Boy Scouts of America

Special Section: Combined Federal Campaign 2009

Chief Petty Officer Doubles as Boy Scout Leader

By Sam Kowalski
Development Director, Tidewater Council, Boy Scouts of America

Chief Intelligence Specialist Ronald L. Riffle Jr. has also made a big impression on the Scouting world. Joining the Navy in 1993, Riffle is currently assigned to the Joint Transformation Center. Riffle has served in various commands, including being a plank owner of USS Nitze (DDG 94). Riffle also mentioned that he is the command Combined Federal Campaign coordinator.

Riffle, also a veteran Scouter, signed up as an adult leader in 2005 in Pack 42, chartered to Woodland Heights Baptist Church in Chesapeake, with his oldest son, Ronnie, and twins, Ryan and Randy. Ronnie is now a first Class Scout in Troop 42 and Ryan and Randy are Webelos and will be moving up to Boy scouts in the spring. Riffle just extended his scouting commitment by signing his youngest son Roger up as a Tiger Cub. Riffle’s wife, Josie, is also a leader and has been involved since the family started in 2005.

Josie said that scouting “is a lot of fun for both the youth and adults, watching the expressions on their faces as they learn and do new things, and watching them grow and mature. Image a 10-year-old who knows how to cook.”

Most recently Riffle was Cub Scout Day camp director for the Elizabeth River Day Camp in Chesapeake, where he had to recruit a staff of more than 30 adults and older youth to plan and carry out a weeklong day camp for more than 170 Cub Scout-age boys from the Chesapeake area. This camp took place during the first week after school was dismissed in June. Complicating the issue was the hot and stormy weather typical of that time of year. Through all of the challenges, it turned out to be a great camp.

“The theme was Cub Scout Investigators (CSI) and that gave us a chance to work in a lot of things like science and forensics and the Scouts all had a blast,” Riffle said. “I’m ready to do it again, duty stations permitting of course.”

When asked what was best about Scouting, Riffle said that it was too difficult to pick out one thing.

“It gives us something that we can all do as a family together, yet it also lets each boy do his best at his own thing and the results he gets are his own,” Riffle said. “The boys are learning things like self-reliance, leadership, responsibility, and respect for themselves, others and the environment. We get to do things like hiking, camping, service projects, and by doing all of the activities, they learn self confidence. Best of all, they get all of this by going out and having fun.”

To learn more about Scouting in our area, call the Tidewater Council, BSA at 497-2688, visit the Council Web site at www.tidewaterbsa.com or email at Tide596BSA@aol.com.

To support the Tidewater Council, Boy Scouts of America, designate CFC #94511.