Eagle Scout

[richhodg66]

My youngest successfully boarded last night and is now officially an Eagle. Though I'm proud of him, it made me a little blue. He graduated high school on May 19th (his 18th Birthday isn't for about three weeks) and almost immediately started a summer school program at the college he's attending this Fall. This Eagle Scout pretty well closed the chapter on his childhood with (to me anyway) rather surprising finality.

My oldest graduated high school last year and shipped out for the Marine Corps the very next morning, so the empty nest thing hits kind of hard. The good news is, this one is in school only about 40 miles away for now, so it isn't like we'll never see him.

Don't want to come across as beating my chest, but I raised two pretty good sons if I do say so myself. Now that I'm teaching high school, I'm seeing some really shocking examples sometimes of what parenting or the lack thereof results in sometimes. The wife and I are feeling pretty good about ourselves.

[Love Life]

Congratulations to your son!! Years from now they will thank you. I know I thank my parents for taking a hard line with the Bone head and myself.

[ph4570]

Sounds like a couple of good ones. Your are right to be proud.

[DCP]

Beat your chest all you want (just in case)

[7Acres]

I'm on the front end of parenting. Have an 11 mo/old boy. I have great respect for those like you who have some fine children leaving the nest. That's how it's supposed to go. Not able-bodied and needing to live at home till they're nearly 30.

[41 mag fan]

Congratulations to your son!! Years from now they will thank you. I know I thank my parents for taking a hard line with the Bone head and myself.

Thanks For the laugh again LL.....gets me to snickering everytime i see you post about you and your brother!!

[Riverpigusmc]

Congrats. My oldest cousin was an Eagle Scout. Died in a West Virginia coal mine, he was an inspiration to us younger ones

[leeggen]

Yes go ahead and beat your chest. You should nowdays it is hard to keep them going straight, let alone the narrow. Congrats to you and the Eagle Scout you both done great.
CD

[**oneshot**]

Congrads on him becoming an EagleScout. My older stepson is working on getting his project together.

[762 shooter]

Congratulations to your son, you and your wife.

The best you can do is teach them to be independent. They will live their life based on your foundation.

762

[Wayne Smith]

Congratulations to both of you and your son. There is an end to 'parenting' but there is never an end to being a parent. We now have a grandchild. You do need to re-think the empty nest thing, though. I didn't loose a son, I gained a reloading/gun room! The first time in almost 30 years of reloading that I had a permanent place to do it.

[missionary5155]

Good morning and tell your son "Congradulations". May all the learning and dedication keep him from the garbage that floats about this world.
Mike in Peru

[bhop]

congrats he should be as proud as you!

[koehn,jim]

Please congradulate him for me, I was also an Eagle.

[CWME]

Good to hear we are still adding to the Eagle Scout Ranks!

My Dad helped support me through my Scouting career and I attained the Eagle Rank because of him. I would never have made it if it were not for his tireless efforts with taking me to camping trips and meetings etc. My point, pat your self on the back for a job well done!

[Wells]

Congradulate him from a Eagle Scout from 78 and koodles for you, as a father of 3 sons who have
Started there lives with a clean plate, hearing about others doing so is great,my eagle took me farther than my college time ever did.
Wells

[richhodg66]

I didn't make it to Eagle, it was one of those head butting things I got into with my dad about and I regret it. My two youngest brothers both made it and I'm glad they did.

Both my sons made it and I'm proud of both. Both made it shortly before turning 18 and were Life Scouts a long time before getting it done, if I may make a recommendation to parents, try to nudge them hard before they hit 16, that seems to be the age when so many other things take over their lives. I gave my oldest boy one of the Henry Eagle Scout Commemorative .22 rifles at his court of honor and plan to do the same for this one. It's very cool to live in small town Kansas where everybody thinks it's cool to bring a rifle into church.

The past year was big for transitions, I retired from the Army after 24 years, basically the only job I'd had my whole adult life, took a new job, moved to a different city (still in progress) bought another house, wife changed jobs and lost two sons from the home all inside of about a year. Most of those transitions weren't necessarily bad ones, but life can sure be a roller coaster ride sometimes.

[clintsfolly]

I got my Eagle in 74 and was there to help Wells get his. We both owe our Mom and Dad a lot for the support and work to get them! I was able to repay a little by helping my son get his in 03. Richhodg66 We are Proud of your son and you! Clint

[farmallcrew]

Being a parent of an Eagle Scout or being an Eagle Scout is something to pound your chest for. only 2% of Boy Scouts ever reach Eagle Scout. I am one of that 2%. My parents are proud of what i did for the Scouting Family and District. When I apply at jobs, I always put that im an Eagle Scout, and that starts conversation. I talk with customers at my work about Scouts(i havent been in a Troop for over 10 years) but the parents and youth that come through my work will understand the importance of Scouts and Eagle Scouts.

Every day i live by the motto, and the Scout Oath and Law. And not to forget im also a Brotherhood in the Order of the Arrow.

I know when I have a son im going to try to get him into scouting, and be in the 2%.

So pound away at your chest, you and your son earned it!!!!

[bear67]

Congratulations to the Eagle Scout, but also to his Troop leaders, and especially to his parent. I was an Eagle, my son is an Eagle and my oldest grandson is finishing his Eagle Service Project as we speak. In my 16 years as a Scoutmaster and now 7 years as an assistant, (27 Eagles in 23 years in units I worked with) I have only seen one young man complete his Eagle rank without a lot of help and sometimes pressure from parents who wanted their son to be and Eagle Scout. I could have never finished my Eagle without my father and mother. This can make a lot of difference in his getting into College, military placement and especially when applying for jobs. The skills a boy learns in obtaining his Eagle may not be the job skills needed for a particular job, but it proves that a boy can set goals and work to reach those goals--something that is looked for in the job market.

When I sit on and Eagle Board of Review, I have one question I always ask--Of all the merit badges you earned on your trail to Eagle, which one stands out and helped you the most. I was on a board for a young man from Stamford, Texas and when I asked him that question, he amazed me with his answer. Without hesititation, the repiled "Basket Weaving." He went on to explain that up until that time at his first summer camp, he felt he could not do anything with his hands in building or working on projects. After his success with baskets, he jumped off into many other areas and was especially interested in models and later RC airplanes. Now 30 years later he is an Air Force Academy graduate, Lt Col and soon to be father to twin Eagle Scout Sons he and his wife adopted as pre schoolers.

I am an Eagle Scout, but my son, grandsons and young men I have had to privilege to work with are really my pride.

Be Prepared

[contender1]

I too will offer my sincere "Congrats" to your son as well.
As a scout, I earned my Eagle in 1975, and then went on to earn 5 Palms. I was OA, (Brotherhood,) and stayed in my Troop all these years. My Troop is 66 years old, & we've only had 2 Scoutmasters for the first 65 years. During that time, we've had 224 boys earn Eagle. Just last year, the gentleman who headed up our Troop wanted to be able to free up some time to travel to see his grandkids. He's still with our Troop, active & all, just stepped out of SM shoes. He held that position for 20 years. Our founder did it for 45 years.
I've traveled to Philmont twice, and it's a super BSA Base. After 43 years & counting in the same Troop, I hope to see many more.
Tell your son he is part of a lifelong group of special people.
Tell him to always put "Eagle Scout" on any paperwork he can. It WILL open doors. I think the military still awards the E-2 stripe to a new recruit just for having his Eagle.
Glad to hear the news!