Facts about BSA     

 (Also Tomb of the Unknown Soldier & NY State)

  • The Scouts were actually founded in Great Britain by Lord Robert Baden-Powell in the early 1900s. In 1907, he published Scouting for Boys, the first scouting manual.

  • The BSA celebrates their anniversary on the 8th of February each year. It was back in 1910 that the official paper for the organization was completed and officially formed. On this day in 1910, Chicago publisher William Dickson Boyce filed the official paperwork to create the Boy Scouts.

  • In 1935, around 5 million copies of the Boy Scout Handbook were sold and in a ceremony conducted in the White House, the 5 millionth copy was awarded to the then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

  • In 1937, the first jamboree of the BSA took place in Washington D.C and attracted more than 27,000 scouts to the National Mall that is situated in the heart of the capital city.

  • In the initial years there existed around 57 Boy Scout Badges. Over the years the number had increased to more than 100 since every year new badges are added under the categories of math, technology and science.

  • The first pinewood derby was held on May 15, 1953 at the Scout House in Manhattan Beach, California by Cub Scout Pack 280C (the present Pack 713).

  • The most common badges earned during one’s days as a scout are swimming, cooking, camping, first-aid and citizenship in the community.

  • In 2012 - 13,449,017 hours of volunteering service were reported for the Journey to Excellence.

  • As little as 5% of members of the Boy Scouts are able to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout each year.

  • The first Eagle badge was awarded in 1912.

  • The 1 millionth Eagle Scout milestone was reached in 1982. 

  • 2012 also marked the centennial year for the Eagle Scout Award.

  • In the period between 1912 and 2012, more than 2 million Boy Scouts have managed to receive the Eagle Scout Rank.

  • In 2013, 56,841 Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank.

  • Boy Scout having embraced modern day technology launched its 12th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook which was made available as an iPhone application.

  • The uniforms of Boy Scouts too have been updated to modern day standards having separate pockets for holding cell phones and mp3 players. They are made from a special moisture control fabric that has up to 50+ SPF.

Famous Alumni

  • Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Gerald Ford (Eagle Scout), Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama

  • 11 out of 12 astronauts from America who have walked on the moon had been boy scouts in their school days. Out of a total of 294 astronauts, more than 180 had been scouts – including astronaut John Glenn; while 40 of them earned the rank of Eagle Scout - including astronaut Neil Armstrong  (Eagle Scout and awarded the Silver Buffalo Award).

  • 36.4 percent of the United States Military Academy (West Point) cadets were involved in Scouting as youth. 16.3 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.

  • 22.5 percent of United States Air Force Academy cadets were involved in Scouting as youth. 11.9 percent of cadets are Eagle Scouts.

  • 25 percent of United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) midshipmen were involved in Scouting as youth.11 percent of midshipmen are Eagle Scouts.

  • In the 111th Congress, around 40% of the members had been boy scouts.

  • 191 members of the 113th Congress participated in Scouting as a youth and/or adult leader. 28 are Eagle Scouts.

  • 18 current U.S. governors participated in Scouting as a youth and/or adult volunteer. Four are Eagle Scouts.

  • Charles Lindbergh who had been a boy scout in his youth had been awarded the Silver Buffalo Award because of his distinguished service as a scout.

·         Walt Disney (awarded the Silver Buffalo Award)

·         Normal Rockwell (awarded the Silver Buffalo Award)

  • Baseball legends Hank Aaron (Life Scout*, awarded the Silver Buffalo Award) and Nolan Ryan.

  • Olympic athletes Dan Jensen, Mark Spitz and Bruce Jenner had been boy scouts in their youth.

  • Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft had been a boy scout.

  • Samuel Walton, founder of Wal-Mart (Eagle Scout)

 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1.  How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknowns, and why?
21 steps.  It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the
Highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.


 

2.  How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?

21 seconds, for the same reason as answer number 1.





3.  Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.



4.  Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder

all the time and if not, why not?


He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb.

After his march across the path, he executes an about face

and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.






5.  How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, 
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.



6.  What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.'  Other requirements of the Guard:  They must commit 2 years of life to guard the Tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives.  They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way.  After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb.  There are only 400 presently worn.  ; The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet.  There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
There are no wrinkles, folds, or lint on the uniform.  Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.
The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV.  All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery ... A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred.  Among the notables are:  President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our

U.S. Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm.  On the ABC

evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the

hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of

the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment.  They

respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!'  Soaked to the skin,

marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding

the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be

afforded to a serviceperson.  The tomb has been patrolled continuously,

24/7, since 1930.




God Bless and keep them.



 

New York State

State Flag

State Tree (Sugar Maple)

State Emblem

State Flower (Rose)

State Bird

(Eastern Bluebird)

State Animal (Beaver)

State Gem (Garnet)

State Fish (Trout)