MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR – SAN DIEGO -- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marines helped San Diego’s Boy Scouts of America earn their engineering merit badge at a workshop Jan 10.
Sgt. James R. Tilt, a motor transportation operator for Marine Wing Support Squadron 373, and Cpl. Corbin L. Cassingham, a motor transportation operator for MWSS-374 spent a day with young troops, educating them about the Marine Corps.
Marines arrived on scene in a humvee which the Scouts explored with excitement. They also tried on military equipment like the Marines’ flak jackets and kevlars.
After working up the courage to talk to the Marines, the curious scouts asked lots of questions. They asked about personal experiences in the Corps and what it is like to be a Marine.
“A lot of the Scouts asked me if I have been to Iraq,” said Cassingham, who has recently deployed. “I have also gotten a lot of questions about the humvee.”
Codey Hughes, a Boy Scout and sixth grader, aspires to become a Marine.
“I want to be a scout sniper,” said Codey. “I have always wanted to be a Marine like my grandfather.”
“Whenever we have the scout fair I try and invite Marines to come,” said assistant scout master Scott Hughes, who organized the workshop. “It’s good for the boys to see Marines.”
Scott believes being a Boy Scout is a great start to becoming a Marine because many of their values are the same.
The engineering merit badge took the scouts all day to earn. They completed many required engineering tasks, including building a model airplane and flying it.
The Scouts and the two Marines also took a tour of Northrop Grumman. While there, they learned about the unmanned aerial vehicle and several aircraft.