Aquia District Troop 850’s Newest Eagle Scout – Thomas Gill
Eighteen-year-old Thomas Gill celebrated earning the BSA rank of Eagle Scout on Saturday, April 20th, with a ceremony and reception held at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Local leaders, State Senator Tara Durant, Delegate Paul Milde, and Senior Vice Commandant of the Marine Corps League, Jack Maas Detachment, Christina Wanzer, attended the ceremony and honored Thomas with commendations.
Thomas is a Senior at Mountain View High School and led Scouts BSA Troop 850 from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in the Aquia District, National Capital Area Council, to build a rain-barrel reclamation system at Widewater State Park to supply water to volunteers watering a pollinator garden and park maintenance. Thomas, with his fellow Scouts and his dad, Dennis, built stands for rain barrels from scratch and retrofitted plain, cheaper barrels to show the Scout Law value of being Thrifty.
Thomas raised funds for the project from friends and family members. He successfully executed the project within three months. Thomas earned 21 Merit Badges, including Disability Awareness, Nuclear Science, and Railroading, the latter being his favorite. This culminated in his earning the rank of Eagle Scout on December 20th, 2023. When asked how he feels about obtaining the Rank, Thomas says, “I can do hard things like this because I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” quoting Philippians 4:13.
Thomas faced uncommon challenges on his way to Scouts BSA’s highest rank. Thomas has Spina Bifida, a neural tube birth defect that affects his ability to walk and do physically demanding tasks. He can walk very short distances with forearm crutches.
Thomas started his Scouting career as a Cub Scout in the National Capital Area Council Pack 845 while in the second grade. According to Thomas’ Mom, Elba, Thomas’ Cub Scout Pack Leader, “Joe Hernandez, an active-duty Marine, encouraged Thomas to always do his best and never give up and it worked!” Thomas says he joined Troop 850 “because they welcomed me without anyone asking what was wrong with my legs.” He went on multiple camping trips and hikes with his Troop, including a ten-miler at Gettysburg. He held several leadership positions in Troop 850 including Historian and Chaplains Aide.
Reaching the Scouts BSA’s highest rank is a rare achievement. Only a very small percentage, less than six percent, of Scouts, attain the rank before their eighteenth birthday. Thomas has done it despite having a challenging physical disability. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout at his Eagle Scout Board of Review on December 20, 2023.
Thomas will graduate this May and plans to attend Germanna Community College with plans to pursue an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, then potentially transfer to a four-year university.
