Eagle Court of Honor for Case W. Kepner, Troop 129

February 28, 2004

A Father’s comments on the occasion of his son’s achievement of Eagle Scout, Scoutings highest award.

Case, I’m not going to say too much this afternoon because your former and current Scoutmasters,  Mr. Kirk,  Mr. Jackson, and Mr. Christman, have done a much more complete and eloquent job than I could ever do.

I thought I would take just a second to answer a question that you have asked more than once over the last several years....and that is, “Why did you ever get me into Scouts?”

It would be easy to say that Boy Scouts of America represented the best organization that I was aware of that could provide experience with citizenship, character development, leadership training, community service, and personal fitness. At least that has been it’s history since 1910.

I wasn’t sure you would get all of these things or worse any of these things from Middle and High School. But suffice it to say, if I got you into Scouts for anything it was for fun and adventure.  So maybe I can help finally answer the question for you and the other parents in the audience when they undoubtedly get the same question about why I would have ever gotten you into Scouts.

After all, as you stand here this afternoon think about what other young mans organization you know allows you to use fire, guns, and knives.....and encourages you to do so. Of course you could also ask the question of what organization considers a 50-mile bicycle ride in 109 F weather in Death Valley fun. For the record this afternoon, that was the doing of weatherchannel.com not Mr. Jackson or myself and maybe we should just move this one event out of the fun category and into the character development column.

Your Mother and I are so very proud of you today. I know sometimes it might have felt like we were the hammer and you were the nail and that’s how we treated every problem but in years I think you will look back and know what an accomplishment this is for you. It’s the first of many doors we hope you will learn to open in your life.

We also know what a rare experience this is for most Scouts. So of the 310 Boy Scout units in the Boulder Dam Area Council and the 4,945 currently registered Boy Scouts in our area you have now joined the 4% (or 198 Scouts) who will likely make Eagle Scout. Congratulations.

And now, I want to take you back where you began in April of 1997 when you became the first Patrol Leader of what you would come to name the Timberwolf Patrol. You may not remember that far back but you not only selected a name for your patrol but you also inscribed a patrol motto not unlike the Boy Scout motto of Be Prepared. So, I thought I would close by reading it back and see where you have been.