thedrifter
01-27-06, 09:56 AM
January 27, 2006
Old Scout imbues his troops with love of Scouting, the Corps
by Martha Thorn
Trident Editor
Associate Professor John Ertel, 61, expects his tombstone epitaph to read, "He never outgrew the Boy Scouts or the Marine Corps."
When the midshipmen are considering their service assignments, Ertel always gives them his less than one minute recruiting speech for the Marines.
It goes like this: "Have you ever been a Boy Scout? Did you like hiking, camping and shooting guns?
"If you join the Marines, you can hike, camp and shoot, just bigger bullets. You'll also get a spiffy uniform and a high salary, and they will let you do two things the Boy Scouts would never do -- you'll get to blow stuff up and carry a big knife."
Ertel's thoughts about the Boy Scouts and the Marine Corps are intertwined. He became a Boy Scout on his 11th birthday. Saturday, he celebrated 50 years of being involved in scouting.
His scoutmaster, a World War II veteran, got Ertel interested in the Marines. The Vietnam War was cranking up and the draft was in effect, so Ertel expected to serve in the military.
"My scoutmaster said, 'If you've got to go into the service, why not get paid to be a Boy Scout?'"
Ertel was dubious, because he'd watched war movies and seen recruiting posters, but none had ever compared the Marines to the Boy Scouts. Despite his doubts, he joined the Marines. A naval aviator, he served first in the Western Pacific and then as an instructor in the academy's physics department.
He spent 6 1/2 years in the Marines and wanted to spend more, but he fell victim to the military downsizing in the post-Vietnam era.
"When my wife and I visited the Marine Corps career counselor to see if there was any way I could stay in," he said, "'Pray for a war.'
"My wife and I decided we weren't that desperate."
After getting out of the Marines as a captain, Ertel was hired at the academy as a full time temporary assistant professor in the physics department. Eventually, he became a permanent associate professor. Not long ago, he received a pin for working 30 years at the academy.
Last year he received the Silver Antelope Award for his work with the Boy Scouts. Nominated by the Northeast Region of the Boy Scouts, he was one of only eight people to receive this national award.
Several years ago, he received the Silver Beaver Award, which was presented by the Baltimore Area Council.
On numerous occasions, the midshipman members of the Naval Academy Chapter of the National Eagle Scout Association have nominated him for the Distinguished Eagle Award.
"I've never gotten that award, but that nomination means the most to me, because the midshipmen did it," he said. "It's great to know they think that in some ways I'm in the league of Vice Adm. Bob McNitt and Adm. Chuck Larson. It's hard to beat that kind of company."
When he received the national award last year, the presenters talked about all the contributions Ertel has made to Scouting and all the boys he has directly affected.
"I think they kind of embellished that," Ertel mused. He downplayed his many accomplishments as "fish stories" and "kissing the blarney stone way too often."
Still, he has done a lot. He has served as the faculty representative of the Naval Academy Chapter of the National Eagle Scout Association since it was established in 1984.
The Chapter averages a membership of more than 400 midshipmen, who stay actively involved in Midshipman Action Group community service projects.
With the attack on USS Cole (DDG 67) and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the midshipmen contributed to the foundations established to help the victims and their survivors.
Each year the Chapter joins forces with the Campus Scouts and the Naval Academy Athletic Association to hold Scout Day during a Naval Academy football weekend. Several thousand Scouts usually tour the Yard and attend the game.
For 19 years, the Chapter has held the largest Merit Badge Jamboree in the United States. About 2,300 Scouts attended the jamboree this year.
As if serving as faculty advisor for the chapter isn't enough, Ertel serves as the commander of the Vice Admiral George C. Dyer - Annapolis Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars.
When the two organizations orchestrate the annual Massing of the Colors, Ertel serves as the event's chairman.
After having his hip replaced over spring break, Ertel will be away from home most of the summer, because he will teach Scouting skills to Scouts and Scoutmasters.
He'll be start off the summer at Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania where he will teach a course called "Challenging Outdoor Personal Encounters." The Naval Station's Tarzan course provides the same type of challenging experience as this course, according to Ertel.
Next on the agenda was teaching mountain climbing in Massawepie, part of the Adirondack Mountains in New York. Then, it was on to Philmont, "the Valhalla of Scouting." The "oldest operational Ranger," Ertel will first teach the "Leave No Trace" camping at Philmont's Training Center and then Boy Scout Advancement at Philmont's Trekking Center.
Ertel loves what he does, whether he's teaching at the Naval Academy or Scouting. "If I were independently wealthy, I would be doing the same thing I'm doing now," he said. "It's great to do something you love and still be paid to do it."
Ellie
Old Scout imbues his troops with love of Scouting, the Corps
by Martha Thorn
Trident Editor
Associate Professor John Ertel, 61, expects his tombstone epitaph to read, "He never outgrew the Boy Scouts or the Marine Corps."
When the midshipmen are considering their service assignments, Ertel always gives them his less than one minute recruiting speech for the Marines.
It goes like this: "Have you ever been a Boy Scout? Did you like hiking, camping and shooting guns?
"If you join the Marines, you can hike, camp and shoot, just bigger bullets. You'll also get a spiffy uniform and a high salary, and they will let you do two things the Boy Scouts would never do -- you'll get to blow stuff up and carry a big knife."
Ertel's thoughts about the Boy Scouts and the Marine Corps are intertwined. He became a Boy Scout on his 11th birthday. Saturday, he celebrated 50 years of being involved in scouting.
His scoutmaster, a World War II veteran, got Ertel interested in the Marines. The Vietnam War was cranking up and the draft was in effect, so Ertel expected to serve in the military.
"My scoutmaster said, 'If you've got to go into the service, why not get paid to be a Boy Scout?'"
Ertel was dubious, because he'd watched war movies and seen recruiting posters, but none had ever compared the Marines to the Boy Scouts. Despite his doubts, he joined the Marines. A naval aviator, he served first in the Western Pacific and then as an instructor in the academy's physics department.
He spent 6 1/2 years in the Marines and wanted to spend more, but he fell victim to the military downsizing in the post-Vietnam era.
"When my wife and I visited the Marine Corps career counselor to see if there was any way I could stay in," he said, "'Pray for a war.'
"My wife and I decided we weren't that desperate."
After getting out of the Marines as a captain, Ertel was hired at the academy as a full time temporary assistant professor in the physics department. Eventually, he became a permanent associate professor. Not long ago, he received a pin for working 30 years at the academy.
Last year he received the Silver Antelope Award for his work with the Boy Scouts. Nominated by the Northeast Region of the Boy Scouts, he was one of only eight people to receive this national award.
Several years ago, he received the Silver Beaver Award, which was presented by the Baltimore Area Council.
On numerous occasions, the midshipman members of the Naval Academy Chapter of the National Eagle Scout Association have nominated him for the Distinguished Eagle Award.
"I've never gotten that award, but that nomination means the most to me, because the midshipmen did it," he said. "It's great to know they think that in some ways I'm in the league of Vice Adm. Bob McNitt and Adm. Chuck Larson. It's hard to beat that kind of company."
When he received the national award last year, the presenters talked about all the contributions Ertel has made to Scouting and all the boys he has directly affected.
"I think they kind of embellished that," Ertel mused. He downplayed his many accomplishments as "fish stories" and "kissing the blarney stone way too often."
Still, he has done a lot. He has served as the faculty representative of the Naval Academy Chapter of the National Eagle Scout Association since it was established in 1984.
The Chapter averages a membership of more than 400 midshipmen, who stay actively involved in Midshipman Action Group community service projects.
With the attack on USS Cole (DDG 67) and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the midshipmen contributed to the foundations established to help the victims and their survivors.
Each year the Chapter joins forces with the Campus Scouts and the Naval Academy Athletic Association to hold Scout Day during a Naval Academy football weekend. Several thousand Scouts usually tour the Yard and attend the game.
For 19 years, the Chapter has held the largest Merit Badge Jamboree in the United States. About 2,300 Scouts attended the jamboree this year.
As if serving as faculty advisor for the chapter isn't enough, Ertel serves as the commander of the Vice Admiral George C. Dyer - Annapolis Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars.
When the two organizations orchestrate the annual Massing of the Colors, Ertel serves as the event's chairman.
After having his hip replaced over spring break, Ertel will be away from home most of the summer, because he will teach Scouting skills to Scouts and Scoutmasters.
He'll be start off the summer at Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania where he will teach a course called "Challenging Outdoor Personal Encounters." The Naval Station's Tarzan course provides the same type of challenging experience as this course, according to Ertel.
Next on the agenda was teaching mountain climbing in Massawepie, part of the Adirondack Mountains in New York. Then, it was on to Philmont, "the Valhalla of Scouting." The "oldest operational Ranger," Ertel will first teach the "Leave No Trace" camping at Philmont's Training Center and then Boy Scout Advancement at Philmont's Trekking Center.
Ertel loves what he does, whether he's teaching at the Naval Academy or Scouting. "If I were independently wealthy, I would be doing the same thing I'm doing now," he said. "It's great to do something you love and still be paid to do it."
Ellie