There was a time when Daniel Miller wanted to get out of Boy Scouts and spend his time doing other things.
“Scouting takes a lot of time, and it’s not considered ‘cool,’ so being in junior high or high school, there sometimes are other things you could be doing with your time,” Miller said. “You go through those phases.”
Miller knew he couldn’t get out of Scouting without having attained the rank of Eagle.
He attained that rank by eighth grade.
“To be honest with you, I worked really hard for it because I wanted to get it, say I had it and then I was going to relax on Scouting so I could relax and do other things.
“But then, I found out that after I got my Eagle, I enjoyed it (Scouting) more, because then I could focus on the things I really enjoyed in Scouting.”
Before he graduated from high school, Miller had earned enough additional merit badges to receive a Silver Palm award.
He credits his Scouting background for much of what he is today — a financial consultant and community leader.
“Scouting makes you such a well-rounded individual,” he said. “It introduces you to new hobbies and interests. It introduces you to the arts, it makes you become civic minded. You have a moral and ethical code that they ask you to live by.”
He said he not only learned about government and how it works, but also how to write them. Public speaking also has been a great asset to him, Miller said.
“All of those things, I think, benefit you as an adult,” he said.
Eagle Scout project benefited stadium
Daniel Miller’s community project that helped him earn his Eagle Scout rank gave the Enid High School football field a new look.
The stadium was built in the 1950s and was pretty run down by the time Miller was in junior high.
He contacted the school district and got permission to give it a facelift. The school agreed to pay for the paint and supplies.
Miller recruited other Scout friends, and together, they painted the concession stand and railings and cleaned up the stadium.
Eagle Scout projects aren’t so much about the Scout himself doing a project, Miller said.
“It’s about going out writing a proposal to a group of what you can do for them and them approving it,” he said. “And then the bigger part is getting people in there to help you do it, whether it’s parents or other Scouts,” he said.
The Eagle candidate keeps track of the hours worked and jobs performed, writes it all into a report, then makes a presentation to a review board.
The project isn’t the only qualification for Eagle Scout. The candidate also must have completed certain merit badge requirements.
Camping experiences tested strengths
Miller had a wide variety of camping experiences during his years in the Scouts.
His father, who was the Scoutmaster, and his assistant, always figured if they were going to take a week of vacation to go camping with their troop, they wanted to go someplace they really wanted to see.
So, it was usually some place in Colorado or New Mexico, someplace with really great scenery and experiences that they took the boys.
“The one we went to most often was San Isabel, Colo.,” Miller said.
That was where Miller earned his merit badges in forestry, horsemanship, basket weaving and astronomy.
“The most challenging though, was the canoeing merit badge,” he said. “It was at a snow-fed lake, so we were up there in the mountains and in the morning, there would be ice on the lake.
“We had to submerge the canoe and paddle around in it and then tread water while we took the canoe out. So here we were, in water that was in the mid-30s, trying to get this merit badge. That was kind of a test.”
Being prepared more than just a motto
The canoeing experience he got in Colorado really paid off for Miller at the high adventure camp he went to.
It was in Minnesota, where the Scouts went through the boundary waters of the state and into Canada.
“Whatever you took on your back, that’s what you took with you,” he said. “There was some of the most beautiful nature that I’ve ever been around in my life and some of the most physical exertion I’ve ever gone through, having to carry the canoe and all the equipment from lake to lake.”
Miller and his group traveled more than 50 miles with their canoes that week.
Besides canoeing, Miller also loved the ropes courses he got to go through during his Scouting years. He enjoyed the team building exercises but also enjoyed the climbing courses.
“There were different devices you had to climb. The higher you got, the harder it became,” he said. “At the top, you usually had to jump off, so it was really a mind over matter type of thing that really just pushed you mentally and physically to your limits.”
Q&A;
HOW DID YOU BECOME AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE?
“I was working at the home office for Edward Jones in St. Louis, Mo. This office in Muskogee opened up, and I thought that it was a great way to get back to Oklahoma . Muskogee had always left a good impression from the few previous times that I had visited. To me, it seemed like a good fit and a great opportunity.”
How did you get interested in Scouting?
“I grew up around Scouting. When I was about 5 years old, my father started Troop 27 in Enid. I was always tagging along to the meetings and was lucky enough to go on some of the camping trips. From early on, I was able to see how boys gained more leadership skills and responsibility as they moved through the ranks. I am sort of a Type A personality, and I think this probably appealed to me. Additionally, I am extremely curious by nature about everything, and Scouting turned out to be a great avenue to pursue and learn about many different interests. From a developmental stand point, I believe Scouting is probably the best organization available in creating a well-rounded individual.
What person in Scouting had the biggest influence on you?
There are two people. The first one is a little cliche, but it is my dad, Tom Miller. I grew up watching him give many hours to the troop and seeing the results being manifested in the boys that matured through the years. He set a great example for me on how important it is to give of your time and energy to make something better for others. The other was our assistant Scout Master, Paul Dunbar. He was an eighth-grade history teacher. Whenever we traveled to different camps across the county, he was always able to provide a historical aspect of where we where. He was able to frame the moment so that we knew the historical importance. He really provided a lot of perspective on life, which made me appreciate the country that we live in even more.”
What would you say to encourage someone interested in Scouting to get involved?
“I truly believe that Scouting is the best organization out there to expose young boys to so many different aspects of life. It instills and reiterates a moral code for boys to live by. It allows one to participate in activities that they might not every have the chance to do again in their life, whether it be sailing, flying or basket weaving. The skills and interests that are learned last a lifetime. I have had many friends that gave up Scouting to pursue sports. A majority of the time those sporting careers ended in high school. When I get to talking with them and they find out about all the things they missed out on, in hindsight, they would of rather stayed with Scouting.”
How would you sum up the Scouting Experience?
“Scouting is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me. When I think about fond memories of my youth, a majority of them have to do with Scouting. I was always challenged and encouraged to reach out of my comfort zone to try new things. It introduced me to so many different things that I may have never tried otherwise.”
Meet Daniel Miller
Age: 30.
Hometown: Enid.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics from Oklahoma City University; master’s in economics from the University of Oklahoma.
Scouting highlights: “Started scouting in grade school with the Cub Scouts and stayed active with the Boy Scouts until I was 18. After that, I stayed on as an assistant Scoutmaster for a while during college. I earned the rank of Eagle on Nov. 1, 1992, and then went on to earn a Silver Palm.”
Career: Financial adviser with Edward Jones Investments since 2003.
Family: “My parents, Tom and Kristi, live in Enid. I have a younger brother Adam, also an Eagle Scout, that lives in Portland, Ore.”
Religious Affiliation: Member of the First United Methodist Church.
Hobbies: Tennis, golf, reading, watching movies, boating, Rotary, MYPros, and always enjoy a good conversation.
