Did you do Boy or Girl Scouts before joining the military? What influence, if any, did Scouting have on your decision to join?

I was a Boy Scout, never made Eagle Scout, girls and beer seemed a better priority at the time. The Boy Scouts didn't have any bearing on me enlisting but some of the skills I learned made transitioning a little easier. The field craft that you learn in the Scouts definitely translated well into the Infantry, it also introduced you to wearing a uniform and abiding by the rules for wearing the uniform.

Eagle Scout, class of 1987. The experience of scouting absolutely helped me with basic Soldiering skills, such as land navigation and basic people skills.

I earned my Eagle Scout award in 1993. Without a doubt there are many things that I learned from scouting that I have carried forward with me to this day. Scouting promotes values, service, and responsibility for all who participate. As you can imagine those traits will serve any military member well. As far as preparing you for entry into the military, some basic soldiering skills (e.g. land nav) were much easier for me than for others without that background.