In August 2015, River Schreckengost, 15, began his Eagle Scout project on Fort Riley. Schreckengost is the son of Shannon and Capt. Michael Schreckengost, who is now assigned to Wheatridge Recruiting Company, Denver Battalion, Denver, Colorado. The family moved to Denver just before River was awarded his Eagle Scout honor. While at
Fort Riley, he was part of Troop 75 of Manhattan, but for his Eagle Scout project, he wanted to do something for the military community.
"I wanted to somehow give back to the Fort Riley community because I'm an Army brat," Schreckengost said. "I lived and attended middle school there for two years, and my dad worked there."
Schreckengost's scout career has gone across Army posts throughout the nation. He started Cub Scouts at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and then moved on to Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. When he switched over to Boy Scouts, he started at the Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The final part of his scouting journey was in Manhattan, Kansas, before he became an Eagle Scout.
Schreckengost decided to make the beneficiary of his Eagle Scout project Mike Houck, Department of Public Works, environmental division of Fort Riley. Through Houck's guidance, Schreckengost completed his bat habitat project over the span of three days, from Aug. 12 to 14.
"I chose to build and install the bat houses and habitats around Fort Riley because bats were living in many of the older buildings and training areas," Schreckengost said. "Bat houses are a good way to keep bats around because of their importance to our ecosystem, but out of those areas of Fort Riley."
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scout organization.
"I set a goal to become an Eagle Scout when I first became a Boy Scout,"
Schreckengost said. "To me, it is a symbol of all the hard work I have put into achieving this rank. It is also a reminder of all the great mentors and great opportunities and fun I have had in scouting so far."
Schreckengost said he remains active in Boy Scouts to help younger scouts set and achieve their goals.
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