Navy Seal Meeting Cub Scouts

[mattman578 117]

I have made arrangements for my scouts to meet a real navy seal and I want to work with the boys before hand to get  a bunch or good questions.  Here is the starting list.

 

what was your longest hike

what was the most your camp outside

what is your fav MRE

how many push up can you do

what is the longest you have swam

what is your fave piece of gear

 

I am thinking about doing this meeting at a park and having a race between the scouts and the seal and see who can do the playground obstacle course the fastest.  

 

Do you guys have any questions you would ask a Navy Seal or what would you do for a game with the kids and him ?

 

[Gone 435]

I have made arrangements for my scouts to meet a real navy seal and I want to work with the boys before hand to get  a bunch or good questions.  Here is the starting list.

 

what was your longest hike

what was the most your camp outside

what is your fav MRE

how many push up can you do

what is the longest you have swam

what is your fave piece of gear

 

I am thinking about doing this meeting at a park and having a race between the scouts and the seal and see who can do the playground obstacle course the fastest.  

 

Do you guys have any questions you would ask a Navy Seal or what would you do for a game with the kids and him ?

 

We have two in our unit. They love young kids. Have a few starter questions and then the ball should get rolling. He could show them some of the things they do "the SEAL way" like push ups, etc. Most of these guys are dads too, so they know how to work with young kids.

 

Favorite piece of gear? LOL....I know the answers my guys would give.

[Stosh 3452]

We have two in our unit. They love young kids. Have a few starter questions and then the ball should get rolling. He could show them some of the things they do "the SEAL way" like push ups, etc. Most of these guys are dads too, so they know how to work with young kids.

 

Favorite piece of gear? LOL....I know the answers my guys would give.

 

Sonic screwdriver?

[Gone 435]

Sonic screwdriver?

 

M91A2 or M4A1.  But you need your spotter for the first one. 

Edited August 10, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[AKdenldr 33]

Is he coming in some type of uniform?

 

I had great success as a cub leader asking military members (who were in a uniform) why uniforms are important.

[Troop185 44]

Years ago, when I was a Webelos Leader (and Assistant Scoutmaster), the Scoutmaster's son-in-law, was a Navy Seal, station at Selfridge Air Force Base.  Selfridge is about 30 miles from us.  For a year or so, he became an Assistant Scoutmaster in our troop.  I invited him over to my house, to talk to the Webelos about his training, etc. 

 

His normal daily schedule was to rise at 5:00 a.m., swim 8 miles in Lake St. Clair by himself (he told me - he had a beeper in case of problems); run 12 miles, shoot 100 - 200 rounds or so, on different weapons; take a shower / eat breakfast, and then teach hand to hand combat on the base, during the day.  One of his other jobs was to recover dead bodies, in the bottom of Lake Huron, and other large lakes.

 

The Webelos did not have any problems coming up with questions to ask!  I do not remember anyone moving for over an hour, while the Navy Seal told us his stories.

[Cambridgeskip 658]

I've had a Sergeant Major from the army and a Royal Navy officer visit cubs and scouts respectively.

 

On both occasions the kids were slightly in awe of them and a little bit of ice needed breaking but once they got going the questions didn't stop! You'll have a fantastic night.

[blw2 433]

I had hoped a few times to get uniformed military to visit.  My closest attempt was a toys for tots campaign.

 

The program is run by the Marine Corp League, but they were going to arrange for an active duty Marine or Two to come along.

 

Sadly, our collection box was pathetic leading up to the meeting, so I called them knowing that the uniformed guys were spread thin.  I was frankly embarrassed. 

 

and so only a couple of retired League guys came.  They were Viet Nam vets.

 

Which would have been more than fine anyway

 

But despite my attempts to talk with the guys before they came, I only had a very brief conversation before the meeting, and then they showed up late....

So there was insufficient time to really prep them, and me...

 

I purposely left it to them, thinking that the best presentation would be something that they felt passionate about, not what i wanted them to talk about....

I just suggested that they speak a bit about the program, then talk about their service....

a couple hints that it would be great to talk about patriotism, the flag, the uniform, respect, their service, etc....

 

Well, it was a flop.

They talked about toys for tots

flubbed a bit about patriotism or some such thing

and then dodged any questions about their service, only skirting around it.

they were unprepared and nervous, and it showed.... and the boys picked up on that.

 

My read was that there were two things perhaps in play

1) they were likely uncertain of being too crude or inappropriate with the little guys and likely didn't know how to convert R rated stories down to G or PG

2) they may very well have had PTSD of some sort and didn't really want to talk about it.

 

... and in the end, the box went from something like 4 toys in it to overflowing the night of the meeting.  It seems that the pack and also the CO's youth group delivered their donations the night of the pack meeting!

So in hindsight I should have let the uniformed Marines come!  Ugh, I was ticked!

 

My point to this long story:

• I suggest you meet with your guest before the meeting, or at least have a good phone conversation.
• Don't assume that he knows kids or what's appropriate.  
• Encourage him to open up.
• Prompt him with your seed topics before hand.
• ​Let him talk about what he's passionate about, if he has something in mind....

[Stosh 3452]

I occasionally get asked to do a program for Blue/Golds on the Civil War.  This usually occurs when the regular program bails on them and they are in desperate mode for some kind of programming for the banquet.  I get a call the day before begging for help.  The first time I said sure, I could help.  They assured me it would be only a half-hour fill needed.  No problem.

 

Okay, the boys had no idea was the Civil War even was, but I had guns and swords and ... and... and... They slept in those tents?  No hiking boots? They carried their food in what? Didn't that make them sick? etc. 

 

I kept waiting for the CM or someone in authority to cut off the discussion but they didn't   Eventually, I cut off the discussion after an hour and a half, much to the chagrin of everyone,  

 

We have had the local D.A.R.E. officer show up to do the annual discussion on drugs, etc. and every year the discussion always ends up with something on his belt, his gun, his baton, cuffs, etc.  

 

One year the D.A.R.E. officer showed up with the dog that sniffs out certain substances (which can't be mentioned on the forum) and that was a big sell for the boys as well.  I'm thinking that if the dog shows up next year wearing a gun, that will be the most excellent preso for the boys, ever!