Click here for the 2008-2009 Council Calendar

Order of the Arrow Lodge ITIBAPISHE ITI HOLLO

Click image to read article

Half a world away but I am still touched by Scouting.  We are rebuilding a Country from the ground up.  We destroyed the Military and much of the landscape in the War and now we are rebuilding it.  We are designing and installing a network infrastructure to support Secure Voice and Data Communications to be used by the Military.  We are also working with the people themselves to stand them up; by establishing security in the neighborhoods and helping folks Mom's and Dad's find and keep jobs.  We are also working with the kids; as the attached article says "There are more than 6 million students in Iraq".  They want to keep them away from trouble and teach them "good things" and what do they turn to "Scouting".  The "Scouting Values" are what it is all about; everybody can use them no matter what language, background, or culture they come from. 

I attached a copy of the newspaper article that ran in the local paper and also a scan of the "Green Zone Council" Patch each of the kids got by attending the conference. 

We are doing great things on this side of the World. 

Regards,

Master Sergeant Scott Lofton

(Scott was Scoutmaster of Troop 53 for a brief period until his work forced him to change to Assistant SM. Then his Army Reserve unit was called up in early 2006 for a 2-year stint in Baghdad.)