Posts Tagged ‘Brian On Scouting’

Sorry, Captain Kirk, but these days, Scouts and former Scouts are the ones who “boldly go where no man has gone before.” That’s why it’s fitting for the BSA to introduce a new merit badge: Exploration. The badge — the 137th on the BSA’s list of currently available merit badges — celebrates the spirit of adventure…

Rex Tillerson will be extremely busy traveling the world as secretary of state. But he’ll still take time to recognize his fellow Eagle Scouts. The U.S. Department of State, under the leadership of Distinguished Eagle Scout Tillerson, announced it will continue the department’s long-standing tradition of sending congratulatory letters to Eagle Scouts. It’s unknown whether previous secretaries of state hand-signed…

Long before becoming a barrier-breaking astronaut, Guion Bluford was a pretty typical American boy. He had a paper route, loved playing table tennis and was a Boy Scout, eventually earning Scouting’s highest honor: the Eagle Scout award. Few could’ve guessed that some day this Eagle Scout would become the first African-American in space. In celebration of Black History Month, let’s…

In a lot of ways, the Blackmore family is like any Scouting family. They have too much to do and too little time. The dad, Brian, is an active-duty sergeant working long hours in the U.S. Army. His son, Jacob, is busy, too, with school, homework, church and chores. When Brian and Jacob’s precious few hours of free time overlap,…

Every Scout deserves a trained leader, but less than 50 percent of direct-contact leaders complete basic training for their position. Scouting U wants to change that. The BSA’s training team has set its 2017 goal: at least 50 percent of direct-contact leaders trained this year. Direct-contact leaders, as the name implies, are adult volunteers who have direct contact with…

If you recruit new Boy Scouts into your troop without a plan for retaining your existing members, you’re just spinning your wheels. Help Boy Scouts get the most out of this life-changing organization with a program that keeps them coming back week after week. Boy Scout retention requires a long-term plan where adult leaders and youth leaders work together to…

A Scout is reverent, and some adult volunteers go above and beyond to help Scouts on their spiritual journey. The National Duty to God Award, first presented in 2016, recognizes adults who help young people better connect with their faith. The award is presented to up to four individuals each year. Recipients receive a handsome…

On a magazine assignment last summer, I joined Troop 7031 from Flagstaff, Ariz., on a canoe trip through Yellowstone National Park. (Shameless plug: Find my story in the May 2017 Boys’ Life and May-June 2017 Scouting!) The first day of paddling was the longest, and we arrived at camp exhausted. We set up tents, hung up bear bags and heated up dinner.…

We celebrate Feb. 8 as the birthday of the Boy Scouts of America. On that Tuesday in 1910, William D. Boyce (above) filed the official documents to incorporate this great organization. That much you probably know. But here’s something you might not: We actually know what time those documents were filed. In other words, we know the…