Bloomberg, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, President Gerald Ford, and civil rights leader (and Tuskegee Airman) Percy Sutton are just a small sample of Eagle Scouts. Three recipients of the Medal of Honor – Thomas R. Norris, Mitchell Paige and Leo K. Thorsness – were Eagle Scouts. Upon the introduction of girls into Scouts BSA in February 2019, a temporary time extension for Eagle rank was allowed for up to 2 years for all scouts who were older than 16 but not yet 18 years of age on February 1, 2019. Of the 21 merit badges Eagle Scouts are required to earn, 14 of the badges must include: First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Citizenship in Society, Communication, Cooking, Personal Fitness, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science OR Sustainability, Personal Management, Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, Camping, and Family Life. National Scout Jamboree The National Scout Jamboree is a gathering of Scouts and Venturers from across the US. It is usually held every four years, with some adjustment for special years such as the 2010 National Scout Jamboree that celebrated the BSA centennial. The first jamboree was held in 1937 at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. There were 27,232 Scouts and Leaders present at the first National Jamboree. In 1950, the Boy Scouts of America hosted their second National Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The event was to commemorate the organization's 40th anniversary. Since then, jamborees have been held in varying locations. From 1981 until 2010, the jamboree was held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. A permanent location owned by the BSA was sought in 2008 for future jamborees, high adventure programs and training. The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve near Beckley, West Virginia, is now the permanent site beginning with the 2013 National Scout Jamboree. High adventure The Boy Scouts of America operates several high-adventure bases at the national level. Each offers a wide range of programs and training; a typical core program may include sailing, wilderness canoeing or wilderness backpacking trips. These bases are administered by the High Adventure Division of the National Council. Current high-adventure bases of the Boy Scouts of America include Philmont Scout Ranch, Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases, Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, and The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. Equipment The Boy Scouts of America have functioned as a licensor