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Forks in the Road
As a young teenager living in the Panama Canal Zone, I’d reached the first big fork in the road of my young life: a few of my “friends” wanted me to join a gang of thugs.
You see, I grew up in an American military family, living in different countries around the world.
My father was a Special Forces Soldier deployed on many far-away missions. He simply wasn’t there to guide me. My mother was a French-Italian WWII war bride, still learning to speak English. It was an amazing life, but one without stability, always worried that my dad would not come home.
That fateful day, one of my other friends invited me to join what he called a “good gang”—the Boy Scouts of America. He picked me up to attend my first Scout meeting that Thursday, and I was hooked! Suddenly, I belonged to a whole new world of adventure. One that offered a taste of home away from home, an American Scouting experience for Americans living overseas.
There was a plan, a structure, fun and fellowship, guided discoveries and standards that were completely up to me to meet. And there were many unselfish adult leaders who became my role models. I will never forget some of them who later died in Vietnam.
For the next 50 years, Scouting became the one constant in my life, no matter where I lived throughout the world. It was like an extended family with cousins everywhere. What I learned in Scouting about myself, and other people is more valuable than all the college degrees, titles, and accolades I have since earned.
The self-confidence I gained as an Eagle Scout is what every young person needs to be prepared to make intelligent choices in life. The skills I learned taught me how to be a good leader, but more importantly, how to be a good follower so we can all achieve and enjoy success. That attitude made all the difference in successful careers as a journalist, author, military NCO, military officer, government bureaucrat, strategic communicator and CEO.
Because of Scouting, I’ve been blessed to meet and to work with many famous leaders, Kings and Queens and astronauts; senior cabinet level officials, Service Secretaries, Supreme Allied Commanders…many of whom were Scouts. Most were also Eagle Scouts. Rest assured I’ve done my best to repay the debt I have to Scouting by serving as a volunteer.
Because I know firsthand that if we want our youth to become good citizens, we must offer them great opportunities when they reach their own fork in the road. Because Scouting helps build better people.
Scouting offered me a choice that day, and every day, when I reach a fork in the road.
It could have been a much different story.
Daniel L. Coberly, Transatlantic Council President.
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