Scouting America drops diversity initiatives from event after pressure from the Pentagon. July 30, 2026 at 12:16 pm Updated July 30, 2026 at 12:22 pm The Associated Press DALLAS (AP) - One of Scouting America's biggest gatherings has eliminated dedicated spaces for gay youth, women and scouts of color as the organization faces pressure from the Pentagon to pull back diversity efforts. The changes at the National Jamboree, which ends Friday, reflect shifts made by Scouting America since the organization became a target of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over what he calls "woke" policies. Some scouts who had planned to attend the event in West Virginia said they backed out because Scouting America scrapped the inclusion initiatives it previously celebrated. Hegseth threatened to end the Pentagon's century-old partnership with Scouting America if it did not make changes including refocusing away from diversity initiatives. The organization, previously known as Boy Scouts of America, rebranded in 2024 to emphasize inclusion and the growing number of girls in the scouting ranks. "Scouting fundamentally is a safe place for young people to have fun," said Samuel J. Aronson, an assistant scoutmaster who has organized inclusive events at previous national events. "In the absence of these spaces, we're denying all that, both the safety and the fun, to thousands of young people." Thousands attend the National Jamboree. This year, about 15,000 scouts, leaders and volunteers from across the country are attending the 10-day event in the mountains of West Virginia. In addition to activities including mountain biking and kayaking, the gathering hosts leadership programs and educational sessions. Advertising A Scouting America spokesperson said the organization remains "fully committed to welcoming and serving all youth," but did not address questions about the changes to the jamboree. The Pentagon made a deal with Scouting America in February but the two sides have given conflicting accounts of that agreement. This month, a gay rights activist obtained the memo outlining the agreement from the Defense Department after filing a lawsuit, arguing that clarity was of public importance. The six-page document spells out ways the Pentagon will monitor compliance, including that officials from each organization would have "periodic touchpoints and meet" as needed. It was obtained by James Dale, who was expelled from the Boy Scouts in the early 1990s for being gay and later sued over discrimination. He equated the Pentagon's tactics to the actions of a bully. "They basically have their thumb on the organization, threatening them under constant pressure," Dale said. Deal preserves ties between Scouting America and Pentagon. The scouts and the military have long held close ties; The military provides logistical support for the jamboree and some scout troops meet on or near bases. Asked about the implementation and monitoring of the deal, a Pentagon spokesperson referred to previous comments by Hegseth. Advertising In February, Hegseth posted a video that said his department would "vigorously review" changes made by Scouting America and would cease the military's longtime support of the organization if it failed to comply by late August. Some scouts disappointed by changes to inclusion efforts. John Andrew Segebarth, a 21-year-old college student and Eagle Scout, has been disheartened by the agreement. He joined the scout ranks in first grade and said he had been looking forward to staffing the space for LGBTQ+ and Allied Scouts at this year's Jamboree. Segebarth, who is gay and was elected by peers as a national officer for scouts in 2024, said the removal of inclusive spaces is a sharp reversal for Scouting America. National scouting events in recent years included community spaces for girls, scouts of color, LGBTQ+ scouts and persons with disabilities, according to Aronson. "Scouting's kind of walking back on its values that they told me they believed in," said Segebarth who, along with Aronson, decided not to attend the jamboree this year. It was at a community tent that Layla Grace found the first place where she could talk openly about being a transgender female. Now a 21-year-old assistant scoutmaster, Grace had also planned to staff the space for LGBTQ+ and Allied Scouts in West Virginia this year. When the spaces were canceled, Grace said she almost didn't go to the jamboree but decided she wanted to be there to help those in need. She wound up volunteering at an area dedicated to addressing issues that include mental health, food security and education. Advertising And she's trying to fill the gap left by the removal of inclusive areas. "I am wearing so many rainbows on me, my right hand has my nails painted in the lesbian flag and my left hand has my nails painted in the transgender flag," she said. "I am being as loud as I can to do my best to hopefully make up for the lack of community spaces." Associated Press reporter Ben Finley contributed to this report from Washington. JAMIE STENGLE. See more Seattle Times content on Google The Seattle Times does not append comment threads to stories from wire services such as the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post or Bloomberg News. Rather, Seattle Cricket focus on discussions related to local stories by its own staff. You can read more about its community policies here.

'Catholic Scouting America' rebrand clarifies faith-based mission for new generation. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting announced in June that it has adopted a new public name, Catholic Scouting America, according to a July 24 statement. The organization said the change is intended to clarify and strengthen its century-long commitment to faith, family, and adventure through values-based lessons grounded in the Catholic faith. Catholic Scouting America partners with Scouting America - formerly known as Boy Scouts of America until May 2024 - allowing boys and girls in Catholic Scouting access to activities and programs established over generations. As of 2024, there were 130,888 active Catholic Scouts and leaders across 194 U.S. dioceses and eparchies with a Catholic Committee on Scouting. Service projects by these groups provided an estimated value of $52 million in aid. Scouts are able to participate in religious activities and earn emblems such as Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei for Cub Scouts, Ad Altare Dei for Roman Catholic Scouts, Light is Life for Eastern rite Catholics, and Pope Pius XII. In 2024 alone, 4,575 religious emblems were awarded. Bill Guglielmi, national chairman of Catholic Scouting America, said, "We changed our 'doing business name' to Catholic Scouting America because we have found through research that the National Catholic Committee on Scouting name is unclear." He added, "When parents look up the National Catholic Committee on Scouting...they get confused. 'What are you really doing? What is your mission?'" Guglielmi said the new name aligns more closely with their mission and reduces confusion among those unfamiliar with their work. Guglielmi also addressed how the organization interacts with its national partner: "We are advisers to Scouting America. I sit on the international and the national Religious Relationships Committee. Any decision or any discussion of duty to God or reverence in a Scout Oath or in Scout Law...our advisory bureau...takes part in - so we keep them on target there." He highlighted ongoing evangelization efforts including a recent novena involving over 35,000 participants nationwide. Reflecting on why youth should join the group today, Guglielmi said, "American youth today are yearning for something - that is not tied to the internet; not tied to social media; that has an outdoor component; that is led by people who are dedicated...and who have undergone necessary background checks." He noted data from Georgetown University indicating that around one-third of new priests had scouting experience - a point he described as important for supporting young people's vocational discernment.

PlayVS takes esports to 50,000 Scouts at the 2026 National Jamboree. Published Jul 23, 2026 Read time 4 min PlayVS is rolling out a dedicated gaming arena at Scouting America's biggest youth gathering, running July 22-31 in West Virginia - part of a broader push to plant esports in unexpected spaces. Amateur scholastic esports platform PlayVS has partnered with Scouting America to bring a full gaming activation to the 2026 National Jamboree, one of the largest youth gatherings in the United States. The event runs from July 22 until July 31 at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean, West Virginia, where tens of thousands of young people from across the country are expected to convene. The centerpiece of the partnership is the PlayVS Arena - a dedicated gaming hub inside the Jamboree grounds designed to serve Scouts of every experience level, from casual players to those who believe they've got a genuine shot. What the PlayVS Arena actually offers Scouts. According to the official press release on PR Newswire, the PlayVS Arena will run a lineup of leaderboard challenges, competitive tournaments, and casual play throughout the ten-day event, with each event constantly rotating so that the action never lets up. The setup includes a high-tech mobile gaming trailer equipped with virtual reality experiences, gaming stations - and even a professional racing simulator. Rather than pure competition, the programming is built around participation, with values like teamwork, sportsmanship and digital citizenship the main focus. Indeed, the arena will give Scouts a first taste of what organized esports feels like. Andrew Barnett, Partnership Lead at PlayVS, explained: "At PlayVS, we believe gaming can be a powerful way for young people to build confidence, practice teamwork, and develop meaningful connections. Partnering with Scouting America allows us to bring that experience to one of the country's most iconic youth gatherings and show how structured gaming can complement the values of leadership, fellowship, and skill-building that Scouting has championed for generations." Why this deal makes sense for both organizations. Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts of America, serves youth between the ages of five and 20. It's one of the biggest youth development organizations in the country, with programs built around citizenship, character and leadership - and the National Jamboree is its signature event. For PlayVS, the fit makes a lot of sense. The company's entire model is built on bringing esports into structured, education-aligned environments. Putting a gaming hub in the middle of Scouting America's flagship gathering lets PlayVS introduce competitive gaming to a massive youth audience that may not have encountered it through school leagues. Registration for the 2026 National Jamboree, per the official Scouting America event page, involves a phased payment structure starting with a $100 deposit at signup. PlayVS has been busy. The Jamboree deal is the latest in a string of moves PlayVS has made to expand beyond its core school-league business. In recent months, the company teamed up with media group Urban One to launch the Power4+ HBCU Esports League, a national collegiate competition aimed at historically Black colleges and universities. Before that, PlayVS confirmed a partnership with the Army National Guard to connect high school esports participants with military career pathways, and separately acquired LeagueSpot, a platform used to organize esports leagues and tournaments globally. Each of these moves points to the same direction: PlayVS is working to make scholastic esports a feature of mainstream youth life, not just a niche club activity. The Scouting America deal fits that logic cleanly. Scouts already pursue merit badges across dozens of disciplines, arts, technology, sports and leadership. Adding a structured gaming experience run by a professional esports platform will extend the tradition. What's next. The PlayVS Arena is live now for the duration of the Jamboree, which wraps up on July 31. With the Power4+ HBCU Esports League also recently unveiled alongside Urban One, PlayVS has multiple new programs taking shape simultaneously. More details on the HBCU league's competitive structure and schedule are expected in the months ahead. Writer & Games Reviewer Patrick is the game reviewer at esports.gg who will not stop talking about RPGs - and that's precisely why you should read him. A PC gamer from day one, he's spent his career diving deep into role-playing epics and the... Full bio