Explorer Scouts training for anti-terrorism work

[twoeggsup]

As a former Scoutmaster I would be surprised if the big stinky kettle doesn't get stirred at the local BSA council over this kind of press. Yes, Explorer Posts can be aligned with any number of professions including law enforcement however this is a crock:

"The Explorers program, a coeducational affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America that began 60 years ago, is training thousands of young people in skills used to confront terrorism, illegal immigration and escalating border violence — an intense ratcheting up of one of the group’s longtime missions to prepare youths for more traditional jobs as police officers and firefighters."

Scouting is not a trade school for Border Patrol, BATF or anything else. Taking Explorers on a white water rafting trip or climbing doesn't teach and prepare them to be professional river guides or Sir Edmund Hillery either.

The goal of scouting is to teach leadership.
Outdoor skills, merit badges and even Explorer activities are all diversions to keep the Scouts interested while they are actually taught to be leaders.

If anything, the underlying message and method of Scouting is more like a Franklin Covey course.

Another fine example of yellow journalism and a quote from a idiot.

[Frenchy]

This thread already exists at http://forum.pafoa.org/national-11/5...error-ops.html

[Halftrack]

Yeah, Frenchy, I see that. I submitted this one yesterday. No big deal.

Mods, if you want to merge this thread with dcdalton's over on National, it's OK with me. I see he got one started over there just a bit before this one was approved.