Green Pioneering Merit can be a lot of work and it can be a lot of fun. Mostly work!
It was proclaimed by the outpost commander to build 2 towers and a bridge between them. This model would be used to
build a Pow Wow entry way and these materials would be then loaned for JLTC and future Pioneering Merit requirements.
While going to the woods and lumbering cutting down trees and delimbing them and then bringing them back to the outpost
has been done on two other occasions with 5 pickup trucks and about 30 men and older boys this project didn't allow the
time to do that.
The 1/3 really 1/2 scale model was built using 1.5" x 1.5" x 8' long 2x2's these were planed on all for edges and are used as
furring strips in basements. 64.00 worth of 2x2's. 100' worth of nylon rope and about 5 Sunday nights we had the model done.
The BIG TOWER!
So after some poking around while working next door to a lumber yard. The Lord inspired me to go and
visit with them of the plans to build a 2 - 14' tall towers and a bridge between them. Total length would be 18 foot long.
Springfield Mill and Lumber in Springfield Missouri referred me to a saw mill for the larger sized poles. Cost would be about 6.00
a foot... I had already looked at that option. Then I said do you have any old junk wood that you would have for cheap...well ya. We
have dunnage. Wood that was delivered to the work site but returned for credit as it had a split, knots, damage of some kind or it
could have been in great shape. They sold me a deal and donated a gallon of glue and delivered it for free. 8 blocks away.
The load was then put up in the Ranger Annex and later ripped up and then glued back together and then resawn again to get the
dimensions for the poles of the Green Pioneering Merit. 2 towers so everything was doubled.
After a hard night of driving in hard rain and 3 board games of 2:00 am. and sleeping on tables or cots. These 12 hard working souls for Christ hauled
and unloaded the towers then lashed the bridge between the towers then square lashed the deck boards about every 2 feet then raised the tower then
we used continuous or snake lashing. The ladder rungs have a clove hitch around each run to keep them from settling down the tower. Left the plywood
on the bottoms as the ground is pretty soft here. This is about the 5th tower I have had a part in building and this one came out really Purdy. I praise God for
men and boys that will give of their time and resources to team up and build bridges for our boys and youth. The boys were glad to be involved in a job
well done. The 2 hour ride back home was the most peaceful ride I think I have ever taken...except for the snoring. Look at the black smudge on these boys.
The boards were flame brushed and then treated with Thompsons water sealer. The black stuff is the carbon from the flame brushing. Poles are nice though and
after a rain or two will be PERFECT! The guy in the purple shirt I think that is little ole me.
