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Two Boy Scouts achieve milestone rank

  • Published
  • By Kim Wright
  • Boy Scout Troop 342 committee secretary
Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. --  Boy Scout Troop 342 here recently promoted two of their Boy Scouts, Jeffrey Decedue and Jason Kolp, to the rank of Eagle Scout.

The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest advancement rank in Boy Scouting and is only achieved by a small amount of Scouts.

In 2008, around 5 percent of all Boy Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank.

Jeffrey, son of Beth and Maj. Kenneth Decedue, 20th Security Forces Squadron, was promoted to the rank of Eagle Scout April 22.

Jeffrey has been officially involved with the Scouts for ten years, since he was five years old.

Unofficially, Jeffrey started his experience in Scouts at 3 years of age, when his older brother Kyle - also an Eagle Scout - joined Cub Scouts as a Tiger Cub.

Jeffrey, now age 15, reflected on what it means to be an Eagle Scout, "Being an Eagle Scout has always been my goal. Being an Eagle Scout shows people that I can start something and finish it and I can work out problems and stay in control. Being an Eagle Scout hasn't sunk in, but I know in the future, it will help people know who I am and how I work. It has helped me with my JROTC leadership in school."

"It shows that I am a leader and I'm ready for more responsibility," said Jeffrey, "I'm proud of what I did."

Jason, son of Jeff and Patricia Kolp, was promoted to the rank of Eagle Scout April 24.

Jason has been involved with scouting for eight years.

When Jason, age 18, was asked what being an Eagle Scout means to him personally, he said, "Being an Eagle Scout means to be held in a higher standard than the rest. Boy Scouts already have high standards, but as an Eagle Scout, those standards are more looked upon and followed."

"I see it as being able to do something and do it to the best of my abilities," said Jason.

The Shaw Boy Scout Troop 342 meets Thursday evenings at 7 pm on base.

For more information, visit the troops Web site at http://www.shawtroop342.org/ or call Troop 342's Scoutmaster, Glenn Maggard, at 499-1800 or Troop 342's Committee Chair, Jay Wessendorf, at 499-1638.