(Editor’s Note: Sometimes “mother knows best.” Enjoy the story Sherri Oehme submitted about her son earning the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award a youth can earn in Boy Scouts.)
“Mommy.”
“What?”
“Know what?”
“No, what?”
That’s how most of our conversations began when Bradley was younger. Today, most begin with, “Did you know…?” followed by some tidbit of information that he has learned on one of his favorite television shows, Survivor Man, Man vs. Wild, Myth Busters or Burn Notice.
Since we home school, more times than not I become the student as he continues on in excitement telling me details beyond the scope of the lesson we’re working on that day.
However, much of Brad’s basic knowledge of the outdoors has come from his 10 years in scouting. Brad wasn’t new to camping – his first time out was when he was only two months old – but he has added new depth to our family camping trips with skills learned in scouting. No camping trip is complete now without a little Dutch-oven cooking and some hiking.
Brad is very knowledgeable in orienteering. He is a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force which trains for disaster response and search and rescue.
Squadron Commander Angie Petersen said, “While a member of my team during one of our training exercises, Brad was able to put to use the orienteering skills he learned as a scout to lead our team to safety. He immediately stepped up as a leader and not only guided the team to the base, but also taught the group the necessary skills to navigate their way while he was leading us.”
He received his new call name that day – American Express (never leave home without it).
Brad’s father, Rob Oehme, originally signed up just to be a helper with his son’s new Tiger Scout unit but soon found himself leading half of the boys after the large group was split into two smaller groups. He continued leading Brad and his friends all the way through Cub Scouts with help from John Lane and Janine Konstanzer.
After Brad crossed over into Boy Scouts, Rob stepped away to allow his son to become more independent. Rob now serves as chairman of the Troop Committee for Boy Scout Troop 48.
Brad’s first order of business in Boy Scouts was to earn his Totin’ Chip, a license to carry a knife received only after safety knowledge has been demonstrated to the Scoutmaster.
Brad has always loved knives and has a large collection in various sizes and styles. He is rarely without at least two on his body at all times. Before a recent mission trip to Ghana, Africa, we had to remind him to leave his knives at home in order to pass through airport security. But when we were all buying souvenirs to bring home, Brad had to have an African knife. It is a beautiful addition to his collection and one of which he is most proud.
Brad’s other interests include hunting with his dad and his grandfather in Kansas, geocaching, kayaking and flying.
Like knives, he has had a love for firearms since his dad insisted that we buy him a Red Ryder when he was only eight. He shot his first deer when he was 11 and won sixth in the annual skeet shoot contest at his church when he was 13, after knocking his dad out of the competition.
Geocaching is a family activity that Brad and the family do locally, as well as on almost every vacation and campout. Using GPS (global positioning satellite) technology and longitudinal/latitudinal coordinates posted on the web, a hunt ensues to find the hidden caches. Brad and his older sister, Elizabeth, are very competitive at who finds the cache first after we have located the vicinity and only have clues to continue the search.
Brad will be placing a cache in Aurora soon called “Where Eagles Fly” highlighting the various projects done by Eagle Scouts from Troop 48.
Brad’s navigational skills usually put him in the lead on our kayaking trips, yelling back which way to take when the river forks. He has also talked us into white water rafting twice now, something he has grown to love.
But his biggest interest right now is flying. At age 14, Brad flew the Civil Air Patrol plane during an orientation flight from Branson to Springfield airport – a highlight of his first year of C.A.P., since followed by meeting the Thunderbirds and wing-walking one of the acrobatic jets during the Branson Air Show held earlier this year. He aspires to earn his pilot’s license before graduation from high school and thinks right now he would like to fly for the U.S. Air Force after college.
As Brad has traveled down his path in Boy Scouting, learning new skills and earning 30 merit badges along the way, his final step was the Eagle Scout project. He met with Shannon Walker, executive director of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber’s board of directors to make plans to build a storage shed to the west of the Chamber office.
With the help of fellow scouts and leaders, friends, family and donors, the project was completed early this year. The new shed serves as extra storage for the Chamber, having allowed the group to empty the old caboose to make it more accessible for visitors.
On August 22, an Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held to celebrate Brad’s great achievement. The Eagle Scout medal is his newest badge of honor, one earned only by two percent of all Boy Scouts.
“Bradley, know what?”
“We love you and are very proud of your success. Congratulations, son!”
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(Editor’s Note: Sometimes “mother knows best.” Enjoy the story Sherri Oehme submitted about her son earning the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award a youth can earn in Boy Scouts.)
“Mommy.”
“What?”
“Know what?”
“No, what?”
That’s how most of our conversations began when Bradley was younger. Today, most begin with, “Did you know…?” followed by some tidbit of information that he has learned on one of his favorite television shows, Survivor Man, Man vs. Wild, Myth Busters or Burn Notice.
Since we home school, more times than not I become the student as he continues on in excitement telling me details beyond the scope of the lesson we’re working on that day.
However, much of Brad’s basic knowledge of the outdoors has come from his 10 years in scouting. Brad wasn’t new to camping – his first time out was when he was only two months old – but he has added new depth to our family camping trips with skills learned in scouting. No camping trip is complete now without a little Dutch-oven cooking and some hiking.
Brad is very knowledgeable in orienteering. He is a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force which trains for disaster response and search and rescue.
Squadron Commander Angie Petersen said, “While a member of my team during one of our training exercises, Brad was able to put to use the orienteering skills he learned as a scout to lead our team to safety. He immediately stepped up as a leader and not only guided the team to the base, but also taught the group the necessary skills to navigate their way while he was leading us.”
He received his new call name that day – American Express (never leave home without it).
Brad’s father, Rob Oehme, originally signed up just to be a helper with his son’s new Tiger Scout unit but soon found himself leading half of the boys after the large group was split into two smaller groups. He continued leading Brad and his friends all the way through Cub Scouts with help from John Lane and Janine Konstanzer.
After Brad crossed over into Boy Scouts, Rob stepped away to allow his son to become more independent. Rob now serves as chairman of the Troop Committee for Boy Scout Troop 48.
Brad’s first order of business in Boy Scouts was to earn his Totin’ Chip, a license to carry a knife received only after safety knowledge has been demonstrated to the Scoutmaster.
Brad has always loved knives and has a large collection in various sizes and styles. He is rarely without at least two on his body at all times. Before a recent mission trip to Ghana, Africa, we had to remind him to leave his knives at home in order to pass through airport security. But when we were all buying souvenirs to bring home, Brad had to have an African knife. It is a beautiful addition to his collection and one of which he is most proud.
Brad’s other interests include hunting with his dad and his grandfather in Kansas, geocaching, kayaking and flying.
Like knives, he has had a love for firearms since his dad insisted that we buy him a Red Ryder when he was only eight. He shot his first deer when he was 11 and won sixth in the annual skeet shoot contest at his church when he was 13, after knocking his dad out of the competition.
Geocaching is a family activity that Brad and the family do locally, as well as on almost every vacation and campout. Using GPS (global positioning satellite) technology and longitudinal/latitudinal coordinates posted on the web, a hunt ensues to find the hidden caches. Brad and his older sister, Elizabeth, are very competitive at who finds the cache first after we have located the vicinity and only have clues to continue the search.
Brad will be placing a cache in Aurora soon called “Where Eagles Fly” highlighting the various projects done by Eagle Scouts from Troop 48.
Brad’s navigational skills usually put him in the lead on our kayaking trips, yelling back which way to take when the river forks. He has also talked us into white water rafting twice now, something he has grown to love.
But his biggest interest right now is flying. At age 14, Brad flew the Civil Air Patrol plane during an orientation flight from Branson to Springfield airport – a highlight of his first year of C.A.P., since followed by meeting the Thunderbirds and wing-walking one of the acrobatic jets during the Branson Air Show held earlier this year. He aspires to earn his pilot’s license before graduation from high school and thinks right now he would like to fly for the U.S. Air Force after college.
As Brad has traveled down his path in Boy Scouting, learning new skills and earning 30 merit badges along the way, his final step was the Eagle Scout project. He met with Shannon Walker, executive director of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber’s board of directors to make plans to build a storage shed to the west of the Chamber office.
With the help of fellow scouts and leaders, friends, family and donors, the project was completed early this year. The new shed serves as extra storage for the Chamber, having allowed the group to empty the old caboose to make it more accessible for visitors.
On August 22, an Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held to celebrate Brad’s great achievement. The Eagle Scout medal is his newest badge of honor, one earned only by two percent of all Boy Scouts.
“Bradley, know what?”
“We love you and are very proud of your success. Congratulations, son!”
