GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — Tens of thousands of scouts at the 2026 National Jamboree in Fayette County have a unique opportunity to experience naval flight, all while staying on the ground.
U.S. Navy Captain Gervy Alota joined MetroNews “Midday” Monday to highlight one of the many activities for scouts over the Jamboree’s 10-day run. He admitted that it would be nearly impossible to bring one of the Navy’s ships to the Bechtel Summit, where the Jamboree is taking place.
However, with an innovative virtual-reality offering, scouts can get a glimpse into what life in the Navy is all about.
“It gives the kids an opportunity to experience the Navy, talk to sailors,” Alota said. “How many kids, how many of these scouts, have ever been on an aircraft carrier? With this virtual experience, it gives them that opportunity, virtually, to step on board an aircraft carrier.”
There are plenty of activities for the scouts to do. Alota said there’s lots of smiles as the kids experience what the Navy has to offer.
“Even launching aircrafts,” Alota described. “Working as a team to refuel it, to load it with ammunition, and then send it off. It’s a great experience for these young kids.”
Alota said there are three main challenges for the scouts.
The first is an “All-Hands Trailer,” giving scouts a chance to fly an MV-22 Osprey through a simulation, and land the transport on an aircraft carrier deck. Alota said the scouts have different jobs in this simulation, with the final mission to launch an aircraft carrier. In line with normal scout operations, if they complete the challenge, they get an “all-hands” patch.
Next is an “achieve” module, where scouts answer some characteristics questions to see where their interests could lead them in the Navy. The software provides them with suggestions on what they could become.
“That’s a cool experience, and at the end of it, they actually have an AI picture of that individual wearing the uniform of that job,” Alota said. “And, it’s for all to see when they leave that experience.”
Finally, scouts get a chance to “drive” a small boat onto a peer, and get a peek into what mechanical fixes and underwater welding could entail.
Each of the challenges, if completed, come with a payoff.
“If you complete each challenge, you get a patch,” Alota said. “First of all, I didn’t realize all of these scouts; they have this fascination with patches. So, if they complete these three challenges, they get a Totem Pole patch, which they can’t complete the entire Totem Pole without this America’s Navy patch.”
Alota said the Navy has brought a medical team and damage control attire for the scouts to learn about. He emphasized that the Navy is much more than boats on the water.
“Folks generally just think about ships,” Alota said. “We offer more than just ships. We have aviation, cyber, engineering, medical intelligence, special operations, and so much more. Not only do we bring a strike group to the Summit for this Jamboree, we also brought a K-9 unit that has military-working dogs that they do demonstrations with.”
This year’s Jamboree wraps up this Friday, July 31.