When Matt’s family moved back to St. Louis in 1998 and he joined Troop Seventeen, Matt followed the long and distinguished Barnes family Scouting legacy. His father, two uncles, two older brothers, a cousin, all were Eagle Scouts – and all in Troop Seventeen. 

But Matt already had established a solid Scouting resume of his own in Salem, Oregon. While in Troop 18 there, Matt served as a Den Chief, a Patrol Leader, and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. His service as a Den Chief was particularly noteworthy. After completing his Den Chief training, he served for a year at Pack 7 working with all the cubs to advance in rank. He was noted by his Cubmaster for outstanding leadership and service to youth. 

Matt was elected to the Order of the Arrow in 1998 and also earned the God and Country Award the following year. 

In 1997, Matt attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort AP Hill, Virginia and later served as youth staff member working in the commissary and maintenance group for the 2001 Jamboree. 

In high school, Matt lettered in wrestling at Parkway West, participated in the Concert Choir for three years and is on the Citizenship Honor Roll. 

Matt is an active, energetic worker who was an entrepreneur since the age of twelve when he started his first lawn care business. By the following year he had two employees and continued to be a profitable business. In addition, Matt had outside building maintenance and car detailing businesses. 

Matt worked for Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Salem, Oregon and attended community college there on a scholarship.

Matt was appointed the Troop 17 Quartermaster.

Matt Barnes —

Patrol Leader… ASPL… Order of the Arrow… Entrepreneur… Eagle Scout 

TROOP SEVENTEEN IS MIGHTY PROUD OF MATT BARNES