As we are returning back to school and work, Troop 649 is here and ready to welcome our youth!  While carefully following safety guidelines, we are anxious to share the scouting program to ALL youth.

For those new to the scouting program, our units offer programs for both boys and girls ranging from 11 to 20!  Troop 649 is for boys ages 11-17 (who have not yet reached their 18th birthday).  Troop 1649 is for girls ranging in age from 11-17 - for those of you who were unaware, girls can now earn the highest rank in Scouts BSA, the Eagle Rank!  And for those youth ages 14-20, you may want to consider Venture Crew 649.  All three units work together, and separately, to offer a variety of activities directed towards youth and the adventure, including cycling, water sports, hiking, snow sports and above all community service!  Scouting offers an opportunity for youth to learn life skills, explore future career opportunities, and build on hobbies and personal interests.

I hope everyone is staying well (and safe) at this time...over the past month, we have had the opportunity to learn (and practice) a few new concepts such as "sheltering in place," "social distancing," and I'm sure your favorite "E-Learning."  So, what are you doing during this time to further advance your scouting career? 

You can hold remote patrol meetings!  There are a variety of platforms out there such as Google Hangouts, Zoom and Discord, to name a few.  We are gearing up to have our first PLC meetings as well as Troop-wide "virtual" meetings!  These meetings will be held on Zoom.  Remember to communicate with your patrol advisor and parents before signing up or onto any video conferencing system.  Once you've established a meeting date and time, think about asking a friend who is not in scouting to join in so they can learn about Scouting.

Did you know that there are 58 merit badges you can complete from home?  These merit badges don't involve a visit to a public place or companies and all of their requirements can be completed indoors or an average-sized yard.  Want to work on a merit badge that requires special materials?  There are plenty of on-line resources or you might be able to secure them from someplace like Michaels or Jo-Ann's Fabrics that offer on-line ordering with curbsite pick-up!  If you don't already have it, I would highly recommend starting your Family Life Merit Badge, after all, you are already stuck at home!  You could even earn a merit badge while working with your patrol with many of the online social networking tools!  Before starting any merit badge, make sure you know all the requirements.  Go to http://usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/list.asp to download requirements and worksheets. 

If you want to know what the other 57 merit badges are, you can find the list here > https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2020/03/20/merit-badges-for-social-distancing/

Merit badge counselors can be found on the San Diego Imperial Council website (https://www.sdicbsa.org/Advancement/CounselorLookup.php) or send me an email and I will let you know if we have a merit badge counselor within the troop that can help you. 

August 28, 2019 Bryan Wendell Cub Scouts, Fun, Scouts BSA, Sea Scouting, Venturing 40 

In the BSA’s early days, councils assigned numbers to new troops numerically. The first troop in a council was Troop 1, the second was Troop 2 and so on.
Today, Cub Scout packs, Scouts BSA troops, Sea Scout ships and Venturing crews get to pick their own one- to four-digit number.

The only rule, in most councils, is that two units from the same program and in the same district can’t have the same unit number. So you won’t see two Troop 57s in the Thunderbird District, for example.

The exception is linked troops, where a Scouts BSA troop for girls and a Scouts BSA troop for boys share a chartered organization and troop committee. Linked troops have the same troop number but are actually separate troops.

Over the years, we’ve heard from a number of packs, troops, crews and ships with the fascinating story behind their unit number. I’ve collected 17 such stories below and would encourage you to share the reason behind your unit number in the comments section at the end of the post.

Let’s get to the numbers.

1. Some historical humorScouts BSA Troop 927’s founding chartered organization was the Los Angeles Police Department. At the time, 927 was the radio code for “investigate unknown trouble.”

2. A nod to a university Sea Scout Ship 1876 of College Station, Texas, is chartered to A&M United Methodist Church. Its number was selected to recognize Texas A&M University. The university opened in 1876.

3. Some wordplay Venturing Crew 820 of Minnesota is a scuba-focused crew.
Its founders wanted the crew’s number to be H2O, but you can’t use letters in a unit number.  So they picked 8, for the eighth letter of the alphabet, and a 0 to represent the O. Thus, 820 was born.

4. A high school throwback Scouts BSA Troop 1632, according to troop legend, selected its number to match the locker combination of one of its members.
That’s 1-6-32.

5. A world geography lesson Boy Scout Troop 38 (which is no longer in operation) of the BSA’s Far East Council was formed in South Korea by a volunteer who was stationed there with his family.  The number is in reference to the 38th parallel, which was the pre-Korean War boundary between North Korea and South Korea.

6. A Scouting history lesson Scouts BSA Troop 28 of Missouri is named after the anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.
The BSA was founded on Feb. 8, or 2/8.

7. A U.S. history lesson Scouts BSA Troop 1920, an all-girl troop from Montgomery Village, Md., is named after a significant moment for women’s rights in this country.
The Scouts selected 1920 because that’s the year the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote.

8. A favorite passage from the Bible Scouts BSA Troop 4031 of Lexington, Tenn., is named after a verse in the Bible: Isiah 40:31. The Scouts in the troop recite this verse at the end of every meeting.
That passage reads: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” “Wings as eagles”? How fitting.

9. One of the 613 commandments given in the Torah Scouts BSA Troop 611 of Brooklyn, N.Y., is named after the 611th commandment in the Torah.
The commandment encourages people of the Jewish faith to “walk in His ways,” which sounds a lot like the Scout Law.

10. A reminder that all Scouts can use Scouts BSA Troop 247 of Concord, Ala., selected its number as a persistent reminder that Scouts should live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law 24 hours a day and seven days a week. They should act like Scouts 24/7.

11. The month and year of the unit’s founding Scouts BSA Troop 498 of Orlando, Fla., like many BSA units, was named after the month and year it was formed.
The troop began operations in April 1998, or 4/98.

12. A bit of amateur radio lingo Venturing Crew 73 of Gwinnett County, Ga., is a ham radio-focused crew.  So the Venturers chose Crew 73 because “73” in ham radio lingo means “best regards.”

13. The numbers on a keypad Scouts BSA Troop 577 of Clifton, Va., is named after its chartered organization: the Little Rocky Run Homeowners Association.
The nickname for the neighborhood is LRR, so just guess how you’d dial “LRR” on a phone number pad.
Yep, it’s 577.
Here’s another example: Scouts BSA Troop 4673 of Atlanta was formed to serve under-represented families in the Korean American community.
On a phone keypad, that number spells out H-O-P-E, which is “what they have a lot of for their next generation of kids,” commenter Shawn says.

14. The answer to the most important question ever Venturing Crew 42 of the Transatlantic Council selected the “answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.”
According to the 1979 science fiction novel The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, that answer is 42.

15. The uniting of Scouts from two other units Scouts BSA Troop 1221 of Amarillo, Texas, was formed when Scouts from Pack 12 and Pack 21 moved from Cub Scouts into Scouts BSA. So it only made sense to combine the two pack numbers into a single number that honored both units.

16. A chartered organization Scouts BSA Troop 1187 of Rapid City, S.D., like a number of units across the country, honors its chartered organization by sharing its number.
The troop is chartered to Elks Lodge 1187. Both Troop 1187 and Lodge 1187 celebrated their 50th birthday last year.

17. The last three numbers of a ZIP code Scouts Troop 422 of Montgomery County, Pa., was named after the last three digits of its ZIP code.
The troop’s ZIP code is 19422.

What’s the best way to pick a number? There’s no single answer.
The best pack, troop or crew number is one that’s memorable and has some type of significance to your unit.

Commenter Phu Tran says that “when I was a BSA professional staffer, I used to suggest new units to use numbers that are associated with their chartered organizations. If not, they should pick a number that reminds them of the time their unit was formed. That way, they could remember their anniversary.”
So a unit formed on Aug. 1, 2019, could be Troop 81, troop 819 or even troop 8119.

Behind every Eagle Scout, there’s a story.
A story of perseverance. Of parents and adult volunteers offering guidance and support. Of merit badges, camping trips and service projects.
Multiply each individual Eagle Scout story by 52,160, and you’ll begin to see just how much impact Eagle Scouts had on their communities in 2018.
Exactly 52,160 young men — representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia — earned Scouting’s highest honor last year.
Let’s dive into the numbers.
Putting the number in perspective

With 52,160 Eagle Scouts, the Class of 2018 is officially the eighth-biggest Eagle Scout class in history.
For comparison, 2012’s record-setting class had 58,659 Eagle Scouts. (See the full year-by-year numbers later in the post.)
If all of those Class of 2018 Eagle Scouts wanted to gather to watch some Major League Baseball, there’s only place they could go.
With a capacity of 56,000, only Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (seen above) is large enough to hold everyone.
To see the full article go to the following Link 
https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2019/02/20/eagle-scout-class-of-2018-a-comprehensive-look-at-the-numbers-behind-the-number/?utm_source=scoutingwire&utm_campaign=swvolunteer2272019&utm_medium=email&utm_content=

When Baden-Powell said “Be Prepared,” I’m pretty sure he wasn’t talking about income tax returns.
But still, there’s no better advice than that two-word phrase during tax time.
Scouters who heeded the Scout Motto last year remembered to track and document their Boy Scouts of America-related expenses. And now, they know that they can include those expenses if they plan to itemize their deductions.
But what if you didn’t know that BSA expenses were deductible? Or what if your “filing system” is really your glove compartment that’s stuffed with gas receipts and crumpled-up napkins? And what qualifies as an eligible expense, anyway?
Your fellow Scouters and I are here to help. Along with other Scout leaders on Facebook, I’ve collected some tips to help you track and deduct your BSA-related expenses.
And with the April 15, 2019, deadline approaching fast, there’s no better time than now to get started.
General facts you need to know Further clarification for this section comes from the Taxwise Giving newsletter (November 2016 edition).

• On IRS Form 1040, “2018 Instructions for Schedule A” [PDF], the Boy Scouts of America is listed by name on page A-9 as a “qualified charitable organization,” so BSA expenses are eligible.
• Five types of contributions can be deducted:
  • Cash/check donations
  • Property donations
  • “Out-of-pocket expenses you paid to do volunteer work”
  • Uniforms for leaders. “Uniforms that aren’t suitable for everyday use and that you wear while performing donated services for a charitable organization are charitable items in the year purchased,” Carr says. “Scout uniforms for leaders qualify.”
  • The cost of driving to and from BSA events
• Some types of relevant contributions cannot be deducted:
  • The value of your time
  • Scouting dues or membership fees
  • A contribution to a specific individual. This includes giving to the BSA and specifying a particular person or Scout as the beneficiary of your donation.
• IRS Publication 526 has lots more info

Easy enough, right? Scouters will mainly be concerned with that third type of eligible deductions, “out-of-pocket expenses you paid to do volunteer work.”
Some items that you purchase to benefit your unit can be deducted, provided your unit didn’t reimburse you for them. You’ll want to check with your tax professional to be sure, but Scouters have told me they deduct merit badge pamphlets, den meeting activity kits, Wood Badge course fees and much more — again, as long as their pack or troop didn’t reimburse them.
However, there’s one expense that I’m certain you can deduct: the cost of driving to and from BSA events.
How to include driving expenses Here’s what the IRS says about mileage:

• First, you’re eligible to deduct the cost of driving to and from the volunteer work, which would include most BSA activities.
• You have two options here:
  • You can take the actual cost of gas and oil, OR
  • You can take 14 cents a mile (Note: The 2018 rate for use of your vehicle to do volunteer work for certain
    charitable organizations remains at 14 cents a mile)
• You can deduct parking and tolls, so add that to the amount you claim under either method above.
• As a reminder, you cannot deduct any expenses, mileage included, that were repaid to you by your unit, district, council or anyone else.
• You also cannot deduct insurance or depreciation on the car.

Traveling as a volunteer If you travel as a volunteer and must be away from home overnight, reasonable payments for meals and lodgings, as well as your transportation costs (previous section), are deductible. Also deductible: your transportation costs (air, rail and bus tickets, or mileage as described in the previous section).
This is where it gets tricky. You can’t deduct travel expenses if there’s a “significant element of personal pleasure, recreation or vacation.” But enjoying your volunteer time doesn’t rule out a deduction.
For example, if you’re an on-duty troop leader who takes Scouts on a BSA camping trip, you may deduct those travel expenses even if you had a good time.
Important caveats Next, there’s the tricky part of “gifts from which you receive benefit.” Let’s say, for example, that you attend your council’s annual dinner. Can you deduct that expense? Sort of.
Here’s what the IRS says: “If you made a gift and received a benefit in return, such as food, entertainment, or merchandise, you can generally only deduct the amount that is more than the value of the benefit.”
So if tickets for the council dinner were $75 and the value of the dinner was $35, you can only deduct $40.
Or if you paid $110 for a $100 gift card at a silent auction, you can only deduct $10.
Make sense?
Also, you’ll want to consult a tax professional or the IRS site for individual gifts of $250 or more. There are special rules that apply to those larger gifts.
How to deduct gifts of more than $250 Here’s what Carr says:
If the leader is deducting more than $250 in a single charitable contribution, he or she should maintain a record of these expenses (credit card receipts for travel, copy of a cancelled check for cash donations), as well a letter from the charitable organization showing:

• Donee’s name
• Contribution date
• Contribution amount
• Indication the donee received no goods or services were in return for the gift.

How tax law changes will affect Scouters Carr says:
For tax year 2018, the threshold for itemizing (filling out the Schedule A) increased from $12,700 for a married-filing-jointly (MFJ) return to $24,000 for an MFJ return.
As a result, a lot of the detailed tracking Scout leaders may have done in the past for charitable givings will no longer be necessary in 2018.
Unless charitable givings, mortgage interest, and state and local tax deductions are greater than $24,000 (MFJ) or $12,000 (single), a Scout leader won’t be itemizing, and as a result the charitable donation won’t be deductible.
Ten tips for keeping track of it all Here are 10 tips your fellow Scouters offered:

1. Theresa W. keeps a “notebook in the car for tracking mileage! Man, it adds up faster than you think!”
2. “I update an Excel Spreadsheet with costs, and a folder for receipts,” says Jeff B. “I print out the Excel table when I do my taxes.”
3. Jamie D. also has a high-tech approach: “I use Mint.com to track all our expenses. I set up a category just for Scouts.”
4. So does Tom H.: “I have a program called Neat Receipts that comes with a scanner. I use it for my expense reports for work. Just drop the receipts in the scanner then categorize them. Set up a group for Scouting and everything is there at tax time.”
5. But Michelle H. prefers the low-tech method: “We have a calendar and a folder (calendar stays in the folder) to keep track of everything!”
6. Patricia L. makes it easy on her accountant: “I keep a file and drop my charitable receipts in it all year. Our accountant appreciated copies of online maps that we used for driving directions. Date, purpose, and mileage all in one place.”
7. Julus P. doesn’t itemize, but he might start some day. “Scouting is not for profit, and not a hobby. Granted, it feels like a hobby sometimes! I don’t keep track of all these things but really should!”
8. For Mark F., it’s not worth the trouble. “I don’t keep up with it. I enjoy being a Cubmaster and camp promotions chair, and so far, it’s cheaper than going to NASCAR races and cheaper than maintaining my boat and related gear I use for fishing!”
9. Shawna R. keeps track of mileage, but not for every trip: “I don’t keep track of mileage for going to the store to pick up Scout items, even if it’s the only thing I’m going to the store for.” That’s probably a good call.
10. And finally, please remember to heed the advice of Ann O.: “Check with your tax person on what you can deduct. It wasn’t as straightforward as I thought, and the rules seem to change.”

Want even more tips? Find them in the comments section below, and please share your own.
Oh, and good luck!

The Boy Scouts of America turns 109 years old on Feb. 8, 2019.

​What do you get the youth movement that has everything? A list of 109 Scouts who became famous.  The list includes presidents and Pulitzer Prize recipients, astronauts and athletes, celebrities and CEOs.

Astronauts, doctors, explorers and inventors

• Peter Agre, biologist who received 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Eagle Scout, Class of 1964)
• Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon
• Dr. James Andrews, surgeon who has treated many high-profile athletes, including Drew Brees and Charles Barkley (Eagle Scout)
• Neil Armstrong, astronaut and first man to walk on the moon (Eagle Scout, Class of 1947)
• Lee Berger, National Geographic explorer and paleoanthropologist (Eagle Scout, Class of 1983)
• Guion Bluford, first African-American in space (Eagle Scout)
• Thomas Cech, chemist who received 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Eagle Scout, Class of 1962)
• Roger Chaffee, astronaut who was killed in the Apollo 1 mission (Eagle Scout, Class of 1951)
• Charles Duke, astronaut and 10th man to walk on the moon (Eagle Scout, Class of 1946)
• Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of the modern television (Eagle Scout, Class of 1932)
• Steve Fossett, record-setting aviator (Eagle Scout, Class of 1957)
• Jim Lovell, astronaut who was commander of Apollo 13 mission (Eagle Scout, Class of 1943)
• William Moerner, physicist who received 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Eagle Scout, Class of 1967)
• Ellison Onizuka, astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion (Eagle Scout, Class of 1964)
• Paul Siple, Antarctic explorer who coined the term “wind chill” (Eagle Scout, Class of 1924)
• E. O. Wilson, researcher, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and the world’s top ant expert (Eagle Scout, Class of 1944)

Athletes, coaches and sports executives

• Hank Aaron, baseball Hall of Famer
• Willie Banks, Olympian and former world record-holder (Eagle Scout, Class of 1971)
• Bill Bradley, former basketball player for the New York Knicks and Hall of Famer (Eagle Scout, Class of 1957)
• Chan Gailey, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills (Eagle Scout, Class of 1966)
• Don Garlits, engineer who is considered the father of drag racing (Eagle Scout, Class of 1946)
• Pat Gillick, retired professional baseball executive and Hall of Famer (Eagle Scout, Class of 1951)
• Josh Hart, basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers (Eagle Scout, Class of 2013)
• Steven Holcomb, gold medalist in bobsled at 2010 Winter Olympics (Eagle Scout, Class of 1995)
• Michael Jordan, former NBA player and current NBA team owner
• Tommy Lasorda, former baseball manager and Hall of Famer
• Ewing Kauffman, former owner of the Kansas City Royals and the man after whom their stadium is named (Eagle Scout, Class of 1931)
• Ray Malavasi, former head coach of the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams (Eagle Scout, Class of 1944)
• Peter McLoughlin, president of the Seattle Seahawks (Eagle Scout, Class of 1971)
• Emery Moorehead, former tight end who won Super Bowl XX with the Chicago Bears (Eagle Scout, Class of 1969)
• Jim Mora, former head coach of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts (Eagle Scout, Class of 1950)
• Nolan Ryan, former MLB pitcher and current Houston Astros executive
• Alberto Salazar, three-time winner of the New York City Marathon
• Mark Spitz, gold medal-winning Olympic swimmer
• Joe Theismann, former NFL quarterback
• Shane Victorino, former pro baseball outfielder who won three Gold Gloves (Eagle Scout, Class of 1996)
• Ken Whisenhunt, offensive coordinator for Los Angeles Chargers and former head coach of Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans (Eagle Scout, Class of 1976)
• Steve Young, former NFL quarterback and sports broadcaster

Authors and journalists

• Walter Cronkite, journalist, CBS Evening News anchor
• Clive Cussler, best-selling adventure novelist (Eagle Scout, Class of 1946)
• Brandon Mull, author of the children’s fantasy series Fablehaven (Eagle Scout, Class of 1993)
• Harrison Salisbury, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who covered the civil rights movement, Kennedy assassination and Vietnam War (Eagle Scout, Class of 1924)

Civil rights leaders

• Ernest Green, civil rights activist and member of the Little Rock Nine (Eagle Scout, Class of 1956)
• Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights icon
• Percy Sutton, civil rights leader, Tuskegee Airmen pilot, entrepreneur who revitalized the Apollo Theater in New York (Eagle Scout, Class of 1936)

Entertainers

• Jack Black, actor in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, School of Rock and the Kung Fu Panda franchise
• Frank Blair, former host of NBC’s Today show (Eagle Scout, Class of 1930)
• Jimmy Buffett, Grammy Award-winning musician
• Tony Cavalero, actor in School of Rock on Nickelodeon (Eagle Scout, Class of 2001)
• Rob Corddry, former correspondent for The Daily Show and actor in Warm Bodies and Childrens Hospital (Eagle Scout, Class of 1988)
• Harrison Ford, actor in Blade Runner and the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises
• Zach Galifianakis, actor in the Hangover trilogy, The Lego Batman Movie and A Wrinkle in Time (Eagle Scout, Class of 1986)
• Nolan Gould, actor in ABC’s Modern Family
• Richard Gere, actor in Pretty Woman and Chicago
• Andy Griffith, actor in The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock
• William Hanna, animator and voice actor who co-founded Hanna-Barbera (Eagle Scout, Class of 1924)
• Jon Heder, actor in Napoleon Dynamite (Eagle Scout, Class of 1994)
• Derek Hough, actor and Dancing with the Stars champion
• Jay Leno, former host of NBC’s The Tonight Show
• Andy Lewis, world champion slackliner who performed in Super Bowl XLVI (Eagle Scout, Class of 2002)
• John Lithgow, Tony- and Emmy-winning actor, known for roles in 3rd Rock from the Sun and The Crown
• David Lynch, Academy Award-nominated director of The Elephant Man and creator of the murder mystery TV series Twin Peaks (Eagle Scout, Class of 1962)
• Ozzie Nelson, bandleader and actor who starred in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (Eagle Scout, Class of 1920)
• Jeff Orlowski, documentary filmmaker who made Chasing Ice and Chasing Coral (Eagle Scout, Class of 2000)
• Chris Pratt, actor in Parks and Recreation and Guardians of the Galaxy 
• Dan Reynolds, lead singer of the band Imagine Dragons (Eagle Scout, Class of 2004)
• Evan Roe, actor in Madam Secretary on CBS (Eagle Scout, Class of 2015)
• Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs (Eagle Scout, Class of 1979)
• Glen Schofield, one of the creators of the Call of Duty videogame franchise (Eagle Scout, Class of 1977)
• Steven Spielberg, Academy Award-winning director of Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan(Eagle Scout, Class of 1961)
• Creek Stewart, survivalist and host of SOS: How to Survive on The Weather Channel (Eagle Scout, Class of 1990)
• Jimmy Stewart, Academy Award-winning actor in The Philadelphia Story
• George Strait, Grammy Award-winning musician
• John Tesh, pianist, composer and Emmy-winning TV host (Eagle Scout, Class of 1968)
• James Valentine, guitarist of the band Maroon 5 (Eagle Scout, Class of 1996)
• John Wayne, Academy Award-winning actor in True Grit

Politicians and public officials

• Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and former New York City mayor (Eagle Scout, Class of 1954)
• James Brady, former White House Press Secretary (Eagle Scout, Class of 1955)
• Stephen Breyer, Supreme Court justice (Eagle Scout, Class of 1952)
• George W. Bush, 43rd U.S. president
• Tom C. Clark, former Supreme Court justice (Eagle Scout, Class of 1914)
• Bill Clinton, 42nd U.S. president
• Gerald Ford, 38th U.S. president (Eagle Scout, Class of 1927)
• Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense (Eagle Scout, Class of 1958)
• Jon Huntsman Jr., U.S. ambassador to Russia (Eagle Scout, Class of 1975)
• John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. president
• Henry Paulson, former Secretary of the Treasury (Eagle Scout, Class of 1960)
• Ross Perot, founder of Electronic Data Systems and presidential candidate (Eagle Scout, Class of 1943)
• Rick Perry, Secretary of Energy and former governor of Texas (Eagle Scout, Class of 1964)
• Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense (Eagle Scout, Class of 1949)
• Jeff Sessions, Attorney General (Eagle Scout, Class of 1963)
• Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State and former CEO of ExxonMobil (Eagle Scout, Class of 1965)
• Togo West, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Eagle Scout, Class of 1957)

Business leaders

• Stephen Bechtel Jr., founder of Bechtel Corp., the largest construction and civil engineering company in the United States, benefactor of the Summit Bechtel Reserve (Eagle Scout, Class of 1940)
• Charles Dolan, founder of HBO (Eagle Scout, Class of 1941)
• Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft
• William Gates Sr., philanthropist and father of Bill Gates (Eagle Scout, Class of 1941)
• Howard Lincoln, former chairman of Nintendo of America and the Seattle Mariners (Eagle Scout, Class of 1955)
• Bill Marriott, executive chairman of Marriott International (Eagle Scout, Class of 1947)
• Michael Mauler, CEO of GameStop (Eagle Scout, Class of 1975)
• Jim Rogers, former president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America (Eagle Scout, Class of 1965)
• T. Gary Rogers, former CEO of Dreyer’s Ice Cream (Eagle Scout, Class of 1956)
• Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines (Eagle Scout, Class of 1976)
• Sam Walton, founder of Walmart (Eagle Scout, Class of 1934)
• David Weekley, founder and chairman of David Weekley Homes (Eagle Scout, Class of 1969)

Soldiers and war heroes

• Arthur Eldred, first Eagle Scout and Navy veteran (Eagle Scout, Class of 1912)
• Thomas Norris, Navy SEAL who received Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War (Eagle Scout, Class of 1959)
• Mitchell Paige, Marine who received Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942 (Eagle Scout, Class of 1936)
• Leo K. Thorsness, Air Force colonel who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War (Eagle Scout, Class of 1949)

By Aaron Derr​

Earning the rank of Eagle Scout isn’t supposed to be easy. If it were, everyone would do it.
​
The fact that it’s difficult is what makes it so great.
In addition to continuing to live the Scout Oath and Scout Law, before you earn the rank of Eagle, you must be active in your troop for at least six months as a Life Scout. You have to explain how your understanding of the Scout Oath and Scout Law will guide your life in the future.

You have to earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than required for the Life rank), including 13 Eagle-required and eight optional. And you have to serve actively in your troop for a minimum of six months in one or more positions of responsibility.
Whew! That’s a lot of stuff. And we haven’t even gotten to the part where you have to plan, develop and lead others in a service project helpful to any school, any religious institution or your community.

Don’t worry. You’ve got this. We’re here to show you the way.

Here are the most important steps in completing the most challenging — and rewarding — part of Scouting: the Eagle Scout service project.

EARN THE RANK OF LIFE SCOUT - First things first. While there’s no harm in talking at any time with a parent, Scoutmaster or other trusted adult about what might make a good project, we suggest you focus on the present. The first four words of the Eagle Scout service project requirement stated in The Boy Scout Handbook, Boy Scout Requirements book and section 9.0.2.0 in the BSA’s Guide to Advancement read: “While a Life Scout … ”

Check out the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook and the Guide to Advancement topics 9.0.2.0 — 9.0.2.14. It’s a lot of reading, but there’s tons of valuable information in there — and knowing this stuff in advance will keep you from wasting your time working on a project that doesn’t even qualify.
GET WITH YOUR UNIT OR DISTRICT’S LIFE-TO-EAGLE COORDINATOR Get with your unit or district’s Life-to-Eagle Coordinator (or similarly named adult leader) and avoid these common mistakes:
• Eagle Scout projects can’t be fundraisers. You can raise funds necessary to execute your project, but you can’t stage an effort that primarily collects money, even if it’s for the worthiest charity of all time.
• Your project must benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America. So don’t worry about doing anything for your local council, district, unit or camp. Focus on something like your unit’s chartered organization or another worthy organization.
• Wait for your project to be approved before you start. The form for preparing a proposal appears in the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, No. 512-927. Again: Don’t waste your time raising funds and recruiting volunteers for a project that might not even be approved. It happens. It stinks. Don’t be that person.

THINK OF WHAT YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT - Does your house of worship mean the world to you? Maybe there’s a project there. Talk to your religious leader about what they need. Are you a sports fan? Maybe your local youth sports leagues need some help with their facility. Do you have fond memories of a particular park or playground in your neighborhood? Talk to local officials about what can be done to improve it. Love to read? Visit your local library and see what it needs. Were you ever under advanced medical care? Did you ever need physical therapy? Health-care-related places would be excellent beneficiaries of an Eagle Scout project.

PLAN AND DEVELOP YOUR OWN PROJECT - Volunteering at a blood drive that’s already been organized would not be an Eagle Scout project. Organizing a blood drive using a set of instructions from the blood bank would not be an Eagle Scout project. However, creating a blood drive from scratch — with your own marketing plan and everything — could meet the requirements.

GIVE LEADERSHIP TO OTHERS - An Eagle Scout project should not be so simple that you can do it on your own. You need to give leadership to at least two other people. The helpers can be of any age appropriate for the work, and they don’t have to be already involved in Scouting.

BE SAFE - An Eagle Scout project is an official Scouting activity. Everything in the Guide to Safe Scouting applies. You don’t have to read the whole thing, but you can search for terms such as “tools” or “helmets” in the online guide. Additionally, projects are considered part of the troop’s program and are treated as such with regard to policies, procedures and requirements regarding Youth Protection, two-deep leadership, etc. Your troop’s adult leadership has the same responsibility to ensure safety in conducting a project as with any other unit activity.

HAVE FUN! - Completing an Eagle Scout project is a lot of work. It will also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Take a deep breath and do your best. It’s something you’ll remember forever.