All of you arrowmen need to Google "The night I shot Allowat Sakima".

At the age of 15, I was the first Boy Scout in Troop 470 in Newtown, Connecticut to receive my Eagle in January 1972. I was also Order of the Arrow.

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Eagle
Troop 102 - Boerne, Texas

Favorite merit badge: water skiing and aviation
Favorite trip: Philmont, best part was Valle Vidal

I remember when I was about 12 one of my friends wasn't in Boy Scouts. I asked him why not and he said that his dad "could teach him everything about being a man he needed to know." I asked my dad about that and he wisely said that he could never teach me everything and that's why he signed me up for scouts.

We had a great troop, lots of dads involved. We went camping each month to some really cool places. Some of my best memories were those trips.

Now that I live in Houston, I'd like to get involved with scouts again. Not sure what I'd do as a 24 yr old with no kids. Might be perceived as a little weird.

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Fellow 24 year old kid with no kids

Eagle

OA Brotherhood

Eagle

Arrowman

Troop 497

Troop 770 in Irving
My dad and I both got our Eagle under the same scoutmaster.
Favorite MB--Pioneering and Environmental Science
Least--honestly can't think of one, Basketry maybe.
3 years as a camper at Constantin, then 6 years on staff at Constantin (4 years shooting sports, 2 Nature Area Director). There are at least 3 posters on the OB that had me as there Environmental Science instructor. Met what would become my best friend*.
Did 2 summer treks, and 2 winter treks at Philmont. I went on to do 3 partial summers on staff, followed by 4 summers as the Bear Researcher (where my passion for bears and "Ursusguy" aka bear guy came from). Also worked the 2002 fall/winter fire rehab team.

In September my son joined cub scouts, and I found myself being the Tiger Den Leader. Last Sunday in January I was asked if I would "consider transitioning into the Cubmaster role over the next year". The very next night I introduced as the new Cubmaster, effective immediately. The next Monday as I pulled out of the driveway for my first meeting as the Cubmaster, my mom called to say my dad was being admitted to the hospital. Nine days later I was calling my buddy from Constantin at 2:30 AM, and damned if he wasn't there at the hospital in 25 minutes*.

So yeah, scouting is means a hell of a lot to me.

Flip side--ironically, my wife worked for the National Office for 13 years. When she got laid off, we'll just say I had someone in HR and Legal admit the way they did her/us was in violation of everything scouting stands for in my mind, and royally screwed us financially. Other than attend awards ceremonies for my son, my wife refuses to have anything to do with Boy Scouts. I will do anything at the District and Council level, but the National Office can well _____.

Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow. Dad was a Life Rank scout as a youth and was awarded the Vigil Honor as a Scoutmaster. Not sure my son will ever join as the organization has changed so much and he is so much more into sports than I was at his age.

Can't remember my least favorite MB, but probably one of the more classroom-esque ones that many have mentioned above. Maybe swimming as I was a really poor swimmer as a kid.

Some of my Favorite MBs were Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting, Archery, Camping, Cooking, Basketry, Hiking, etc.

Never made it to Philmont but was able to attend National Jamboree at Ft. AP Hill which was an amazing experience.

I am a Life for life, one of my biggest regrets was not obtaining Eagle.

BUT, I have two sons who earned Eagle, and were both OA.

I attended Northern Tier with them (awesome awesome awesome experience)

They attended Philmont.

Life and OA ---Troop 383 Bryan
Philmont as an adult, Scoutmaster for three yrs

Favorite Merit Badge--Marksmanship (preceded Rifle/Shotgun Shooting)

Eagle

Troop 204, The Woodlands
Philmont was awesome, so was BTSR. Did part of the Appalachian Trail, and a white water raft trip in Colorado. Good times.
Did the rifle & shotgun MB's three or so times.
Procrastinated my Citizenship MB's until I was 17... Parental guidance helped finish them, lol.

Eagle Scout

Pack 484 - Webelos - Arrow of Light
Troop/Post 486 - Manvel, TX

• Philmont Trek - 1989

Post - 007 - Camp Strake, Conroe TX --> Summer Camp Staff from 1989-1994

• 89 - Jr. Staff, Aquatics
• 90 - Aquatics
• 91 - "Older Boy Program" Lead
• 92 - Kitchen Staff
• 93 - Camp Commissioner
• 94 - Camp Commisioner

Camp Karankawa Winter Camp Staff 1989
Camp Strake Winter Camp Staff - 91-93
OA - Brotherhood - Wihinipa Hinsa Logde
Project COPE Instructor

Eagle 1992
Troop 80 amarillo

My troop was kind of different. Very large usually had around 100 kids at summer camp, owned our own building busses and truck. We didn't do oa, and none of the normal scout camps could handle a large group so we did our own summer and high adventure programs.

Best trip- columbine pass in Colorado. Take the Durango to silver ton train and they throw you off in the Chicago basin halfway up the track. Hike up the basin, spend a day doing the 3 14ers, next day go over the pass and meet the other half of the troop that started on the other end and have a pack mule brought in steak dinner at tree line. Finish the hike out to the top of Vallecito reservoir.

Spent several nights in the Troop 80 building.

Arrow of Light for me, Parents made me withdraw for grades

2 boys through cub now- den leader, outdoor activities chair, committee chair

Now assistant scoutmaster (but there are many in troop)

Oldest- Star and Arrowman

Youngest- crossed over 2 weeks ago

-Eagle Scout

-OA

-Troop 442 - Friendswood
-Favorite Merit Badge - Not sure, you guys have better memories than me, anything outdoors.
-Least Favorite - Personal Management
-Favorite Trip was Philmont. Was just looking at pictures from the summit of Baldy the other day
-Favorite Texas summer camp was Buffalo Trails and doing the Outback hiking trip. Great preparation for Philmont the next summer.

My son is 15 months old and this thread has me getting excited about scouting for the first time in a while. Can't wait to hopefully get him involved in a few years.

Spent a week at Buffalo Trails as well. Really enjoyed it, disappointed that I didn't do the backpacking trek there though.

Boundary waters trip made up for that. Very impactful for me.

Eagle Scout

Eagle, 1998
Arrowman, 1997

Troop 261, Pasadena, TX (Sam Houston Area Council)

"Stairways to heaven" the trail from river camp to the mess hall still haunts me

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Spent several nights in the Troop 80 building.

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+1 Stayed there on the way to and from Philmont. Thought it was cool cause it was our Troop number as well.

To you 24 year olds with no kids, find a local troop and or pack, contact the cub/scout master and volunteer. I'm sure they'll be glad to have the extra help. With the 2 deep policies in place, I don't see much in the "creepy" factor. If they don't want you, go to the district, there are plenty of district events/positions available.

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To you 24 year olds with no kids, find a local troop and or pack, contact the cub/scout master and volunteer. I'm sure they'll be glad to have the extra help. With the 2 deep policies in place, I don't see much in the "creepy" factor. If they don't want you, go to the district, there are plenty of district events/positions available.

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+1 and especially if you are an Eagle. I had 5 Assistant Scoutmasters when I was Scoutmaster and the one ALL of the kids of all ages identified with the most was a single 20 something Air Force E-5.

Eagle Scout
Brotherhood
Troop 146 (Austin, TX)
Favorite merit badge- sailing
Least favorite- soil and water conservation?
Philmont was my favorite camp and summer camp experience

Eagle OA

Did anyone actually take "Indian Lore"? Was always the lamest badge option in my opinion.

Radio merit badge was an awesome badge for me because one of my leaders was a huge HAM radio nut. If anyone from the southwest side of Houston remembers Adventure bay I spent a weekend there during the winter where we climbed to the top of the slides and planted antennas and then just talked with people all over the world in our tents. Was one of the coolest things I was able to do in scouting, personally.

Eagle, 1974
Troop 76 in Houston.
OA in ,71, ordeal occurred at Camp Strake.
Best overall scout experience was Philmont in 1972, second best is not even close.
My troop alternated summer camps, fall camporees, and other events between Strake and El Rancho Cima.

Back then, there was a neat opportunity in an "Aquatic School" for a week held at Strake the first week of the summer before summer camps started. You got rowing, canoeing, swimming, lifesaving merit badges along with a mile swimm and scout lifeguard at this school in a competitive semi military setting. Participants were prime recruits to fill staff positions for Strake summer camp. I was on staff at Strake the following summer as rowing and canoeing instructor.

I had a neat experience as a Cub Scout in 1965. Houston had a Sam Houston Council Scoutoree (probable butchered that spelling, need to find that patch) on the floor of the rand new Astrodome. Each troop and pack set up a display, sort of like a convention expo, sold tickets, and the public came in, probably more so to see the dome, but the council made lots of money that year.

I know, getting old.

Good memories. Thanks for starting the thread.

My favorite merit badges where the aquatic ones earned at the aquatic school.

Good memories.

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"Stairways to heaven" the trail from river camp to the mess hall still haunts me

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Wasn't that Appetite Hill or was that a different camp?

Eagle Scout and OA

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"Stairways to heaven" the trail from river camp to the mess hall still haunts me

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Wasn't that Appetite Hill or was that a different camp?

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Or as some inner city Troops called it... Apple tight hill.

Worked at Horshoe Bend two summers. Loved El Rancho Cima.

Eagle Scout

OA Brotherhood

Troop 708 - Lamesa

Troop 976, Bryan, TX
Eagle Scout
Brotherhood

Favorite: orienteering
Least favorite: finger printing. Yes that was/is actually a merit badge.

Most remembered trip would be my 2004 Rayado trek at Philmont. Also went on treks in 2000 and 2003.

Worked at Bovay while in high school.
Worked at Philmont in 2005, 2006, 2007 as a Ranger and Ranger Trainer. Some of my most fondest memories.

Lifer here. We moved and I never got back into it. Makes me sad to think about all the stuff I missed out on.

Having said that, we used to go fishing/canoeing in Ely, MN on the boundary waters. Good lord how I miss that place

Eagle scout - Troop 968 Bryan
OA
Attended scout camp at El rancho cima river - 3 years
High adventures in wyoming, new mexico, and Utah
Currently scout committee chair - Troop 1829
Previous 2 years scoutmaster Troop 1829
Attended El rancho cima river - 2014 and horseshoe bend in 2015 as adult and loved it even more as adult
My 13 yr old son is currently life scout missing 4 merit badges and eagle project.

Another Philstaffer.

I probably inspected your campsites in '00 and '03.

Just want to add that I consider the Philmont Ranch Superintendent as one of the top 3 influences on me professionally. He didn't say much, but what he said stuck with me.....granted, it was interesting how most folks didn't catch what a radio call "of _____ needs a shot of 270" meant. Lesson, keep no secrets, but give no details.

Last night at a district roundtable, I was asked to talk to two crews in a couple weeks where the adults are concerned the youth aren't taking preps seriously.

Eagle Scout here

Love the shotgun merit bage. Where I learned to shoot.
Lost pines summer camp.