Leadership

Every Scout Deserves a

Trained Leader

A successful Scouting program comes from trained leaders who are committed to the service of others.  In Scouting, those individuals wear the uniform.

Every Scout Deserves a Trained Leader!  Troop 70 leads the way with over 15 Wood Badge trained adult leaders.  Additionally, several Troop 70 adult leaders also serve our local West Park District and Circle Ten Council in volunteer leadership positions.  In these ways, Troop 70 is committed to providing our Scouts with the most challenging and fulfilling experience in the area. 

Troop Adult Leaders 2022-2023

Scoutmaster:  Jade Edwards
Jade formerly served as Cubmaster and Den Leader for Pack 71 (HPISD at Bradfield Elementary), where his son Jackson earned his Arrow of Light in 2019. Jade received his Wood Badge Training at Philmont Scout Ranch and received his beads in 2018 (WB #123). Jade currently helps with the troop’s Trail to First Class Program. He is the President of a national event staffing company. Jade is married to Christi and is the father of a Troop 70 scout and a daughter. 

Committee Chair:  Scott Sims
Scott is the father of Christopher, a Troop 70 scout. He has led a high adventure trek to Philmont in 2019. He is the Chair of the Troop 70 Committee which supports the Scoutmaster and the Scouting program. He is the father of a Troop 70 scout. He has participated in summer camp; lead the Troop's Holiday Greenery Sales efforts; and is a counselor for several merit badges.

Chartered Organization Representative: Charles Cochran
Charles served as Scoutmaster from 2012 through 2017. His two son’s earned their Eagle Scout rank in the troop. Charles has completed the Wood Badge training course and has served as a Wood Badge staffer as well. He served as an Assistant Scoutmaster at the 2010 National Jamboree at Fort A P Hill, in Virginia, and served as Scoutmaster for the 2013 National Jamboree, at the Bechtel Summit, in West Virginia. He has also led multiple high adventure treks to Philmont, Northern Tier and Sea Base. Charles was awarded the Silver Beaver Award in 2017.  He serves Scouting in other capacities as well including serving as the West Park District Committee Chair, and other multiple roles within the district, the Southern Region and as a board member of Circle 10 Council.  Currently, Charles is working with Life rank scouts in the troop who are working on earning their Eagle Scout rank and helping as a merit badge counselor.

Assistant Scoutmasters:

Asst SM: John DeGroote
John served as Troop 70's Scoutmaster from 2017 through 2021 and is the father of two Troop 70 Scouts. John served as the Scoutmaster for Troop 70’s National Jamboree Troop in 2017 and has served as an adult leader at Camp Constantin every summer from 2015 through 2020. John previously served as the Cubmaster for Cub Scout Pack 55, at St. John's Episcopal School, for four years and was a participant at Wood Badge 108 and a staffer at Wood Badge 120. John is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and an Eagle Scout. As a Scout, John participated in the 1981 National Scout Jamboree and in high adventure treks at Philmont Scout Ranch and on the Appalachian Trail. While a Scout, John served his Troop as Senior Patrol Leader, which he still counts as the best leadership training he ever received. Outside Scouting, John serves as a mediator, arbitrator, and court-appointed trustee in complex business disputes.

Asst SM: Brad Duhe
Brad is a corporate attorney in the telecom industry. He previously served as the Cubmaster and Den Leader for Pack 71 (HPISD at Bradfield Elementary) for four years where his son, Byron, earned his Arrow of Light in May 2017. Byron and Brad joined Troop 70 in May of 2017. Brad grew up in Scouting at Pack 312 and Troop 312, in LaPlace, Louisiana, as part of the New Orleans Area Council. In the Park Cities, Brad led the effort to charter Pack 414 at Christ the King Catholic Church in 2014, earning the William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award. He is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow. Brad has also been awarded the District Award of Merit, Training Award, Scoutmaster’s Key Award, and Unit Leader Award of Merit. In addition to becoming a Troop 70 Assistant Scoutmaster, Brad also serves on the West Park District Committee and as an Assistant District Commissioner, mentoring Cub Scout Packs in the Park Cities. He is has served as the West Park District Friends of Scouting Family Giving Chair for four years. Brad is a Trained Leader, having participated in Wood Badge Training at Philmont Scout Ranch and receiving his beads in 2019 (WB #126). He is in charge of membership and recruiting for the troop and has attended winter camp twice and summer camp for the last 4 years. Recently, he also led Troop 70’s first-ever Swamp Base hi-adventure trek, canoeing 63 miles through the Atchafalaya Basin swamp, in Louisiana. Brad is married to Sandy and is the proud father of a Troop 70 Scout and a daughter.

Asst SM: David Eisenlohr
David is a Troop 70 Eagle Scout having earned the award in May 1971 and the Aubrey Pollard Award in 1972. He has served as an assistant since 1996 and attended the 1997 National Jamboree. David has served as Cubmaster and has completed the basic training courses. He completed his Wood Badge training having received his beads in 1997. David is married to Shelley and is the father of two Troop 70 Eagle Scouts.

Asst SM: John Glendenning
John has been involved in scouting in Dallas since his son was old enough to join.  He served as a Den Leader in Pack 54 (DISD Lakewood Elementary) until it was time for his son to join Boy Scouts and was the Pack Treasurer.  He staffed the Tejas Caddo District twilight camp for several years and has staffed both summer and winter camps.  He started and led a STEM Scout Lab for several years, exposing kids to scouting that would never have gotten the chance.  He has been helping with the Trail to First Class and on various merit badge and advancement opportunities.  John has been trained and has completed his Wood Badge.  

Asst SM: Marshall Kath
Marshall served as a Den Leader for Pack 76 (HPISD’s Armstrong Elementary) for four years where his youngest son, Henry, earned his Arrow of Light in May 2015. Henry and Marshall joined Troop 70 in August 2015. Marshall earned his Arrow of Light from Pack 721 and his Eagle rank and Order of the Arrow designation from Troop 721.  At the same time, Marshall also completed his JLTC coursework and trekked to Philmont. Both Pack 721 and Troop 721 were members of the St. Louis Area Council. In addition, Marshall earned the St. Louis Area Council’s Veteran Camper award (for 50 nights of camping) four times as well as the Council’s 100, 200, 300 and 400-mile awards for hiking. Remembering fondly his former Scoutmasters (Mr. John Rakerd and Mr. Roy Pfeiffer), Marshall now gratefully serves Troop 70 as an Assistant Scoutmaster and led a high adventure trek to Philmont in 2019.

Asst SM: Hudson Lockett
Hudson is a Troop 70 Eagle, earning the award in 1970 and the Aubrey Pollard Award in 1971. He has served as an assistant since 1998 and attended the 1977, 1981 and 2001 National Jamborees as a Troop Leader. He also served as a Troop Leader for the 2003 and 2007 World Jamborees. He completed his Wood Badge training in 2004. He led a Scout exchange group to Ireland in 2004 and hosted the return groups in 2005 and 2006. He has received the Silver Beaver Award and the Henry Crown Leadership Award. Married to Kathy, they are the proud parents of a Troop 70 Eagle Scout.

Asst SM: Danny O’Connell
Danny earned his Eagle Scout at the age of 16 from Troop 81 in Tulsa, OK. With 2 boys Danny helped start Cub Scout Pack 414 at Christ the King in Dallas, TX where he served as Committee Chair and Cub Master for 3 years respectively. Danny has 1 son in Troop 70 and another in Pack 414 who looks forward to joining the Troop soon. Danny loves to spend time with his spouse Kate traveling and being with their 4 kids.

Asst SM: Craig Owens
Craig served as a Webelos Den Leader at Pack 71 (HPISD at Bradfield Elementary), where his son Reed earned his Arrow of Light in 2019.  He received his Wood Badge Training at Philmont Scout Ranch and received his beads in 2019 (WB #126). Craig helps with the troop’s Trail to First Class Program.  He is married to Honey and is the father of an Eagle Scout and a Troop 70 scout.

Asst SM: Bob Pospick
Bob is a Troop 70 Eagle Scout having earned the award in May 1971 and the Aubrey Pollard Award in 1973. He has served as an assistant since 1981 and attended the 1981, 1985, 1989, 1997, 2005 National Jamborees and the 2010 jamboree as a staff member. Bob completed his Wood Badge training having received his beads in 1986. He has also staffed a WB course. He also led a group of Scouts to the Irish National Jamboree in 2008. Bob is married and the father of two Troop 70 Eagle Scouts and has received the Silver Beaver Award.

Asst SM: Christian Straffon
Founder and former Cubmaster of Pack 1716, earning the William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award. He joined Troop 70 as an Assist SM. Chris Attended Wood Badge CXII in 2015 and was beaded a year later, he is a member of the Order of the Arrow, International Committee of Scouting, Catholic Committee of Scouting, and serves as a Unit Commissioner for several Units in the West Park District. Chris is leading a high adventure trek to Sea Base this summer. He is married to Lisa and proud father of his 2 sons Christian and Nicolas (future Eagle Scouts from Troop 70).

Asst SM: John Trupiano
John has served as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 70 since his son joined in 2015, actively participating in as many campouts as he can. As an adult leader, he was elected to the Order of the Arrow and after the 2018 Philmont trip was cancelled due to forest fires, John developed and led the crew on Expedition California – a two week back country trek through Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. He was then able to serve as a crew advisor to Philmont in 2019 as well as Sea Base in 2020. John and his wife Elizabeth are proud parents of a current Troop 70 Eagle.

Asst SM: Jim Whorton
Jim has been involved with Troop 70 for 40+ years and the father of two Eagle Scout sons Jeffrey Eagle 1986 and Jay Eagle 1988. Jim was a Boy Scout in West Texas but moving to Dallas and two your sons interesting in a scout troop we chose Troop 70 and soon after that time became an adult leader serving in HighAdventure with (8 ) trips the Philmont Scout Ranch New Mexico( 5) treks, (1) cold weather, (1) Wood Badge 39, (1). The adult Leadership training program. Jim has been to (6) National Jamborees (3) ASM and (3) on SCUBA staff. Other High Adventure trips are Northern Tier (Atikokan) Canoe Base Canada, trip to the state of Maine for hiking, and canoeing in the area of the Appalachian Trail and (2) trips the Florida Sea Base and finally a member of the Order of the Arrow and Brotherhood. My outside of scouting life was graduated from Texas Tech, served in the USMC and retired from Ford Motor Company.

It is simple to become a trained leader. Only one hour per week. Just contact the Scoutmaster and the rest is easy.