US Army May Cut Ties with the Boy Scouts, an Organization That Has Lost Its Way
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is preparing to end the U.S. military’s century-long partnership with the Boy Scouts of America, arguing that the organization has strayed from its traditional merit-based values and embraced gender-neutral, DEI-driven policies.
Girls were first admitted to the Boy Scouts in 2019 in the name of inclusivity, though the Girl Scouts continue to operate independently. Critics, including Hegseth, question why girls need to join the Boy Scouts when a dedicated organization for girls already exists.
The Girl Scouts’ website states, “Gender is not binary, and neither are Girl Scouts! We provide leadership opportunities for all youth who are not cisgender boys (assigned male at birth and identify as male).” This language reflects modern diversity and inclusion efforts, allowing girls who identify as boys to participate, while biological boys remain excluded from Girl Scouts programs.
Meanwhile, the Boy Scouts have removed “boy” from their name, effective 2025, reflecting what critics say is a broader trend of male-focused institutions being dismantled while female-only spaces remain protected. Hegseth and others argue that the Boy Scouts have abandoned their historic mission: forming self-reliant, patriotic young men. The organization is now called Scouting America and has adopted a DEI-centered approach.
Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts’ original purpose was to teach boys patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and civic responsibility. Senator Ted Cruz criticized the recent rebranding, noting that it comes amid historic membership declines. “With membership at historic lows, Boy Scouts of America decides to rebrand to make clear that ‘boys’ are no longer welcome,” Cruz wrote. “I’m sure that will help with recruiting.”
Programs traditionally emphasized the Scout Oath and Law, which call on members to serve God, country, and community while maintaining physical, mental, and moral strength. Many see these principles as increasingly out of step with modern liberal priorities.
“The Boy Scouts has been cratering itself for quite some time,” Hegseth said. “This is an institution the left didn’t control. They didn’t want to improve it. They wanted to destroy it or dilute it into something that stood for nothing.”
The current organization now includes a Chief Diversity Officer and a Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, and all Eagle Scouts must earn a badge in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Critics argue this departs sharply from the vision of Robert Baden-Powell and early supporters like Theodore Roosevelt, who saw Scouting as a way to cultivate heroism, chivalry, and self-sacrifice among boys.
Johanna Cole, a former U.S. Army drill instructor with 14.5 years of service and current relief worker in Southeast Asia, strongly opposes the Boy Scouts’ current direction. She emphasized that boys and girls are biologically different and that mixing them weakens programs designed to build strong men and women.
“The Boy Scouts should be for boys because it’s supposed to build strong young men—future leaders, strong husbands, and community pillars,” Cole said. She added that while Girl Scouts play an equally important role in developing strong women, the two organizations should remain separate to respect natural differences.
Cole also warned that placing boys in Girl Scouts could encourage them to adopt behaviors suited to girls, potentially “softening” them due to the lack of male peer influence. “Yes, they’re doing cool stuff, but at the end of the day, it’s still a girls’ program,” she said.
Observers note that the Boy Scouts’ liberal policy shifts have coincided with steep membership declines. In 1972, the organization had 6.5 million members; by 2020, that number had fallen below 800,000. Policies allowing gay boys in 2013 and gay men as troop leaders in 2015, coupled with the Mormon Church withdrawing 400,000 boys in 2018, contributed to the decline. Supporters of admitting girls argued it would bolster numbers, but only 176,000 girls joined, far short of compensating for the millions of boys lost.
Secretary Hegseth’s planned action highlights growing tensions over the role of traditional values in American youth organizations and the military’s support of institutions aligned with those principles.
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