How many of you male geocachers were in Scouting?

[+radioscout]

A nice cache for scouts: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...91-6eb25b6a6ce7

[+NorStar]

I was a cub scout and attained Arrow of Light.

In scouts, I attained Eagle in 1983, submitting my 'package' two days before my 18th birthday.

I was an Assistant Scoutmaster for four years.

Right now, I'm not directly involved, but sometime in the future, I might return as a merit badge counselor or other volunteer (it wouldn't be fair to scouts at this point since I am involved in a lot of other things, at the moment).

 

I have always valued the orienteering skills obtained through scouts. I have used them in one way or another since, including making maps of areas using nothing more than a compass, a pencil, a ruler, paper, and my own two feet.

 

Slightly off subject, I was, simultaneously, a member of DeMolay, attaining the honor of Chevalier, the highest honor that you can get as a youth in that order. The two organizations have similarities in what they are trying to do (prepare youth boys for adulthood), but in different ways. I value them both. My favorite activity in DeMolay was a road rally, where we followed directions and deciphered clues to follow a route in a car through checkpoints and the final destination. It was fun to relate how we got 'lost.'

 

-N/S

[+joefrog]

I was a cub scout and attained Arrow of Light.

In scouts, I attained Eagle in 1983, submitting my 'package' two days before my 18th birthday.

I was an Assistant Scoutmaster for four years.

Right now, I'm not directly involved, but sometime in the future, I might return as a merit badge counselor or other volunteer (it wouldn't be fair to scouts at this point since I am involved in a lot of other things, at the moment).

 

I have always valued the orienteering skills obtained through scouts. I have used them in one way or another since, including making maps of areas using nothing more than a compass, a pencil, a ruler, paper, and my own two feet.

 

Slightly off subject, I was, simultaneously, a member of DeMolay, attaining the honor of Chevalier, the highest honor that you can get as a youth in that order. The two organizations have similarities in what they are trying to do (prepare youth boys for adulthood), but in different ways. I value them both. My favorite activity in DeMolay was a road rally, where we followed directions and deciphered clues to follow a route in a car through checkpoints and the final destination. It was fun to relate how we got 'lost.'

 

-N/S

DeMolay is a great organization. I never had DeMolay in my small hometown, but I did join its parent organization and a few related others...

 

[Poppa Duck]

Poppa made it as far as Star in the late 1970's. I do think some of the outdoor skills we learned (orienteering, hiking, first aid) apply.

 

Currently I'm an advisor in a Learning For Life (Explorer) post and I've got one son in Weblos (bridging to Boy Scouts this year) and another ready to start Tiger Cubs next year.

 

-PD

[+Happy Gillmore]

Eagle scout

 

Currently I am a scoutmaster. I have been for a total of 15 years.

 

If I am not camping with the troop (at least once a month), pre-hiking a new camp location, or salmon fishing I am caching.

[drsmith]

I was a scout when I was younger (think I made it to about 2nd class). But when my sons became teenagers I became a scoutmaster for three very rewarding and trying years! I think the "Geocaching" merit badge is an EXCELLENT idea!

[+kahja]

I was a brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, and assistant GS Leader. In fact, I am a lifetime member as far as I know...

What I didn't learn about camping as a girlscout, my brother told me from boyscouts...Seemed to me the Boy scouts had more fun.

[+scoutingitout]

Just found out that I will be going to 2005 National Jamboree. I will be going as the 1st Assistant Scoutmaster of the Gerald R. Ford Council contingent. Yea!!!

Scouting and Caching my two favorite hobbies.

[+SnellJ2M]

I was a Cadette in Girl Scouts (1962). My husband is a Life Scout (1964) and OA, and wishes he had gotten Eagle. Both of us are very involved with Cub Scouting with our son who will be receiving his Arrow of Light and crossing over to Boy Scouts next month. His goal is to become an Eagle Scout.

[+Polycron]

Earned my Eagle in 1983 and was also at Brotherhood level in the OA. I grew up in a Scout camp. My father was a Camp Ranger there.

[moose1961]

I was never in Scouting as a youth, however I became an adult leader before my children were old enough to be involved. Both of my son's are eagle Scouts, one with five palms and the other who just turned 18 has completed his youth portion of Scouting with four palms. We have been on numerous Campout some in extremely cold weather. 50 miler hiking award, OA, God and Country, My oldest son was a patrol leader in Jamboree. I have been a Cub Master, den leader, District Training Chairman, Scoutmaster, District executive (a professional position), currently Unit comissioner. I am a wood badger, have attended camp schools, and have given to BSA for nearly 19 years now. BSA is like any other program, it continues to grow and change, some we like, some we don't. I have found it is alot like in life though you get from it whatever you are willing to put into it.

 

Get off the Bench and get into the game.

[inventorjg]

I wasn't in Boy Scouts, but I was in Civil Air Patrol. I got up to 2nd Lieutenant.

[+reveritt]

I never made it past 2nd class. Our troop was not well-run. There was much favoritism shown to the scoutmaster's son and his best buddies. There was also constant, and sometimes dangerous hazing. The end came for me when meetings were moved to Tuesday evenings, and I had to choose between doing close order drill in the basement of the church, or staying home and watching McHale's Navy.

 

I did manage to take away a love of hiking, camping--including wintertime camping, and a few woodland skills. I had a look at the current Boy Scout manual a few years ago, and was surprised at the changes. I have also seen the difference an intelligent and dedicated scout master can make.

 

If you have a son approaching scouting age, choose the troop carefully. Talk to the leaders and some of the other parents before joining. Find out how well the troop is run, and what their activities have been during the past year. And be prepared to get involved yourself.

[dampeoples]

I was in the cub scouts, then the boy scouts for a while. Our leaders were not overly energetic, so I turned to a life of drugs and alcohol. Then I straightened up and started caching.

[+bob393]

Good question!

I earned my Eagle Scout badge in 1970, with 24 extra merrit badges.

I'm Brotherhood Level in the Order of the Arrow.

I'm not to active in scouting anymore however I just did a Geocaching event fot the Science Olympiad at our local High School.

[+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite]

I was a boyscout but I was more interested in what the girl scouts had to offer.

[+Lone Duck]

I was another Scout. Missed Eagle by a matter of days because of paperwork and I turned 18.

[+KSWader]

I was not in Boy Scouts when I was growing up as we did not have any in the area. I was a 4-H kid. Well now my son has brought me into the joys of Cub scouting. I am currently the Assistant Cub Master and leader of the Wolf group my son is in. My wife is a Girl Scout and attained her Gold Award years ago and is currently the Brownie Leader. I found geocaching by doing a search on scouting but do not remember the site. We are in NW Kansas so we have to travel quite a bit to get to geocaches. The closest is 32 miles away and we only have 66 within 100 miles. We are hoping to change this soon by putting out caches for the scouts to find and then get them approved for this site.

[+Gilwell1]

I was a Scout and made it to Life. Then I became a victim of the two liquids that lure Boys away from the program gasoline and perfume. I was president of Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega in the late 70's and when I had sons of my own, I returned to the program and both my boys achieved Eagle. I am still active in the program on a District and Council level. I am a brotherhood O/A member and an advisor. The Hudson Valley Council in NY is my home base.

[+Og's outfit]

My hubby earned and his brother earned Eagle on the same day. I think it was 1968, but I could be wrong on the date. They both got the order of the arrow, although my husband tells me his brother's was by far better.

 

Incidentally, thier certificates were signed ny none other than......

Richard M. Nixon himself!

 

Og

[shooter206]

I am curently a Scoutmaster and my son Draygon is working on his Star rank.

[+The Old Fogies]

It was about 40 years ago that I made it to Star Scout. I still remember our Scoutmaster's name. I still use the skills we learned then.

Edited February 14, 2004 by The Old Fogies

[+wildearth2001]

Here is a quote if what I posted in the Abject Silliness thread a few minutes ago

As of 7:00PM MST I am an Eagle Scout!! Yeah! I just got home from my board of review and was approved and officail recommended (just a formality) to the National Council to recieve the award. Now I just have to avoid getting arrested (which shouldt be a problem as I don't plan on getting into trouble and never have before) for the next 4 weeks and I will be givin the award along with all kinds of other stuff, flags flown over the capitol, a letter from prez bush (I'd rather have it be a different prez as I don't like bush a lot but hey i will still take it).

[+KoosKoos]

Ok, well, couldn't pass up this thread (new to caching - brought in by a fellow Cub Scout leader & friend)...

 

From youth (through 21)

Eagle Scout - 1987

Vigil member, OA (Klamachpin Achtshinkhalan, sp?)

Lodge chief of the mighty Tejas lodge #72

Section chief

Assistant SM for 2 years

Camp staff for 10 years (including 3 as program director)...my son's first summer was spent in the PD's cabin!

 

As adult (with my son over the last 4 years):

Tiger den leader

Wolf den leader

Cubmaster for 2 years now

District cub trainer - when I have time!!!

 

Oh, and my dad's been a camp ranger for the past 12 years, so my kids grew up thinking boy scout camp was where you went for vacations and holidays....

 

Always been into the outdoors and Scouting and glad to be sharing it with my son now!!! and my daughter started Daisies this year (mostly with Mom!)....

[+Gazza&Girls]

Made it up to Webelos then dropped out. Didn't have much parental involvement at the time. Made it pretty difficult. I was always doing scout type stuff though with or without them. A few years ago I became a Girl scout for a couple summers - volunteered as The Nature Guy at a resident camp.

Biggest Girl is grew up in the Boy Scouts since her mom was a leader forever(eventually awarded Silver Fawn). Even went to Philmont. Biggest Girl is now Girls Scout troop leader, assistant troop leader, service unit manager. Bigger and Big Girls have been in the system since Daisies.

 

G.

[Jeepscout]

I,m since 35 years in Scouting in Germany and still active. Several leading positions in local, national and international teams. Now active Scoutmaster in my hometown.

[blocko1000]

Badges? I dont need no stinking badges!! I was never in the scouts.

[+Night Stalker]

I earned my Eagle Scout badge in 1963, and was also inducted into the Order of the Arrow.

[+Facedances]

I made it to LIFE, but never finished up my EAGLE before I was too old. Girls became a priority over scouting....I regret not finishing it.

[+KF6JML]

Made it to Star with one more badge required for Life when they upped the badge requirement and went to those red berets. Yuk! Order of the Arrow as well. The Troop became very unorganized, so I droppped out. Sometime in the 70's. Still have my uniform!

[blocko1000]

can you still fit into it? Thats the real question.

[+MREAGLEWO1]

OK Just a few of my Bragging rights <BR>Involved in scouting 25 years<BR>Scout Master 10 years <BR>Wood badge (Only two beads)<BR>OA brotherhood<BR>150+ nights camping (No Sundays)<BR>13 weeks of summer camp <BR>Backpacking 125 (miles total)<BR>Canoeing 250 miles (total)<BR>Eagle scouts pinned 25<BR>High adventure trips 6<BR>Fun Unlimited<BR><BR>We'll See ya on the Trail

As an eaglescout in 2000, I have beaten your summer camp weeks by having atleast 26 weeks. (i work at one during the summer plus go with troop)

 

about myself

Eagle scout-

Eagle Palms- forgot how many gotta check it but have a few.

OA Ordeal

Asst Scoutmaster

SPL for one year

 

Dont know what else...lol

[rynd]

I was in the cub scouts and then the Webelos years ago. I don't remember much of it or why I quit.

[ATMouse]

Nine years in scouting. Both parents were leaders in scouting - mom in Girl Scouts, Dad in Boy Scouts. I was given a life-long interest in hiking, camping and the outdoors.

 

Thanks Mom and Dad!

[+Sagefox]

Troop 310, Edmonds, WA. Liked the camping but never was much into badges.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I was never in scouting but my father-in-law was a scout master and the brother-in-laws on that side who got me into geocaching this year were.

 

On the other hand, maybe at around 11 or 12 I was all but a scout. My folks weren't really into camping and the outdoors at all which is part of why I probably wasn't a scout, but I used to ride my BMX bike (for those 35 and under that is what they called a "mountain bike" in the late 70s, ) into the woods on almost any warm, sunny day I could, park it and then walk around with a map and compass; I was VERY into maps and compasses for a non-scout that age, would love to look at out-of-town maps and wonder what the "real area" the map represented looked like.

 

So I was probably a natural for caching......

[+The Source]

Been in Scouts almost 35 years. Im a Eagle Scout with 4 palms. Im presently Weblo Den Leader till Feb then Ill be moving to the Troop with my Son.

 

J

[+edscott]

Was in Cubs and Boy Scouts for awhile, but my troop didn't do much so I quit and started hiking and camping by myself on my own. Got back in as an adult leader.. two sons are Eagles and were part of a very active outdoor oriented troop.

[+tankboy]

Did ALMOST the whole thing, Cub Scout all the way to Life Scout. All I needed for the Eagle Scout was to complete a community service project. Never got it done. Too busy chasing girls I suppose. I do seem to recall I expended an awful lot of energy in that area.

[+Teamhawaii1981 & blueicyrose]

I was a cub and boy scout. It was really fun, but our leaders never did the amazing adventure type stuff. It was more crafts, and smaller soap box derby type things. Then I started to play guitar and Scouts was no longer important to me. I regret it though sometimes.

Edited November 4, 2005 by Teamhawaii1981 & blueicyrose

[+emb021]

I was in Boy Scouts & Explorers as a youth. got to Life Scout and SPL.

 

Since turning 18, I've been involved as a leader. Current involvement is Venturing & the OA. I'm a Vigil Member of the OA, serving as a committee advisers in a lodge, and involved with Venturing at the Council level in a couple of councils.

 

Let's see. Wood Badge, Wood badge Staff, Sea Badge, Powder Horn. (hopefully staff those 2 at some point).

 

I've introduced some of our Venturers to geocaching & letterboxing (I do both), and we have tried to do gc'ing at our council venturing event. Would have like to have tried out the gc'ing stuff they did at the Jamboree, but was too busy with my staff assignment.

 

Michael Brown

[+foxfire949]

Eagle Scout, 2000 (Had my paperwork all signed and approved at 9:00 the night of my 18th birthday..now that's cutting it close)

OA member

Was ASPL and then (A)SPL (real SPL decided to go to college at 16)

 

Loved the camping every month, troop was run very well both by the adults and the scouts. (Adults would let us make mistakes, but step in before any seroius damage was done)

I still help out with my old troop from time to time.

 

I was very lucky to have a troop that mixed all of the elements of scouting in a good mix. (outdoors, rank, badges, ceremonial stuff, service, etc.)

 

Went on a lot of good trips. National Jamboree, canoeing in Main, canoeing in Canada, bicycle trips in maryland and canada, bacpakcing trips, etc.

 

I hope I have sons someday who can participate in a group as good as what I had.

[+mrmnjewel]

Never was a boy scout. If I had it to do over again, I might have.

[+BigHank]

For some reason there was not much of an active Cub program in the town I grew up in, but there were two very active Scout troops. I joined one of them and stayed with it for two years, making First Class. Then became friends with some guys in the other troop, so I joined that one. Made Star there, but then got involved playing football in HS, plus cars, plus girls, and working part time to supporet the last two, so didn't have time for scouting anymore. I enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot. Both of my sons were involved in it, one making Life and the other Star. It is a great program, despite a lot of the changes. My only involvement with it now is every year when our HAM radio group works with local troops during the Jamboree On The Air weekend.

[OGBO]

At 65yo, I am still actively involved in Scouts. As a youth, I was in Cubs (got Lion - anyone else here who remembers this rank in Cubs - as well as Arrow of Light, which was what was called Webelos in those days), Boy Scouts (Eagle 1954 plus a couple palms), and Explorers (that was when they were primarily high adventure, before becoming "career-oriented", more like the current Venturing, except we weren't co-ed like Venturing is these days). As an adult I have been Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Asst SM, RT Commissioner, Climbing Director, and a few other things, plus directing adult leader training for High Adventure Backpacking and Winter Camping. I got OA (Vigil), Silver Beaver, Wood Badge ("I used to be an Owl" and staff). And, of course, Merit Badge Counselor.

 

My father was active in Boy Scouts from 1914 until the day he died. My son is an Eagle with 3 palms and currently active as an adult leader. My sister was in Girl Scouts (GSUSA), both as a youth and currently as an adult leader, as are her daughters. Her units also did a lot of camping and backpacking, although she tells me this was and is not very typical of GSUSA units.

 

For the posters whose troops were dull/boring/uninteresting/wimpy, you should know that those deficiencies are not typical of units I have had contact with, unless the adult leaders were untrained and inexperienced and the parents treated the unit as Baby Sitters of America. The units I was involved with as a scout and as SM and ASM went camping, backpacking (50-milers, plus Philmont which has 50-100 mile backpacks, depending on which trek you choose, as well as backcountry ski and snowshoe overnights), canoeing and kayaking (on the Colorado and other rivers, including whitewater, and we did 50-milers in canoes as well as hiking). I learned a lot of my rock climbing and mountaineering in Scouts, which eventually got me up Yosemite walls, peaks like the Matterhorn, Orizaba, Rainier, Denali. Oh yeah, my team on Denali that summited were all Eagles and most are currently active adult leaders.

 

I was also in Demolay, and worked my way through the chairs there. I haven't had much contact with them for a number of years, but I have the impression that the character of the organization has changed significantly since I was involved in the 1950s.

Edited November 4, 2005 by OGBO

[+yogiabb]

I was a cub scout and a boy scout, didn't come close to making Eagle but we did lots of camping. I'm an assistant Den Leader for my son's Wolf Den.

[Clan Riffster]

Troop 625, Maitland Fl. Made it to "Life" scout, and worked as a JASM. Circa 1978 or so.

[rocketmann]

I'm currently a Boy Scout in Omaha NE. I plan on receiving my Eagle sometime this spring and I think Boy Scouts and geocaching have many parallels. One of my Troop's favorite things to do is run around in the woods. And many of the younger kids couldn't be more estatic when I say that we will be finding a geocache in the area of our campsite. Geocaching also allows scouts to study maps of the area and things like that.

 

This past year, the summer camp my troop goes to (Camp Geiger, Pony Express Council St. Joe Missourri) actually started a geocaching propgram in the camp. There are 10 caches in the camp boundaries and if you found 7 you got a special patch. Kinda interesting that caching has even caught on at summer camp

Edited November 4, 2005 by rocketmann

[+Trailwalker2]

Made my eagle in 99, was brotherhood in the OA, Went to Philmont (still want to go back) and Worked at a scout camp in NH for several summers while in college (wish I could do that as full time work! ) LOve scouts and want to get back involved, there is no better program for young men.

 

-TW

[Zoptrop]

Everyone else has pretty much said it for me....

 

Various Quotes from others:

 

I was in Scouts. I made it to Life before I discovered girls and cars and became disinterested in Scouts.

 

Back then, we went on a camping trip one weekend every month... and it usually rained.

 

The other 3 Patrols in my Troop took 1st, 2nd, and 4th places. We totally dominated!

 

I was elected into OA early on, but as my Dad pointed out, you spend enough time in scouting and you'll be inducted

 

-----------------

 

BTW - what is a "frozen marijuana fight" and why wasn't I invited?? - Just kidding.

 

Legend has it that there was a drive in theatre near one of our camps and the older guys would sneak off the camp grounds and go watch the movies the showed which were supposedly "adult" movies.