Robert Gates speaks during the "Stand Up for Heroes" at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on June 16, 2011 in Washington, D.C.
Robert Gates, the former Defense Secretary and CIA Director, was named the national president-elect of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) on Wednesday. He will begin his two-year term in May 2014.
“There is no finer program for preparing American boys for citizenship and leadership than the Boy Scouts of America. As an Eagle Scout, I know firsthand how impactful this program can be and I believe its mission is more important today than ever before,” Gates said in a press release.
Gates previously served as a member of the National Executive Board and president of the National Eagle Scout Association. 2.6 million youths between the ages of 7 and 21 have participated in The Boy Scouts of America.