SCOUTING: FAMILY HAS LIKING FOR THE EAGLES

For the John H. Cochran family, becoming an Eagle Scout isn't just a lofty goal, it's a family tradition.

John H. Cochran Jr., a retired Army colonel who now lives in Branson, grew up in Cape Girardeau. He attained Boy Scouting's highest rank in 1935 at the age of 15.

Cochran's son, John H. Cochran III of Cape Girardeau, was 14 when he received the award in 1961. He received the award in Paris, France, where is father was stationed at the time.

On Saturday, 16-year-old John H. Cochran IV, the son of Cochran III and grandson of Cochran Jr., was one of 57 Boy Scouts honored at the Southeast Missouri Council's annual Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

The event was held at Southeast Missouri State University's Academic Hall Auditorium. Edward D. Robertson, chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, delivered the dedication address.

Cochran IV is scheduled to be driven to Jefferson City this week by a Missouri Highway Patrol officer. He will represent the Southeast Missouri Council and be one of a number of Boy Scouts statewide who will deliver scouting's annual report to the governor on Wednesday.

For the Cochrans, scouting has been a way of life.

Cochran Jr. was 12 years old when he joined Cape Girardeau Troop 3, which was then sponsored by Centenary Methodist Church. In those days, he said, there were no Cub Scout troops.

Three years after joining the troop, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

"There weren't many Eagle Scouts in those days in Southeast Missouri," recalled Cochran, who retired from the Army in 1972.

He said he had always had a desire to be a Boy Scout. "A lot of boys wanted to be Boy Scouts."

Cochran III started in scouting in 1953 as a Cub Scout, while his family was living in Jackson. His father was stationed in Korea at the time.

He became a Boy Scout in 1958 at the age of 11.

He was a member of a Boy Scout troop in Paris for three years, while his father was stationed there.

He proudly remembers receiving the rank of Eagle Scout in Paris. "They sent a picture back and it was in the Southeast Missourian," he said.

Cochran III was involved as a youth in Boy Scouting for 10 years.

By 1983, when he returned to the Cape Girardeau area, he had his own family. His son, John Cochran IV, was already involved in scouting, having started as a Tiger Cub Scout at the age of 7.

Since 1984, Cochran III has been involved in Boy Scouting again, this time as an adult leader. In all, he has spent about 20 years in scouting.

Last year, he received the Shawnee District's Award of Merit, the highest district award an adult can receive in scouting.

His wife, Bonnie, who too has been an active leader in scouting, is also a recipient of that award.

Sixteen-year-old John H. Cochran IV has been deeply involved in scouting for years. He has served as a counselor and program director at the Camp Lewallen Boy Scout camp for the past three years.

"I have taught just about every merit badge that you can teach out at camp, except for handling weapons," he said.

"After you do it for a while, there are things you enjoy about it, like going out to Scout camp," he said.

He maintained that scouting makes people better citizens because it forces individuals to take responsibility for their actions.

John Cochran III agreed. "That's really all Boy Scouting has ever been is a place to teach ethical behavior and teach leadership."

Those basic values have remained the same over the years.

"There's probably not another organization in our country that turns out more better trained leaders than scouting," he said.