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Tillerson recognized at Jamboree for Scouting work

GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was honored at the 2017 Boy Scout National Jamboree Friday with a bronze statue recognizing his contributions to the national youth organization.

Tillerson is a Distinguished Eagle Scout, Silver Buffalo Award recipient and served as national president from May 2010 to April 2012. As an executive board member, Tillerson pushed to allow openly gay youth participate in Scouting activities, which was approved in 2013.

Tillerson was president when the Boy Scouts of America broke ground of the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in October 2010.

“It’s just remarkable and extraordinarily gratifying to come back from time to time and see what’s been happening here at the Summit,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Gov. Jim Justice were at Friday’s ceremony. Manchin was governor when the Boy Scouts of America acquired the 11,400-acre site in Fayette County. The Summit Bechtel Reserve hosted its first Jamboree in 2013.

“It was just a raw piece of land, and now you see what we have,” Tillerson said.

Tillerson said he never stopped trying to become a better leader, adding the lessons he learned as a Scout have stuck with him.

“This new opportunity I have to serve my country has provided me with new ways of learning,” he said. “Things I had thought I had perfected that now I’ve learned I didn’t have quite perfected after all. It gives me the chance to continue to grow as a leader.”

Tillerson said the values of Scouting are important to remember.

“Prepare yourself for what’s ahead,” Tillerson told Scouts and leaders. “Prepare yourself to be a principled leader. Prepare yourself to be a servant leader.”

Prior to becoming secretary of state, Tillerson was the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp. from January 2006 to December 2016.





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