 Goodman 's professional Scouting career was interrupted during World War I , when he was drafted into the U.S. Army shortly after his promotion to Scout executive . He served in the infantry as a first lieutenant , but his unit was never sent overseas . In December 1918 , he was discharged from the Army and resumed his professional career as Scout executive in Philadelphia . He served as Scout executive there until May 1927 , when he was promoted to the larger Chicago Area Council as Scout executive ( 1927 – 1931 ) . During his four @-@ year tenure in the " Windy City " , he reversed a decline in finances and increased Scout membership from 11 @,@ 806 to 16 @,@ 920 . 
