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                         May 10, 2002

Camaraderie and campfires

Cadets and scouts interact during 40th annual Scout Camporee

Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood
Staff Writer

The U.S. Military Academy hosted the 40th Annual Scout Camporee May 3, 4 and 5. More than 3,300 scouts, representing 140 different Boy and Girl Scout troops, participated along with cadets and USMA community members.

The event, funded by the Directorate of Cadet Activities, is held annually to provide cadets with leadership opportunities and inspire the Scouts through positive role models, said Cadet 1st Class Daniel Artino, the cadet in charge of the Camporee. And, he added, the turnout was terrific.

"There were approximately 135 cadets from all classes involved in the planning and execution of the Camporee," Artino said.

He explained that the work required to complete an event like the Camporee is mind-boggling. But, Artino added, it turned out to be worth it.

"My staff and I worked diligently for the last nine months to plan the Camporee and last weekend was a huge success for our club," he said. "The staff, many of which are in chain of command positions, dedicated hours and hours above and beyond their normal cadet schedule toward this event."

The camporee commander said he hopes an experience like this would help both the scouts and the cadets when they leave the Point.

"It’s my firm belief that the scouting program and events like the camporee help to develop in scouts and cadets the values and morals that they will carry through life," Artino said.

The Scouts signed in at Camp Natural Bridge and camped in and around the Lake Frederick area. Cadet 1st Class Adam Brady explained there were three encampments.

"The first encampment is a drop point and houses 80 Boy Scout troops, and the other two have about 40 troops each," Brady said. "There are three troops of girl scouts, venture groups, Canadian troops and a co-ed group here this weekend."

Cadet 3rd Class Tate Jarrow, charged with the planning and security of the event, said he also thought the camporee a useful and educational experience for both sides.

"The reason this camporee is different from all the others is that the scouts have the unique opportunity to interact with cadets. This is truly a special thing," Jarrow said. "These scouts become friends with outstanding role models who show them what it means to give service to one’s unit, community and nation.

"Scouts already have these same values, but meeting the cadets is a vindication of what they are doing as scouts as they grow older," he added.

The cadets treated the scouts to several demonstrations, including martial arts, a short recon or ambush demonstration and a drill and jump exhibition.

The scouts also competed in the stretcher carry, knot tying, canoe water race, fire bucket relay, first aid and demonstrated their knowledge of landmarks, symbols on maps, basic direction and emergency signals. Jarrow said that brought back fond memories for some cadets.

"For those cadets who were once scouts themselves, the camporee is even more special," he said. "To them it is a way to stay in touch with their old troops and to keep giving back to an organization that helped them so much."

Boy Scout Joshua Jennings, 16, from Troop 95 in Sparta, N.J., said the experience is definitely a great one.

"I love it, it’s really, really fun," Jennings said. "The cadets put you through the same things they have to go through, like PT and lots of activities like canoeing."