The United States military could soon end its historic partnership with Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts of America, according to a draft memo reportedly circulating within the Pentagon.
National Public Radio reported Tuesday that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is preparing to cut formal ties with the youth organization, though the memo has not yet been formally issued. The document allegedly argues that Scouting America has shifted away from its traditional mission.
Hegseth, according to the reported memo, criticized the group for becoming "genderless" and accused it of having begun to “attack boy-friendly spaces.” He asserted that “The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys,” claiming the youth organization had strayed from its meritocratic roots.
Should these proposed changes be implemented, the military’s logistical and medical support for the National Jamboree—which draws as many as 20,000 participants—would be discontinued, and scouting units would be barred from meeting on military bases.
In response, Scouting America released a statement calling the development unexpected and troubling, noting that “our nation's military has walked side-by-side with Scouts for generations.”
The group further emphasized that many service members come from scouting backgrounds. “An enormous percentage of those in our military academies are Scouts and Eagle Scouts. Our Scouts and leaders admire and are inspired by our military heroes. Many of our Scouts trade their Scouting uniforms for the uniforms of our nation's armed forces,” the statement read.
Scouting America rejected accusations that it no longer advanced meritocracy among its members, calling the accusation "clearly uninformed."
“Badges and ranks are not given, they are earned. Just ask any Eagle Scout. Young men and young women alike thrive in Scouting. Scouts wear an American flag on their sleeves and swear a duty to God and country,” the group said.
In May 2024, the Boy Scouts of America announced it would adopt the name Scouting America beginning Feb. 8, 2024, in recognition of the organization's 115th anniversary.
Scouting American President Roger A. Krone said at the time that the change “will be a simple but very important evolution as we seek to ensure that everyone feels welcome in scouting.”
The identity change followed the organization’s 2018 decision to allow girls to join troop units—an expansion that triggered a trademark dispute with the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
The Girl Scouts argued in their lawsuit that the coed decision had led to widespread public confusion. “Since BSA's announcement that it would admit girls to its core programs, GSUSA's fears about the damage that would be caused to its trademarks and the mission those trademarks symbolize have been realized,” the complaint stated.
According to the Girl Scouts, families and schools across the country mistakenly believed the two organizations had merged or that the Girl Scouts had ceased to exist entirely. “Parents interested in signing up for Girl Scouts programs have instead mistakenly signed up for the new girls' programs offered by BSA,” they alleged.
The legal battle concluded in July 2022 when both organizations agreed to drop their claims.
