Scouting, Volume 31, Number 3, March 1943 Page: 10
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New Dope from the O.C.D
HeIs Going to Be a Messenger*
Bif G, MilU
National Director
Health and Safety Scrvice
Recent talks with officials of the
Federal Office of Civilian De-
fense in Washington indicate
clearly that the importance of the
foot messenger in time of air at-
tack is far greater today than it
was a year ago. "Then," said a
high-ranking Army Officer in the
Protection division of O. C. D., "we
thought of the enemy using 100-
pound bombs if they attacked us
from the air with but relatively
light damage to wire communica-
tions—damage which might do no
more than knock out the tele-
phone system on the streets where
the bombs fell. In that case we
would simply move to the next
street and send through our mes-
sages. Now we know that it would
be entirely possible for him to
attack with four-ton or even
8800-pound bombs. Such Block
Busters might destroy communi-
cations for great distances and
make foot messengers absolutely
necessary — perhaps the only
means of getting word through to
Control Centers, and from there
to Rescue, Fire Fighting and
Medical Corps groups."
Particularly nice things were
said at that office about the great
value of Scout-trained messengers.
It was quite evident
that the ability and
eagerness Of Scouts
to give service, their
courtesy and good
discipline had made
a very fine impres-
. sion.
Messengers To Be Message
Bearers Only-
It is also quite evident that in
the future the conception of the
messenger's job, and consequently
his training, will be considerably
simplified. His one responsibility
will be TO GET THE MESSAGE
THROUGH. He will not fight fire
or give First Aid while on a
messenger assignment. He will
perform his mission without per-
mitting anything to interfere, no
matter how important it may
seem. It is even possible that all
the unrelated training will be
abolished and therefore more time
will be spent in learning the real
business of a carrier of messages.
Emergency Service Training
Considered of Great
Importance
The opinion was expressed that
Emergency Service training as set
down in the pamphlets "Emer-
gency Service Training in the
Troop" (No. 3750) and "Emer-
gency Service Training Plan Ref-
erence Material" (No. 3915)** was
very desirable and that Emergency
Service Corps members would be
particularly valuable as leaders
and instructors.
It is of the utmost importance
that a Scout messenger possess the
* This is the third article to appear
under this heading. The first and
second were in the May and June
1942 issues of Scouting Magazine.
**# 3750 —3c each.
#3915 — 8c each (Through your
Council Office).
umay tips on
t
ability to reach a specified point
quickly either in broad daylight
or in the complete darkness of a
blackout. This is one of the basic
scouting skills that was carried to
its greatest heights by those old
national heroes — Dan'l Boone,
Simon Kenton, Jim Bridger, Kit
Carson, Buffalo Bill Cody and
scores of others.
And Here is a Game to
Teach It
Some of you know of the dart
game that British Scouts used be-
fore the war, and since, to learn
streets and the location of public
buildings and various kinds of
bombs. They threw darts painted
m
Photo by Clinton Martin
SCOUT PROGRAM SOURCE MATERIAL )
}Q SCOUTING
Toughen Up, Buckle Down
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 31, Number 3, March 1943, periodical, March 1943; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth313091/m1/12/?q=+date%3A1941-1945: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.