FORT HOOD, Texas – Soldiers from 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) hosted a group of Boy Scouts and leaders from Troop 333 from Mabank, Texas, for a tour of Fort Hood Sept. 14.
To start their visit, the Boy Scouts received a class from Sgt. Derrick Palmer on military drill and ceremonies and then continued to march as a unit as they experienced the 1st Cavalry Division’s Horse Cavalry Detachment, toured the 1st Cav. Div. Museum, and participated in a teambuilding challenge at the 1st Cav. Div. obstacle course featuring obstacles such as a high wall, balance beam and a rope wall.
Palmer, the scout’s guide for the day and an automations noncommissioned officer from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 13th SC(E), said he designed the itinerary to both entertain and challenge the young scouts.
“It’s been a positive reaction from the scouts,” said Palmer. “They’ve really had a great experience and several have told me that they want to be a Soldier when they’re old enough. I’m thrilled that I was able to provide that positive experience to these kids and that they’ll have good memories from this trip.”
“This has been a great trip for the scouts,” said Harrell Dotson, the scoutmaster for Troop 333 and an 8-year Air Force veteran himself, from 1960-68. “If any of these boys approached me later in life about the desire to join the military, I would highly encourage it. I think every young man can benefit from the skills and discipline the service teaches.”
Dotson said he and the Boy Scouts enjoyed their visit and look forward to future opportunities to visit Fort Hood.
“I think a lot of these scouts are going to return back with more confidence and certainly with more respect for the service. Some of the boys had never had any exposure to the service, this has been an eye-opening experience for them and they’ve enjoyed their time and really enjoyed the sergeants leading them,” said Dotson. “We look forward to scheduling future trips for our scouts. This has been an outstanding experience for the boys and the hospitality, superb.”