Stepping up

Me sporting my Engel gear and Salt Armour face shield.

This past Saturday I put my new found Boy Scout training to the test. A few weeks back I was blessed enough to attend a BSA Certified Angling Instructor course. As part of the course BSA encourages their instructors to teach fishing, fly-fishing and fish and wildlife management merit badges as a way for Scouts to earn their Complete Angler Award.

On Saturday I headed up to a local farm pond to teach my first leg of the award, fishing merit badge. I was accompanied by our former Scoutmaster, Colonel Billy Noland, who was teaching fly-fishing merit badge. While Colonel Noland taught those fine young men how to roll-cast and deliver a fly I set about occupying my time by fishing my way around the pond.

Me with the only catfish of the day.

It was mid-day and even using nightcrawlers I was finding it hard to get a bite. I was first able to land a rather large size bluegill which promptly got returned to the pond. I managed to hook into what I thought was a nice largemouth, only to have it break off my leader after wrapping itself around a downed tree. I kept at it and managed to hook a decent size flathead catfish, which upon further inspection was the fish I assumed was the largemouth that broke me off.  Needless to say the catfish went into the cooler as the farmer wants them removed from the pond.

We broke for lunch and shortly thereafter I set about instructing the young men on the finer points of the fishing merit badge. We talked tackle, rod and reels, knots and even demonstrated proper hook removal (from an orange). After a while of tutelage we embarked on fishing the pond again. This time we decided to use some artificial bait. The boys used some salamanders crayfish plastics while I used a suspending jerkbait. It turns out the suspending jerkbait was the lure of the day, quickly pulling in three nice bass that were between two and three pounds and about half a dozen more dinks. The boys had some luck on their plastics as well. We finished up the session by discussion Leave No Trace and conservation.

It was a great experience, being out there and teaching these young men how to fish. Especially given most of them had no exposure to fishing at all. But that is what Scouts is supposed to be about; exposing young men to vocations and hobbies which they would ordinarily not be exposed to, in a safe learning environment. I look forward to teaching my next merit badge, whether it be fishing, fly-fishing or fish and wildlife management. Until then keep taking your kids outdoors…

Sacrifice

One of the plaques at the entrance to Memorial Park in Thurmont, MD.

This past weekend, for many, was a three day weekend filled with cookouts, trips to the beach and the official start of summer. But for many others this past weekend marks a time for solitude and remembrance for those servicemen and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. 

Monument at Memorial Park in Thurmont.

As with many other holidays in America, we have forgotten the real meaning behind why we even have the holiday. I think had we kept the original name, Decoration Day, more people might realize what this day is supposed to signify. It is not a day to honor our veterans (Veteran’s Day) or a day to honor our men and women who are actively serving (Armed Force’s Day). It is a day to honor those who have served and paid for our freedom with their blood by laying flowers on their graves. At least that’s what I used to think until yesterday.

Thurmont scouting units presenting the colors.

Each Memorial Day the American Legion in my small town pays its own tribute to those fallen brothers and sisters. The scouts and the Legion place flags upon their graves and hold a solemn memorial service at our town’s Memorial Park. It’s a sobering affect each year as the number of veterans paying tribute slowly dwindles.

Ryley and I in front of the Korean Conflict Memorial.

After the flag raising and wreath laying ceremony at Memorial Park Ryley and I posed for a picture in front of the Korean Conflict Memorial, as my father is a veteran of that conflict. I noticed another scout leader in front of the Vietnam Conflict Memorial with his son. He was explaining how his father had served in Vietnam but was lucky enough to make it home alive. He went on to relay how he had recently passed away due, in large part, to complications from Agent Orange.

The original Memorial at Memorial Park, for our town's WWI heroes.

Then it hit me. Even though this man had not given his life while in Vietnam, he surely had given the rest of his life living with the effects from the war. Just because he managed to live out a full life doesn’t mean his sacrifice was any less. I am sure he endured pain and suffering because of his exposure to Agent Orange. Nor does it mean that any other veteran, whether injured during battle or with PTSD, hasn’t sacrificed more than they had to for our freedom. Maybe Memorial Day needs to be something more than what it was intended to be after all. Maybe we should start recognizing those who have sacrificed all, or part, of themselves for our freedom. In doing so perhaps we can change this from a three-day weekend of partying into what it truly ought to be; a day to recognize and appreciate all those that have sacrificed to give us the freedoms we hold so dear. Until then keep taking your kids outdoors… 

Words cannot thank them enough.