The Girl Scouts

To an adult, the girl scouts represent a group that is frequently hawking their cookies. Now I am not saying that these cookies are not delicious. However it seems that I am constantly being hit up to buy some of these things. Luckily such a purchase serves two causes. I get to eat delicious cookies. And the girl scouts get some of their activities funded.

The importance of the girl scouts has a different meaning to a young boy scout. Although the boy and girl scouts are separate, I often find that their meetings coincide at the same place and location. Furthermore, families that are active in scouting will usually belong to both boy and girl scouts depending on the gender of the children. I have heard it from a boy scouts mouth that an exciting part of their weekly meeting is the opportunity to be near some cute girl scouts. That sounds about right to me.

Boy Scout Salute

The Boys Scouts are not officially linked to any military organizations. However they do perform a special salute. It is done with the three middle fingers extended outward, while the thumb pins down the little finger.

The salute is used in the presence of other scouts as a form of greeting. It also connotes a sign of respect. The three fingers of the salute each have a separate meaning. These are Honor God and the King, Help Others, and Obey the Scout Law.

This detailed meaning of the three fingers is universal for scouting. There are some variation. Cubs scouts salute with two fingers. And in the United States, the salute is reserved for being in the presence of the American flag. You normally do not salute other scouts here in the USA.

Badges for Merit

The Boys Scouts of America have an intricate set of badges or honors that can be earned as a scout progresses along. These are usually placed on the scout's uniform in a designated fashion. To the casual observer, there would appear to be a number of items attached to the scout uniform. However there is a rhyme and reason to the positioning of these mementos.

Most badges of recognition are awarded in a ceremony. This ceremony is the court of honor. The advancements are acknowledged and presented by an adult. I have seen scouts called out and walk up to receive their badges. This normally occurs with a scout's troop, or local affiliation.

The highest level of honor, the Eagle Scout, is usually conferred in a separate ceremony due to the significance of the award. I personally know an Eagle scout. However I have never witnessed the actual promotion of a scout to an Eagle.

The Eagle Scout

The highest level that can be attained in the Boy Scout of America is the Eagle Scout. Very few progress to this level in scouting. Some die hard scout parents are always keeping an eye on the progress their sons are making toward being an Eagle scout.

One parent seemed very involved with the local boy scout troop. He confessed that he did not come close to becoming an Eagle scout. The obstacle in his path was a new car he received as a teenager. After that, there was no time for the significant commitments required to advance to this supreme level of scouting.

All requirements except a board review must be met before a boy becomes 18 years old in order to become an Eagle Scout. However once the title it earned, it is kept for life. Since the advent of scouting 100 years ago, approximately 2 million scouts have attained the Eagle Scout ranking.