Pentagon Considers Ending Century-Long Military Partnership with Scouting America Over Inclusion Policies

A draft memorandum from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, obtained by NPR and reported on November 25, 2025, outlines a sweeping proposal to sever the Pentagon's longstanding relationship with Scouting America, the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America. The proposal represents a significant policy shift that would fundamentally alter the military's engagement with one of America's most established youth organizations.

Under the draft plan, the Pentagon would implement several major changes to its relationship with Scouting America. The proposal would eliminate medical and logistical support for the National Jamboree, the organization's quadrennial gathering that draws approximately 20, 000 scouts to West Virginia. Additionally, the memo recommends barring Scout troops from meeting on military bases both domestically and internationally, a move that would directly impact military families stationed around the globe. The proposal would also eliminate the advanced rank and associated pay grade increases currently granted to Eagle Scouts upon military enlistment.

The memo invokes a legal exemption that allows the Defense Secretary to withhold military support if deemed "detrimental to national security, "though this justification has drawn scrutiny from military officials who question whether the standard applies in this context.

According to the draft memo obtained by NPR, Defense Secretary Hegseth characterizes Scouting America as having become a "genderless" organization designed to "attack boy-friendly spaces" and states that the organization "no longer supports the future of American boys." These concerns appear to center on Scouting America's evolution toward gender-inclusive policies in recent years, particularly following the organization's February 2025 rebranding from "Boy Scouts of America"to the gender-neutral "Scouting America. "

The memo also criticizes what Hegseth characterizes as the organization's promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at what he views as the expense of merit-based policies. This criticism reflects broader ideological debates about inclusion policies within American institutions, with the Defense Secretary arguing that such initiatives have fundamentally altered the organization's character and mission.

Internal Department of Defense documents cited by NPR reveal additional concerns within military leadership. Navy Secretary John Phelan reportedly expressed worry in a memo that blocking Scouts from military bases "could be detrimental to recruitment and accession efforts across the department, "indicating that military officials recognize the partnership's value as a recruitment pipeline. This internal tension highlights the competing priorities within the Pentagon regarding the Scouting partnership.

The military's relationship with Scouting organizations spans more than a century, representing one of the longest sustained partnerships between the federal government and a youth-serving organization. Congress mandates that the U. S. military provide support for the National Jamboree, held every three to four years at the organization's permanent site in West Virginia, with armed services members typically providing medical teams, logistical support, and hosting public events such as skydiving demonstrations.

The next National Jamboree is scheduled for July 22-31, 2026, in West Virginia, and the outcome of this policy proposal will directly impact planning and execution of that event.

Historically, Scouting has served as a significant pipeline for military recruitment and officer development. According to Scouting America leadership, an "enormous"percentage of those in U. S. military academies are former Scouts and Eagle Scouts, and many Scouts transition directly into military service. This recruitment function has been particularly valuable for the military's sustained access to youth populations across the country.

Scouting America leadership has responded to the leaked draft memo with both surprise and concern. CEO Roger Krone stated that the organization was "surprised and deeply saddened"by news of the potential partnership termination and emphasized Scouting America's historic collaboration with the military.

In a formal statement, Krone directly contested the characterization that Scouting America has abandoned merit-based advancement. "This view is clearly uninformed, "Krone stated. "Badges and ranks are not given; they are earned. Just ask any Eagle Scout. Young men and women alike thrive in Scouting. Scouts wear an American flag on their sleeves and swear a duty to God and country. " This response emphasizes that the organization's core merit-based structure remains intact despite its broader inclusion efforts.

Krone further highlighted the organization's commitment to military families, noting that "from the tremendous support of the West Virginia National Guard at our National Jamborees, to Scout troops that provide stability for the children of military families deployed around the globe, our nation's military has walked side-by-side with Scouts for generations. " He also emphasized that "many of our Scouts trade their scouting uniform for the uniforms of our nation's armed forces"and pledged that "Scouting will never turn its back on the children of our military families. "

Additionally, Krone stressed that Scouting America has maintained a nonpartisan approach throughout its history, working constructively with every presidential administration, both Democratic and Republican, for more than a century.

The potential loss of this partnership carries significant implications for military families. Military parents view on-base Scout troops as vital communities for children who experience frequent relocations due to military service. For families like that of retired Air Force Colonel Scott Matthews, stationed in Germany with two Eagle Scouts and a Life Scout daughter, the potential severance represents what Matthews described as "heartbreaking"news.

The broader context for this policy proposal includes Scouting America's evolution toward greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ youth and families. In 2019, the organization began accepting girls into its programs, a policy shift that was followed by the adoption of more inclusive policies regarding LGBTQ+ members and families. This evolution toward inclusion has contributed to significant organizational changes, including the 2025 rebranding to "Scouting America"to reflect the organization's gender-neutral membership.

These inclusion policies have resulted in membership shifts within the organization. While Scouting membership peaked at over 5 million children in the 1970s, it has declined to approximately 1 million members currently, a decrease attributed to multiple factors including sexual abuse scandals, financial difficulties, and the organization's embrace of LGBTQ+-affirming policies that led some conservative families to withdraw. In 2019, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then one of the organization's largest institutional backers, severed its ties with Scouting over these policy changes.

As of November 25, 2025, the Pentagon has declined to authenticate or formally comment on the leaked draft memo. A Pentagon spokesperson stated that the Department of Defense "will not comment on leaked documents that we cannot authenticate and that may be pre-decisional. " The memo has not yet been officially sent to Congress, indicating that the proposal remains in draft form and has not entered the formal legislative process.

This distinction is significant, as the proposal's pre-decisional status means that policy decisions have not been finalized and the Pentagon retains the opportunity to modify, reject, or further develop the proposal before formal submission to Congress.

The current proposal did not emerge in isolation. An April 2025 report from NBC News documented internal advocacy within the Department of Defense urging a break from Scouting America, with context tracing back to Defense Secretary Hegseth's previous public criticism of the organization's name change and inclusion policies. This suggests that the current draft memo represents an escalation and formalization of concerns that have been developing within Pentagon leadership for several months.

The potential severing of the military-Scouting partnership represents a significant policy shift that would affect recruitment pipelines, military family services, and the youth development landscape in communities across the United States and at military installations worldwide. The proposal's invocation of national security concerns to justify the termination of support for a youth organization has drawn attention from observers who question whether the legal standard for such action is appropriately applied in this context.

The outcome of this proposal will likely have implications beyond the immediate military-Scouting relationship, potentially signaling broader policy directions regarding federal support for organizations with inclusive LGBTQ+ policies and practices.