Bridges Edition. To understand their importance, look no further than the Summit and the newest of the BSA's famous bridges.

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1 Bridges Edition Vol. 5, No. 12 Bridge at the Summit Crossing Over Ceremony Daniel Carter Beard Bridge Sea Scouting's Bridge of Honor Rustic Bridge Construction A Bridge to the Future Jamboree From a foot log over a stream to a great span crossing one of America's biggest rivers, bridges have been a part of Scouting since the earliest days. They also play symbolic roles in some of the organization's most meaningful ceremonies, including the transition from Webelos to Boy Scout. To understand their importance, look no further than the Summit and the newest of the BSA's famous bridges. BRIDGE AT THE SUMMIT Philmont Scout Ranch has the Tooth of Time. The Summit National Scout Reserve has a towering landmark, too - the CONSOL Wing Tip Bridge.

2 The futuristic bridge incorporates steel masts that spread toward the sky like the tips of the feathers of an eagle's wing, and thus the name. It was finished just in time for the 2013 National Jamboree at the Summit. Black locust harvested locally forms the decking for the main walkway. The wood withstands weather and wear and, like the rest of the bridge, requires little maintenance.

3 Made possible by a generous grant from CONSOL Energy, there is no bridge like it anywhere else in the world. Scoutstuff.org offers a commemorative 8" jacket patch showing Wingtip Bridge in gorgeous, high definition color. DANIEL CARTER BEARD BRIDGE Cross the Ohio River on Interstate 471 linking Cincinnati and Newport, Kentucky, and you'll find yourself on a magnificent bridge officially named in honor of Daniel Carter Beard, one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America.

4 Mr. Beard was born in Cincinnati in 1850 and grew up in nearby Covington, Kentucky. Today's Dan Beard Council also spans the Ohio, providing Scouts on both sides of the river with tremendous opportunities for adventure, service, and achievement. The legacy of Dan Beard is further honored with a statue of him outside his boyhood home, almost in sight of the bridge. A plaque near the statue explains that for young Daniel Beard, playing in the woods along the banks of the nearby Ohio and Licking Rivers sparked his keen interests in nature and the outdoors. Poet Edgar Guest said this about "Uncle Dan: "He'll live wherever boyhood pitches tent beside a stream and fire is made by friction and coffee needs no cream." Dan Beard brought his deep love of outdoor skills to Scouting. He was especially eager for boys to learn how to tie knots and to use lashings for constructing useful projects including rustic bridges.

5 BUILDING RUSTIC BRIDGES What could be better than a day with good friends planning and building a bridge? That's a terrific way for many Scouts to use the lashing skills in the First Class requirements and Pioneering merit badge. One of the easiest designs is the monkey bridge. It involves crossed poles securely lashed together and anchored at either end of the span, and ropes in between for the hands and the feet of those crossing the bridge.

6 The lashings in a monkey bridge are the square and the shear (or diagonal). Find instructions for these and other lashings in the Boy Scout Handbook and the Pioneering merit badge manual, both available from Scout bridges might be built to provide passage over a over a running stream, or for practice in a meadow, or as a model made with small, straight sticks lashed together with string.

7 Whatever the situation, you can have lots of fun, hone your skills, and develop a better understanding for all that is involved in bridging your way toward a solution. WEBELOS CROSSING OVER CEREMONY The ceremonial bridge that Webelos Scouts cross as they join a Boy Scout troop might be just a few feet long, but the distance is immeasurable in the meaning it holds in their Scouting careers. During the crossing over ceremony, Scouting recognizes a boy's accomplishments during his time as a Cub Scout. A scoutmaster and senior patrol leader welcome him into his new troop and begin introducing him to the world of exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

8 Crossing over ceremonies are occasions for celebration, often with refreshments and warm fellowship. Scoutstuff.org offers a variety of decorations, tablecloths, and other items to make receptions all the more special.

9 SEA SCOUTING'S BRIDGE OF HONOR Cub Scouts aren't the only ones with a bridge at the center of a Scouting ceremony. A Sea Scout Bridge of Honor is the forum where awards are presented, often held in connection with a Ship's social event. Likewise, a Bridge of Review is similar to a troop's Board of Review. The reference is to the command deck of a ship, called the bridge. The ranks of Sea Scouting presented during a Bridge of Honor are Apprentice, Ordinary, Able and Quartermaster. Those embroidered for a dark Sea Scout uniform look like this:

10 Quartermaster, the highest Sea Scouting rank, is the equivalent to the Boy Scouts' Eagle Scout award. The Quartermaster medal is meant to be worn on the dress uniform. A BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE JAMBOREE The 1993 National Jamboree brought together more than 34,000 Scouts to celebrate the theme A Bridge To The Future. Of course, the BSA has been looking toward the future since the first days of its existence. It will continue to do so as long as there are people who believe in Scouting and are eager to cross - and sometimes build - bridges leading to ever fresh and exciting futures. (This edition of the Be Prepared Newsletter was developed and written by Robert Birkby, author of the current editions of the Boy Scout Handbook, Fieldbook and Eagle Scouts: A Centennial History.)