Boy Scouts: recreational activity for youth

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Daniel Radulski
  • 49th Fighter Training Squadron Instructor Pilot and Cub Master of Pack Nine in Caledonia
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Boy Scouts of America is a national program for young men from 11-18 years old that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participatory citizenship, and develops personal fitness. 

Many BLAZE members were once Scouts themselves. Within the local area, there are many opportunities for younger Team BLAZE members to join Boy Scouts and benefit from all the program has to offer.

"My son enjoys the outdoor activities; the camp-outs, shooting BB guns, archery and hanging around the campfires at night," said Col. Kurt Kayser, 14th Mission Support Group Commander. "He gets to hang out with boys that have similar interests.  They just have a blast on camp-outs. I love helping him learn these skills and watching his confidence grow. 

"It's so fulfilling as a father to see your son growing into a fun, respectful, outdoor-savvy and intellectually curious young man. Boy Scouts encourages and develops every one of these areas."

Local Boy Scout troops conduct weekly meetings and usually have a monthly outdoor recreational activity. The children get to plan and prepare for these monthly outings which usually involve camping out after a full day of hiking, fishing, swimming or even caving.

For younger children in grades one through five, there is Cub Scouts. Cub Scouts have weekly Den meetings of about five to six children. We work on achievements that will prepare them to eventually join Boy Scouts. The Cub Scouts also have a Pack meeting every other month, which is all of the Dens getting together.

Cub Scouts go camping twice a year. It is a family event that happens once in the fall and then again in the spring.

Both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are a great way to introduce youth to different outdoor activities in Mississippi. The program will help instill core values into youth and help prepare them for adulthood.

"Even if your son does not have a love of the outdoors or the gear to camp-out with, the Scouts will develop the skills and provide the gear," Kayser said. "It offers a great opportunity for kids to get a break from their computer games and TVs, to explore cool new things in the outdoors.  I promise they will have a blast."

We try to work with the youth in Boy Scouts to try to instill values in them from an early age. I have really seen the children in my troop become more independent.

The motto of Boy Scouts is "Be Prepared."   With those simple words they are able to become more self-sufficient. They can see a problem, understand it and come up with a solution by themselves. It teaches them lessons that can be applied to the rest of their lives.

If you or your children are interested in joining the Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts, please contact me at 434-1616 or at daniel.radulski@us.af.mil.