Scouts and the Space Program

[HiLo 10]

How much of a connection is there really between Scouting and the Astronauts? Here in Australia we have a recruitment poster that occasionally gets recycled which has a dramatic picture of footprints on the Moon, and the Earth in the background, with the caption "Scouting can take you places." It''s one of my favorites. (But I''m old, and I''m not sure how much it means to kids of today.)

 

Now, I know Neil Armstrong was an Eagle Scout. But a friend in Scouting made a claim recently that ALL the footprints on the moon were made by Scouts. I was a bit surprised. Is it true? It seemed a bit unlikely to me. But I thought I''d come to the experts for advice before I picked a fight.

 

Anyone know more details?

[cheffy 10]

Try this link,

according to BSA 11 of the 12 to walk were involvedin scouting.

 

http://scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=xx&c=ds&terms=scouts+and+apollo+space+missions

[Pack212Scouter 10]

Acording to BSA...

 

Of the 312 pilots and scientists selected as astronauts

since 1959, 180 were Scouts or have been active in Scouting: 40 Eagle

Scouts, 25 Life Scouts, 14 Star Scouts, 26 First Class Scouts, 17 Second

Class Scouts, 13 Tenderfoot Scouts, three Explorers, 27 Cub Scouts, 10

Webelos Scouts, and five with unknown ranks.

Of the 12 men to physically walk on the moons surface, 11 were involved in

Scouting. And don''t forget about Jim Lovel of Apollo 13.

[frank10 12]

http://www.scouting.org/factsheets/02-558.html

[Aquila 10]

Do you have Scouts interested in space? Even though he''s back already, Scouts can still earn a temporary patch from CharlesInSpace.com. They have a special Scout section. The boys read the site, then take a (very easy) quiz. Print out the certificate and take to the Scout Shop for the free patch. Call your Scout Shop first to make sure it''s still available (it was originally an April 2007 patch). The patches themselves are beautiful, and the site is well laid out, intuitive, and informative.

[HiLo 10]

Thanks for your help, all of you. I feel much better informed.