One of the Thousands of Memories at the Scouting America 2026 National Jamboree

True Story, after the Closing Arena Show of the Scouting America 2026 National Jamboree

As a health care professional volunteering my service at a jamboree, I’m never really off-duty, just on standby. 



I was on the medical staff as a health care professional at the 2026 Scouting America National Jamboree. I was part of over 300 medical service volunteers rendering free care for the 10,000 or so youth participants— a small city, really.

 A closing arena show concluded a spectacular jamboree. It’s dark, and numerous wooded trails lead Scouts and leaders back to their campsites at the Summit Bechtel Family Scout Reserve.

Some of these hikes take up to 45 minutes. I was headed back on one of these paths. I see 3 youth participants— all girls from one troop. One girl is riding piggyback carry on the back of one of her troop mates. The younger Scout showed a wrapped knee and a finger splint on one hand. 

I query, “How did that happen, skateboard park? BMX track?”— the two most common orthopedic injury jamboree activities. She replied, “in my troop campsite.” I didn’t query further; it was just a segue to introduce myself. Her buddy was carrying her crutches.

We were on a winding trail that outlines the lake— none of them have a light. I shine my headlamp toward the front of the carrier’s path. “I’m on the medical service; you are doing a great job.” “If you tire, let’s stop and rest, and I have plenty of water to share.” 

The older Scout is an Eagle. She wore a 1970s-era, all-green, collarless, all-polyester “sweat factory” uniform that’s labelled “Scout, BSA” above the right pocket. What stamina and effort I witnessed. She carried her fellow Scout 1.2 miles back to the Jamboree Health Center. Their group mission was to return the loaner crutches before their troop was to bug out at 6:00 am the next morning.

 Old uniforms are still official uniforms, and a few Scouts do the whole antique uniform thing.

 I advised, “I’m going to light your way; my concern is to make sure you are OK, take breaks, and don’t injure yourself.” She smiled with the recognition and attention I was there to support. “I can call up a trail unit with a UTV that can bring a tow-stretcher if you tire.”

 She seemed doubly fixed to complete the task, knowing we had a backup plan.

 We all make it there together and they return the crutches. Now back to their campsite. Fortunately, it was just about 300 feet away. We arrive safely, and the younger scout hops off onto her good leg, assisted by other Scouts. 

They thank me for assisting, and I reply, “Hold on, I’m not done. That was an extraordinarily good turn you performed for your fellow Scout.”

“First, this is for you, ‘patient.’ You were able to hang on and go the distance— good job.”


I turn towards the older Eagle Scout in her classic uniform: “And for you, I am making you an honorary member of the medical staff.”
   
 They were surprised at the instant recognition, too rare in Scouting— an improvised ‘atta Scout’ delivered in the field.

 These patches were an adaptation of function for a patch I designed for our eye care patients I was seeing daily and a trader patch designed for fellow health care professionals I would meet and greet.

 Normally at the end of a clinical encounter I would joke to patients after a red eye workup, “And now the final part of today’s therapy plan: I have to patch you up.” And then, surprise - I was do a pun upon the traditional "eye patch" applied for some treatment plans and instead give them a special trader patch from our clinic at the Jamboree Health Center.

 Just one of the thousands of happy adventures that can happen at a jamboree.