as a cub scout. I can’t remember the age, but I was young. There weren’t campouts at that time, it was more about learning new things. From there I went on to become a boy scout. This is the point where it gets more difficult to define what it meant to me. There were times in which it meant getting to go camping with friends and visiting cool places, however there were times in which it was a challenge to my leadership ability and a learning experience from my mistakes. When I was young it was difficult to see the benefit in these experiences and at times it was difficult to stay engaged in the troop. I always loved camping, making fires, and using a knife, but didn’t always take advantage of the opportunities in front of me. 

Scouting at the time, was a challenge. One of the most challenging times

was a trip we took to Philmont. This was a trip in which a bus dropped us off at a trailhead and we had to hike to our campsites, sometimes we would go a couple of days without seeing anyone. I was the leader of this group, and learned a lifelong lesson on this trip, humility. It was the first or second day of the trip in which the trail map fell out of my pack along the trail and was not discovered to be lost until later that night at the camp. It was one of the hardest things to do when I had to admit that we needed to turn back and find it. I wanted to go alone so nobody else would have to, but the troop went with me, which taught me another life lesson, the value of teamwork. 

These two life lessons lead me to what scouting means to me now as a

husband, father, and professional. I learned humility in the scouts, and this leads my belief system today. It’s how I raise my son, how I treat my wife, and how I lead my employees. It all boils down to – no matter how wealthy you become, your status in society, or the title you hold at work – you are no better than the person next to you; we are all equal and riches in money don’t equal riches in life.

Teamwork was my other strong take-away from my scouting career.

Where would Labron be today if he didn’t have D. Wade? Where would Michael Jordan be without Pippen? Every superstar still needs a team, there

is no such thing as a loan champion. Even Tiger Woods needed his caddy and trainers. It’s no different in our lives. I could not be the businessman I am today if I didn’t have a team of people willing to work hard with me, not for me. 

While it may be difficult to appreciate the benefits of scouting while in

the midst of your scouting career I hope that you stick with it and someday look back the way I have. While you may not understand what I’m talking about today I hope you will someday, and if you take nothing else away from this please focus on this. Those people who lead your troop and are involved in your troop today are setting a standard of who you will be someday. If it wasn’t for the likes of Cindy Garcia, Keith Mellen, Ralph Ford, Kelley Stewart, and of course my old man, I would not even be close to the man, father, and husband I am today. 

While I did not keep in contact with many of those people I was friends

with in Troop 75, I wish I had. They were good guys and I hope they are doing well.