Posted on 07/19/2005 4:16:25 PM PDT by SandRat
Boy Scout Jamboree returns to Fort A.P. Hill
By Rey Guzman
July 19, 2005
FORT A.P. Hill, Va. (Army News Service, July 18, 2005) Thousands of Boy Scouts from across the nation will navigate their way to Fort A.P. Hill, Va., for the 2005 National Scout Jamboree July 25 through Aug. 3.
More than 42,000 Boy Scouts and adult leaders, along with an additional 270,000 visitors, are expected to convene at the 10-day, national event conducted every four years by the Boys Scouts of America.
About 2,000 Soldiers from the active Army, Army Reserve and National Guard, and an additional 200 members of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard will be on-hand to support the event.
The theme for this years National Scout Jamboree is On My Honor Timeless Values.
In a welcome letter to Army units attending the event, Maj. Gen. John A. Yingling, commander of Joint Task Force-National Scout Jamboree, noted the similarity of the Armys values with those of the Boy Scouts.
The Army embodies the seven Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless-service, honor, integrity and personal courage, Yingling said. The Boy Scouts embody the Scout Laws (to be) trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. I have every confidence that each of you will live up to these values and be good role models to the Scouts while we support them during the Jamboree.
The event is widely considered by Army officials as an excellent opportunity to sharpen the skills of Regular, Reserve and National Guard troops as they build a tent city equipped for more than 40,000 inhabitants.
In order to accommodate the large number of guests, Soldiers engage in various tasks from road building to installing water, sewer, electrical and telephone systems.
Fort A.P. Hill has been the site of the National Scout Jamboree since 1981. Among the many military units supporting this years event are the 61st Medical Group, 1710th Transportation Company of the Virginia National Guard, U.S Coast Guard Sea Services and 159th Aviation of the Army National Guard.
Scout leaders and members of Joint Task Force-National Scout Jamboree will attend a special Staff Show June 25, two nights before the arrival of the young scouts. The show will feature a Twilight Tattoo performed by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) and the U.S. Army Band (Perishings Own).
The official jamboree festivities kick off in grand fashion with an opening show July 27. The U.S. Navy Leap Frogs, Army Reserve 85th Division Jazz Ensemble and the Continental Army Band from Fort Monroe, Va., will perform during the opening night celebration, along with a military fly-over.
The Closing Show, scheduled for Aug. 3, will feature performances by the Armys Old Guard Fife and Drum Corp, U.S. Army Brass Quintet, U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Band and Downrange U.S. Army Rock Band. The event will also include another military fly-over and close with a fireworks show.
In his letter, Yingling urged Soldiers to enjoy their opportunity to make a positive impact on the young Scouts attending.
I guarantee that you will find this experience both personally and professionally rewarding, he said. Take full advantage of this great opportunity to train and make a positive impact on young peoples lives.
Go Scouting!
We'll see if the ACLU tries to stop this.
And I swear, the coldest night of my life was spent in a foxhole at AP Hill, in water up to my *ss, in 32-degree weather.
Brrrr. I thought I was a goner.
Some from our troop are heading out this weekend.
Yippee! My Dad, brother and I camped at Ft. Hill once. Nice post.
My first Jamboree was in 1956 in Yokohama as an Army Brat.
Wow! My oldest son (11) is in his first summer as a Boy Scout, but his troop is not going to the Jamboree. Maybe they'll go in four years.
Excellent - great news!
|
Hurricane Bob couldn't dampen camper enthusiasm in 1985. |
As 1985 marked the Diamond Jubilee of the Boy Scouts of America, the theme of the 11th National Scout Jamboree celebrated the enduring nature of the spirit of Scouting.
And that spirit was put to the test early by an unexpected visitor named BobHurricane Bob. Although reduced to a tropical depression by the time the storm roared into Fort A.P. Hill, Bob still flattened tents, knocked down gateways, soaked sleeping bags, and turned pathways to mud.
But Scouting perseverance paid off. By midweek the sun was out, the ground was drying, and Bob was soon forgotten. Scouts focused on the fun activities in the Challenge Trail, fishing and boating, and visiting the 92 booths at the largest Merit Badge Midway to date.
New jamboree activities included board-sailing on lower Travis Lake, snorkeling in aboveground pools, a trap shooting range, and a bicycle motocross (BMX) course.
Onstage, the Beach Boys were the celebrity entertainers, but the No. 1 guest of honor was First Lady Nancy Reagan, substituting for her husband, President Ronald Reagan, who was ill.
In a vindictive way I hope they do. That will make a whole bunch of future voters, their parents, releatives and when the news gets out soooooooo mad at the ACLU that there may finally be a big enough cry for the DOJ to go after the ACLU under RICO and for Congress too repeal the law that lets them bill us for their fees to sue us.
ah, yes...camp AP Hill...
Remember it dearly.
Treated lots of heat stroke there when our NG unit trained in 100 plus degree temperatures, and we were from the mountains of PA, where it rarely reaches 85...
Of course, that was in early June. Hopefully by July the boyscouts will be acclimatized..
My oldest son is packing as we speak!
Tell him to look for folks from Catalina Council.
I like this. Fort A.P. Hill is a neat place.
Kudos and salutations to the Scouts and all that support them! The Scouts are (along with homeschoolers) are part of the best part of our future. VIVA! BSA
We need an update and after action from him too.
We need updates and an after action report.
Will do! Do you know which sub-camp they're assigned to?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.