More on a STERLING Jamboree Saturday!! (31 Jul 10)

By Mike Walton on 16 August 2010 in Uncategorized

THIS is the day I have been waiting for…the LAST CLOSING SHOW at Fort A.P. Hill and the BSA’s public observance of their 100th year of service to America and it’s youth!!

LTC Mike Walton, a part of the Joint Task Force public affairs team, stops for a photo before entering the Arena at the 2010 Centennial National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, VA. Walton is an Army Reserve officer assigned to the 644th Regional Support Group, 103rd Sustainment Command, Fort Snelling, MN.

YEA!!!!!!!!

I made arrangements to meet The Chaplain, Warren Kraft, on this day. I have been trying for a couple of days to get around to Subcamp 14, which is on the east side of the Jamboree’s “egg” and almost cut off from the rest of the official stuff going on. Their Scouts and Scouters have to march literally for 90 minutes to get to and from the Arena.

The first thing I did on this day was to go and “scope out” a primary and alternate parking space. My van is NOT an “official Jamboree vehicle” even though it was made by General Motors. Therefore, I can only park it legally in spaces where parking is allowed. I looked at three possible locations and settled on the parking area adjacent to Trading Post “C” at the bottom point of Thomas Road.

Next, I drove over to the Subcamp, parked my van and walked up the hill to talk with Warren. I had to wait a bit, as he was counseling two groups of Scouts on this hot afternoon. Scouts are encouraged to talk with the Subcamp chaplains or a chaplain at the Merit Badge Midway about their Scouting experiences, their goals in life and their overall Jamboree experience. In doing so, the Scout gets credit toward one of the several segments (“rockers”) which may be attached to the official youth Jamboree emblem.

In the meantime, I filled my coffee mug and took some photos of Warren to share with all of you.

Warren and I met a few years back. Jess (the second former wife) and I came out to a location in Virginia to meet up with him and his Scouts from Wisconsin. Warren, like many Scouters, has been folliowing me, reading my advice, reflection and inspiration on Scouts-L, a daily email forum, for years before. He told me after our meeting that his Scouts thought that what I had to say to them and just driving out to meet and spend a couple of hours with them and the adult support was the “highlight of the trip”. I did enjoy the experience and asked Warren as well as his Scouts to please stay in touch.

The Chaplain…
Warren Kraft (in yellow) is a longtime friend and one of the Chaplais seving Subcamp 14 during the Centennial National Scout Jamboree.

Warren did. Over the next seven to eight years, we have crossed paths electronically several times. But we haven’t seen each other since my divorce and since my last two deployments to Iraq and Germany.

So, it was truly a genuine short hug I gave to Warren when he finally got done doing his work… It was shortlived because a Scout came over and asked a couple of questions and I let him get back to his true purpose in being here — for the Scouts.

We did get to talk later. More importantly, a Scout spent time with me between Scout “clients” and I gave him my card and asked him to please stay in touch with me as well…he’ll be a GREAT Lieutenant once he finishes his military schooling — wherever he decides on going to! (he’s trying to decide between the Coast Guard and the Army).

From there, I went over to see if I can get a photo made…

At the Jamboree, the Boys’ Life folks provided a way for each participant to “get his or her image” on the cover of that popular magazine as well to take a sovenier photo to send home to Mom and Dad or that special friend. I got there too late — they had already closed up in advance of the Closing Show, so my walk down Thomas Road was not fruitful. I walked back down the hill, around the corner, and back to my van.

It was already mid-afternoon, so I walked instead over to the Media area and looked around a bit before returning to the van, gathering up my backpack with cameras and checking both video and still camera before walking to the Arena.

“Cellphone camera? Check. Digital Still? Check. Video cam? Oh-oh!”

The video camera was out of juice and I had left the car/van charger back in Fredricksburg! So any video which I would take this evening would HAVE to come from my Nokia Communicator phone. This is both good and bad…the bad part is the size and lenght of each video snippet. The good part is that I am good with using it — or reasonably good in using it.

I also grabbed two bottles of Gatorade ™ and two bottles of water. This would make my backpack heavier than normal, but at the same time I would be in a position to assist someone needing water.

After securing the van, I gathered my things and walked back up Thomas Road to the grand Arena. How many times have I seen the Arena slowly transform from an bowl-shaped grassy area to a grand stage and seating area for upwards of 50,000 people? As I walked through the “gates” to the Arena, Order of the Arrowmen handed me two chemical candles and told me not to sit on the bottled water which were littered on the Arena grounds. I nodded as I moved forward — for even at that time (4:45pm), there were LOTS of people coming into the place to get a seat.

A seat. I was going to bring my folding chair but was glad I did not. It would limit me as to where I could sit and what I could do.

Besides, I was WORKING not “watching”.

This Jamboree, the BSA incorporated its nation-wide “Shining Light Across America” program as a major component of the Closing show. The “pre-game show” (that’s what I called it) was almost ready to start. I took lots of photos and had photos taken of me as I greeted American and other nation’s Scouts as they marched into the Arena.

The National Scout Jamboree gives me a chance to see old friends and to meet friends I have previously only communicated with electronically — some for more than ten years!! It also gives me the opportunity to meet new friends like this guy here — I did not get his name — who stuck around and advised me when to duck when the fireworks on the platform not seen to my left would go off!!

I had what I thought was a great vantage point: under one of the three lighting towers. I gave a LOT of “high fives” to Scouts and some Scouters as they made their way into the Arena as a group.

There were the group of Scouts from Saudi Arabia who could not wait to get a photo with a military officer

. And the group of Sea Scouts who came to walk around before finding their seats in the staff area.

Sea Scouts — NOT “Explorers” — was in full uniform and made themselves available during the Jamboree as part of the BSA’s Sea Scouting display and information. They are being interviewed by a member of the BSA’s internal communications team.

And the two Polish Scouts. Some Scouter — sorry I did not get his name — and I talked for a few seconds before he had to move forward with his Jamboree troop.

A Black professional from Middle Tennessee Council (Nashville), walked by and after we talked for a short bit, I asked my new friend, a Scouter who wanted to take photos and stand there to take a photo of the two of us…he did.

One of my personal goals during this Jamboree was to respond to radio talk show mogul Tom Joyner (as well as my deceased mom). Both of them at several times over the years, bemoaned the fact that the Boy Scouting program “is something basically for the White kids…” Tom Joyner said one morning before the Jamboree, that “Black kids would more than likely be bussed into this thing…or they would have a quota that they (the BSA) would have to fill in order to make it look more inclusive than it is. What Black kid would want to spend a week or two in the high heat of Virginia for what — the Beach Boys?”

The last Jamboree — the first one after my mother passed away — I attempted to COUNT the number of Black or Brown faces I came in contact with. I lost count at 233 or so.. it was nowhere near the three thousand that the A estimated (estimated? Yeah because the BSA doesn’t ask for racial or ethnic stats from Jamboree Troops and staffers).

So THIS Jamboree, I decided to take a photo of EVERY Black face that I came in contact with. I was not able to do it but I did take a good “representative sample” to discount those that would say “this is a White kids’ event” — definately NOT TRUE! The BSA estimated that between 1 and 2 thousand would be in attendance either as a participant or staff member. My personal count as of the close of this evening was 312.

Scouts and Scouters marched for as long as 90 minutes before they emerged into the large Arena. More than 30 thousand Scouts and Scouters from all of our States, possessions, territories, and from 27 other countries around the world were present. The total crowd has been estimated to be between 100 – 130 thousand.

Finally, the “pre-game show” started up…and what a pre-event it was!! Four Scouters engaged the Scouts electronically (they could use Twitter to tweet or SMS messages which would show up in the center part of the stage for all to see…I am VERY SURE that there had to be a LOT of “screening”. it was a really cute idea!!) and personally (there were plenty of interactive games for the Scouts and Scouters to play) while waiting for the show to start.

I was told that I would have to move away from the platform during the opening ceremony, which was coming up quickly. The fire department and security blocked off the platforms because fireworks would be lit from them. A few minutes later, the ropes were placed out there and the countdown started!

A really cool interactive National Anthem and history lesson started in… and the fireworks lit the sky early.

Then came the most disappointing part of the Closing Show/Shining Light program for me. Our President made an appearance electronically (as I guessed he would — see my earlier posting on the President’s visit to the Jamboree and the hazards in coordination). The day before, the President decided that he would go to New York City and record his appearance on a ABC-TV daily talk show called “The View” instead of coming to the Jamboree for a visit. This had the talk radio stations in conservative central and southern Virginia all up in arms and even FOX cable was talking about the President’s “lack of tact” in choosing “four broads (the four female co-hosts of “The View”) over fifty thousand boys (estimated Jamboree participants and staff)”.

So I knew that unless either Marine One flew into the pad designated for him this evening (not likely because of the security precautions which must be made beforehand) or the President woud appear via AT&T teleconferencing (a good likelyhood since AT&T also made the five other locations’ live video appearances – in South Dakota, Florida, New York City, North Carolina, and Texas –happen without too much problem), that the Presidents’ address to the Jamboree would be “on tape.”

At the conclusion, instead of people joining me in clapping, Scouts and Scouters (and visitors) booed!! It was a LOUD “Boooooo”, not a reserved one. I was three times embarassed. Once as a fellow Black person who felt that the President SHOULD HAVE at least made the attempt to do it “live” instead of via “Memorex.” Once as a military officer who stood there while those around him were letting each other know of their displeasure with my Commander-in-Chief.

Mostly, however, I was embarrassed as a Scout and Scouter for being there and observing my fellow Scouts and Scouters collectively break the Scout Law point of Loyal. A Scout may not always agree with those elected or appointed leaders — in his Troop, district, local Council or nationally; he doesn’t have to “toe the line” when it comes to those elected to represent him and others in his community or nation; but Scouts and Scouters are expected to show some RESPECT for the office and what it represents.

It was good that nobody Nationally came out and said anything about this this evening — it would have done nothing but “fan the flames”. It was also a reason why I while I recorded the statement and the Scouts’ reaction — I deleted it when I returned back to my room this evening.

The evening went onward. There was a presentation of “Scout Camp” along with a rap/hip-hop song with the guy who wrote it perfoming it. Silly song — catchy but silly. I don’t think I’ll see the movie.

After a few attempts to “capture the feeling of what’s going on across the nation” (I would love to know from those who saw the Shining Light Across America event in their Council — how were the Jamboree snippets?), then to ME the BEST part of the show came on…

Mike Rowe, the host of “Dirty Jobs” on Discovery Channel, came out in a front-end loader to the screams and cheers of everyone.

Rowe, an Eagle Scout, spent 45 minutes explaining the show, his role in that show, and the conflict he has between adhearance to the Scout Law and his natural instinct to “get down and dirty.” His message hit home with both Scouting and non-Scouting people: There are values to retain inside and there are tasks which sometime interfere with those values — but if one keeps the values, any task can be accomphished with style, grace and completion. Even the dirty ones.

There were two bands which performed as well this evening…both bands were well-received by the Scouts and Scouters in attendance although many visitors were not aware of the groups.

In between the two bands, a longer-than-really-needed-to-be informercial about the new Bectel Summit (the site for the next Jamboree) was pitched to the Scouts and Scouters (and my personal guess to those watching the webcast or from their local Council locations). While slick, it was overkill. There was no other way to politely say it. Most Scouts and Scouters used the opportunity to go visit the portapotties or walk around the Arena.

I left before the candlelight ceremony which typically closed the Closing Arena show. I knew from experience that the traffic would be so congested that it would take hours (HOURS!) to get OUT of the parking area, and even longer to get off the base. It was already close to midnight, so I knew that the show would be over soon and then the mass panic to get to the autos and to get off-base.

I drove over to the Bowling Green Pizza Hut to get something to eat — soup and breadsticks — and to make a couple of phone calls and send images.

All in all, the last Closing Show at Fort AP Hill was good…it would have been much better, however, if Scouts and Scouters heard Mike Rowe explain that “he doesn’t agree with everything…but he respects the opinions of others… Scouting taught me that and I’m proud to be able to say that to all of you…” before the President’s videotaped message.

Settummanque!

—
Settummanque is writer, military officer, dad, friend, traveler,
public speaker, webmaster, Eagle Scout, and/or “sweetie”
(LTC) Mike Walton. South Lake Minnetonka area, Minnesota.
http://www.settummanque.com

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About Mike Walton

Take your standard Oliver North. Add strong parts of Bill Cosby and Sir Robert Baden-Powell (the founder of Scouting). Throw in Johny Bravo without the "hurhhs!" and his pecks. Add a strong dose of parenting, the sexuality of a latin lover, and Mona Lisa's smile. And a 40 year old's body frame. That's me basically *grinning*

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