By Emma Uber
James E., James J. and James G. Arbuckle have more in common than their names. The grandfather, father and son are all Eagle Scouts, the top rank in Boy Scouts.
Last month, James G. became a third-generation Eagle Scout as his father, James J., and grandfather, James E., proudly watched as he continued the family legacy. The Arbuckle family hosted an Eagle Scout Court of Honor at their Carmel home in honor of James G.’s achievement.
James G. knew from a young age that he wanted to follow in his father and grandfather’s footsteps. The family history in scouting motivated him to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
“A lot of kids go into scouting, and they do it for the rank or to have a good time, which is great, but I had something behind me pushing me to make my best effort to be an Eagle,” said James G.
To earn this rank, James G. earned numerous merit badges, served in various leadership positions and organized a community service project. After consulting St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School PTO, James G. led his fellow troop members in constructing a gaga ball pit for students to use.
“From this project I learned planning and leadership, because I had never really led a group of 15 guys to get one goal done, so it was cool to see the project when it was all said and done,” James G. said. “It was great to see all my efforts unfold.”
James J. expressed his pride as a father and felt becoming an Eagle Scout teaches virtues that helped both him and his father throughout their adult lives.
“Having been an Eagle Scout and having gone through all of (the requirements), you learn things like persistence and dedication. You certainly have to have a level of optimism, because if you are not optimistic it is hard to sustain an effort over three to five years,” James J. said. “Those kinds of qualities help you whether it’s in your personal life, or leading a family or in your career. Those types of qualities can’t help but help you be successful in all different sorts of endeavors.”
James J. said the family had to work through logistical hurdles to arrange for his father, who lives in a nursing home, to be able to attend the Court of Honor ceremony in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a marvelous thing to finally get it done,” James J. said. “As a dad, you can see the character development that scouting has brought upon him. The whole scouting experience has molded him into a delightful young man. It’s just been a lot of fun to watch that development take place.”
