DETROIT _ After finally working his way up, a new Eagle Scout received a letter from President Donald J. Trump _ except it wasn't exactly a congratulations.
Instead, the Eagle Scout got a letter mourning the loss of late first lady Barbara Bush.
The signed letter makes no mention of the Eagle Scout achievement, and reads:
"I appreciate you taking the time to send your thoughts and suggestions.
Melania and I join the Nation in celebrating the life of Barbara Bush. As a wife, mother, grandmother, military spouse and former First Lady, Mrs. Bush was an advocate of the American family. Amongst her greatest achievements was recognizing the importance of literacy as a fundamental family value that required nurturing and protection. She will long be remembered for her strong devotion to country and family, both of which she served unfailingly well.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mrs. Bush."
The letter was posted to Twitter and chatter in the comments ensued, with other Eagle Scouts sharing stories about letter mix-ups they'd received since Trump took office.
User Noah Foxson (@TheFoxsmeister) shared on Twitter that, a year into Trump's presidency, the letter he received on behalf of the government carried President Barack Obama's signature. Another note from former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, also former national president of the Boy Scouts of America, was riddled with typos and grammatical issues, Foxson shared in the thread.
In a follow-up tweet, the original poster, Indivis Northville, shared that other scouts in the same troop received the same letter mourning Bush, who died on April 17.
The Detroit Free Press has reached out the Twitter users mentioned for more information.
According to the U.S. Scouting Service Project, parents and family members often request congratulatory letters for new Eagle Scouts from the president, cabinet members, department officials, members of congress and other elected representatives.
When asking officials for letters of commendation, parents/family members are advised to include their scout's full name, unit number and council name, plus a description of their achievement and how they earned it.
The practice has become a routine way to organize a special congrats to young scouts working their way up _ except most don't expect to get a letter honoring the passing of a first lady instead.
