his family, but the Jamboree has furthered his desire to pursue a career in blacksmithing.
"I really enjoy the hard labor of it," Gruenbeck said. "It's interesting. Not a lot of people do it nowadays, and it's a rare thing to find."
. . .
Elsewhere yesterday: A highlight of Day 4 included a visit from NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who were introduced to a thousand cheering Scouts.
The drivers became patients in a first-aid contest in which Order of the Arrow Scouts were timed in setting splints on Gordon's and Earnhardt's limbs.
Last night, Scouts were to attempt to set a Guinness world record for the most people yo-yoing at the same time. Check TimesDispatch.com for updates on the record.
BOWLING GREEN While a fast-moving downpour sent thousands of boys scrambling to their camps yesterday, others braved the much-needed rain and stayed in line along Merit Badge Midway in hopes of getting closer to achieving Eagle Scout status.
Boy Scouts need at least 21 merit badges, in addition to completion of a service project and other leadership requirements, to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
The 2010 National Scout Jamboree offers expert instruction in disciplines that might not be available to Scouts back home. Merit badges range from geology to scuba diving to pioneering.
Metalworking is one of the more traditional trades on the Merit Badge Midway, and although it has to compete with such modern activities as snorkeling, the line never grows short.
"These guys are trained professionals, where some of the counselors at other merit badges are reading from books," said Jeremy Verheyden, 16, of Portland, Ore.
Verheyden and troopmate Jeremy Linch, 13, were timid at first when approaching the 3,000-degree forge, but they enjoyed learning basic foundry skills from Newport News scoutmaster Andrew Hagemann.
"You can't do this at most summer camps," Linch said. "I like working with my hands, and you're working with professionals."
Hagemann is one of those professionals. Though he specializes in blacksmithing, he also wrote the current "little book" on the metalworking merit badge.
Each merit badge has a short book written by an expert in the field. At this Jamboree, Scouts can work toward a metalworking merit badge in three of the book's four skills: foundry, blacksmithing and tinsmithing, all of which have the boys working with extremely hot metals in solid and liquid forms.
An expert is not on hand this year to teach the fourth skill, silversmithing.
"You get instant gratification when you watch what's going on," Hagemann said. "Every little boy likes to play with fire.
"I think there's something primitive, primal, that without even knowing it, you're connecting back into the day of the earliest technology."
Hagemann, a NASA engineer, first took up blacksmithing in 1974 after serving in the Navy. He became an Eagle Scout in 1969 and believes the instruction for merit badges has improved dramatically since then.
Nicolas Gruenbeck, 16, of Costa Mesa, Calif., got acquainted with blacksmithing last year during a trip to Philmont, N.M., at the Boy Scouts of America's premier adventure base. Gruenbeck said metalworking doesn't run in his family, but the Jamboree has furthered his desire to pursue a career in blacksmithing.
"I really enjoy the hard labor of it," Gruenbeck said. "It's interesting. Not a lot of people do it nowadays, and it's a rare thing to find."
. . .
Elsewhere yesterday: A highlight of Day 4 included a visit from NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who were introduced to a thousand cheering Scouts.
The drivers became patients in a first-aid contest in which Order of the Arrow Scouts were timed in setting splints on Gordon's and Earnhardt's limbs.
Last night, Scouts were to attempt to set a Guinness world record for the most people yo-yoing at the same time. Check TimesDispatch.com for updates on the record.
COOL FACTS OF THE DAY
ROCKETS’ RED GLARE: The fireworks at this year’s jamboree are the largest pyrotechnics ever hosted on a military base.
ABU?: ABU is a very technical term used to calculate how many people will fit into the arena when seated. This jamboree, the ABU—Average Butt Unit—is 6 square feet.
ROCKETS’ RED GLARE: The fireworks at this year’s jamboree are the largest pyrotechnics ever hosted on a military base.
ABU?: ABU is a very technical term used to calculate how many people will fit into the arena when seated. This jamboree, the ABU—Average Butt Unit—is 6 square feet.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Cool Facts
COOL FACTS OF THE DAY
THE PLACE TO PICNIC: Every day, seven tractor trailers leave a Pennsylvania food facility to deliver 44,000 freshly prepared picnic lunches to feed hungry Scouts and Scouters.
SETTING SAIL: Scouts participating in boating activities will utilize 25 sailboats, 73 canoes, and 125 kayaks during the jamboree.
THE PLACE TO PICNIC: Every day, seven tractor trailers leave a Pennsylvania food facility to deliver 44,000 freshly prepared picnic lunches to feed hungry Scouts and Scouters.
SETTING SAIL: Scouts participating in boating activities will utilize 25 sailboats, 73 canoes, and 125 kayaks during the jamboree.
Cake and Donuts Staff
Here is the Cake and Donuts Staff for the 2010 Jamboree! We are all from Scenic Trails Council.Left to Right:
Mark Mitchell, Cadillac
Chris Stein, Traverse City
Jim Armstrong, Petoskey
Mark Ewing, Kingsley
Vicki Riley, Charlevoix
Joe Woods, Rapid City
We are delivering over 100 cakes today!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Boy Scout Jamboree
As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Good morning jamboree! Do you all want to sit down? Thank you Anthony, for that kind introduction.
It is an honor to be with you here today and to have the chance to share a few thoughts about scouting with you. I know how much you enjoy sitting in the sun, so I won’t take too long.
First, as you know, at this moment, there are hundreds of thousands of men and women in our military all over the world – but especially in Iraq and Afghanistan – who are putting their lives on the line to defend you, your families and our freedom. They have put their dreams aside to protect your dreams. Many of them are members of your families. So, would every Scout who has a mom or a dad or a brother or a sister or an uncle or an aunt in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard please stand? That’s what I figured. Please tell your family member from me thank you for their sacrifice – and thank you and your families for supporting them. You can sit down again.
As the introduction made clear, scouting has been a big part of my life and my family’s life. Of course my family’s life – and our kid’s lives – have been a bit unusual, in no small part because I have had armed body guards for so much of my professional career.
These circumstances affected my son’s scouting experience. Such as the time when I was CIA Director and his troop went on a father and son wilderness camping trip near Chesapeake Bay in January. My son and I went. But I think the edge was taken off the wilderness adventure for everyone because 100 yards from our encampment were three large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security guards surrounding the campsite. It’s a challenge no scoutmaster could ever have anticipated.
I speak to you scouts today as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation – young leaders on whom much will depend.
Fifty-two years ago, when I received my Eagle, I was like many of you here today. I was a 15 years old attending high school. I wasn’t a straight “A” student, nor was I a particularly good athlete. Although I was involved in school activities, I wasn’t really a student leader. This was all true in college as well. And, when I went to Washington DC to begin working for the CIA at age 22, I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn’t know a soul.
The only thing I had done in my life to that point that led me to think that I could make a difference, that I could be a leader, was to earn my Eagle Scout Badge. It was the only thing I had done that distinguished me from so many other high school kids. 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. Earning my Eagle gave me the self confidence to believe, for the first time in my life, that I could achieve whatever I set my mind to.
I suspect that for many of you scouts here today earning your scout ranks, up to and including the Eagle, this likely is the first thing you will have done on your own that marks you as someone special, someone with unique qualities of mind and heart. Like so many scouts before you, some of you will become captains of industry, important businessmen; others will be builders and engineers; some may cure diseases; some may design revolutionary software; be an astronaut; some of you may become generals or admirals. You may even head CIA or be the secretary of defense or president of a great university. But, for most of you, most of you, your scouting experience is the first major step toward the most important goal of all: becoming a good man, a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it into the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be. You are a role model.
The fate of our nation in the years to come and, I believe, the future of the world itself, depends on the kind of people we modern Americans will prove to be. And, above all, the kind of citizens our young people will be.
I believe that today, as for the past 100 years, there is no finer program for preparing American boys for citizenship and leadership than the Boy Scouts of America. I have served eight presidents. I have traveled the world and had many extraordinary experiences. I have met many remarkable people. But, at this point in my life, I can tell you that my scouting experiences, scoutmasters, camping trips, Philmont adventures, the 1957 national jamboree at Valley Forge, and many more – had huge influence in shaping my life.
Today, more than 50 years after I was a scout, I can remember the names and faces of all my scoutmasters, and many of the other adult volunteers. After years of working with presidents and world leaders my memories of my scout leaders are just as lasting – and just as important.
I remember 60 year old Oscar Lamb taking ten of we teenagers to Philmont and hiking every blistered step with us. I remember Forrest Beckett teaching we kids in Kansas how to cook in winter on a fire of dried cow chips, imparting a distinctive flavor to already nearly inedible food. They and a handful of other volunteers along with my father – my role models as a boy – taught me about the scout oath and law, about teamwork, about real courage, and about leadership.
Much has changed in the 50 years since I was a scout, not all of it for the better, especially for kids. One thing, however, that has remained the same over the years is the positive influence of scouting on boys and young men, and the ability of so many of you to surprise and inspire us with your determination, your character, your skills, and your moral and physical courage.
Good homes and good parents produce strong boys, but scouting tempers the steel. For a successful scouting program is built on action, on hard work along with food, fun and, above all, on challenge. And, I suggest to you, there are too few institutions in America today that have uncompromising high standards and that are built upon demanding challenges.
We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease. An America where in public and private life we see daily what the famous news columnist Walter Lippman once called “the disaster of the character of men…the catastrophe of the soul.”
But not in scouting. At a time when many American young people are turning into couch potatoes, and too often much worse, scouting continues to challenge boys and young men, preparing you for leadership.
First, scouting prepares young men for leadership by helping you learn to meet challenges. Scouting continues still to thrust boys and young men into the wilderness to prove yourselves, to learn confidence and self-reliance, to learn about yourselves, about nature, and about powers greater than yourselves – to learn about the power of the soul. It gives you a spirit of adventure and prepares you for life’s challenges.
Second, scouting prepares boys and young men for leadership by teaching you the importance of service to others. The scouting movement shows dramatically that service – public service – still beckons the best among us to do battle with complacency, neglect, ignorance, and the emptiness of the spirit that are the common enemies of social peace and justice. Adults who support scouting are generously investing in our collective future – in Walter Lippman’s words, they are “planting trees we may never get to sit under.” Those of every age in this place today – along with other adults and the more than 100 million boys and young men involved in scouting over the past 100 years – prove that Americans are still prepared to devote themselves to their communities and to their fellow citizens. And this caring beyond self is fundamental to scouting; it is fundamental to democracy; it is fundamental to civilization itself.
Third, and finally, scouting prepares boys and young men to live lives based on unchanging values – values such as trustworthiness, loyalty, honesty, kindness, and the respect and dignity due each and every person. We in scouting believe that personal virtues – self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity, and morality – are absolute and timeless.
There are in too many places too few people with scouting values, people who say, “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty” – and mean it. From Wall Street to Washington to our home towns, in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent. And yet, you here today, and millions of other parents, community leaders, boys and scout leaders demonstrate daily that scouting offers an alternative: that a life based on principles, on personal integrity and honor – on scouting values – can be exciting, adventurous, fulfilling, and uplifting for an individual, for a community – and for a nation.
I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men. I am here because I believe that every boy that joins the scouts is a boy on the right track. I share with you a vision of a community of involved, committed adults who provide a chance for every boy to have friends his own age with whom he can camp and learn and laugh, led by caring adults who set an example not just of skills, but of character, of the joy of service and the joy of life. Adults who are leaders and who teach boys to be leaders
Many of you scouts are members of the Order of the Arrow. At the end of the Order’s initiation ceremony, Uncas, the son of the chief of the Delawares, says to his father, “If we would remain a nation, we must stand by one another. Let us both urge on our kindred firm devotion to our brethren and our cause. Ourselves forgetting, let us catch the higher vision. Let us find the greater beauty in the life of cheerful service.”
In challenging you to learn skills, to master challenges, to strive to live up to high principles and moral values, to find the greater beauty in a life of cheerful service, to build strong character, scouting tempers you and turns you into strong leaders for tomorrow.
As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders for America in the 21st century. You, and millions of other young men and boys, will be strong leaders thanks to scouting. Strong leaders of character, of faith, of skill; courageous defenders of the weak and the helpless, believers in the brotherhood of man. And with leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world.
Have a great jamboree! God bless you and God bless America.
It is an honor to be with you here today and to have the chance to share a few thoughts about scouting with you. I know how much you enjoy sitting in the sun, so I won’t take too long.
First, as you know, at this moment, there are hundreds of thousands of men and women in our military all over the world – but especially in Iraq and Afghanistan – who are putting their lives on the line to defend you, your families and our freedom. They have put their dreams aside to protect your dreams. Many of them are members of your families. So, would every Scout who has a mom or a dad or a brother or a sister or an uncle or an aunt in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard please stand? That’s what I figured. Please tell your family member from me thank you for their sacrifice – and thank you and your families for supporting them. You can sit down again.
As the introduction made clear, scouting has been a big part of my life and my family’s life. Of course my family’s life – and our kid’s lives – have been a bit unusual, in no small part because I have had armed body guards for so much of my professional career.
These circumstances affected my son’s scouting experience. Such as the time when I was CIA Director and his troop went on a father and son wilderness camping trip near Chesapeake Bay in January. My son and I went. But I think the edge was taken off the wilderness adventure for everyone because 100 yards from our encampment were three large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security guards surrounding the campsite. It’s a challenge no scoutmaster could ever have anticipated.
I speak to you scouts today as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation – young leaders on whom much will depend.
Fifty-two years ago, when I received my Eagle, I was like many of you here today. I was a 15 years old attending high school. I wasn’t a straight “A” student, nor was I a particularly good athlete. Although I was involved in school activities, I wasn’t really a student leader. This was all true in college as well. And, when I went to Washington DC to begin working for the CIA at age 22, I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn’t know a soul.
The only thing I had done in my life to that point that led me to think that I could make a difference, that I could be a leader, was to earn my Eagle Scout Badge. It was the only thing I had done that distinguished me from so many other high school kids. 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. Earning my Eagle gave me the self confidence to believe, for the first time in my life, that I could achieve whatever I set my mind to.
I suspect that for many of you scouts here today earning your scout ranks, up to and including the Eagle, this likely is the first thing you will have done on your own that marks you as someone special, someone with unique qualities of mind and heart. Like so many scouts before you, some of you will become captains of industry, important businessmen; others will be builders and engineers; some may cure diseases; some may design revolutionary software; be an astronaut; some of you may become generals or admirals. You may even head CIA or be the secretary of defense or president of a great university. But, for most of you, most of you, your scouting experience is the first major step toward the most important goal of all: becoming a good man, a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it into the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be. You are a role model.
The fate of our nation in the years to come and, I believe, the future of the world itself, depends on the kind of people we modern Americans will prove to be. And, above all, the kind of citizens our young people will be.
I believe that today, as for the past 100 years, there is no finer program for preparing American boys for citizenship and leadership than the Boy Scouts of America. I have served eight presidents. I have traveled the world and had many extraordinary experiences. I have met many remarkable people. But, at this point in my life, I can tell you that my scouting experiences, scoutmasters, camping trips, Philmont adventures, the 1957 national jamboree at Valley Forge, and many more – had huge influence in shaping my life.
Today, more than 50 years after I was a scout, I can remember the names and faces of all my scoutmasters, and many of the other adult volunteers. After years of working with presidents and world leaders my memories of my scout leaders are just as lasting – and just as important.
I remember 60 year old Oscar Lamb taking ten of we teenagers to Philmont and hiking every blistered step with us. I remember Forrest Beckett teaching we kids in Kansas how to cook in winter on a fire of dried cow chips, imparting a distinctive flavor to already nearly inedible food. They and a handful of other volunteers along with my father – my role models as a boy – taught me about the scout oath and law, about teamwork, about real courage, and about leadership.
Much has changed in the 50 years since I was a scout, not all of it for the better, especially for kids. One thing, however, that has remained the same over the years is the positive influence of scouting on boys and young men, and the ability of so many of you to surprise and inspire us with your determination, your character, your skills, and your moral and physical courage.
Good homes and good parents produce strong boys, but scouting tempers the steel. For a successful scouting program is built on action, on hard work along with food, fun and, above all, on challenge. And, I suggest to you, there are too few institutions in America today that have uncompromising high standards and that are built upon demanding challenges.
We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease. An America where in public and private life we see daily what the famous news columnist Walter Lippman once called “the disaster of the character of men…the catastrophe of the soul.”
But not in scouting. At a time when many American young people are turning into couch potatoes, and too often much worse, scouting continues to challenge boys and young men, preparing you for leadership.
First, scouting prepares young men for leadership by helping you learn to meet challenges. Scouting continues still to thrust boys and young men into the wilderness to prove yourselves, to learn confidence and self-reliance, to learn about yourselves, about nature, and about powers greater than yourselves – to learn about the power of the soul. It gives you a spirit of adventure and prepares you for life’s challenges.
Second, scouting prepares boys and young men for leadership by teaching you the importance of service to others. The scouting movement shows dramatically that service – public service – still beckons the best among us to do battle with complacency, neglect, ignorance, and the emptiness of the spirit that are the common enemies of social peace and justice. Adults who support scouting are generously investing in our collective future – in Walter Lippman’s words, they are “planting trees we may never get to sit under.” Those of every age in this place today – along with other adults and the more than 100 million boys and young men involved in scouting over the past 100 years – prove that Americans are still prepared to devote themselves to their communities and to their fellow citizens. And this caring beyond self is fundamental to scouting; it is fundamental to democracy; it is fundamental to civilization itself.
Third, and finally, scouting prepares boys and young men to live lives based on unchanging values – values such as trustworthiness, loyalty, honesty, kindness, and the respect and dignity due each and every person. We in scouting believe that personal virtues – self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity, and morality – are absolute and timeless.
There are in too many places too few people with scouting values, people who say, “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty” – and mean it. From Wall Street to Washington to our home towns, in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent. And yet, you here today, and millions of other parents, community leaders, boys and scout leaders demonstrate daily that scouting offers an alternative: that a life based on principles, on personal integrity and honor – on scouting values – can be exciting, adventurous, fulfilling, and uplifting for an individual, for a community – and for a nation.
I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men. I am here because I believe that every boy that joins the scouts is a boy on the right track. I share with you a vision of a community of involved, committed adults who provide a chance for every boy to have friends his own age with whom he can camp and learn and laugh, led by caring adults who set an example not just of skills, but of character, of the joy of service and the joy of life. Adults who are leaders and who teach boys to be leaders
Many of you scouts are members of the Order of the Arrow. At the end of the Order’s initiation ceremony, Uncas, the son of the chief of the Delawares, says to his father, “If we would remain a nation, we must stand by one another. Let us both urge on our kindred firm devotion to our brethren and our cause. Ourselves forgetting, let us catch the higher vision. Let us find the greater beauty in the life of cheerful service.”
In challenging you to learn skills, to master challenges, to strive to live up to high principles and moral values, to find the greater beauty in a life of cheerful service, to build strong character, scouting tempers you and turns you into strong leaders for tomorrow.
As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders for America in the 21st century. You, and millions of other young men and boys, will be strong leaders thanks to scouting. Strong leaders of character, of faith, of skill; courageous defenders of the weak and the helpless, believers in the brotherhood of man. And with leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world.
Have a great jamboree! God bless you and God bless America.
Article on the speech by Bob Gates
Gates Shares Common Experiences, Vision With Scouts
Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs
Story by Lisa Daniel
Date: 07.28.2010Posted: 07.28.2010 04:09
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates July 28 shared his personal experiences and passion for Boy Scouting with tens of thousands of Scouts and their families gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America. "Scouting has been a big part of my life and my family's life," 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. Gates, an Eagle Scout who has served on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts and is past president of the National Eagle Scout Association, shared his experiences growing up as a Boy Scout, earning scouting's top rank 52 years ago, and being involved in his son's Boy Scout troop. Even after serving eight presidents and years of working with world leaders, the secretary said, his memories of his Scout leaders are just as memorable. Noting that their lives were "a bit unusual," Gates told of going on a father-son camping trip when he was CIA director. "A hundred yards from our encampment were three, large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security officers surrounding the campsite," he said. "Now there's a challenge no Scoutmaster could have anticipated." Gates told the Scouts he was speaking to them "as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation," and said he was like most of them when he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 15. "I wasn't a straight-A student, nor was I a particularly good athlete," he said. "I wasn't really a student leader." When he arrived in Washington, D.C., at age 22 to begin work at the CIA, he said, "I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn't know a soul." 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," he said to applause. "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." The secretary told the Scouts some of them will go on to be leaders in industry, the government and the military. But most importantly, he said, scouting has set them on the path to "becoming a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. "A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be," he continued. "You are role models." In the past 100 years, Gates said, there has been no better program for preparing future leaders than the Boy Scouts. "The fate of our nation in the years to come and the future of the world itself depend on the kind of people we modern Americans prove to be," he said. The secretary acknowledged that much has changed in the 50 years since he was a Boy Scout. "We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease," he said. "But not in scouting." There are too many places in American life today without the Boy Scouting values of self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity and morality, Gates said. "From Wall Street to Washington to our hometowns," he said, "in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent. "I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men," he continued. "As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders. ...With leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world."
Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs
Story by Lisa Daniel
Date: 07.28.2010Posted: 07.28.2010 04:09
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates July 28 shared his personal experiences and passion for Boy Scouting with tens of thousands of Scouts and their families gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts of America. "Scouting has been a big part of my life and my family's life," 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. Gates, an Eagle Scout who has served on the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts and is past president of the National Eagle Scout Association, shared his experiences growing up as a Boy Scout, earning scouting's top rank 52 years ago, and being involved in his son's Boy Scout troop. Even after serving eight presidents and years of working with world leaders, the secretary said, his memories of his Scout leaders are just as memorable. Noting that their lives were "a bit unusual," Gates told of going on a father-son camping trip when he was CIA director. "A hundred yards from our encampment were three, large black vans, a satellite dish, and a number of armed security officers surrounding the campsite," he said. "Now there's a challenge no Scoutmaster could have anticipated." Gates told the Scouts he was speaking to them "as a leader from one generation talking with the leaders of the next generation," and said he was like most of them when he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 15. "I wasn't a straight-A student, nor was I a particularly good athlete," he said. "I wasn't really a student leader." When he arrived in Washington, D.C., at age 22 to begin work at the CIA, he said, "I could fit everything I owned into the back seat of my car. I had no connections and I didn't know a soul." 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," he said to applause. "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." The secretary told the Scouts some of them will go on to be leaders in industry, the government and the military. But most importantly, he said, scouting has set them on the path to "becoming a man of integrity and decency, a man of moral courage, a man unafraid of hard work, a man of strong character – the kind of person who built this country and made it the greatest democracy and the greatest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. "A scout is marked for life as an example of what a boy and man can be and should be," he continued. "You are role models." In the past 100 years, Gates said, there has been no better program for preparing future leaders than the Boy Scouts. "The fate of our nation in the years to come and the future of the world itself depend on the kind of people we modern Americans prove to be," he said. The secretary acknowledged that much has changed in the 50 years since he was a Boy Scout. "We live in an America today where the young are increasingly physically unfit and society as a whole languishes in ignoble moral ease," he said. "But not in scouting." There are too many places in American life today without the Boy Scouting values of self-reliance, self-control, honor, integrity and morality, Gates said. "From Wall Street to Washington to our hometowns," he said, "in all our lives there are people who seek after riches or the many kinds of power without regard to what is right or true or decent. "I am here today because I believe in the extraordinary power of scouting to be a force for good in a community and in the lives of its boys and young men," he continued. "As I look out at all of you, I see the legacy of scouting: a new generation of worthy leaders. ...With leaders such as you, America will continue to be the beacon of hope and decency and justice for the rest of the world."
Patch trading frenzy hits the jamboPosted on July 28, 2010 by bwursten
They’re everywhere. In the shade. On a small piece of land. In front of tents. Coming in all shapes, sizes and ages, they form groups, sometimes hordes. Furious trading occurs. They are the jamboree patch traders.
Many Scouts said they have been given advice or rules for patch trading.
Here are some simple trading courtesies that Scouters should follow:
Scouts trade with Scouts
Adults trade with adults
One patch for one patch, two for two, etc.
One set for one set
No buying or selling patches
Comments like “rare,” “one of a kind,” and “few made” can be just hype and you should use caution
“I tell the boys if someone is pushing you to trade patches against the rules, then walk away,” said David Young, one of the Scoutmasters with Troop 925, Green River, Wyoming.
Andrew Shipotofsky, 17, Erial, New Jersey, made his first trade Tuesday. “This was pretty neat. I like meeting different people and hearing about their experiences.”
“Patch trading is funner than I thought,” said Kyle Morgan, Severna Park, Maryland.
Several different groups of Scouts said the hot patches were Halo, X-Men, Stargate, Star Wars, dragons, and international patches.
Some jamboree patches are sold, such as those from the Hot Air Balloon staff. They sell shoulder patches for $10, jacket patches for $20, and a double-sided donor patch for $50. The money pays for the balloons and their upkeep.
The trading posts also sell patches. The patch-of-the-day is extremely popular and often sells out within hours.
Mike wishes the Boy Scouts a Happy 100th10:24 pm 7/20/10-->
Mike wishes the BSA a very Happy Birthday and delivers the news about this year’s National Jamboree
The Show Arena fun facts
Posted on July 27, 2010 by bwursten
• There are more than 17,296 parts bolted together to make up the stage structure.
• 26,000 gallons (209,000 pounds) of water and 76,000 pounds of concrete serve as ballast for the stage. (It will withstand winds of 82 mph.)
• More than 4,000 nails and screws were used to build the stage.
• The stage, at 395 feet, is longer than a football field.
• The show uses more lights than a Broadway production.
• The jamboree’s pyrotechnic display is the largest ever on a military base.
• The area used to seat the audience covers over 13 acres.
Posted on July 27, 2010 by bwursten
• There are more than 17,296 parts bolted together to make up the stage structure.
• 26,000 gallons (209,000 pounds) of water and 76,000 pounds of concrete serve as ballast for the stage. (It will withstand winds of 82 mph.)
• More than 4,000 nails and screws were used to build the stage.
• The stage, at 395 feet, is longer than a football field.
• The show uses more lights than a Broadway production.
• The jamboree’s pyrotechnic display is the largest ever on a military base.
• The area used to seat the audience covers over 13 acres.
Opening Show
The Opening Show for the Jamboree was held this morning. I thought it was a great show! Bob Gates our Secretary of Defense headlined and gave a great speech! Miss America was there, The Chief Scout Executive, Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs had a video and will attend the show on Saturday, and the Governor of Virginia spoke.
Here are some photos!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
2010 National Scout Jamboree Opens
2010 National Scout Jamboree Opens
It’s here at last! Today opens the 2010 National Scout Jamboree as more than 38,000 Boy Scouts and 3,700 adult leaders stream into Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County, Virginia.
They come from all 50 states and from countries around the world to spend 10 days of fun, adventure, and fellowship. Activities range from archery to rappelling. Scouts can work on merit badges, fish, and learn about our high-tech world at the special Technology Quest exhibit.
A major highlight of this year’s jamboree is the giant 100th Anniversary Arena Show Saturday, July 31, celebrating the Boy Scouts of America’s centennial since its founding in 1910.
Today will see thousands of tents being pitched in 21 subcamps across Fort A.P. Hill as the Scouts settle into their home for the next 10 days. The boys can look forward to a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they celebrate 100 Years of Scouting at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree.
It’s here at last! Today opens the 2010 National Scout Jamboree as more than 38,000 Boy Scouts and 3,700 adult leaders stream into Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County, Virginia.
They come from all 50 states and from countries around the world to spend 10 days of fun, adventure, and fellowship. Activities range from archery to rappelling. Scouts can work on merit badges, fish, and learn about our high-tech world at the special Technology Quest exhibit.
A major highlight of this year’s jamboree is the giant 100th Anniversary Arena Show Saturday, July 31, celebrating the Boy Scouts of America’s centennial since its founding in 1910.
Today will see thousands of tents being pitched in 21 subcamps across Fort A.P. Hill as the Scouts settle into their home for the next 10 days. The boys can look forward to a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they celebrate 100 Years of Scouting at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree.
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