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Notes -
The "Eagle mills" are definitely real. I was part of several troops, and every single Eagle was essentially carried by an overzealous parent, usually his mom. There were a lot of "social studies homework" merit badges I had to do, and those all sucked. I remember being horribly embarrassed by the "sexual abuse awareness" training section of the handbook I had to read with my parents.
The most fun troop I belonged to was run by redneck dads who took us on 7-10 mile hikes on coastal islands or through hill country. The dads mostly just followed to make sure nobody died, and the SPL ran the show. We'd pick a place to camp, then the SPL would tell us to go get firewood. Me and my buds would go fuck off in the woods for an hour, whittle little spears and wooden daggers, set interesting looking plants on fire, hurl rocks and playful taunts at other patrols we encountered. Headed back to camp, cooked and ate dinner, cleaned up, made a fire, play some cards while cracking the raunchiest jokes and using the worst profanity we knew while the dads snickered and pretended not to hear. Then it was lights out, to our tents and sleeping bags where we talked about girls (90% bullshit, we knew nothing) and busted each other's balls for this or that. The dads cracked a bottle of whiskey and shot the breeze; if you were quiet enough you could eavesdrop and learn a thing or two.
Good times. Sad my sons probably won't get to experience the same thing. I'm thinking about trying to get some of my extended family together to do something like it, though.
Doesn't seem Courteous, Kind, Clean, or Reverent....
Definitely seems like boys though.
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