time in scouting as youth and as adults

[Lisabob 13]

Scanning through some threads, it occurs to me that there are a lot of adults here who were scouts for a fairly brief time (a year, two maybe) in their youth and then dropped out, only to come back and spend far more time in the program as adult scouters.

 

I'm curious, for those who had that experience - what, if anything, about your youth experience have you found relevant to your adult scouting experience? And do you think that your youth experience, short as it may have been, had much impact on your decision to join back up as an adult?

 

Really I'm just being nosy I guess, but I was thinking about retention and what boys get from the program, and I found myself wondering about some of the boys I've met who didn't stay with it very long. I wonder which of them will end up as longtime adult scouters and what they'll end up making of their rather short youth scouting experience, if anything. Is it just something they did for a little while or will it turn out to have been pretty meaningful, for all that it was brief?

 

 

[GernBlansten 10]

I was a cubby, don't really remember when I became one, it wasn't a very important part of my life, but I crossed over into a troop. Both of my brothers were scouts (one Eagle, one Life) but they were 10 years older than me. I made it through Tenderfoot in one year then quit. It just wasn't fun. We had a great SM who made it fun, but tragically died of heart failure about 6 months after I joined. Another leader filled in. He was active military, and turned the troop into his little regiment. Uniform inspections each week, lots of yelling and drilling. No fun. His sons became little dictators and really made it no fun. I just quit going.

Fast forward 25 years, my 8 year old son wants to join cubs. I roll my eyes and say OK. I was expecting the same leader types I saw as a youth. Nope, just nice people. No agendas. He gets his AOL and crosses over. He's a type 1 diabetic and Mrs. Blansten wants me to at least bird dog him for his first year camping. I sign up as a leader and attend every campout including summer camp. The leaders are not the ones I remember from my youth. Nice people. No agendas. I get trained. Become an ASM. Now in my 4th year in the troop, I feel more like a scout than a scouter. I've been to Northern Tiers, Philmont and soon SeaBase. I've done OKPIK and 3 summer camps. I guess I'm just making up for lost time. Over 120 nights camping and still counting!

[John-in-KC 311]

I was a Cub from 8-11, took a couple months off (had to find a Troop), then was a Boy Scout or Explorer from 11-17. Earned Life, entered OA, backpacked 3 different trails.

 

All this during Viet Nam and the meltdown of the late 60s/early 70s, when the older half of my "life group" (boomers) were taking American society to Hell (and we've not come back imnsho).

 

Granted, Dad had been in the Army, and I shared his campfire tales, but nights in the field in Scouting were part of what propelled me into ROTC and then into the Army.

 

Fast forward to my son being 8, and it's time to re-join the movement. Now, mine is not unique, but it's my story: When my bride decided I was surplus to needs, and also decided to attack on custody, a good port in the storm was to go active as a volunteer in Scouting.

 

I've not looked back. Great people, good times, chances to serve, chances to share.

 

Adult Association is a method which works for Scouters too!!

 

Does that give you the feedback you needed Lisa?

[infoscouter 11]

I was a Girl Scout from age 8 to 22, and then a GS leader for a year. Earned 1st Class (70s equivalent of the Gold Award). Didn't do a lot of camping, but learned group leadership skills, working with younger girls (I was what's the equivalent of a Den Chief for a Junior GS Troop). During college was a member of Campus Scouts and worked with Cadettes and Seniors, also had a Brownie Troop. Canoeing, hiking and outdoor cooking were major program features.

 

Got married to a former Boy Scout (Life) and had three boys - walked into Join scouting Night in 1990 and asked for an application. Still here.

 

I don't remember much of what I did. I remember single events, but mostly just have a general impression of having lots of fun. What I absorbed was the ethos of the movement - care of/appreciation for nature, leadership development, exploration of interests and new adventures. That's what I try and pass on.

[evmori 11]

Never was a Scout as a youth. Been an adult leader for 20 years.

 

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[struax 10]

Was a Cub Scout and than went on to Webelos , got the AOL and crossed over to Boy Scouts, while in the States it was really a great time, camping, Jamborees, meeting day dressup for school, really helped with pride and sence of community. But never made it past Tenderfoot, Iceland was not the place to be in Scouting at that time. When we got back to the States never really got back into it so just dropped out.......

 

Fast forward, son turned 6 (Tiger Cub) and in his school "all" the boys join Scouts.

 

So really i am going to start and live vicariously through him for awhile and help out as Den Leader now and who knows what for the future.

 

Wouldlike to see him have at best the same type of Cub Scout experience as I had, and hopefully a stronger and better experience as a Boy Scout.

Scott

 

 

 

[raisinemright 13]

I was a Cub for 3-4 years. I think I got AOL but never crossed into Boy Scouts. It was weird, I never remember any conversation in the pack about moving onto Boy Scouts at all.

 

Fast forward 30 some years. I'm now the dad to four kids. Two girls who did the cookie thing for many years then it was the boys turn. One of my buddy's got his kid into Tiger cubs and it seemed pretty cool. The next year, mine was old enough so we joined Tigers and had a blast. He's now a new Tenderfoot. Six of those original Tigers are still together in the Patrol. Son #2 is a Bear. I'm completely sucked into the program. Bear DL, ACM, ASM with the troop and helping a bunch of boys earn their backpacking MB.

 

Newsflash, I ain't doing this just for the kids.

[Hunt 11]

I was a Webelos, and then a Scout for about a year and a half. My story is similar to Gern's--it stopped being fun, when the leaders became much more obsessed with uniforms and drilling. I was also a pretty unathletic kid, and found hiking pretty difficult.

 

I've gotten involved as an adult because my son really likes it--he's much more outdoorsy than I was. (I still do mostly indoor stuff as a Scouter--Advancement, etc.)

 

I have to add, though, that even my brief time in Scouts had a lasting impact on my attitudes--I still remember the Scout Law, for example.

[gwd-scouter 11]

I was a Girl Scout for about a year. Back in the 60s we didn't do much more than learning to cook and sew - you know, ladies work.

 

I wanted to be a Boy Scout like my three brothers. Watched them head off on camping trips, sat through their Courts of Honor. Oldest brother achieved highest rank of the three and earned Life. No Eagles in my family.

 

I was thrilled when older son came home from 1st grade and said he wanted to join Cub Scouts. "Hooray," I thought, "I get to be a Boy Scout now."

 

Thus, my journey in Scouting began. I was his Den Leader from Tiger through Webelos. Older son crossed over to the Troop and I became Cubmaster for the Pack. Younger son joined Tigers one year later and I remained five more years with him as Cubmaster while his Dad worked as Asst. Den Leader and as Asst. Scoutmaster for older son in the Troop.

 

Then, younger son, Dad and I crossed over to the Troop we've been with for four years now.

 

That makes 15 years for me as a Scouter. Looking ahead, I hope to continue to contribute in some way to Scouting for many more years.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

I was in Cub Scouts at whatever age you started Cub Scouts in the early 60's. My mother was a Den Mother. I crossed over to Boy Scouts and earned Eagle. I have commented before there was a time when we didnt wear our field uniform for about 24 months, it was the suburbs of Chicago and after the 68 Democratic Convention being a boy scout was fodder for a pounding. But, while a boy scout met the Charter Organization Rep. HE was a friend of my father but I never realized how cool he was. He taught me Green Grow the Rushes Ho and a few other camp favorites. His name was Melvin Brockman. Then my son started Cub Scouts and issues with my job kept me from being really active, but then when he crossed over to Boy Scouts I had more time. At first I thought I would just help out and not wear the uniform, just be a concerned. That didnt last long. So, I have been an Assistant Scoutmaster, Unit Committee member, District Advancement Chair, Council Venturing CHair, ADC for Venturing and Venturing Trainer. When I look back, I think about Mr Brockman, the first adult I ever met who was cool.

[Ohio_Scouter 10]

Hi Lisabob,

 

I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, in the late 50s and early-to-mid 60s. My fondest memeories of Scouting at that time were mostly about camping, boating, and fishing with other scouts. We did a lot of this up on Lake Erie during the spring, summer, and autumn months. High school and other interests together with the fact that our Troop didn't have much of a High Adventure program contributed to me leaving Scouts after I achieved Second Class rank.

 

Thirty plus years later, I was fortunate enough to find a Pack and an associated Troop for my son in Southwest Ohio that had a great High Adventure program. We camped, hiked, backpacked, rock climbed and rappelled, caved, canoed and kayaked, shot archery, rifle, shotguns, blackpowder, and did lots of other mountain-man stuff.

 

On top of all that, every year we did one high-adventure trip like white-water rafting on Class IV and V rapids on the New or Gallatin Rivers, backpacked and climbed 12,000 feet into the Rockies in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks, canoed and portaged over 60 miles at Northern Tier in Ontario, Canada, sailed and fished the Atlantic at Florida Seabase, and backpacked 75+ miles at Philmont Scout Ranch.

 

In my opinion, as Scouts get older, they need new activities to keep their interests alive. For us, it was a great high adventure program that kept us active and involved in Scouts for all these years.

[scoutldr 732]

I joined Cub Scouts as a 9 year old in 1963(joining age then was 8), so I skipped the Wolf rank and went straight to Bear, Lion and Webelos, Arrow of Light. Joined a troop at age 11 and spent 3 years to get to Life, then transferred to an Explorer Post. Made Eagle as an Explorer at age 16, graduated HS and off to college at age 17.

 

#1 Son born in 1978, and becomes a Bobcat as soon as he's old enough to join (didn't do Tigers). I serve one year as DL, then CM for 5 years, then we formed a Troop with the graduating Webs. That was ~1989, and I've served as SM and CC since then with additional time on the District Committee and the OA chapter. Both sons aged out as Star and Life by 2000.

 

Still plugging away...but I'm slowing down and may pull the plug in the next year or so. Time to move on toward retirement, a second career, and other interests. And time to give the younger parents an opportunity to provide "cheerful service".

[resqman 108]

Was in Cub scouts one year. Boring. Webelos was better. Earned AOL and den moved up to Boy Scouts. Earned Life and joined an Explorer Post at age 14. Earned Eagle and stayed in until went off to college. My Dad was ASM while in the troop and Asst. Post Advisor while in Explorers. He became the Post Advisor when I went to college and kept the Post alive for several years.

 

20 odd years later I encouraged my oldest boy to join. He joined in May as a Tiger. Summer activities were limited. He quit and took up sports by mid fall. 4 years later, younger son started as a Wolf. I became den leader and later WDL. All members of the den earned AOL and moved on to troops. Son is tenderfoot after 8 months and I am an ASM.

 

During the 20 odd year gap between scouts I joined a volunteer fire department. I moved and joined a different department. Earned my EMT. Once kids came along I took a break for a couple years. I missed belonging to something so went looking for a Search & Rescue team. Joined a rescue squad that had a SAR team. The rescue squad also performed Trench, Confined Space, Building Collapse, Rope, Swiftwater, and for a while Hazardous Materials response. They dropped Haz Mat and added a Dive team. The chief is an Eagle scout.

 

It was a group of mostly males who wore uniforms, met regularly to practice skills, earned certifications, were awarded patches, provided community service, and went camping and hiking (SAR). The rescue squad was divided into teams with officers that specialized in specific rescue disiplines. The SAR team members had personal equipment they carried in Packs while the rescue squad provided common gear like night vision goggles, radios, and GPS units.

 

Monthly training consisted of two full weekend days. Specific requirements were taught. Skills tested and written tests taken. State certifications were awarded after succesfull completion of a set number of requirements which took 200-250 hours of training. Members were encouraged to complete as many certifications as possible but not required. Experienced members became certified trainers and we taught classes to other rescue squads.

 

Once a year we would travel to the coast for water training. Members were taught skills and then put allowed to push the limits of their training in the extreme currents and waves.

 

For me it was a decade of Boy Scouting for adults. I was taught skills, tested on those skills, and then later asked to teach those skills. We had high adventure outings.

[ASM857 10]

Started as a cub going through Webelos and earned my Arrow of light. Crossed over to the Troop and worked my way to Life when the Troop disolved due to leadership. Thats why when my son joined scouts, I went with him starting as committee member, Bear& Webelos Den leader, and now Assistant Scout Master. I got from my time as a scout & now a scouter if we keep the program challanging, and fun the boy's stay interested.

 

YIS

Doug Buth

[insanescouter 10]

Youth 1982 - 1993

Adult 1993 - Present

 

Total 25 years

 

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

Helping leaders one resource at a time ...