[RonF]

And yes the Boy Scouts is a paramilitary organization, from its start in the UK it has been a pre-military organization and to this day, Eagle scouts are recognized by the Army with an immediate rank advancement upon enlisting.

Eagles don't get a military pay grade advancement until they successfully complete basic training, at which point they progress from an E-1 to an E-3. They only get that if they make sure the recruiting officer marks it on their paperwork as part of their enlistment process. And there are numerous other criteria that can qualify you for that advancement, including two years of college and attainment of the Gold Award in the Girl Scouts. I don't think anyone is calling the Girl Scouts a paramilitary organization. The BSA is not a paramilitary organization. There are certainly skills taught that are useful in a military setting, but they are not taught in a military context, nor is there an emphasis on military skills.

[KC_for_Freedom]

The BSA is not a paramilitary organization. There are certainly skills taught that are useful in a military setting, but they are not taught in a military context, nor is there an emphasis on military skills


You may well be correct in today's Scouting Orgn. But I was referring historically. the Scouts as envisioned by Powell in England were a pre-military group for boys, and this is shown more clearly in the older Handbooks for Boys. I remember when morse code was a requirement (I believe for First Class) and field hand signals were in the book too. (Down, take cover was two outstretched hands moving downward). I remember tracking a group for two miles without being seen by them as well as identification of edible plants in the nature area. Of course Archery, Marksmanship, swimming, lifesaving, and pioneering all have their military sides. One last thing, (probably not entirely true) was that the Boy Scouts are the only civilian organization commissioned to do the US Flag retirement ceremony. Something all branches of the military also have.

Here is a synopsis of Lord Baden Powell's that shows the relationship between scouting and the military.
http://www.pinetreeweb.com/bp-listener.htm


I agree with you that military emphasis and direction are not part of the scouts, nor is there any push towards doing military service from the scouts. Thank you for clarification about the rank advancement.

[zipper]

The BSA is not a paramilitary organization. There are certainly skills taught that are useful in a military setting, but they are not taught in a military context, nor is there an emphasis on military skills.

Well of course it is. Not in a specific way like the CAP or ROTC/JrROTC, which are really auxiliaries of the military, but in many, many other ways. If the Boy Scouts aren't paramilitary in nature, then the US military is para-BoyScouts ;)