On Being an Eagle Scout

Becoming an Eagle Scout is a milestone to which many young men aspire, but few achieve.  It is certainly a memory that has lasted a lifetime for me.

I fondly remember my days at Highland Heights Methodist Church and my experiences as a member of Pack, Troop and Explorer Post 93, all sponsored by the church.  Friendships made during those formative years are still alive today, and the life lessons learned through Scouting have been a profound influence on my personal and professional life.

My first “real” job came as a result of being an Eagle Scout.  As a college student with few credentials to put on my resume, I fell back on my Scouting achievements (Eagle, God & Country, Order of the Arrow) to enhance my qualifications.  Applying for a highly competitive Graduate Assistantship at Texas A&M University, I needed a resume that would differentiate me from “the crowd”. Little did I know that the individual making the selection was a lifetime Scouter.  He told me later that my reference to Scouting, and particularly my Eagle Scout award is what separated me from the other highly qualified applicants.  He said, “I knew that if you were an Eagle Scout you had a strong work ethic, an ability to finish what you start, and the moral values crucial to the position.” That experience taught me a valuable lesson – always “wear” your Scouting accomplishments with pride.

Much later, as a senior executive in Houston, Texas, I got numerous reminders of the pride that accompanies the Eagle.  I framed my three awards and displayed them prominently in my office.  Without exception, it was the first item guests would question.  Numerous successful businessmen confided in me how they “made it to Life Scout or to Star” but never completed their Eagle. It always made me proud to have that distinction as a symbol of my dedication and hard work.  

Recently, the Scouting message was delivered to me in a poignant manner.  While driving home late at night with my wife, hauling horses to our farm, we were the first to come across a terrible head-on collision between two vehicles. I was sleeping in the back seat of the truck when we encountered the wreck.  Virtually before my wife could stop, I was out of the truck running to the rescue.  Fortunately, my Scout training enabled me to save two young men from shock and serious injury.  My Scout instruction also taught me how to deal with the tragic death of the two drivers, one a 17-year old star athlete.  Without my deep roots in Scouting, I would have been “lost.”  With Scouting, I was a leader in the effort to save lives, avoid other collisions and stabilize the desolate scene until law enforcement could arrive.  I’m not pleased that I experienced this tragedy, but I am proud that I was trained to handle situations like these from an early age.  

After 42 years, I’m still a Scout.  I have the honor of serving on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Sam Houston Area Council.  It’s the largest Boy Scout Council in the world, serving 17 counties in the Greater Houston Area.  My pride in Scouting is as fervent today as the first time I slipped on a neckerchief or recited the Scout Oath.  Scouting is a way of life.  It may drop into the background as a career progresses, but it never disappears. An Eagle sees it when someone struggles with tying a knot and they instinctively know the solution or when it is time to render first aid and they're the one who jumps to the rescue.

I am proud to be among the elite, not only in Scouting, but in the world today.  Scouting builds leaders, and it's a blessing to have achieved the highest rank the organization has to offer.  I strive to keep my Scouting lessons at the forefront of my mind and deeply embedded in my heart. They have guided me on a path of success far beyond my wildest imagination.  And, the journey is still unfolding!