USS Alabama Battleship and USS Drum Submarine- Mobile, AL

Troop 101 on board the USS Drum Submarine

Boy Scout Troop 101 recently took a trip to Mobile, Alabama. While in Alabama we stayed at Meaher State Park, toured the USS Alabama Battleship, and visited Gulf State Park Beach in Mississippi where we were able to swim in the Gulf of Mexico.

This was my second visit to the USS Alabama. I had previously visited the ship as a scout with Troop 103 from Lake Charles, LA.

When we arrived at the park grounds we were surprised to see thousands of people. There was a Blue Star Memorial Day occurring. I was caught a little off guard since when I contacted the park they had not mentioned this activity. We bypassed most of these activities and headed to the USS Drum Submarine first.

The big guns of the USS Alabama

The USS Drum Submarine is a World War II submarine that was launched on May 12, 1941. From the USS Alabama Battleship website: "Of DRUM's 13 war patrols, all save the second, ninth, and last two were designated "successful".  She received a total of 12 battle stars for World War II service. She is credited with sinking 15 ships, a total of 80,580 tons of enemy shipping, eighth highest of all U.S. submarines in total Japanese tonnage sunk."

We walked up onto the deck of the drum and the boys were able to get in behind the deck cannon of the USS Drum. We then went below and were greeted by a submarine vet who gave us some historical information on the USS Drum and answered many of our questions. 

The USS Drum looks big from the outside but when you get into it you find the inside is quite crowded. I found it interesting to learn how these defenders of our liberty lived during the war while aboard this submarine.

Troop 101 at the USS Alabama

After leaving the USS Drum we headed over to the USS Alabama. By contrast the USS Alabama is massive when compared to the USS Drum. The USS Alabama was launched February 16, 1942. From the USS Alabama website: "With a fighting name to live up to, Battleship USS ALABAMA BB-60 commenced her shakedown training on 11 November 1942. This series of trials, exercises, and drills was conducted in the Chesapeake Bay area and the operating area of Casco Bay, Maine. Upon completion of her post shakedown repair period, ALABAMA stood out from Norfolk and made the up-coast run to Casco Bay where she conducted tactical maneuvers in company with the USS SOUTH DAKOTA, her sister ship and namesake of the class."

We boarded the battleship and broke up into several smaller groups. Our group toured many of the guns on the USS Alabama's deck. We then went down below where we saw sleeping quarters, the commissary, the ships laundry room, sewing room, museum and so much more. 

We departed the battleship and headed over to the aircraft hanger where we were able to get up close views of airplanes and jets used in wars from as early as WW I through Iraq Desert Storm.

This was a fun and educational trip for our scout troop. If you are down in the area I would recommend making the trip at least once in your life. 

If you plan to visit the USS Alabama and USS Drum be prepared to do a lot of walking. Also be aware you will be entering confined spaces, climbing ladders, and visiting high area's.

For more information on USS Alabama and the USS Drum visit : Battleship USS Alabama

The Barrels - National Jamboree 2013

Shooting 22 pistols at National Jamboree.

Tanek had chosen The Barrels as his curriculum for National Jamboree. Each scout at the National Jamboree was allowed to choose one curriculum. In essence a curriculum was sort of like a Fast Pass at an amusement park. The curriculum ticket had a scheduled time. Tanek's was from 8 AM to 12 noon on Monday. During that time, at The Barrels, he was moved to the beginning of any lines.

Shooting a 308 rifle at National Jamboree

Monday started like any other day at National Jamboree. We ate breakfast, which was more than likely cereal, milk, some desert bun, and fruit. We cleaned up an started hiking together to his curriculum. We left at 6:50 AM and did not arrive at The Barrels until 9:05 AM. That’s right, it was a 2 hour and 15 minute hike. I think Tanek could have done it in about 1 hour 45 minutes but I was with him and slowed him down. It is a good thing I lost 16 lbs for this trip.

When we arrived at The Barrels we were provided ear and eye protection which we had to wear the entire time while we were in the area. We were then ushered to the front of the line for a safety briefing. We had to wait about 20 minutes for the safety briefing to start and then the briefing took another 20 minutes. 

 

After that safety briefing we had to hike a quarter of a mile up a hill, gaining about 500 feet in elevation, to reach the 22 pistols. We were moved to the front of the line where we had another safety briefing concerning 22 pistols.  This safety briefing was much shorter and only took about 5 minutes. We were briefed while we were waiting in line. All said it took Tanek about 10 minutes to get up to the shooting line.

An NRA shooting instructor was assigned to every person who was shooting. Each NRA Instructor was there to insure safety and to assist the shooter. 

The only weapon Tanek had ever fired prior to this event was a 22 rifle so he was really ready to try this out. The targets were placed approximately 25 feet down range. The order was given and Tanek began shooting. All ten of his rounds hit within the target. I thought it was pretty good for his first time around.

He then decided to head over to the 22 rifles. Another short safety briefing and he was on the range. The targets were placed approximately 25 feet downrange. He was given ten rounds to fire and the order was given to shoot. All ten of his rounds hit the paper but a few were outside of the circle. I have seen him do better but I think his mind was on the gun he was wanting to shoot.

After shooting the 22 rifles we proceeded to the 223 and 308 scoped rifles. The scouts were told only five of the 30 boys coming onto the line would be allowed to shoot the 308's. The catch was the 223 shooters would be given 10 rounds. The 308 shooters would only be given 5 rounds. Tanek's hand shot up real quick for the 308. He had been talking about shooting the 308's months before the jamboree.

He was selected and moved onto the line. The targets were approximately 75 yards down range. All 5 of his rounds hit the target.

After the 308's we took a quick lunch break we the moved to the 9 mm handguns where we learned our curriculum time had expired. We had to wait about 20 minutes to get up on the firing line. I don't know how many rounds Tanek was given but I think it was around nine.

The targets were metal plates which would fall  over when hit. He only hit 1 target out of the 9 but it had been a long day.

Tanek said he really enjoyed it. I asked if he wanted to go and shoot the shotguns. He said that he did not because he was tired of the safety briefing.

I wish someone had told us about the safety briefings before we had arrived. If I had known I would have suggested going on another day just to get the safety briefings out of the way. If we had done this we could have had more time to shoot during Tanek's curriculum. Live and learn I suppose.

I really liked The Barrels. It was a great set up and there were plenty of NRA Instructors there to help. 

 

The Cloud - National Jamboree 2013

The Cloud
They call it the cloud for a reason. It's in the clouds. It took our group 45 minutes to hike to The Cloud from Sub Camp C-4. The last 10 minutes or so felt like we were walking straight up a hill.

The Cloud is where the National Jamboree 2013 decided to place all of the technology activities. This place was interesting to say the least. The Cloud was the home to NASA, NASCAR, CSI, Robots and more.

While at the cloud scouts were able to view the sun using a telescope. The telescopes were powerful enough that a person was able to see solar flares. There were also TV screens where scouts were able to see satellite images of the solar flares.

While at the NASA booth we were informed we had a chance of actually seeing the Aurora Borealis at camp that night. Unfortunately it rained and was cloudy so it was very difficult to know if the Aurora Borealis actually appeared. I did not hear of anyone seeing the Aurora Borealis during camp. Also in the NASA booth all of the scouts were able to take and keep, as a souvenir, a thermal imaging photo of themselves.

In the NASCAR booth scouts were able to learn what goes into building a NASCAR. In addition they actually built a NASCAR piece by piece that will be raced. We were informed that it would be inspected by professionals before the race to insure we tightened all the nuts and bolts. I bet the driver will appreciate that inspection.

Lego had it's booth set up where the boys could battle Lego robots. They were even giving a first ever sneak peak of their upcoming soon to be released Lego robot. There was also a full sized Lego fireman.

In the CSI booth scouts were tasked with solving a made up murder. As you circled thru the booth, scouts would get clues as to who in the booth might have committed the murder. They showed the boys infrared technology, fingerprinting and even a made up murder scene among other fun and interesting CSI type activity's.

There were a number of team games as well as geocaching at The Cloud.

National Jamboree - Scott Summit Center

Scott Summit Center

The Scott Summit Center was one of many places to visit. Located in one of the more central areas, just a 30 minute hike from Sub Camp C-4,  the Scott Summit Center was one of the easier places to reach. The Scott Summit Center was open each day to 2013 National Jamboree participants as well as visitors.

One of the big attractions was two huge zip lines. Unfortunately, due to shortages in qualified staff, only one of the two zip lines in this area was open which lead to bigger lines. Even so, scouts and visitors alike lined up to ride the zip line.

Owl in the West Virginia Exhibit. Photo by Vinson Mouser

All throughout this area there were tents, tents, and more tents. Scouts could work on merit badges like the radio merit badge, where if you were lucky, you could have the opportunity to speak to an astronaut in space. 

One of the many trading posts was located in a huge tent in this area. The trading post was full of t-shirts, belt buckles, belts, patches, uniforms, backpacks, walking sticks, books, all kinds of collectibles and so much more. To enter the trading post you had to check in your backpack or leave it with a friend. Upon entering you were issued a red bucket to put your items in before checking out. Near the trading post was a FedEx Shipping Site so that you could ship your merchandise home.

Near the trading post was an AT&T cellphone charging station and an AT&T area where you could drive a texting and driving simulator car.

Peregrine Falcon at the West Virginia Exhibit. Photo by V. Mouser

Also in this area was a West Virginia exhibit. Inside this exhibit you could see a live owl and Peregrine Falcon. You could brand your hat with a West Virginia Summit brand, see video’s on West Virginia and in general learn about activities in and around West Virginia.

The future permanent home of the Trading Post for this area was still under construction. Many of the scouts used the shaded porch as an area to trade patches and eat lunch.

The Sustainability Tree House was also located in this area. I’ll have more on that in a later post.

National Jamboree - Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home. It didn't quite work that way but we made it back.

Lamont & his Limo - A great Coach Driver

We spent the night in the Econo Lodge in Fort Payne, Alabama. We ate a continental breakfast at 6:00 AM and boarded the bus home at 6:45 AM. All went well until the bus stopped working on the side of the interstate. Fortunately for us, we had Lamont as our bus driver and he quickly had the bus up and running. It gave us problems one more time but again Lamont got it up and running.

A scene at all of the homecomings

We stopped in Jackson, Mississippi for a quick lunch at McDonald's.

The trip was uneventful but a few things were noted. Mainly the scouts were rowdier on the way home than going.

Upon arrival in Monroe and then in Alexandria the scouts exited and it was all hugs and smiles. 

There will be one more specific updates on areas at National Jamboree 2013 as well as a few videos to come. 

Leaving the BSA 2013 National Jamboree

We got out of camp at 11:01 am. Since we were scheduled to leave at 11:00 am I think we did pretty good. Breaking down camp started yesterday. We washed and scrubbed all of the pots and pans and then packed them away. We then had our scouts begin packing there gear in their tents. The next morning the boys finished packing up their gear and breaking down their tents. We then had breakfast cereal bars and muffins. Afterwards, we broke down our dining tarps and picnic tables and waited for the bus. When the bus arrived we quickly loaded up the bus and headed out. 

During the first two hours just about everyone slept. We stopped at a truck stop that had a Popeye's and Taco Bell. We spent about an hour eating lunch and then we got back on the road. We stopped at Ryan's steak house for supper and then checked into the Econo Lodge. Most of our scouts have gone swimming in the pool while several just stayed in their rooms. 

 Oh yeah. We have a really good bus driver who all of us like. His name is Lamont. The boys call the bus Lamont's Limo. 

 On a personal note I am so sore from all the hiking. It is going yo be so nice to sleep in an air conditioned hotel room in a bed, but it will be even better to get home to family, my own home, and my own bed. I know everyone here misses someone.

Last day at the Summit

C420's stone at the fire ring

National Jamboree Departure

Just a quick update. We have loaded up and are moving on the bus. We are trying to get out of camp but they keep sending us in circles. At least we are moving.

National Jamboree - Days 10, 11 & 12

Sunday provided the opportunity for each of the scouts to attend religious services. The first service of the morning was for the LDS, the second service was for Protestants and the third service was a Catholic Mass. Services were optional and several of our boys chose to attend. During the Protestant service, the service I attended, it rained nearly the entire time. I was told that both the LDS & Catholic services were free of rain. Following the Protestant service the United Methodist had an open communion on Brown Sea Island. Tanek was selected by Rev. Joe Hoover to assist with communion. Following communion they gave away free Strength of Service Scouting Devotional books. A few of the scouts from our contingent attended communion. After religious services and lunch many activities opened around the Summit. Most of the boys chose to take the day off and remain in camp but a few chose to venture out. 

Fireworks as seen from C420's campsite - Photo by Tanek Mouser

At about 8:30 pm it was announced that everyone should stay in their campsites, because the fireworks that were supposed to be shot during the closing show were going to take place. At around 9 pm the show began and it was one of the best firework shows I have ever seen. It lasted approximately 20 minutes. There were a lot of oohs and aahs which were sincerely given from the scouts. 

Monday was Tanek's curriculum day and I traveled to The Barrels where all firearm activity occurs. The hike to The Barrels took us 2 hours and 15 minutes. Because it was Tanek's curriculum, he was able to bypass the long lines and get moved into shorter lines. He first shot 22 handguns, hitting the target with all 10 shots. He then went to 22 rifles where he again hit the target with all of his shots, although a few were wide they were on the paper. Following the 22's he went to the what was called the Heavy Metal Section. He had the opportunity to shot a 308 rifle with a scope. He shot 5 shots and hit the target with all 5 shots. We then proceeded to the 9 mm handguns. When we arrived at the 9 mm's he was told his curriculum time was up so he had to wait in the longer line. It took us about 25 min. before it was his turn. He didn't do as well here but he did hit 1 of 5 targets. All of the ranges are run by certified NRA instructors and range safety officers. The bad thing about being at The Barrels was when it was over we had to hike 2 hrs & 15 min back to our campsite. 

Along the way we were able to stop at the Dragon Boats. If you have never seen one, they are essentially very long canoes capable of seating about 20 people. There is an oarsman and a drummer who drums to keep the paddlers in rhythm. The front of the boat has a dragons head. We were able to complete our course in 51 seconds. The record was 38 seconds. We then returned to camp. Because we were at The Barrels for so long I am not sure what everyone else did. I can tell you this, it has been raining off and on for a few days now and things are getting really wet and muddy. 

Tuesday we had an early start because they had us scheduled to hike to the Garden Ground Mountains at 7 am. We were met by a trek guide who led us on our hike. The hike was 7 miles to the Summit the highest point in camp. Along the way our trek guide would occasionally stop and inform us about the history of coal mining in the area, leave no trace and sustainability practices. This hike was strenuous. I personally thought I would never see the top. Several portions of the trail were very steep. All of the boys did really well but I fell behind. Even though I fell behind I arrived only a few minutes later than they did. 

When we arrived at the top everyone was allowed to go their separate ways. They had a model of the first scout camp ever held in America. They had a Pioneering Area where scouts could launch catapults, battering rams, trebuchets, climb towers, ride a carousel, and a swing. All of the activities in the Pioneering Village are made from rope and logs.

There was an American Indian Village put on by the Order of the Arrow. In the village there were teepee's and Native American games. The big draw was the Pow Wow where the scouts got to watch chicken dancers, traditional dancers, straight dances, grass dancers, fancy dancers, eagle dancers,  and a hoop dancer. During the Pow Wow there was an inter-tribal dance where all the scouts were encouraged to join in the dance. Several of boys took part in the dance. 

There was also a Buckskin Village where the scouts were able to take part in tomahawk throwing, knife throwing and black powder rifles. There was also a branding station where the boys could brand various items with the Summit Bechtel name and logo. 

Just passed the Buckskin Village there was a Scottish Highland Games Area. In this area scouts were able to dress in a Scottish kilt, play tug of war, and play various Scottish games. This is also the area that had a beautiful overlook of the camp. 

C420's rock at the fire ring - Photo by Johnny Keisewetter

We also placed our Louisiana Purchase Council C420 rock with all the others around the fire ring. We all met back up at 4 pm and hiked back a mile and a half down the mountain where we returned to the one of the areas in camp. We then had to hike 35 minutes back to camp. We had supper which was hot dogs and chili. We cleaned our dishes and packed up camp in preparation to leave the Summit tomorrow morning. Everything here is very wet and very muddy so there is a real big mess. I am looking forward to a hot shower, air conditioning and a hotel bed tomorrow night!

National Jamboree - Days 8 & 9

I have a lot of catching up to do. There is so much going on and this place is so big!

 One of the events we were scheduled to do is the Technology Area. We had to hike 45 minutes to reach the Technology Area and the last 10 to 15 minutes was up the side of a mountain. The Technology Area was a really neat area. They had a NASA display where we could see images of the sun and its solar flares from satellites orbiting the sun. Lego had display on robotics where you could play with Lego robots. A NASCAR area allowed the boys to build a BSA NASCAR that will be raced. There were telescopes binoculars, games and so much more. After a few hours at the Technology Area the boys started to drift down to other activities.

In the last few days three of our scouts were able to ride the Big Zip. The Big Zip last for just 45 seconds but is the 5th largest zip line in the U.S. and the boys traveled at up to 65  mph as they zipped down the mountain and across the lake.

Some of the scouts have been down to scuba. I was told the scuba pools are temporary this year and only 4 feet deep. Even so the scouts who have done it seem to be glad they took the time.

Yesterday was the big closing show. I know we aren't leaving yet, so I was also wondering why the closing show was so early. I don't have an answer for that question. The  closing show was supposed to start at 7 pm but was moved to 3 pm due to a forecast of threatening weather. 

We ended up being seated in one of the worst areas  in the stadium. We were placed right behind one of the big screens used to project the show for those further back. We could not see the stage due to the screen so we had to watch it on the big screen. I would have preferred to see the stage and a screen.Oh well! The music was loud since there were also speakers located by the screens.

We got to hear an excellent speech by Mike Rowe, the star, of Dirty Jobs. He said, too often we are taught to work smart, not hard. He referred to a story form his youth when a counselor told him that's what he should do. He suggested maybe it should be work smart and work hard. He also thinks that the Boys Scouts "get that". 


The band that performed at the big show was Three Doors Down. I think just about everyone in our group knew some of their songs. It was a really good rock band with some big hits. I was very pleased with their performance. 

Due to the fact that the show was moved up early, there were no fireworks because it was still daylight. We returned from the closing show and were in our campsite about 10 or 15 minutes when one of the biggest storm thus far at the Jamboree hit. We had heavy rain and gusting winds. We even saw a few tents get flipped over in the wind and the boys ran out to catch them. I guess those boys didn't stake their tents down right. None of our scouts equipment was damaged and no one complained of anything getting wet. 

That night we had stir fry chicken for supper and everyone turned in to bed at 10 pm.  We have been having a bit of a rough time being camped next to the restrooms, because others are coming to the restroom to shower after 10 at night. Due to our proximity to the restrooms we hear everything, and I mean everything!

National Jamboree Day 7

BMX track

Today started like all others, the cooks woke up at 5 AM and the rest of the troop woke up at 6 AM. We  had breakfast and packed our lunches for the day. Afterwards we headed out on the trail.

I was fortunate to accompany a few of the scouts today. We walked for a good mile to two miles before arriving at our destination, the BMX track. We attended a safety briefing, received safety gear and the scouts hit the beginners track.




Obstacle Course for blindness awareness

The tracks are set multilevel. You  have to complete one track effectively before advancing to the next. The boys I was with were working on this first small beginners track when we received a lightning alert. We are receiving these daily. There seems to be two different types, a twelve mile from the area and an eight mile from the area. This alert was an 8 mile so they shut down the BMX tracks.

We headed over to the Disability Awareness Area and entered into a discussion about disabilities. We then entered into the main area where we went to a blind person obstacle course. We were given a blind persons cane and had to navigate an obstacle course. It was very  difficult.

We then played a game of blind person baseball. It was interesting. The ball makes a sound so you can always hear where it was located. When a ball was hit the players attempted to get the ball before the batter reached the base. The base also had a distinct tone. The game was fun but I found I could not even tell if I was facing the right direction. 

While in this area we bowled from a wheel chair, played one armed golf, learned about the difficulties of ADD/ADHD and more.

Again there was a lot of patch trading and visiting with friends. We were also able to visit the CONSOL Energy Wing Tip Bridge, which is a suspension bridge across the gorge. The boys liked this bridge. You could go to a viewing area beneath the bridge and get out of the sun. Many scouts across the camp liked to eat lunch under the bridge. There is so much to do here it is unbelievable.  

I think we are all walking 5 to 10 miles per day. Each day it has been a little warmer. Nights are cool and require light cover after midnight. Everyone seems healthy and appear to be having a good time. I have heard no complaints.

National Jamboree Day 6

Whitewater rafting.......way cool. Today we had the opportunity to white water raft. About 21 members of our group took this opportunity.

We woke up at 5AM. The jamboree had messed up on breakfast so all we had to eat was dry cereal and a few bags of trail mix and cookies. The scouts took it in stride and devoured the cereal. We left our campsite at 5:15 AM. We had to hike for about 40 minutes to reach the check in site. At the check in site the staff reviewed our release forms. One of the scouts had forgotten to bring his epipen. They would not let him go without it. He hiked back to camp and returned with it. He was unable to go with our group but was able to join up with other scouts later in the day. 

Following medicals our group was ushered into a tent where we watched a short safety and instructional video. The video reviewed safety procedures and a lot of what if types of situations. One demonstration showed you how to put your helmet on correctly.

We then boarded a bus and headed to the River Gorge. It took about 30 minutes of winding mountain roads to reach our destination. Upon arrival we met our guides. The raft I rode was guided by Sam. A long blonde haired guy about 25 years of age.Sam gave us our life jackets and helmets to put on. Of course, I was the one guy in the group who put his helmet on backwards. Fortunately, one of the younger scouts noticed that the old guy (me) had his helmet on backwards. Everyone got a good laugh. Sam really knew his rafting and was a fun guide.

We entered the river, which we were informed was high due to recent rain. We quickly hit a class 2 rapid. As we continued down the river we encountered more  class 2 and class 3 rapids.

A few of the boys claimed to have been tossed out of the boat. No one on our boat experienced this so I guess I will leave the "big fish" stories to the boys when they get back home. 

Along the river we were able to do a lot of swimming. The guide also showed us a game to play with the boats which was a lot of fun. The basics of the game was for one of the scouts to stand on the front of the raft and maintain his balance while everyone paddled the boat causing the boat to spin in a circle. The longer a person was able to maintain their balance the faster the paddlers were able to spin the boat. Which eventually caused the person to lose their balance and fall into the water.

At the conclusion of our rafting experience we had to wait for about 45 minutes for the bus. Then we took a 30 minute winding mountain road to our camp and had to hike back about 45 minutes to the campsite.

After returning to the campsite many of the boys went to other areas to explore, trade patches and visit new friends.

National Jamboree Day 5 - Opening Show & Exploring

Our first day of full activities started around 5:30 AM as 4 of our scouts pulled a wagon to our sub-base camp headquarters where they were issued breakfast and lunch for the day.

Breakfast was cereal and milk, blueberry muffins and oranges. Lunch was a typical trail type meal which included trail mix, crackers, and cookies. It also included a really disgusting apple cinnamon unknown item. It looked like a gogurt but tasted like baby food. It might have been better if it was cold but not much here is cold.

After breakfast the scouts headed out to the opening show. We filled an ampitheater with close to 35,000 scouts. We heard from multiple dignitaries, including the Governor of West Virginia and a member of the Bechtel family for which the Summit is named after.

Patch Trading

The scouts seemed to be more into the bands. At the beginning of the opening show, as we were arriving at the stadium, we were entertained by a West Virginia National Guard rock band. One of the more favorite songs they performed was a cover of Teen Spirit by Nirvana.

At the close of the show we were entertained by a West Virginia Country and Western Band called Taylor Made. I don't think the scouts knew the songs but everyone seemed to enjoy the band.

Upon dismissal the scouts departed and visited across the summit. I think most of the boys used the opportunity  to explore. I heard several proclaim they walked the entire camp. I'm not so sure about this claim but if they did they really did some hoofing.

There was plenty to explore. I visited the Tree House, a 4 story structure with solar power, compost toilets, and a rain water system. I made 3 stories and departed due to my lack of comfort in high places. I later learned at the top you can leave a piece of tin with your name and unit number on it and all the tins will be left as a marker at camp. The entire treehouse is about sustainability, recycling, and using energy from renewable sources. I also visited several merit badge areas.

Unfortunately, a good portion of my day was spent trying to get my Kindle to work with AT&T. No one was able to help. The end result is I found a place provided by AT&T where I can blog, text, check email, and surf the web. Not as good as a working Kindle but it works.