Our Lead Sled-Dog Ran Off

Last Sunday morning, we had an Awards Ceremony for the boys who completed the Firearms Safety Course, and for a couple of new boys who are Ranger Recruits.

Of the six boys that we had, five were inexperienced, and my Patrol Leader had always been the most involved, faithful attender in the Outpost for about the past 6 years.

So I had sent home notes for the boys to be in the Ranger Room 20 minutes prior to church, so that they could be dressed, and understand where they were in the formation for the ceremony.

At 10 minutes prior to the service, my Patrol Leader had not shown up there.  I went to the Sunday School classroom for the Youth, and he told me that he was not available, and that he was leaving Rangers.

So Panic!

I went back to the Ranger Room, told the boys that the Patrol Leader would not be there, took the bars off of his uniform and placed them on the collar of the oldest boy, informed him that he was in charge, and we went to the Fellowship Hall & did three quick rehearsals prior to walking into the Sanctuary for the Awards. (We always have the Patrol Leader in charge of the Outpost.  He leads the boys in & has them at attention.  The Pastor & I just walk up to the Formation, issue the Awards, say a few kind words, then turn the Outpost back to the Patrol Leader who calls them to Attention, gives them a Facing Movement, and leads them out.)

The former Patrol Leader is 15.   I know that, at some time, they will find girls and pizza to be more interesting than camp fires & tomahawks.  But this caught me off-guard.

On Wednesday night, he didn't show, so I figure that he has jumped to Youth Group.  We used this as a constructive teaching point.  We made it about US and not about HIM, and we spoke of how the Outpost was left without a leader at a critical time, but that we put our two Outpost Mottos into effect: "Adapt and Overcome" and "In the Midst of Adversity, lies Opportunity".

We "Overcame" the small crisis, and the majority of the Congregation (even the Pastor) did not notice the difference.  The new boy now has the "Opportunity" to excel by being placed into a leadership position.

In our Briefback on Wednesday night, I asked the boys, "In the Army, if the Leader gets hurt or killed, does everyone else just quit and run away?"  They all replied, "No.  You don't quit.  You keep on going."

Maybe there was a lesson learned.

It still hurts a little to be dropped at a moments notice. Especially when a Sun morning doesn't interfere with Youth Services. Could have been his last appearance as a Royal Ranger. As God shows in His Word he uses Man's failures as a teaching point. Imagine if the bible was written by inspiration of Man we would never learb from the mistakes of te patriarchs. We tend to whitewash our heroes.

I have seen them come and go so much it doesn't really bother me anymore.  I have them for a season in their lives.  When they get to that point where what we are doing in Rangers doesn't excite them... they move on.  

I am holding on to  pretty good group by doing the more advanced stuff with them.  Backpacking is keeping them longer and they are taking ownership in their part of Rangers.  

Yet they will jump ship at the first cute gal or a even cooler draw..but they still come back to come camp and float and fish with us.  Some years later.  Some take breaks for a year or so... some never come back.  

We have our season in their lives as they do in ours.  Point them to Christ and live the life.  That way no one get's hurt.  

Mark Jones
p.s. It used to hurt my feelings too. I just learned they meant me no harm.

Part of the problem was that I had just spent HUNDREDS of dollars on Competition Air Rifles, Shooting Scope, Targets, Scoring Devices, and Match Registration Fees, & he was our Hinge-Pin Shooter.

Also, he had outgrown his uniform shirt, so I was up at 11:30 the night before, sewing patches and transferring medals, ribbons, & leadership bars onto his new uniform.

It just goes to show that when a young buck goes into rut, there's no reasoning with him.

I'm sorry to hear that Claymore. It's always frustrating when people walk away from us so easily when we've put time and effort into them.

Situations like that always make me turn the tables in my mind. How must God feel when we turn our backs on Him and what Jesus did? I know I've done that plenty of times...

In today's world there is a lack of protocol its text to break up, email, or social media to take an out. Many kids aren't taught to go f2f and say hey I'm leaving next week or I'm not doing the Sub morning awards. Thats respectable. I wouldn't hold it against him its this day and age to avoid uncomfortable social situations.

We have talked in the Outpost (at least 3 or 4 times per year) that there is no problem in leaving "Under Honorable Conditions".  That means to give me a month-or-two notice, because we are spending money to make the program fun, and the purchasing of materials or paying Shooting Match Registration are based upon estimated attendance.

I had something similar happen about two years ago.  About 5 of the boys were getting of age for Expedition Rangers, but we were only set up to go as far as Adventure Rangers.  So I told them that, if they would stick with the Program for a Year, I would purchase the materials, T-shirts, and get another classroom for them, & we would do some more "high-speed" training like Pugil Sticks.  They were all excited, and the E/R Program lasted about 6 months (partially due to a 50% drop in church attendance).

My first inclination was to just "cut this boy out" of Rangers, all together, in order for him to get a feel for the consequences of his actions.  However, I realized that I've put 5 years of training into this boy, and I do not want him to leave with a bad taste for the Program.

So I told his parents that, since we have already paid his entry fees into the National Postal Competitions, he can still shoot in the .22 Rifle and Shotgun Trap Matches this month.

I think ER could be an exciting group if a man with passion and some resources ran with it and did meeting at non youth service time.

Yeah, well.

I do Rangers on Wednesday; class prep all week; Fellowship Hall Range open some Sundays before evening Church, and a couple of outings per year.

One more youth activity would spell d-i-v-o-r-c-e.

Just remind her that she originally encouraged you to get involved in Rangers, and that you wouldn't be having this discussion if she hadn't...

It's hard losing someone that has been years involved. Man, Boy it's tough when they go. I felt impressed to tell you to approach it like this. Get him a gift something he likes about 20.00 or so and write him a card and say thanks for 6 good years tell him he blessed your life and you will miss him in Rangers yet you know that with God's help he will be a blessing no matter where he goes. Never know. I have had both men and boys come and go and come back again. This way you get to say thank you to him for serving along side you in Rangers.

Often we need to stop and say thanks to the boys for giving of their time and efforts as well.
Love them enough to let them go and watch God work on them no matter where they go. Blessings will follow.

Mark Jones


+6+

Claymore wrote:Part of the problem was that I had just spent HUNDREDS of dollars on Competition Air Rifles, Shooting Scope, Targets, Scoring Devices, and Match Registration Fees, & he was our Hinge-Pin Shooter.

Also, he had outgrown his uniform shirt, so I was up at 11:30 the night before, sewing patches and transferring medals, ribbons, & leadership bars onto his new uniform.

It just goes to show that when a young buck goes into rut, there's no reasoning with him.