Knox to host Patriot Games

john.neville@knox.army.mil

Scouts from across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio will converge on Fort Knox's Keyes Park Oct, 11 for Patriot Games, a day of competition and fun for the region's scouting community.

The event, which will mark the third edition of the games, is expected to draw more than 8,000 people to Keyes, including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Webelos, Cub Scouts, and Brownies, along with Venturers and Explorers.

The games will be divided into two sections—Battlefield Skills and Touring the Front Lines.

The skills section will test various scouting skills. However, the competitions will not test abilities beyond the First Class Scout level.

The Front Lines will take participants through an interactive tour of military vehicles, an obstacle course, and archery and air rifle ranges.

A Louisville Metro Police Special Weapons and Tactics unit, a Fort Knox Military Police K-9 unit, military aircraft, and a Ham radio booth are also scheduled for displays.

Brian Weigel, the director of camping and accounting for the Lincoln Heritage Council, headquartered in Louisville, said the games are, "designed as a great big camping trip for scouts."

The Council oversees the scouting operations of 19 counties in Kentucky—including Hardin and Fort Knox—and six in Southern Indiana. This year's games have been in the works for months, according to Weigel.

"We began promoting it at the summer camps," Weigel said. ‘‘It's modeled after the National Jamboree, which is held every four years at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia."

The two previous games, in 2000 and 1995, were held on Fort Knox's TOW Dragon Tank Range, said Weigel. The Council likes the post's venue because it gives scouts the chance to check out military hardware.

But there is more to the Patriot Games than competitions and tanks to climb on.

Just as parents travel across the country for military or business conferences, the games similarly serve as a Mecca for trading information and networking among scouts and their leaders.

"They get to meet and know some other scouts," said Fort Knox Scouting Committee Chairman, Maj. Willis Madden of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. "It gives them the chance to see what other scout units are doing."

Madden was quick to emphasize the cross-gender application of the term ‘‘scouting.''

"I have one son in the Cub Scouts, two going into Boy Scouts, and two girls going into Girl Scouts," he said.

"I notice a lot of the things done by Cub and Boy Scouts that are done by Girl Scouts. It would be a shame if the Girl Scouts didn't go out and take advantage of the games."

Capt. Summer Multer of the post G-3, who has linked the council with units on post that will provide support for the event, said Fort Knox likes to get involved with this sort of thing.

"It gives children a safe outlet and positive experience with the military," Multer said. "It also builds relationships with the community."

Boy Scouts and Venturers are invited to camp at Keyes Park from Oct. 10 n12. All other scouts are invited to the activities Oct. 11. Family members and anyone else interested are also invited.

Fort Knox military families and their scouts will not be charged a participation fee. All others wanting to participate must pay $7 per person.

The fee includes participation in the hands-on events and a "Trailblazer Patch" for qualifying at the archery and BB gun range, as well as the fishing rod cast.