Ryan Legg tests his strength by swinging the battering ram. Photo provided.

By Megan Kelley
Editor
mkelley@mihomepaper.com
INDEPENDENCE TWP. — Over the summer, Boy Scout Troop 189 were treated to an interactive presentation from a Special Response Team (SRT) where the boys were able to learn a little bit about the group and get some hands-on experience with some of the equipment the team uses.
The SRT works with Homeland Security and Border Patrol made up of trained deputies that go beyond the average capacity of regular law enforcement.
The deputies took some time to talk with the troop about their experience with the Eagle Scouts before taking them outside where the boys had a chance to try out some of the gear like helmets, Kevlar vests, night vision goggles; check out and drive around some of the robotic equipment and test their skills with a battering ram.
“It was really cool because a few of them were actually Eagle Scouts. So, they actually were able to tell the boys how being a scout helped them be prepared to work for this special response team,” said Josh Schell, Recruiting Chairperson for Troop 189. “We try to expose our scouts to everything. There is a lot that goes kind of hand-in-hand with things that they do in the military and those are things that we do with scouts as well. It’s a good tool to show our scouts that how you prepare for things, for camp outings, for hikes, other experiences, it’s the same thing these guys do and how that can translate into that. So, we really wanted to start showing them what you can do after scouts with this knowledge that you’re learning.”
Troop 189 consists of 6th to 12th grade boys but works closely with other area troops which were also invited to the event.
“All the boys loved it. One thing we’ve noticed is that anything hands on that these guys can get into just makes the experience so much better. I think they really liked the battering ram the most, but I think they also really liked hearing from them how much what they’re learning now can translate into what the Special Response Team is doing right now,” Schell said. “We see all these cool things in the movies and on TV, watching different shows, and to actually see how heavy it is, how long these guys have to carry these shields they had, and they were very heavy; you kind of get a feel of what these guys have to go through. They shared some stories with us, and the boys were just eating it up.”
Schell, who has sons in Scouts, encourages anyone who may be interested in having their son or daughter join a troop to do so.
“Scouts has really opened up the world for my son. He’s traveled all over. He’s been to Ohio. He’s been all over Michigan, and he, two years ago, went to Philmont, New Mexico, and he’s going again this next summer to live in the woods in the mountains for 11 days. It really changed him,” Schell said. “The benefits of scouts that I like is you can get merit badges that just expose you to so many different things and you have people there to help you learn about these things. You don’t have to be a master, but it exposes you to do different things.”
Right now, Troop 189 is for boys only but because the area scouts work so closely together, Schell and the rest of the Troop 189 team can help anyone interested find a troop to join.
For more information on Troop 189, links and other contact information, visit their website at https://sites.google.com/view/bsatroop189clarkston.