Worth the journey Three Boy Scouts achieved the rank of Eagle Scout during a ceremony here, Oct. 21. Blake Bair, Colt Boehringer, and Steven Shopa received the Eagle Scout Medal, which is the highest award from the Boy Scouts of America. The medals were pinned by 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Commander Col. Kevin Jacobi. According to the Boy Scouts Web site, the award is a performance-based achievement. Scouts must earn 13 mandatory merit badges and complete at least 21 (134 available). “It takes years to achieve the award and in order to qualify, [scouts have] to prove themselves in the realms of leadership, management, [outdoor skills] and citizenship,” said Maj. Scott Shopa, project manager with Western Region, United States Army Health Facility Planning Agency here. Shopa is also an assistant scout leader and father of Steven. He said the capstone to achieving the rank is the completion of a community service project that supports education, environmental responsibility or community benefit. Blake completed his requirements in five years, Colt in three and a half years, and Steven needed two and a half years. The three are members of military families here. “During my six years as a Boy Scout, the greatest experience Ive had was taking the wilderness survival merit badge,” Blake said. “Not only was it incredibly fun, but it was also challenging, testing my mental and physical endurance.” Blake organized and managed the construction of a church reflection area at his local church in Barstow for his service project. Colt organized and managed a refurbishment of the rodeo ring at the ceremonial detachment stables on Fort Irwin. Steven organized, planned and managed the construction of a 20-foot by 20-foot educational garden display for use by the Directorate of Public Works here. Colt has been scouting for nine years and said it has been one of several challenges posed by the dual military service (father now retired) of his parents. The compilation of those years has made life in scouting worth the journey. Steven is the oldest of nine children and involved with soccer, basketball and football. The three Eagle Scouts are now part of a select few, since 1912, that includes: Neil Armstrong, first astronaut to walk on the moon; Stephen Breyer, associate justice, United States Supreme Court; Richard Lugar United States senator, Indiana, and; Steven Spielberg, Academy Award-winning film director. It was an extraordinary achievement for these Boy Scouts, said Shopa. “Only two out of every 100 ever make it to Eagle Scout,” he said. (By Public Affairs Office)
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 21:42:14 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015