In just a few more hours, Troop 138 will be honoring some of their own who will officially attain the rank of Eagle!
With all that said, here are 10 things to know about Eagle Scouts as we get ready for tomorrow's Court of Honor.
2,151,024 and Growing: That is the total number of men who have achieved the Eagle Scout rank since it was first awarded in 1912 to Arthur Eldred. The 1 millionth Eagle badge was awarded to Alex Holsinger in 1982; the 2 millionth Eagle was awarded to Anthony Thomas in 2009.
The First 100: It took less than 36 months for the first 100 young men to achieve Eagle status once the program was created. By the middle of 1914, Scouts from 19 of the then 48 states had earned the award.
Largest Eagle Scout Class: The largest number of Scouts to earn the Eagle Award in the history of the organization is 56,176 in 2010, which was the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. As the honorary president of the BSA, President Barack Obama’s signature has appeared on more Eagle cards, in the shortest amount of time, than any other president.
Oldest Known Living Eagle Scout: As a relatively new centenarian, 100-year-old Oliver Wooten of Kentucky was born about a year and a half after the Boy Scouts of America was founded. He still lives the tenants of the Scout Oath and Scout Law and gives us all something to look forward to!
In Service to Others: In 2011, 51,473 young men earned the Eagle Scout Award. Before a Scout can be awarded his Eagle, he must create a leadership service project. The average number of hours spent on each project is about 185. So if you multiplied that number by the number of Eagle Scouts in 2011, it represents more than 9,525,610 hours that young people gave back to improve their communities and nation.
Boy Scout Bling: Scouts who earned their Eagle in 2012 received a special badge that was commissioned to recognize the 100th year of Eagle Scouts.
Eagles and Heroes: There is no higher medal that can be bestowed on a U.S. military serviceman or woman than the Congressional Medal of Honor. There are currently two heroes who wear their Medal of Honor as proudly as they display their Eagle Award, Leo K. Thorsness and Thomas R. Norris.
Beyond Eagle: Beyond the Eagle rank and Eagle Palms are Distinguished Eagles. This prestigious honor is awarded for distinguished service in a profession and one’s community for a period of at least 25 years after attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Fewer than 2,000 men have received this high honor since it was established in 1969.
Eagle Men: A Scoutmaster could work on and earn the Eagle Award up to 1965, when rules were changed instituting a maximum age of 18 for earning Eagle—unless the Scout is identified as having special needs.
Scouts among the Stars: Of the 312 pilots and scientists selected as astronauts since 1959, at least 207 have been identified as having been Scouts or active in Scouting. Of the 24 men to travel to the moon on the Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 through 17 missions, 20 were Scouts, including 11 of the 12 moonwalkers and all three members of the Apollo 13 crew.
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