Young Outdoorsmen Association
 | |
| Formation | August 30, 1958 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Chester, Libertas Omnium Maximus |
| Type | Youth educational organization |
| Legal status | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | Chester, Libertas Omnium Maximus |
Membership (2020) | 290,000 |
Official language | English |
Chief Executive | Ronald Dawes |
| Website | www.youngoutdoorsmen.lom |
The Young Outdoorsman Association of Libertas Omnium Maximus, often abbreviated to YOA is the largest outdoor youth education (scouting) organization in Libertas Omnium Maximus. Founded in 1958, the goal of the organization is to teach young men between the ages of 11 and 17 valuable life skills through exposure to the outdoors and community service. Over its six-decade year lifespan, YOA has defined itself as one of the most rigorous scouting organizations in the world, with only 9-11% of all participants achieving the highest rank in the program, Master Outdoorsman.
Founding[edit | edit source]
The Youth Outdoorsman Association was founded in the summer of 1958 by a retired Maximusian army general, James Pearson (1894-1971), who noticed while on a family campout the year prior that his grandchildren lacked even the most basic survival training. The first unofficial Division a localized branch of the organization, Division #1, which was based out of Chester and had Pearson as its adult leader, was established in July of 1958. The organization was formally chartered on August 30, 1958, with Pearson's son-in-law, David Gage, becoming the official treasurer.
Initially, the YOA remained fairly localized in central-Libertas Omnium Maximus. It didn't become a household name until 1966, when Douglas Upton (1948-), a member of YOA Division #13 and Maximusian fighter-pilot, was shot down during the Great War over an uninhabited atoll. He held out for three-weeks before being rescued and credited his survival with self-reliance skills he learned during his time in the YOA. This public endorsement of the organization resulted in an exponential increase in membership, a trend that would eventually make it the largest youth outdoor education organization in the nation.
Ranks[edit | edit source]
The YOA uses a six-tiered earned-rank progression system that allows "young outdoorsmen", as youth members of the organization are called, to progress at their own pace through the program. The highest rank, Master Outdoorsman is only earned by a small fraction of participants, making it a highly celebrated achievement.