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Discuss Rocmike3's answer to: Can the BSA God and Country Award be worn on the US Military uniform?

Pax, there is nothing strange about Scouting. It is the adventure that lasts a lifetime -- as well it should. There is no Eagle Scout who is not justly proud of his accomplishment, yet we do not boast: that little trifoil ribbon on our Scouting uniform and CR patch show that we have done as we should.

Still, let a man's military decorations be on his Military uniform, and scouting decorations be on his Scouting uniform: one speaks of his dedication to his homeland, the other to his dedication to his family and community.

That is how you know that you are dealing with a REAL American.

The Troop that gave me my start in Scouting is Troop 1, Huntington Park Ca. SInce then I have served in an adult capacity with nineteen Scouting organizations and now serve at the Council level.

Nothing you do for a child is ever wasted or forgotten. The boys you have taught how to lead, will be your friends forever -- as it should be.

Posted 3 years ago
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Even light will bend to do our bidding if we apply force correctly. The lowest servant in Heaven is still in Heaven, whoever rules in hell is still in hell, but they won't rule for long. No man stands taller than when he stoops to help a little child.

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Pax Majoris Thinks this answer is Helpful:

Dr. Rockmike3(and also,apparently, an Eagle Scout):

I was only 3 merit badges short of making Eagle. Unfortunately for me by that time, I was more interested in girls than I was in merit badges. Looking back over my life ... I'll never make that same mistake again. ~ Nat King Cole.

Dr. Mike, I have thanked you on several occasions for your service to our beloved country. Now, I thank you for your service to the Boy Scouts of America. It is men of your calibre and values who not only keep our homeland strong and free, but also by passing them on to the next generation, ensure the continuance thereof.

While I have no way of knowing (or, do I?), I assume that some of the values that were instilled in you as a Scout were in part responsible for your decision to join that elite of the elite, the USMC. Bless 'Em All!

GBY,

MW (Life Scout - for life)

Pax Majoris Thinks this answer is Helpful:

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Scout Oath On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law A Scout is:
Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful,
Friendly, Courteous, Kind,
Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty,
Brave, Clean, Reverent

Rocmike3

Pax, I'm an Eagle Scout, and have helped fifteen other young men become Eagle Scouts. It is the toughest thing you will ever do besides parenting. That is what makes Scouting great.

In Cub Scouts, we teach the boys good followship: a key skill for sound leadership. In Boy Scouts, we teach the boys good leadership. That is an essential social skill for all citizens. In the military, we teach recruits how to prosecute battle, and cadets the finer points of military leadership, which maintains a stable community and subdues the rottenest forms of depravity.

The old saw still applies: "Nothing you do for a child is ever wasted or forgotten." Garrison Keillor.

Lord, it is as true now as it ever was.

Rocmike3

The hardest thing I ever did as a Scout Leader was to burn an American Flag. In 1996, a flood hit the Church. It hit everyone. Two of my eagle Scouts were back from Afghanistan between tours, and for some reason, they showed up with equipment from Fort Lewis to clean away the mud.

I drove one of the dump trucks constantly filled with gooey December mud. Then someone found the Church Flag in the Scout Hut under two feet of that mud. Oh, dear. As soon as we cleared away the worst of the mud and used it to fill a ravine just outside of town, we came back to finish the cleanup operations. One of the ladies washed the flag but she knew what must happen next.

We convened the Scout Troop and Cub Pack, in Class-A uniform in early January 1997 behind the church at the fire pit. My Eagles had all shown up, hats in hand. Two were in Army Ranger uniform, one in Marine Uniform, another in Navy Uniform (from the Reagan).

It was dusk. We lit the fire and built it to the proper intensity. We gathered to bid farewell.

"Congress decided long ago that the only proper way to dispose of an American Flag was by burning. America does not go in the mud: we opt for a blaze of glory, every time.

"Pick up this flag. Touch it. Feel it. There are many flags out there but this one is ours. One like this flew over the Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Harbor, accepting the surrender of Japan. One like this flew over our men in Desert Storm. Six of these flags are on the Moon. Is this just a rag to be burned?

"Yet, we do not suffer the soil of dishonor. If we do soil ourselves, there is a way to be redeemed, by exceptional heroism. Yet many of the quiet exceptional heroes are here with us tonight, who make this nation great.

"Will we meet the example of those who died under this flag? Will we remember their sacrifice for us? Will we remember that they gave the final full measure of devotion for this emblem of freedom? Will we fully honor that high calling, as the least exclusive club on the planet -- Americans?

(I dropped in my Wood Badge Flag Ashes into the pyre, that contains a remnant of American Flags from 1910 on.)

"We now consign the symbol of our people to the flames. Please salute." The Senior Patrol Leader played Taps.

I saw hard young men in active-duty military uniform salute and break a tear. I saw WWII Marines in wheelchairs do the same. I saw twelve Eagle Scouts, the Cubmaster, and Scoutmaster, break tears. Several of the Scouts cried as for a falling hero. There was not a dry eye anywhere.

That is what that piece of cloth means to us.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Rocmike3

To conclude:

Whatever happened to HONOR? We have a twin-totem gate at Camp Thunderbird deeply embesllished with, "ON MY HONOR." Scouts of the last five generations pass under that gate.

Tough inner-city kids who have never been to a Scout meeting attend Venture Mountain as guests of Pacific Harbors Council every year, walk under that gate, and wonder what HONOR might be -- because no one in their ghettoes understands the term.

No one can buy or sell HONOR. It is a moral grace that we earn. Once we feel the peace and energy of a clean conscience, and HONOR, we can't ever go back to dirty lives and dishonor.

Did HONOR suddenly die out because smirking atheists are blind to its benefits? Did we lose our honor along the way somehow? Did we fail to bring across to our children that hnor is worth more than life, because honor makes life worth living even after the horrors of war?

NOT THAT I CAN SEE!

Two months ago, we held our annual "Bridging over" ceremony for the Cub Pack into the Scout Troop. Eight WeBeLoS removed their Pack neckerchiefs, walked over the bridge, and put on Troop neckerchiefs.

They did that, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. They knew that leftists and atheists would scoff, laugh, and persecute them for doing what is morally right, clean, and HONORABLE. Nothing could have kept those boys from crossing that bridge.

Have we lost our American sense of HONOR?

Not that I see.

MrWebster Thinks this answer is Helpful:

Doctor: Will you PLEASE give us more of the same?

I know that you are a leader of men.

I call upon you now, to please imbue us with more of your inspired leadership.

Highest regards,

Rocmike3

Big Daddy, you already have what you need as do I. All you need do is use it, as I do.

Faith grows like a mustard seed: the tiniest of seeds grows to the largest of savory herbs. That sweet savor is in you already.

If you want to go where I go, it will cost you everything.

It will cost you materially as you must take what you have and put it all to the best humanistic use you can.

It would cost a number of us sexually because we must remain faithful to the person we married.

It will cost you in the community because not everyone is ready to go with us, but in time they will see the way to faith.

It will cost you egotism, because that grates on others who have the same bragging rights that you have.

It will cost you any sense of satiety, because you will see that the infinite riches of Christ's peaceful way make such junk as we have seem worthless.

It will cost you a sense of justice because you must let God do the avenging. Rest assured, He will. But when He avenges a wrong, he leaves behind healing, not the blood spatter we see with Islam.

It will cost you rest because you will feel the enlivening force of the Holy Ghost motivate you to do the Godly things your conscience compels.

It will cost you anything you fear because you will find that doing Jesus peaceful will can only infuriate terrorists, communists, and Muslims who all depend on fear to get their way.

It will cost you superstition, because once you have genuine faith, you will discard such rubbish as dead weight.

Is the cost too high? All I ask you to give up is that which holds you back.

Does your Harley hold you back from Jesus? Sell it. Can you ride it in the Toy Run to help celebrate Jesus soon coming birthday? Then ride it! You might be in the pack just behind me. I'm the one riding the purple bagger.

Treat those whom you lead as you wanted to have a leader treat you! Lead by example. Remember that reason and Faith always agree, when seen from the proper point of view.

Big Daddy, Christ makes any life complete. That comes from a scientist, and a bonafide Christian.

Gentlemen, we have our instructions!