Eagles close to the nest

A scout’s life

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 8/27/15

“Once an Eagle, always an Eagle,” says Alan Whittaker, 69.

In 1959, at the age of 12, Whittaker joined the Boy Scouts in Troop 1 Conimicut. Little did he know then that the Boy Scouts would …

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Eagles close to the nest

A scout’s life

Posted

“Once an Eagle, always an Eagle,” says Alan Whittaker, 69.

In 1959, at the age of 12, Whittaker joined the Boy Scouts in Troop 1 Conimicut. Little did he know then that the Boy Scouts would become such an integral part of his life.

Despite achieving the rank of Eagle over 50 years ago, Whittaker continues to live a life dedicated to the Scouts.

Whittaker said only about 3 percent of all Boy Scouts achieve Eagle, and he had been determined to be one of them. He still has his “Eagle” registration on his car, and even has his Eagle Award printed on his checks.

Even abroad Whittaker took his scouting very seriously. Before being deployed to Vietnam in the ’60s, Whittaker wrote to General William Westmoreland, one of his heroes, a distinguished Eagle Scout and Chief of Staff for the American Army at the time. Whittaker wanted to become involved with the Boys Scouts abroad.

Once in Vietnam, he noticed villagers would come into the military compound in the early morning. One day he made the scout sign, three fingers held up with the palm facing outward, and one of the boys recognized it and returned the half salute.

“Then we shook hands and that’s how I got involved,” Whittaker said. “We couldn’t speak the same language, but we could communicate through scouting, which is the same all over the world.”

He then helped out with the local troops as often as he could while stationed in Vietnam. He believes that the Boys Scouts has been so popular and successful because of its unity across the globe.

“No matter where you go, everyone knows about the Scouts or someone in the Scouts,” Whittaker said.

Upon his return home in 1971 he was finally old enough to serve as a Scoutmaster and was the first “homegrown” Scoutmaster of Troop 1 Conimicut. He went on to found Troop 49 Lakewood as well as co-found the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) for Narragansett.

He continues helping various troops across the state and even sits on the board of review for scouts trying to make Eagle as a committee member for Troop 1 Conimicut.

“It’s like I’m living my childhood all over again but with the kids today,” Whittaker said. “I haven’t really grown up and I don’t want to. I’m an adult leader, but I’m still a kid at heart.”

For his dedication to the Scouts, Whittaker has received numerous awards such as the Scouter’s key, Scoutmaster Training Award, District Award of Merit, Member of the Order of the Arrow and the Silver Beaver Award.

Along with his awards, Whittaker even has an award named after him, the Alan J. Whittaker Award for the Most Valuable Scout. The award made by Troop 1 Conimicut was first given in 1972 and only four Scouts have received it to date. To win this award a scout has to demonstrate service not only to the troop but also to church and school.

He said, “I always like that they thought of honoring me that way. Scouts see that plaque with my name and those other names, they get inspired. Scouts want to work for that award.”

Whittaker believes that scouting helped him become the man he is today and aspires to help others in the same way his adult troop leaders did him.

Often parents have gone up to Whittaker thanking him for helping their son, but he believes that it’s not him but the way of scouting that helps young men. He doesn’t believe in a “bad kid” but thinks in learning camping, cooking and knots a “bad kid becomes a great kid.”

“Scouts takes young kids and develops them, gives them character. I’ve only passed down the same philosophies that were taught to me,” he said. “The kids today enjoy it just as much as I did back then.”

He hopes that the Scouting Code will continue to be passed down in future generations.

He said to live a life of scouting is to live a life of fun. What makes the organization so special is its unity, that it provides a family for “one and all.”

With Yawgoog celebrating its 100th anniversary, Whittaker has visited the camp several times this year. He has been to the 50th, 75th and 100th anniversary celebrations.

“Who else can say that?” he said.

His very first trip to Yawgoog at the age of 12 was the first time he swam in a pond. When he first jumped in he said he could feel “the spirit of Yawgoog” and continues to feel that sensation every time he returns.

“All the old memories come rushing back,” he said.

He is hoping to be able to see the 100th year of his own Conimicut Troop 1, which will be in 2021.

ALWAYS AN EAGLE: Alan Whittaker believes that once an Eagle, always an Eagle, and has lived by that philosophy his whole life. He continues to volunteer with troops around the state. He is pictured next to his “Eagle” registration, which he has had for over 50 years.

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