News

Triangle teen is troop’s youngest Eagle Scout

Boy Scout Troop 74 honored Griffith Bullard with the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest level of achievement in the Boy Scout program.

At 14, he is the youngest Eagle Scout to be honored by the troop.

Griffith, of Triangle, started Cub Scouts at age seven while in first grade. As a fifth grader, he moved into Boy Scouts.

As a scout, he has spent over 20 nights camping and has over 100 hours of community service under his belt.

Griffith has earned a total of 29 merit badges. A few of the merit badges earned by Griffith include space exploration, leatherwork, and archery.

“We are a Scouting family,” says Griffith’s father, David Bullard. Griffith’s older brother, Tristan Bullard, was the Senior Patrol leader of their Boy Scout troop. Griffith followed in his brother’s footsteps and soon became the Senior Patrol leader.

While a Scout of Troop 74, Griffith has completed activities ranging from helping with the Presidential Inauguration Parade of 2013 for President Obama in Washington to feeding the needy and homeless, according to Griffith’s father David Bullard.

According to David Bullard, a few of the criteria needed to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout include having earned a total of 21 merit badges, being active in your troop for at least six months after becoming a Life Scout, and showing that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Griffith also had to lead an Eagle Service Project to earn his rank. For his service project, Griffith along with 14 other scouts and volunteers created a nautical knot tying station for the Weems-Botts Museum of Dumfries, says David Bullard.

His final requirement to become an Eagle Scout was the Eagle Board of Review. Seven adults from the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scout Troop 74, and Griffith had to determine if he exhibited the character of an Eagle Scout.

The Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony was held at the Dumfries United Methodist Church on Jan. 16. The ceremony was attended by over 50 family members, friends, other scouts, Mayor Jerry Foreman, and two members of the United States Submarine Veterans, says David Bullard.

As an Eagle Scout, Griffith says he will lead the younger scouts and continues to earn merit badges.