How many of you male geocachers were in Scouting?

[+HugoBear]

Cub and Boy Scout, Cub leader now.

[+chstress53]

I was the First Female Explorer Scout in NJ when I was 14. The very first day they allowed girls to be Scouts I was in, and Dad had to start a Post. However, I was a first Class GS which now is what they are calling the Gold Award. I was a Brownie Leader when I was 21 for two years. But when my sons where born I became a Cub Scout Leader and then Boy Scout leader for 32 years. I have maintained my GS Leader Status but I only do Once yearly events. I am Woodbadge and OA . I currently am a Merit Badge Counselor. I have been a Commisioner and have received the district Award of Merit. You see I am my fathers only thing close to having a son. He was a Troop leader and he achieved the Silver Beaver Award. I accomplished everything the boys did on the sly. ( Dad allowed me to) I usually helped most of the boys in his troop with their Merit Badges. He did break down and buy me those historic trail medals as I hiked along with them every step of the way and I wanted them badly. I have raised my three sons as scouts and they are all Eagles and OA too. All of us have done the Fifty miles in Philmont as well as 50 miles in two other BSA adventure based camps. I have been Leader of Jamboree Contingents and A Venture Scout Leader. My daughter likewise has accomplished the same, She and I have both been on Girl Scout Wider Opps to England and canoed Fifty miles in the Northern Boundary Waters in Canada..

[+Shadow's]

Scouting is somthing you never really get out of.

Wood badge, I teach several different MB, I teach archery during the summer. Both Sons are Eagles with palms. One grandson Life Scout.

Like I say, you may leave Scouts but Scouting never leaves you.

[+hikergps]

Made it to Star and was O/A Vigil before the fumes got to me (perfumes and car fumes) when I was 17. When I moved to the sprawling metropolis of 1800 that I live in now, I was asked to help out with the local troop. Was Assistant Scoutmaster for 3 years and have been the Scoutmaster for the last 4 years. My son just entered the program last year so I figure I have at least 5 years left before I pass the torch. Glad I held onto my collection of council and other patches. We have 11 currently active boys in the troop. For as long as I can remember every kid who has stayed active in our troop has earned his Eagle before getting too old. I remember that they used to have an Eagle program for adult leaders that didn't get the rank as youth but stayed active, not sure why they did away with it.

[4wheelin_fool]

Was awarded Eagle in 1985. Somewhere, I have a letter of congratulations from Pres. Ronald Reagan and Vice pres. Bush.

[+LOSt OSOS]

Over 30 years in Scouting, Bobcat to Eagle (72) den leader, cubmaster scoutmaster. commissioner ...

[+Douglas_Clan]

Cub, Boy, and then Explorer SAR

[+treedweller]

I started as a Cub and made it to within a whisper of Star. Went to Philmont in 81. After that, the lame campouts my troop did seemed pretty boring, and I got jealous of my buddy who was advancing faster than me, and I got busy in high school band, so I dropped out.

 

Looking back, there were lots of good things about scouting for me. I use the skills I learned in my own camping/backpacking as well as my job (rope work especially, as an arborist). But I can't bring myself to associate with an organization that discriminates the way they do. It's a real pity.

 

If they just left troops to decide these things for themselves, I could deal. But the gay scout who was denied his eagle because of his orientation, even though his own troop did not care, is the example that I now point to as my reason for not volunteering to help lead a troop.

 

I would like to take another trip to Philmont, though.

 

treedweller

[+Tsmola]

My scouting experience was extremely crappy, I made it to Webolos but never really enjoyed any of it. The only fun I had was in the pinewood derby and that was usually won by people who cheated in it. Yes cheated in the pinewood derby!

 

We never went camping (as in camping in tents) never went fishing, never went hiking, never built anything cool, never learned anything about wildlife, or plants or trees, never learned any camping skills, never went canoeing or anything like that. never learned any first aid stuff, or how to build a fire, or basically anything.

 

Instead we'd do the boring parts of the scout book like push-ups at den meetings. What's more is the den meetings were in a house in town, for god's sake we should've had em at our house out in the country.

 

We went to a crappy camp ONCE, it was a miserable experience, basically we swam in the morning, did some crappy crafts activities, swam in the afternoon, went to bed. The only fun we had was archery/airguns (for some reason they frowned on me grabbing and loading a BB gun myself )

 

There was no emphasis on rank, nor on earning any badges or whatever I can't even remember. Basically it was if you earned some...eh? who cares? The only time our troop even got together was at Den meetings, and on occasion mini-golf or something dumb like that, and the activities were always boring, everyone ended up wanted to play video games instead of doing the crappy activities we did do, for instance: a freaking puppet show! or how about making a one of those shredded newspaper trees? yeah, great fun!

 

They took us out in the woods ONCE for about a half-hour because it was near another scout's home, Basically learned nothing.

 

I really wish we would have had a quality troop, with quality activies where we actually learned some useful stuff like others here have. I took away nothing of any use from scouting, except a wanting of that time of my life back, I later learned everything I know about the outdoors from my dad or more often on my own. I learned more about animals on my first hunting trip than I did in all the years I was in Scouting.

 

I envy those who were in quality troops and got to go camping like every month and stuff like that.

Edited November 5, 2005 by Tsmola

[+eaglespirit0]

Like every experience, Scouting is what you make of it, regardles sif you're a Tiger or an Eagle Scout. I have probably one of the worst quality troops, half of my Cub Scout leaders quit, and I wanted to drop out at times. However, I sought out Venturing, Summer Camp Staff, Order of the Arrow, and National/Regional Events. I now serve the council in many ways and am glad I have chosen the course in Scouting that I have.

 

I am a Vigil Member in the Order of the Arrow and am going for my Eagle Scout Board of Review in two weeks.

[+fizzymagic]

Eagle scout back in 1974, OA, etc. etc.

 

Sadly, because I have no kids of my own, I can no longer be involved in Scouting. Childless men volunteering for organizations like Scouting are viewed with a great deal of suspicion these days because of the national hysteria about molestations. So I can only volunteer for organizations where my wife and I can serve together.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Dang, I hate to see somebody like Fizzy feel he can't be a Scout Leader. I can't speak for your area or experiences but do know that we have several single dad's in scouting, dunno about single childless men, but bummer if they're viewed with suspicion! Only knowing FizzyMagic through his posts I'd think he'd make a great Scout leader. Maybe use your willingness and interest to visit local Scout troops and do a geocaching presentation?

 

Anyhoo, Scout from Cub to the time I joined the Navy at 16, then Scout Leader and both local and BSA National Council Committeeman for ten years while my kids were active.

[+scoutboy]

I was a Cub Scout and left Scouting due to family move and didn't pick it up again until my son entered the first grade as a tiger cub in 1987. I am currently a Scoutmaster of a local troop, an executive board member for the council, the next Wood Badge course director and contingnent leader for our councils Philmont and Seabase adventures. You might say I am involved beyond reason and loving it.

[+riecke5]

I was a Girl Scout through Jr.'s as a kid, then as a mom, I've been a Daisy, Brownie and Junior Leader for my 2 daughters. My youngest is currently a Junior and my oldest daughters troop fell apart after Juniors.

 

As for Boy Scouts, my Hubby is Eagle (1984), OA (vigil), and a Philmont Rayado participant. Hubby was a Den Leader, Cubmaster, and currently an Assistant Scoutmaster working with the first year boys for my son's troop. I am a Merit Badge counselor for several badges.

 

My son started as a Tiger and is finishing up his first year as a Boy Scout and is currintly a Tenderfoot and working on several Second and First class requirements.

 

We are also thinking of starting a Venturing Crew, mostly so our oldest daughter has a program to be involved with. There has been quite a bit of interest in our troop for a Crew, so we are seriously considering this.

 

A note to a VERY early comment (2003) about the state of Scouting in Nebraska (re: it is wimpier now), not all summer camps have air conditioned dining halls or do they have platforms for their tents. Depends on the camp and the troop that is picking out camps. Our troop camps EVERY month except December and January. December because of school semester ending, holidays, etc. and January is actually an overnight indoors with lots of outdoor activities because they use that weekend for interested Webelo's. (Don't want to freeze the little guys!)

 

The application of skills learned in Scouting to Geocaching is increadible. They compliment each other greatly. Just last weekend while out caching, my hubby quizzed my son on what trees were and other things that he has worked on in the past few months for his new ranks.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

The application of skills learned in Scouting to Geocaching is increadible.

 

I saw an example of that last weekend, while camping with ~60 geocachers in TN.

 

One of the kids, a scout, lined a cardboard box with aluminum foil, dropped a few bits of charcoal in and cooked 6 cans of excellent biscuits for the camp breakfast!

 

A cardboard oven was a novelty and education for all the adults that had never been Scouts!

[The Psion]

Very new to geocaching, but have been around scouting for a while.

 

Eagle scout with numerous palms, Vigil Honr and Silver Acorn (council award) in OA. I also had the pleasure (or pain, depending on the day) of working for five years at Heritage Resveration. I also had the chance to go to Seabase a few years ago and do the SCUBA Adventure, which was amazing!

 

Currently, I am an Assistant Scoutmaster and the Ceremonies Advisor for my lodge. I'm hoping to set up geocaches (with the ranger's permission) at Heritage and incorporate it into their Trail to First Class programs.

Edited November 7, 2005 by The Psion

[rogheff]

How about STILL involved in Scouts.

 

I've found that geocaching is a perfect way to teach the Scouts the Second and First Class skills of orienteering and nature. If you ask a Scout" hey, who wants to go on a 5 mile hike with a compass?" You can hear a pin drop. But ask " Who wants to go find some geocaches, look for wild animals, look at all the trees. We'll use the compass and map as a back-up, you know compare them to the GPSr?" You'll get all kinds of you betchas!

 

Our whole Troop geocaches and we've set up a geocache course at our Council Camp.

 

Check out our site:

www.bsatroop507.homestead.com

 

Roger Heffron

Scoutmaster Troop 507

Cubmaster pack 506

[+jtd18801]

I was a cub scout for 4 years and a boy scout for about 2. Troop 99 In NEPA

Edited November 7, 2005 by jtd18801

[+ATMA]

I went through Cub and Boy Scouts and we sure could have used a GPS several times.

[+bwortmann]

I've been involved with Scouting for about 42 years (boy and leader), but only learned about geocaching 8 months ago. I'm sure the boys are going to love it.

[+DiamondDuste]

I made Eagle Scout in 1999, and now I work professionally with the Boy Scouts.

[+Jhwk]

Cub OofL, BS 8 years, cubmaster, webelos den leader, scoutmaster, OA, yada yada. All told I probably have been in or around scouts for ~16 years. Plus over 20 in the Army. Caching allowed me to get back to the woods...

[+Frettchen_2006]

Was never in Girl Scouts myself, but when we moved to Germany courtesy USAF when my daughter was 5 and lived off base without other military families nearby, we placed her in Daisies (kindergarten level Girl Scouts) to meet kids her age who spoke English! She's now 15, in 8th grade, and a Cadette working on her Silver project after having earned Bronze as a 5th grade Junior. She already has her Gold Project planned even if she can't start work on it yet. She loves Scouts and all the things she gets to do with it and plans to train as a Camp Counselor as soon as she's old enough as she'd live at camp if she could.

 

Myself, I've been involved, directly or indirectly, the 9 years she's been in...troop leader, assistant troop leader, Neighborhood (overseas divisions) and Service Area Cookie Chairs, general volunteer. I will probably continue after she's out of school or at least out of Scouting.

 

Any organization that relies solely on volunteers as Girl Scouts does is only as good as their volunteers. We've always let our girls know that if we aren't doing something they want, tell us. If the parents don't feel we are providing the proper environment for their children, we encourage them to talk to the Service Area or Council for a transfer to a new troop. No one should have a "crappy" experience with Scouting (girls or boys or parents!).

[NBCNCO]

I was in scouting from the late 1960's to late 70's (Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts)in an LDS pack/troop in Cambridge MA. Achieved Life Scout, Brotherhood OA. I then decided I didn't need the adult supervision and joined the National Guard. Recently I was a WEBLOS den leader, but the boys and wife weren't as fond of scouting as I was.

[+BadAndy32]

Well I got my Eagle back in 02. I'm not sure how "wimpy" scouting is anywhere else, but the troop that I was in was anything but, I remember the all night "dirt clod" fights, smoking out of homemade corn pipes, and bloodly smear the queer football games, not to mention the usual harassing of any other troops that we may run across. I made some good friends and I can only hope that when I have kids, that they can be involved in a troop like mine.

[+Henki]

I was in Girl Scouts for 6 years, and I was a Scout leader for 1.

[+Cache Liberation Front]

I know this may be an unpopular opinion, esp. here on these boards, but....

 

Why anyone would actively associate with an organization which OPENLY discriminates againsts gays is something I just can't understand. Would you assocaite with them if they didn't, say, allow blacks into their organization? Sorry, but hate and discrimination (and jingoism, for that matter) aren't things I want to teach my children.

 

Best,

Mr. Wisearse.

[+RiverCacher]

I'm an Eagle Scout (class of 1993), and earned the Explorer G.O.L.D. Award. Member of the Order of the Arrow (Vigil Honor, Tutelo Lodge #161), and was a Section Chief.

 

Scott Smith

Lynchburg, Virginia

[Lt32]

I know this may be an unpopular opinion, esp. here on these boards, but....

 

Why anyone would actively associate with an organization which OPENLY discriminates againsts gays is something I just can't understand. Would you assocaite with them if they didn't, say, allow blacks into their organization? Sorry, but hate and discrimination (and jingoism, for that matter) aren't things I want to teach my children.

 

Best,

Mr. Wisearse.

I was never in scouts as a teenager, But my son is almost an Eagle Scout. I am the troop Committe Chairman. At troop meetings we don't sit around and gay bash, or teach hate. We work on merit badges and try to teach leadership. There are so may boys out there with out a male figure in their life. I think scouting does make a diffrence. You have your opinion and I have mine. To each their own.

[+Road Rabbit]

Why anyone would actively associate with an organization which OPENLY discriminates againsts gays is something I just can't understand. Would you assocaite with them if they didn't, say, allow blacks into their organization? Sorry, but hate and discrimination (and jingoism, for that matter) aren't things I want to teach my children.

 

One of the great things about our country is that you are free to take your patronage to any organization that suits you. Or not. If you can't find one that meets all of your requirements, you are also free to start one. Many groups have.

 

You can make a case for discrimination against almost any organization at some level or another.

 

I, myself, don't agree with everything that I see or hear around Scouting, but, taken as a whole, I find the experience for the Scouts and the skills learned will make them better people and citizens of our country and world. I have seen many fine young men and women (Venturing) develop over the years, not one of whom I would brand as a bigot through their association with the programs.

[+Cyclometh]

I know this may be an unpopular opinion, esp. here on these boards, but....

 

Why anyone would actively associate with an organization which OPENLY discriminates againsts gays is something I just can't understand. Would you assocaite with them if they didn't, say, allow blacks into their organization? Sorry, but hate and discrimination (and jingoism, for that matter) aren't things I want to teach my children.

 

Best,

Mr. Wisearse.

 

This isn't something that'll be resolved here, and only opens the door to a flamefest and eventual thread lock. People have different opinions about things and that's pretty much the end of it. I don't support the BSA myself, but I don't really begrudge anyone who wants to have their kids in it.

 

Heck, I was a Cub Scout and made it to Webelos before I got disillusioned with the whole thing.

[+1stimestar]

I was in Girl Scouts to the 4th grade when I quite because we "got" to learn how to make pizza while the boys got to go camping. It just didn't seem fair, even then.

[+dhbaird]

I'm kind of curious as I was in scouts and earned Eagle Scout in 1986. I remember a lot of what I learned at summer camp being used in various ways in geocaching. <BR><BR>How many of you guys were Boy Scouts, and how far did you get?<BR><BR>How many of the ladies here were in Girl Scouts and how far did you get in it?

 

Eagle Scout here. Went to Valley Forge National Jamboree in 1964, Philmont in 67. Was an Explorer Scout as well and our Post travelled pretty far and wide in marksmenship competitions. I became a Scout Master during the 1970's. and took my troop to summer camp where I was the Orienteering Merit Badge Counselor.

 

Currently am Institutional Rep. right now for a Scout Troop and Cub Pack. Our troop had 6 Eagle Scouts in the past 12 months!

[bandgeek]

I'm still in Girl Guides (Canadian version of Girl Scouts). This is my 11th year, I'm a ranger and a Junior Leader in a Brownie group... I get to see them tonight, they're so cute...

[+ByrnedFish]

I am a Life Scout, OA Brotherhood memeber, Troop scribe/aspl, and avid camper/geocacher. ive used a lot of my scout skills while out on the trail caching

[+headybrew]

I was a cubscout, then a weebelo, then a scout.

 

Never did too much though other than go camping and learn cpr and how to tie knots...

[+LOSt OSOS]

Have over thrity years in Scouting, earned Eagle in 1972.

[+Haffy]

I was a couple of merit badges short of Eagle scout in the 60's when I found out about girls and that was it for me.

[TinyMoon & The Pumpkin King]

I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout, it's where I learned to drink and roll my own smokes! Seriously tho', I was a Scout, as was my Dad (Finn of the caching team Finn McCool & Molly). Matter of fact when we go caching I still carry Dad's old Boy Scout compass for when our GPS signal goes belly-up and I can find our way back to where we parked the old Chevy 4x4.

[+Ichabod]

I was a Life Scout when my troop literally split in two in the early 80's, and since I had friends on both sides of the rift, that was sadly the end of my scouting career. I found the Scouts to be an extremely rewarding and useful experience and look forward to introducing my children to that experience.

[Team Firebird]

I am a life scout working on my eagle. I am seinor patrol leader of my troop, and have over 30 meritbadges.

 

<end brag>

[+NitseHee]

I'm in that category of girls that didn't like girl scouts in my area so I waited and was an Explorer (now Venturing) Scout.

 

Philmont 50 miler, Mountain Search and Rescue trained, Backwoods First Aid, with a ton of backpacking, climbing, and rappelling. Now as an adult, Cub Leader with my son Tiger through AOL, ASM, Crew Advisor, District Committee, OA Ordeal (working toward Brotherhood), Wood Badge - Eagle, Powder Horn, BSA Lifeguard and most recently District Award of Merit.

 

And there's still time to cache!

[+Shadow's]

What do you mean. "Were?" You may leave Scouting but Scouting never leaves You.

[+frelancr]

Cub thru to Eagle in '84(?) & stayed on thru High School...OA, Philmont, National Jamboree Ft. AP Hill in '84 too, if I remember correctly...Troop350, S. Fla Council

 

we had a great bunch, did lots of really neat things....lots of orienteering & building (40' antenna tower!)...the parents all became great friends, and still are, so many years later.

 

Most of us have since become disillusioned with the national organization since the forcing out of leaders because of things unrelated to their abilities as leaders...shame really...

 

Not that that would have stopped us in our heyday! we broke every rule we could find in the name of fun, adventure & learning (like bringing an outboard to a canoe race)...we had fun, learned lots & even did some good...still got all my stuff around here somewhere, including the council strips

 

seeing what will happen with my daughter the 'Daisy'

 

M

[vagabond]

this wasn't very scout like but I remember a camping trip to Yosemite in 1951 where the older kids in the troop would go along the Merced river at night and find the beer and soft drinks that campers had left in the water to cool.I was only eleven at the time so I was completely innocent

Same trip we were hiking to the upper Yosemite falls to spend a couple of nights and in the area between the upper and lower falls we lost most of our food a pack strap broke or something and it all ended up in the river.

[+Clothahump]

I was in Cubs. Got to Webelos, never went past that.

[Dutchess61]

GIRL SCOUTING Experience:

Brownie Scout thru 3rd Grade

Junior Scout for 4th Grade

Leader for troops K-12th Grade

Service Unit Troop Manager 4 years

Traveled to 3 Girl Scout WORLD Centers with troops: Mexico-London-Switzerland

 

I agree, I may have left "scouting", but it's never left me.

 

Wish this concept of geocaching had been about then.

[+Team Yarber]

Made it to Life Scout, Order of the Arrow member, Senior Patrol Leader, Den Chief & was in the Explorer's. I only needed x more merit Badges to make Eagle. But when you're 16, being a scout becomes ...awkward? You're friends have all left the troop, you're peers look & call you a 'dweeb" and the football coach doesn't like to hear, "Sorry Coach I gotta go, I'm teaching knots tonight".

 

Looking back though, I wish I had stayed in and gone for Eagle. Now that I think about it is it too late to become an Eagle?

 

DeVery

[+llatnek]

I was in Cub Scouts, becoming one of the first Webelos in the country. When it came time to rise to Boy Scout, I chose not to. I wanted to camp, our local troop wanted to do service projects. Now with GeoCaching & Cito, I can combine both.

[+uncleboogie]

I was in cub scouts for wolf and bear, then all my skateboarding punk friends at the time started teasing me. But now, since my step-son got into it, I am his den leader and planning on going for woodbadge in september of this year. I totally regret not staying with it when I was younger. Being the den leader let's me see all the great stuff that I missed out on, so now I get to make up for lost time!!!