Boy Scout Troop 343

I'm happy to report that on Monday, January 23rd Somil Joshi completed his BOR and advanced to the rank of Tenderfoot.  Somil did a very fine job at his review and I look forward to his continued progress in Scouting.  Congratulations, Somil!  Keep up the good work!

Rob Cook
Troop 343 Advancement Chair

The new Life to Eagle Guidebook, V5.0 and the new Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook (ESSPW) have been posted under the Eagle Documents Menu on the left. The V5.0 includes all changes in guidance to complete the new ESSPW. The ESSPW that is now posted contains all the troop and district contact information already entered on page 6. Please reference the Life to Eagle Guidbook if you have any questions when completing your ESSPW. If you have any further questions that you cannot answer, please contact Life to Eagle ASM, Jeff Seale.

Remember: New Life to Eagle Guidebook and New ESSPW are now posted.

Mr. Hulebak will be unavailable to assist you on your Eagle Projects for a few weeks.  He will be taking a few weeks away from scouting while he takes care of his family.  If you have any Eagle Project questions or need assistance with your Eagle Project Workbook, please contact ASM Jeff Seale or CC Mr. Mark Christopher.  They will be assisting you until Mr. Hulebak returns.  Thank you for your attention to this matter and please respect this request.

An Initial $100 deposit to reserve your spot on Troop 343's 2013 Philmont trek is due no later than January 30th.  Please get your deposit in early to secure your spot.

Troop 343 has the opportunity to field three crews for a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, New Mexico in the summer of 2013.  Each crew will have at least seven and up to 12 crew members. Each crew must include at least two and at most four adults.

Our dates for our treks at Philmont are July 4th through July 16th, 2013.  Travel plans are not yet finalized but we will likely depart Huntsville around July 2^nd and return July 17^th.  Total cost is estimated to be between $1100 to $1800 per person depending on choice of travel arrangments and pre-activities.  At this time ASM King is collecting $100 deposits from scouts and adults who are interested in going (checks payable to Troop 343).  The deposit payment of $100 per person is due no later than January 30, 2012.  A schedule of due dates for future installment payments will be announced later.  Scouts must be at least either 14 years old at the time of the trip or 13 years old and completed 8th grade. 

ASM David King is the Expedition Advisor for our Philmont crews. If you are an eligible Scout or Adult and are interested in going to Philmont but have not yet paid a deposit, then please contact ASM David King at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or cell: 256.714.5294.

Philmont Scout Ranch is the Boy Scouts of America's largest national high-adventure base. It covers 137,000 acres - about 214 square miles - of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) range of the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico and provides an unforgettable adventure in sky-high backpacking. Philmont has high mountains dominating rough terrain with elevations ranging from 6,500 to 12,441 feet. Thirty-four staffed camps and 55 trail camps are operated by the ranch. Program features combine the best of the Old West - horseback riding, burro packing, gold panning, chuckwagon dinners, and interpretive history - with exciting challenges for today, such as rock climbing, burro racing, mountain biking, and .30-06 rifle shooting. It's an unbeatable recipe for fast-moving fun and the outdoors.

Please get your deposit in early to secure your spot. Please contact ASM David King if you have any questions.