Boy Scout Troop 145

On the weekend of September 11th, Troop 145 braved the weather and tested their wits on a survival adventure with only 15lbs of gear and the next set of coordinates.   With only some adult guidance and separated into their patrols, this weekend tested and further trained new and veteran leaders of the Troop.  With the mission of creating a survival shelter, finding the next coordinate, and cooking everything in the patrol, this was also a test of both self reliance and teamwork.

One of the challenges of the survival portion of the outing was the weight limitation of 15lbs.  Some Scouts got creative and opted for bringing large tarps and water putting shelter over food.  These helped the entire patrol in making large survival shelters.  Still others decided to make their own smaller personal shelters.  The patrols were not allowed to help each other or receive major help from the adult staff.  Another challenge was the rain.  Though it didn’t rain much, it was enough to keep the Scouts ready for anything.

The orienteering section of the weekend consisted of going cross country towards a pair of coordinates.  There were three posts in the area of the coordinates, the Scouts job was to find the right one.  This activity was also by patrol with no help unless you were REALLY off course.  You not only had to go the right direction but also the right distance by counting your paces.  Each member of the patrol had a job to do, from lining up your bearings to counting the paces.  Some say this was the hardest part of the outing, not physically but mentally.  Being accurate over distances of over twelve hundred feet!

However, I would have to say that the most important part of this outing was the junior leadership training.  Not only did we get the usual tips and lessons from the Scoutmaster and senior patrol leader, nothing builds leadership like surviving and navigating in the woods in a patrol.  Everyone plays a part and everything has to be coordinated.  And when things go wrong, having the leadership abilities and knowledge to solve the problem efficiently was what this weekend was all about.

This weekend was great for our outdoor skills as well as learning to become the leaders of tomorrow.  I would also like to mention that in lieu of participating in more formal 9/11 ceremonies, Troop 145 built a flagpole on site, raised the flag to half staff, and honored those who died in the attack as well as those fighting for our freedoms.