First Scout

By Joel R. Linnabary

Doug Peterson wants two things. He wants to be a good man to his stepson and to have his stepson grow and see the power of being a Boy Scout. Curt is still upset that his parents divorced and now feels that a week at Boy Scout camp is a sentence worse than death. He wants to do the cooler activity that his father wantsplay football. President Jeffery Franklin was born to be a politician and has become the president of the United States. General OSullivan has a love of the land of his forefathers, Ireland, and will do anything to free it. Now all of these forces collide as an evil plan to overthrow the president nearly kills him and places him in the hands of four scouts and their leader. These scouts must now protect the president and use their scouting skills to get him back to Washington, DC, and save the Union.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524640521

Joel R. Linnabary

Joel Linnabary is a 1981 graduate of the Ohio State University. First Scout is his third book and is a work of love that allows him to write of Boy Scouts and show how scouting is a positive influence on the lives of young men. Joel is the husband of Debbie and the father of one son, Collin Pete. Joel is a member of New Concord United Methodist Church, coaches Special Olympics, and is an active member of Troop 510 Boy Scouts. Other books by Mr. Linnabary include Capital City Pizza and Warmed by the Son.

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© 2016 Joel R. Linnabary. All rights reserved.

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Published by Authorhouse 09/19/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4053-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4052-1 (e)

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Contents

First Scout Dedication

Acknowledgments

A Scout is Trustworthy

A Scout is Loyal

A Scout is Helpful

A Scout is Friendly

A Scout is Courteous

A Scout is Kind

A Scout is Obedient

A Scout is Cheerful

A Scout is Thrifty

A Scout is Brave

A Scout is Clean

A Scout is Reverent

Epilogue

First Scout Dedication

This book is dedicated to Pete Linnabary, my favorite scout of all time. Always know that I love you and have always been very proud of you. May you continue to grow into the great man that you have been thus far in your life.

This book is also dedicated to the members of Troop 510, past present and future. 510 is a great place for a young man to grow in scouting and to be a good man.

Acknowledgments

A special thanks to Mr. Rick Booth for his assistance in the writing of this book. I also want to thank the men and women of Troop 510 for your ideas, and support in my completing this book.

A special thank you to my wife, Debbie, for her patience and love that makes our marriage work. Thank you for believing in me.

A Scout is Trustworthy

General O’Sullivan disliked being called to the Oval Office. He felt he was being called to the principal’s office like a bad boy to be scolded. This rich politician dared to question him. There was no way that the American people voted this joke into office. The general straightened his back and stuck out his chin as he hesitated for just a second, then gave a firm knock on the door to the Oval Office. Enter, was the only word he heard. He went into the room that was the workplace of the president. The man behind the desk did not even look at him. He did look at the middle-aged lady standing at the right of him. Debbie, you may leave and please do not disturb the General and me. As the personal secretary left the room, the general again felt that he was in a situation that belittled his authority. This politician behind the desk had never made a military decision in his life. Now, due to the voting whims of a few Americans, this political puppet was to be the leader of the free world. President Franklin had not even served in the military. He was raised by a senator and his southern aristocrat mother. They had only one child. They had decided to raise a senator and just got lucky when he exceeded their expectations and became President.

The president motioned for the general to sit. As he did, the president began the conversation. ‘General, we have a problem with this latest incident with the Irish Republican Army. I understand that you do not like my stand on the terrorist organization, but we will stand with our allies and aid them in stopping the rise of this group. We will always oppose terrorists.’ The general wanted to tell this wimpy son of a senator how he felt, but thought it best to restrain himself. ‘If I may offer my observations sir, the New Irish Republican Army is a seed that has grown from the Irish Republican Brotherhood of the past and is watered by the desire of groups such as Sinn Fein. They want nothing more than what our forefathers wanted, Freedom.’ ‘Do not compare a terrorist group to the founders of our nation’, shot back the Commander-in-Chief. ‘We will not support, nor will we discuss the support of this terror group now or ever, is that understood? I brought you into my cabinet because my advisors let it be known that I needed a military man in the cabinet. I chose you because of your willingness to follow orders and the understanding that you would be discreet in your dealings. The public is always watching us. I have only been in office for a year and a half, and my approval rating drops each day. I need to make this stand, and I am ordering you to agree with this plan in every public way. I cannot afford to have anyone not on board. Do I make myself clear?’ Before the general could respond, the politician continued his rant. ‘I understand that you are of Irish background, but that was a number of generations ago. You are not Irish, you are an American. We will have no further discussion on this matter. General, you are dismissed. Thank you.’ The general did not provide the mandatory salute as he turned quickly and left without a word. The heat in his reddened face was very plain as he briskly walked to his vehicle and was driven back to his office at the Pentagon. As he rode in his limo, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number. When the person at the other end picked up the phone, he did not give them a chance to even say hello. ‘Operation Shillelagh is to begin as soon as you can make the arrangements. I do not care when it is, just make it soon. I will not put up with that puppet of a leader any longer. The colonists got our independence from the Crown in 1776, there is no reason we should not help others in their fight to do the same today. Call me when you have this all set’. The general sat back in his seat and smiled. His plan could work and all he needed was the help of a few persons with their own ax to grind with our current government. He was not going to allow a politician to stop independence for the land of his forefathers. He liked the name he gave to his little project, Operation Shillelagh. The shillelagh was a sturdy walking stick made from the Blackthorn tree. Many years ago it was a fierce fighting stick, and it was common for men to carry one when they were walking. It would be the end of the president with a strong blow of this stick. The general would have the last laugh in this matter.

The General woke up early in the morning and started making the call that would put his operation into full swing. He would make a call and leave a message. That message would go to another phone, with a message, and through a third phone and finally the fourth in line was a direct conversation. O’Sullivan did not like not having direct contact with the man he wished to do business with, but in this business it was a needed security. A meeting was set up at the Egyptian Embassy in two days. The General would drive his personal car and park a short distance away. He would walk the last block and dress in civilian clothes. He did not want to be identified. He was not given the name of his contact. He only knew that members of the Muslim Brotherhood said that this was the man to see and that he would take care of any details. No one knew what was being asked, but they all knew that it would be a political advantage to both sides if the mission was successful.

As he approached the front of the embassy, he felt a sense of fear hit him. He was dealing with international terrorists and was asking them to assist him in the overthrow of the United States Government. It was a simple but still very complex plan. The president has seventeen persons listed under him in the line of succession. The general was the Secretary of Defense. This put him sixth in the line of succession. He just needed to eliminate the president and the other five that were at the top of the line. It could be done in one move, if it was done right. He needed the help of men who would side with him. He did not need them for long. He only needed them for a short time. He was not above eliminating a man that started as an ally. He was planning to kill the most powerful man in the world and several others that were his top advisors. If he could kill them, he would have no trouble eliminating others. It was the price that must be paid for the freedom of others. O’Sullivan was sure that he would be seen by others as a leader and a forward-thinking man. You had to do these types of things to get what you believed in. Any fear that he had felt was now a strong confidence. He had convinced himself that he was in the right.

O’Sullivan approached the front gate and was quickly allowed to enter. He was ushered into a conference room with a large table. It was made of fine hardwoods and was eight feet across and over twelve feet long. The blinds in the room had been pulled so that no one could see in. The fluorescent lights made the room as bright as noonday. The general was asked to sit, and soon his appointment would arrive. O’Sullivan sat nervously for about five minutes, wondering if