Greater Hudson Valley Families,
The Greater Hudson Valley Council received the following communication from Scouting America at the same time it was released publicly.
Our council leadership is reviewing the information and will be gathering clarification so we can provide accurate guidance to our volunteers and families. We expect to share additional information and respond to questions next week.
Thank you for your patience and continued leadership.
Richard Stockton
Scout Executive/CEO
Richard.Stockton@Scouting.org
Statement from Scouting America10:50AM, 2/27/26
Scouting America and the Department of War
Today, Scouting America and the Department of War finalized a commitment to strengthen our longstanding partnership with the U.S. military. Over several months, we engaged in dialogue with Department leadership to align on how we could deepen our service to military families, while making programmatic updates to comply with Executive Order 14173.
Throughout our discussions, we remained true to the core commitments that define our organization—our name, our mission, and our promise to serve all youth in our programs. Those commitments are unchanged. We will continue to deliver stability, mentorship, and opportunity to the children of those who serve our nation.
What This Agreement Delivers
• Continued support for Scouting on military installations worldwide
• Ongoing Department support for National Jamborees and other events
• New benefits for military families, including waiving registration fees for children of active-duty, Guard, and Reserve families
• Launching a new Military Service merit badge, developed in cooperation with the Department
• Memorializing our existing practices for membership registration and safeguarding youth
As part of Scouting America’s commitment to comply with Executive Order 14173, we will be discontinuing the Citizenship in Society merit badge. While this change complies with the Executive Order, the lessons found in this merit badge are found throughout the Scouting program. Scouting has always taught respect for others, leadership, and consideration of diverse perspectives through the ideals enshrined in the Scout Oath and Law. Scouting America’s mission remains unchanged and is reinforced across our advancement, leadership development, and outdoor experiences.
Our emphasis on duty to God, duty to country, and service to others is strengthened by this partnership. Scouting’s values have not changed, and they will not change.
Why This Partnership Matters
Since 1910, Scouting America has played a strategic role in strengthening our nation’s military readiness. More than 130 million Americans have been Scouts. Millions have gone on to serve as military leaders, first responders, educators, and civic leaders. For military families navigating deployments and frequent moves, Scouting has long provided a steady anchor during times of uncertainty.
Service to Military Families
In our discussions, we affirmed Scouting’s deep commitment to military families. To that end, we will waive the national registration fees of all active duty, Reserve and Guard troops. Your support in this effort is critical – and we encourage you to make a donation to support Scouting families. Click here to give today.
How to Communicate Locally
When speaking with families and volunteers, lead with confidence and clarity:
• This agreement provides continuity for military families
• It supports Scouting on military bases and support for events such as National Jamborees
• Fee waivers will be available for active-duty, Guard, and Reserve families
• Program updates were made to comply with Executive Order 14173
• Our mission, and commitment to serving all youth remains unchanged
• Membership registration and our practices to safeguard youth remain unchanged
Scouting America works constructively with every administration—always focused on serving youth.
Our Resolve
For more than a century, Scouting America has endured because we are resilient, principled and unwavering in our mission. We remain committed to developing leaders of character. We remain committed to service and our nation. We remain committed to the principles enshrined in our Scout Oath and Scout Law.
Thank you for your leadership and dedication to Scouting America.
Scouting America
Second Statement 4:30PM, 2/27/26
Scouting America's Commitment to Serving All Youth Remains Unchanged
As I shared with you this morning, the Department of War announced it is reaffirming its partnership with Scouting America. As an organization that has proudly served military families for over 116 years, our primary objective throughout this engagement was to maintain support for the youth and families who depend on us.
While the Department’s announcement references programmatic updates, we want to be clear about what this continued partnership means for our organization.
Scouting America will continue to welcome and serve all youth. That commitment is unwavering.
What Is Not Changing:
- Scouting America’s name, mission and commitment to the Scout Oath and Scout Law.
- Our eligibility requirements – Scouting will continue to welcome and serve all youth.
- Our member registration – we are memorializing existing practices for member registration.
- Our practices to safeguard youth – we are reinforcing existing practices to safeguard all youth.
- Our core commitment to developing leaders of character for service to God, country and community.
What Is New:
- We are waiving registration fees for children of active-duty, Guard and Reserve families, effective June 1, 2026.
- We are introducing a new Military Service merit badge.
- We are discontinuing the Citizenship in Society merit badge to align with Executive Order 14173.
- We are making other programmatic updates, such as dissolving our DEI committee, to ensure compliance with the Executive Order.
The relationship between Scouting and the Department of War is important to our organization and the military families we serve. Scouting has long been a source of stability — a uniform, a community, a set of values that travel with them wherever they go. Tens of thousands of Scouts participate in units that meet on or near military installations in the U.S. and abroad. This partnership provides the opportunity to continue serving the military families who depend on us.
Importantly and unchanged, every family is welcome in Scouting. Today, Scouting serves nearly one million youth from every corner of American life. We are committed to ensuring the character-building benefits of Scouting – leadership, responsibility, service – are available to all youth who participate in our programs. It is important that our leadership – every one of you – recognize and reinforce Scouting’s unwavering commitment to delivering programs that benefit all youth.
Thank you for your steadfast commitment to Scouting America.
Yours in Scouting,
Roger Krone
Chief Scout Executive
President & CEO
Scouting America
