Honoring Our Veterans - Scout Lynde
Author: Matt Nelson
Honoring Our Veterans - Scout Lynde
Matt Nelson
Eleanor Scout Lynde is the daughter of Samara and TJ Lynde and graduated from Broadwater High School in 2021. She is also a member of the Trailhead Christian Fellowship Church.
She comes from a Navy family: Her father and her grandfather were Navy veterans, and her brother Will is in the Navy now.
Scout joined the Navy on August 29, 2021, and was honorably discharged on August 29th of this year. Her rating was a Religious Program Specialist (RPS) Petty Officer 2nd Class. Although she was in the Navy, she wore a Marine Corps uniform, but it did say U.S. Navy on it. She was stationed at MAG-14 (Marine Aircraft Group 14) Cherry Point, North Carolina. “Loud base, lots of aircraft!”.
As an Enlisted RPS helper to the chaplains, one job was to make sure chaplains have what they need to offer care for service members and their families, which includes a lot of care and counseling. There were 8 RP Specialists on base, and they rotated on Sundays. They printed out the bulletins and set up for communion, etc. for both Protestant and Catholic services.
"One of the most important things for me was that my leadership was very positive, and I had a very positive experience with my leaders and their strong leadership skills.
Another important thing is that I have a lot of hope that the efforts I put in helping other people in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program work. It is very rewarding, not so much that you see results, but people can take that knowledge to help someone else. Suicide in the military has increased. You might not know if you helped someone. However, one incident gave me almost instant gratification. A few days after teaching the course one of my students said he was able to help a friend out from committing suicide because he used what I had taught him. Most of the time you don’t hear things like that.
“I am not a recruiter at all. However, the 3rd important item to me is that I would strongly encourage people who are thinking about joining the military to do it! There are SO many benefits! The skills people learn while serving our country are often a foundation for the civilian careers they follow.”
Scout took some college classes while in N.C. Now she is going to Helena College, and later plans to transfer to MSU in Bozeman, and is excited to be able to take full advantage of the GI Bill. She loves creating things that people will enjoy. Right now she thinks that she wants a career in art and/or music. She plays the ukulele and is now taking guitar lessons.
“My two biggest qualification achievements were earning my FMF pin (Fleet Marine Force qualification) that I received early in my service, and my NAM (Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal). My FMF pin is pictured in my command photo above my ribbon rack. It's that silver pin with the EGA (Eagle, Globe, and Anchor) and cross rifles. After 6 months of studying Marine Corps subjects (including Marine Corps history, aircraft, participating in Marine Corps Martial Arts, and drill) I earned my NAM pin, a symbol of dedication and professionalism towards my Marines and my embedded presence within the command. I received it when I departed from Cherry Point on July 8th of this year.”
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY HAS AWARDED THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL TO PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS ELEANOR S. LYNDE, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, FOR:
“Professional Achievement in the Superior Performance of her duties while serving as Religious Program Specialist, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2D Marine Aircraft Wing from April 2022 to August 2025. Petty Officer Second Class Lynde supported free exercise of Religion for all by conducting over 1,700 Religious needs assessments and advising Chaplains on Religious Accommodation Support. Petty Officer Second Class Lynde’s bold leadership, wise judgement, and complete dedication to duty reflected credit on her and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: See captions
Image 1 Caption: Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Eleanor Scout Lynde is wearing her FMF (Fleet Marine Force qualification) pin. It's that silver pin with the EGA (Eagle, Globe, and Anchor) and crossed rifles.
Photo Courtesy of Scout Lynde
Image 2 Caption: RSP 2nd Class Eleanor Scout Lynde displays the ribbon for earning her NAM (Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal) while attached to the MAG-14 (Marine Aircraft Group 14) at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Photo by Matt Nelson
 and crossed rifles. Photo courtesey of Scout.jpg)
 Award Ribbon. Photo by Matt Nelson.JPG)
