Boys Nation: A week that shapes lifetimes
By Linda Eberharter

     The 98 young men from across the United States arrive by air and car to the nation's capitol to experience a week long adventure in the workings of our government. It takes an enormous amount of planning to ensure each young man is brought to the campus of Marymount University near Washington D.C., where The American Legion Boys Nation program is held.

     As the boys arrive the excitement is evident in their eyes as the junior counselors help them settle in. These junior counselors or "JC's" are previous Boys Nation delegates who volunteer to come back and serve in this capacity. The new delegates have all attended their respective Boys State programs and were selected to attend this week's program.

     These boys are the best of the best. They are the future leaders of their great country in whatever area they pursue. During this week it is the responsibility of the senior and junior counselors on staff to direct the boys' activities and allow these young men to show their strengths. As Activity Director, Bob Turner says to the boys, "It is your program. You make it what you want it to be."

     Respectful, courteous, intelligent, hungry for knowledge, these adjectives describe the new delegates to a "t." Yet, they are 17 years old, so the smiles and jokes abound along with their seriousness of mission. The best of all worlds.

     Each young man represents his home state as a "senator". The senators caucus at the beginning of the session, organize into committees and conduct hearing on bills. Quickly it is the boys who set the mood and stage, making Boys Nation their own.

     The boys are placed into one of four sections upon arrival and they are assigned to one of two parties, the Nationalists or Federalists. They nominate and elect a president protempore and secretary of the senate. As observers, the staff watch the action as these young men make the deals, work the angles and listen to the positions their fellow delegates have taken on various issues. To be elected, there must be a majority and this may entail four, five or more tallies of votes of the sections. Along with these elected positions a number of appointed positions then take place.

     Through debates the delegates will nominate and ultimately elect one American Legion Boys Nation president and vice president. That election will take place Tuesday evening. Once determined, they will finish out the week with other senate sessions debating a variety of bills they have introduced.
It's hard work. This is not summer camp. But that doesn't mean there isn't fun along the way.

     Each year American Legion Greenbelt Post 136 hosts a dinner and program for the delegates and staff of Boys Nation. Three large touring buses loaded the delegates and staff Sunday and headed for an evening of good food and camaraderie. National Commander David Rehbein joined the group for dinner, addressed the delegates and took their questions. The post visit ended with the boys' gift to the national commander and Post 136, a few songs. This is a specialty of Turner, also a past national commander, as he lets the boys know early on in the week how they will all be singing as a group throughout the week, period, no questions asked.

     From the Greenbelt post the group travelled to the National Mall where the delegates had the chance to walk by the Vietnam wall, the Lincoln memorial and Korean memorial at dusk. The reflecting pool was beautiful in the early evening light and the temperature was comfortable as the delegates snapped picture after picture. National Commander Rehbein accompanied the group and the boys took full advantage of any photo op with him whenever it was possible.

     The ride back to Marymount was anything but quiet and reflective. The boys apparently were pumped up pretty high with their earlier singing and their walk through the National Mall. The entire way back to campus they sang song after song each a bit louder than the last!

     The days are long, starting before 6 a.m. and ending very close to midnight, all jammed packed with sessions or activities off campus. The group was back on the road Monday in the early morning heading for Arlington Cemetery to observe and take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The national commander once again accompanied the group and took part in the ceremony along with the national chaplain, Lawrence Vollink. Two delegates had been reandomly selected to also take part, Cody Donaugh of Montana and Graham Wyatt of Minnesota.

       As the week progresses, friendships and deep bonds are forming that will surely last a lifetime. When the week draws to a close and once again the 98 young men are shuttled to the airport or take the highways way back to all the corners of the nation, it will be a bittersweet moment. It takes just a few short days at Boys Nation to understand and clearly see the truth in their motto, "A week that shapes a lifetime." It truly is.

Additional photos from the week at Boys Nation can be viewed on their website at http://www.legion.org/boysnation/