Re: Males in GS
Greg Nations (Glnations@AOL.COM)
Fri, 29 May 1998 00:13:12 EDT
I also had an interesting experience with GSUSA. While in the Air Force
assigned to Kirtland AFB, I was convinced (coerced) into becoming a registered
Girl Scout Leader. (My older daughter was a first year Brownie). Even though I
had been a Boy Scout Leader for over 12 years at the time, I still had to go
through Girl Scout Leader training. I participated in numerous events (Cookie
Sergeant, Father/Daughter Activities committee, etc) and continued to serve
with the Chaparral Area Council for the next 18 months, helping to plan
camporees and hikes until I got assigned to RAF Lakenheath, England.
It was there, that I became utterly disgusted with the program as it was
interpreted by the "real" Girl Scout Leaders.
I arrived at the meeting about 20 minutes before it was over to pick up my
daughter. I took a seat and began observing the activities. In about five
minutes, a "leader" came over and asked, "What do you think you're doing
here?". I replied that I had come to pick up my daughter, but wanted to
observe the meeting. The "leader" said, "Only registered Girl Scouts and Girl
Scout Leaders were allowed to attend meetings." I replied okay with me and
showed her my still valid registration card, that had over six months left on
it. After her initial shock, she said, "Let me put it this way, we don't want
men loitering where young girls are meeting", then threatened to call the base
security police on me. I took a complaint to the North Atlantic Girl Scout
district office, where I received a similar "deer in the headlights" look when
I showed my registration card, but received no satisfactory help.
Amazingly enough, about a year later, these same leaders approached the Boy
Scout District Executive for the Mayflower District to solicit help from the
Boy Scout Leaders to prepare the Girl Scouts for their resident camp in
Lachenwald, Germany. Guess who ended up helping.
I know that those "leaders" were not indicative of Girl Scout leaders, but,
because of them, I have not since in over 8 years, renewed my GSUSA
registration. By the way, my older daughter stopped Girl Scouts after about 15
months because of the bad language, teasing of the girls and smoking by the
leaders.
YIS
Gregory L. Nations, MSgt USAF (ret)
ADC/Andrew Jackson Council/Jackson Ms
OA Advisor/Sebooney Okasucca #260
Used to be a Beaver... (NE-VI-29)
Eagle '72
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
