Pine Bush’s Troop 37 has had many of its members reach Eagle Scout status. On June 16, 2026, member Adam Dillon was recognized for achieving the highest honor for a scout after working to create a memorial for fallen members of the Armed Forces.

“The project in itself wasn’t to finish first or finish earlier to get out of scouts. It wasn’t just for myself,” Dillon said. “I did that for veterans.”

The chance to make Eagle Scout rank comes only to a select few. A scout must earn 21 merit badges, work in an approved leadership role for at least six months, and lead a community service project, all before the age of 18. Dillon, who started as a Cub Scout when he was five years old, has achieved the rank at 15 while still a sophomore.

Dillon’s inspiration came when he was just 13 years old, on a Scout trip to the Freedom Trail in Boston. There, he saw the Old North Memorial Church, which was dedicated to veterans in the Boston area, and had over seven thousand dog tags. With this influence, Dillon decided to move forward with his own project.

The display features 13 rows of dog tags, all of fallen service members who sacrificed themselves in defense of the nation. The project was created to provide a permanent place of remembrance and reflection for veterans, their families, and other members of the community.

“I wanted to dedicate the project towards them because they’re also veterans that have served,” Dillon said. “And I felt like it would resonate more with the community.”

Under Dillon’s leadership, he gathered supplies from local businesses. Beck’s Hardware, Seekamp Lumber, Billings Memorial, Tractor Supply and Lowe’s of Middletown all contributed to the memorial.

The key contribution to the project came from Ball Chain Manufacturing Company, which donated the dog tags used. The company is a supplier for the U.S. military.

Originally, Dillon wanted to place his project at Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, located in Goshen. His first idea was to add over five thousand dog tags for the veterans buried there. However, after contacting officials there, the proposal shifted towards the construction of a memorial tree and Dillon then realized he wanted to focus on his original idea.

“It was going to be this tree, roughly eight to ten feet,” Dillon said. “I stated clearly that I wanted to do my project as I stated it, which was the dog tag memorial.”

With the help of local companies and members of his troop, Dillon was able to finish the project by Memorial Day. His father, an Army veteran, helped pitch in with the finishing of the memorial, which is located on the grounds of American Legion Post 1308, in Pine Bush.

“We spoke with the American Legion members that were there that day… we actually got some pictures with them, and they were very thankful,” Dillon said. “They were very grateful, and they were very impressed.”

Dillon is a student at Pine Bush High School, where he is going into his junior year. He is a member of the school’s soccer, indoor track and lacrosse teams. He hopes to pursue a military path and attend the U.S. Air Force Academy after graduation.