Media inquiries should be directed to PR@Scouting.org.

A message from Patrick Jordan, Occoneechee Council Board President, on March 5, 2026:

Dear Scouting Family,

As I write to you for the first time as President of the Occoneechee Council, I do so with deep gratitude for your trust and with the awareness that this is a significant moment in the life of Scouting America.

I come to this role not only as a volunteer leader, but also as an Eagle Scout and the proud father of an Eagle Scout. I have witnessed firsthand the growth and development of many girls and boys in our troop as they advanced on their journeys to Eagle. I have seen confidence built on campouts, leadership forged through service, and character shaped by challenge and responsibility. I am incredibly proud of the 303 Scouts in our Council who achieved the rank of Eagle in 2025.  We had two Summit awards in Venturing and a Quartermaster award in Sea Scouts. On top of all of that, our Council also had a “Triple Crown” recipient last year: a Scout who completed Eagle, Summit, and Quartermaster awards.

These outstanding accomplishments reflect the strength of our program and the dedication of our volunteers and families. I eagerly await even more Eagle, Summit, and Quartermaster awards in the years to come.

Over the past week, National leadership announced that Scouting America has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of War outlining an expanded partnership to support military families and ensure continued access to Scouting on military installations. At this time, only the announcement has been released; the full Memorandum of Understanding itself has not yet been published. 

Alongside the announcement came news of several programmatic changes, including the discontinuation of the Citizenship in Society merit badge and updates connected to compliance with Executive Order 14173.

As more details become available once the agreement is published, we will be better positioned to address questions from our Scouting families. 

I have heard from many of you — parents, volunteers, alumni, and Scouts — who are proud of Scouting and also concerned about what these changes mean for our movement. Your voices matter. Your commitment to young people matters even more.

Let me be clear about what has not changed:

Our mission has not changed.

Our values have not changed.

Our youth remain our purpose.

Here in the Occoneechee Council, we remain steadfast in our commitment to developing leaders of character. That objective is enduring. It is grounded firmly in the Scout Oath and Scout Law — the bedrock of our movement.

The Scout Oath calls each of us “to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

The Scout Law reminds us that a Scout is “Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.”

These are not abstract words. They are daily expectations. They call us to respect others, to act with integrity, to lead with courage, to serve selflessly, and to consider diverse perspectives with humility and kindness.  They define the kind of leaders our communities and our nation need.

Scouting is for everyone.  We not only have space for all youth who wish to live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law, we believe that welcoming young people from all backgrounds strengthens our movement and enriches the experience for everyone.  Here at the local level, our volunteers and parents create safe, welcoming, and fun environments where youth can grow in confidence and character.

While the Citizenship in Society merit badge will no longer be offered at the national level, the principles it sought to elevate — respect, thoughtful citizenship, leadership, and service — are woven throughout the Scouting program.  Citizenship, critical thinking, and service to others have always been central to Scouting, and they will remain so.

We also recognize that questions remain about elements of the new agreement and its implementation. National leadership has indicated that additional information will be shared once final details are released. As a Council, we will communicate clearly and promptly as we learn more. Until then, we ask for patience as we work through evolving information.

Most importantly, the culture of Scouting in Occoneechee Council is shaped locally — by our volunteers, our chartered partners, and our families.  You are the ones who demonstrate what it means to live the Oath and Law.  You are the mentors who model integrity, empathy, resilience, and service.

Now more than ever, our youth need stability.  They need positive role models.  They need outdoor adventure.  They need communities committed to developing leaders of character who will strengthen their schools, neighborhoods, and nation.

That is the Scouting we will continue to deliver.

I am honored to serve alongside each of you.  I welcome your feedback, your partnership, and your continued dedication to the young people entrusted to us.  Together, we will ensure that Scouting in Occoneechee Council remains strong, welcoming, and firmly grounded in the timeless values that define Scouting.

Thank you for everything you do for our Scouts.

Yours in Scouting, 

Patrick Jordan
President, Board of Directors
Occoneechee Council, Scouting America

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A message from Occoneechee Council to its Scouters on Feb. 27, 2026:

Today, Scouting America finalized an agreement with the Department of War to preserve our longstanding partnership with the U.S. military.

The agreement deepens Scouting service to military families while making programmatic updates to comply with Executive Order 14173.

Under the agreement:

• Scouting programs will continue to operate on military installations worldwide.
• The Department will continue its support of National Jamborees and other events.
• National registration fees will be waived for youth from active-duty, Guard, and Reserve families.
• A new Military Service merit badge will be developed in cooperation with the Department.
• Existing membership registration and youth safeguarding practices are memorialized in the agreement.

More military family membership fee information will come from National. (Council fees will remain the same this fiscal year; units set their own fees, as usual.)

As part of compliance with Executive Order 14173, the Citizenship in Society merit badge will be discontinued. Learn more here.

Occoneechee Council serves communities across central North Carolina, including Fayetteville where many families are connected to military service. 

Our name, mission, and commitment to serving youth remain unchanged.

Occoneechee Council will continue its mission of developing Scouts to be leaders of character under the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. 

Media inquiries should be directed to PR@Scouting.org.