The Making of a Man: Lessons from the Brigade Trail
Author: Jeff Wells, CSB Alumnus
Men need to be useful, reliable and relied on. Boys need role models and wide boundaries in which to test their mettle and burgeoning strength. Christian Service Brigade (CSB) is a unique vehicle that takes these fundamental needs of both men and boys and creates an arena of growth with Christ squarely in the center.
I didn’t know it at the time, but this organization would shape my masculinity and define my adult life.
As a young boy, I was enthralled by my dad’s Outward Bound stories. I had memorized the Boy Scout Handbook, subscribed to numerous outdoor magazines, and took every opportunity a suburban boy with an overprotective mother could to express my inner Jedediah Smith. But it only took the the first Stockade meeting for me to be hooked on Christian Service Brigade. The regimentation, the hierarchical clarity, the sequential skills-building activities, the end-of-night storytelling, I finally found a place where I could apply myself and be recognized for my efforts.
Our Unit was led by a hard-working, God-fearing, blue-collar man with a thick Brooklyn accent, Miles Saul. I’d never seen his like in our Northern California ‘burb, and he seemed to me a paragon. As I progressed through the ranks of Stockade and participated in Father-Son Team Days, I also began to grow in admiration and respect for my dad, Doug Wells. I could tell he was truly enjoying the support that CSB gives to its volunteer fathers.
There was no Battalion Unit in our area at that time, but I had heard mythical tales of trip camps where titans of men would lead troops of boys on wide-ranging excursions of their choice; backpacking, canoeing, cycling, sailing, rock climbing, SCUBA diving, the list seemed endless. I saved my money for years to kit myself out for the first backpacking trip I would take.. I read product reviews in the dozens, ordered items out of Sierra Trading Post when it was a newspaper full of factory seconds. I even organized and reorganized my pack dozens of times.
It was at Sequoia Brigade Camp (SBC) that I met the men who would shape my life in ways far beyond what they could imagine. Camp Director Bob Nass was a living legend, his name whispered by junior high kids lacing up their tragically unbroken-in hiking boots at the head of their first trail. A stalwart veteran of the US Navy, soul-piercing wisdom, eyes full of such kindness that only St. Nicholas could rival, but a face as stern as a New England lighthouse keeper. And he could carry the most melodious tune I had ever heard. He had a beautiful family, a strong faith, and a charisma and presence unrivaled. If I could follow him, I could be the man I wanted to be.
I won’t bore you with the details of my first trip, the bears, the blisters, the explosions. But by the end of the week. dirty and exhausted, I knew I’d found my training grounds.
I also met a fellow under whose sway I immediately fell. I never had a “big brother” nor any particular feeling of needing one. At church youth groups, the older boys seemed both immature and entirely too given over to their youthful passions and indiscretions. On this trip was a junior counselor named David Gregg. I remember that because I had him write it down in my Bible after an amazing devotion he led, don’t lose track of this guy, I thought. On that trip, I learned not only that older boys can be deeply spiritual, fiercely intellectual, and possess wisdom beyond their years, but that quality leadership at all levels is integral to the success and propagation of an organization and its mission. I was determined to one day be a junior counselor myself. And not just any junior counselor, but one who was worthy of the great junior counselor David Gregg.
I betook myself to participate in every trip camp SBC offered. Eventually, my dad and several other men forged a Battalion in our city. Through these experiences, I continued to place myself under the tutelage of Bob Nass and had continued encounters and moments of growth with David Gregg. I met two other men who, like Bob, offered me templates of Christian manhood that I could pattern my growth on. Karl Benson, a perfect blend to me of unflinching masculinity and deep devotion to God, and Dennis Thompson, a man who seemed to be the living embodiment of the fruit of the spirit, Joy.
Any success I have had in my journey through life as a Christian man, I attribute to their leadership and examples, and any failures I have experienced have been a result of not applying their lessons with fidelity.
Ultimately, the truth of CSB for boys and young men is one of confidence building, mentorship, spiritual growth, Christian fellowship, growth of skills, and taking up challenges and experiences offered nowhere else. This is the path. The result is joy, life-long memories, a practical template for leadership, manhood and fatherhood, and, we may pray, an eternal reward with Jesus Christ.
