Six decades after earning his Eagle Scout rank in Lexington, Kentucky, State Rep. Patt Maney received scouting’s highest recognition during a ceremony that drew hundreds of community leaders to celebrate his lifetime of service.

• The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, presented at the Hilton Garden Inn on Oct. 24 and emceed by Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber President Ted Corcoran, recognizes Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated extraordinary achievement and service. 

Of the more than 2 million Americans who have earned Eagle Scout rank since 1915, fewer than 2,500 have received this honor.

The evening began with Eagle Scout Bradley Buckthal, a junior at Fort Walton Beach High School, leading the Scout Oath and Law. Buckthal shared his own journey in scouting, from first grade to earning his Eagle rank at age 15.

“Many people describe being a Boy Scout as an intricate society of individuals that are all striving towards the same goal, to be an Eagle Scout,” Buckthal said. “After being in Scouts though, I have realized there is so much more to this program for youth. The trips, planning, leadership, expression of new ideas, morals, and values mean more than the Eagle Scout badge itself.”

• His words provided a bridge between generations of Eagle Scouts, from young leaders like himself to distinguished recipients like Maney.

“Patt became a Scout in February of 1964, and since then he’s made an impact not only to our county, not only to our state, not only to the United States of America, but he’s made an impact in the entire world,” said Bit-Wizards CEO Vince Mayfield, an Eagle Scout himself, during the award presentation.

The journey to this recognition began in 2017 when William James Jr., a fellow Eagle Scout and 25-year Army veteran, initiated the nomination process.

“Between administering the Bosnian Peace Accord, having private meetings with the Pope, personal friendships with heads of states, foreign presidents, receiving awards from the royal family, Supreme Court justices and writing legislation, being a brigadier general and a county judge and a member of the House of Representatives — who is this guy?” James said, recounting his discovery of Maney’s extensive service record while compiling the nomination.

District Attorney Ginger Madden cited biblical qualities of leadership in her tribute to her former boss of over two decades: 

• “They are to be able men, wise, discerning, and experienced. They are to be men that fear God. They are to be men of truth, exhibiting moral integrity. They are to be men that hate dishonest gain. They are to be men like Thomas Patterson Maney.”

Maney’s service spans multiple branches of government and international relations. As an Army Reserve Brigadier General, he served in Panama, Haiti, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. In Bosnia, he coordinated with NATO forces and had a private audience with Pope John Paul II while planning security for the pontiff’s visit to Sarajevo.

In Afghanistan, where he served as senior political sector advisor to the U.S. Ambassador, Maney helped coordinate the country’s first free presidential election in 5,000 years. His service was cut short in August 2005 when he was severely wounded by an improvised explosive device, leading to 20 months of recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani provided a personal endorsement for the award, praising Maney’s dedication to helping rebuild Afghanistan. Even while recovering at Walter Reed, Maney coordinated the acquisition of a surplus U.S. Military ambulance for the Aschiana charity program supporting Afghan street children.

His commitment to veterans has been a constant thread throughout his career. As a county court judge for nearly 29 years, Maney established Florida’s first Veterans Treatment Court and created a mental health court. The Florida Legislature later named veterans court legislation the “T. Patt Maney Veterans’ Treatment Intervention Act.”

• “Sometimes I think that Patt Maney has helped every one of them,” said Maureen Bierman of Step One Automotive, referring to the nation’s 16 million veterans. During the ceremony, Step One announced a $150,000 matching donation to Forever Warriors, doubling state funding Maney secured to help veterans transition to civilian life.

His legislative impact extends beyond veterans’ causes. Dr. Cristie Kedroski, president of Northwest Florida State College, detailed more than $40 million in state appropriations Maney helped secure, including $11 million for nursing education and $16.5 million for first responder training.

• He and his wife established the Purple Heart Scholarship in 2006 to support Purple Heart recipients and their descendants.

His wife Caroline described how scouting shaped his character: “His approachability, his servanthood, and his engagement with others — he learned this during his Boy Scout years. This led me to be a Girl Scout leader, and our daughters to be Girl Scouts earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. Over the years, I’ve watched him lift others up, prize service above himself, and this has impacted our family and marriage.”

For Vince Mayfield, the honor of presenting the award was deeply personal.

“When I was a young man, Judge Maney was a household name around my house,” Mayfield said. “My mother was the director of Catholic Charities, and one of her passions in life was taking young mothers that were unwed and looking to give their child a new life in adoption. Judge Maney was one of her favorite judges.”

“I know my mother is looking down right now and she is super happy that her son is up here,” Mayfield added, “and that I’m able to honor her favorite judge and all of the work that you’ve done over your entire life.”

The Gulf Coast Council, which hosted the ceremony, traces its roots to 1914 when scouting was established in Pensacola. Today, it serves youth ages 5-21 across eleven counties in Florida and Alabama, maintaining the Spanish Trail Scout Reservation for outdoor education and activities.

In his acceptance speech, Maney turned emotional speaking about his family, particularly his older brother in attendance. “My parents had seven children. I was number two of seven,” Maney said. “Number one of seven is my big brother, Edward. He was wounded in Vietnam on St. Patrick’s Day in 1971. He’s my hero.”

• He emphasized the crucial role of community support: “Scouting wouldn’t be possible without volunteer leaders. Scouting wouldn’t be possible without people who give generously to the program. Scout camps cost money. You need the volunteer leaders to be the role models for the boys.”

The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award joins Maney’s numerous honors, including the Purple Heart, Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award presented by His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, Secretary of Defense Outstanding Public Service Medal, and the Ghazi Mir Batcha Khan Superior Medal presented by Afghanistan’s former King Zahir Shah.

“In every job I’ve had and in every endeavor, it’s the people that make the difference,” Maney said in closing. “Boys need activity and boys need male leaders. That’s not to take anything away from my mother or the other mothers who make Scouts work.”

• “It’s a tremendous honor to have you all here. I thank each of you for coming,” Maney added. “God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.”

Reverend Scottie Thigpen, who has offered prayers at every major milestone in Maney’s public life, closed the evening with a benediction, marking another chapter in a lifetime of service that began with a Scout oath taken six decades ago in Kentucky.

To learn more about how your child can embark on a transformative journey with the Scouting USA Gulf Coast Council, visit their website at www.gulfcoastcouncil.org or call their team at 850-476-6336. Families can also find local troops and packs in their area by visiting BeAScout.org.