Alvin Townley
Encyclopedia
Alvin Townley is an American author who writes about adventure with a greater purpose. He debuted with his best-selling book Legacy of Honor: The Values and Influence of America's Eagle Scouts (St. Martin's Press, New York, 2007), a story of his cross-country journey, during which he met Eagle Scouts
from all walks of life.
In 2009 Townley released Spirit of Adventure: Eagle Scouts and the Making of America's Futurelink title. It features Ron Young, an Army helicopter pilot and former POW in the 2003 Gulf military action
against Iraq
who later became a contestant in the reality show The Amazing Race 7
. Also featured are twin surgeons Vince and Vance Moss link title, China Care founder Matt Dalio link title, Arizona Cardinals
lineman Deuce Lutui, Peace Corps
volunteers, marine biologists, and naval aviators aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
In Summer 2011, St. Martin's Press
released Townley's third book, FLY NAVY: Discovering the Enduring Spirit and Extraordinary People of Naval Aviation. To write the book, he traveled to bases across the country and also visited five aircraft carriers in three oceans, meeting the people of naval aviation - past and present, officers and enlisted. The book defines the individuals and values that underlie America's naval air power. He is rumored to be at work on a fourth book, expected in 2013.
Townley is himself an Eagle Scout, having earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1993 with Troop 103 in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a Brotherhood Member of the Order of the Arrow
, and has completed backpacking, canoeing, and sailing adventures at Philmont Scout Ranch
, Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases
, and the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base
.
After graduating from Lakeside High School (DeKalb County, Georgia)
, the Atlanta native graduated from Washington & Lee University, in Lexington, Virginia in 1997 with a major in politics. There, he was active in student government and the cross-country and track teams. He interned in the U.S. House of Representatives, then went to work for Arthur Andersen
LLP, where he managed responsibilities for global strategy
and communication in their Worldwide Executive Office. In his twenties, he began a one-year trek across the country to interview Eagle Scouts and discover the legacy of Scouting
.
The well-known Eagle Scouts Townley met include Michael Bloomberg
, Supreme Court
Justice Stephen Breyer
, Ross Perot
, Defense Secretary Robert Gates
and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson
, William H. Gates, Sr.
, J.W. Marriott, Jr.
, Bill Bradley
, and Jim Lovell
of Apollo 13
. Others include Tuskegee Airman
Percy Sutton
, former POW George Thomas Coker
, NBA forward Mark Madsen
, an NYPD September 11 hero, and a crew of Hurricane Katrina
relief workers.
The books received positive reviews from numerous figures, including President Jimmy Carter
and novelist Tom Wolfe
.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates
called his first book “inspirational,” and President Jimmy Carter said, “These Eagle Scouts will inspire readers to become leaders in serving others.” NFL MVP Peyton Manning
said, "Spirit of Adventure tells a compelling story about a new generation and America's future." Vice Admiral Tom "Killer" Kilcline
, Commander, Naval Air Forces, 2007–2010, said, "FLY NAVY crystallizes the imagination of flight into true inspiration."
Alvin resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
from all walks of life.
In 2009 Townley released Spirit of Adventure: Eagle Scouts and the Making of America's Futurelink title. It features Ron Young, an Army helicopter pilot and former POW in the 2003 Gulf military action
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
who later became a contestant in the reality show The Amazing Race 7
The Amazing Race 7
The Amazing Race 7 is the seventh installment of the reality television show The Amazing Race. The Amazing Race 7 features 11 teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, in a race around the world...
. Also featured are twin surgeons Vince and Vance Moss link title, China Care founder Matt Dalio link title, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
lineman Deuce Lutui, Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteers, marine biologists, and naval aviators aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
In Summer 2011, St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
released Townley's third book, FLY NAVY: Discovering the Enduring Spirit and Extraordinary People of Naval Aviation. To write the book, he traveled to bases across the country and also visited five aircraft carriers in three oceans, meeting the people of naval aviation - past and present, officers and enlisted. The book defines the individuals and values that underlie America's naval air power. He is rumored to be at work on a fourth book, expected in 2013.
Townley is himself an Eagle Scout, having earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1993 with Troop 103 in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a Brotherhood Member of the Order of the Arrow
Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America . It uses American Indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of Scouting. The society was created by E. Urner Goodman, with the...
, and has completed backpacking, canoeing, and sailing adventures at Philmont Scout Ranch
Philmont Scout Ranch
Philmont Scout Ranch is a large, rugged, mountainous ranch located near the town of Cimarron, New Mexico, covering approximately of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico...
, Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases
Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases
The Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases are a collection of high adventure bases run by the Boy Scouts of America in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota, Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park, Manitoba's Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park and points beyond...
, and the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base
Florida National High Adventure Sea Base
The Florida National High Adventure Sea Base is a high adventure program base run by the Boy Scouts of America in the Florida Keys. Its counterparts are the Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico, the Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases in Ely, Minnesota, and The Summit Bechtel Family...
.
After graduating from Lakeside High School (DeKalb County, Georgia)
Lakeside High School (DeKalb County, Georgia)
Lakeside High School is a public high school in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia. The school has an Atlanta address . The school is a part of the DeKalb County School System. The current principal is Joe Reed....
, the Atlanta native graduated from Washington & Lee University, in Lexington, Virginia in 1997 with a major in politics. There, he was active in student government and the cross-country and track teams. He interned in the U.S. House of Representatives, then went to work for Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen LLP, based in Chicago, was once one of the "Big Five" accounting firms among PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young and KPMG, providing auditing, tax, and consulting services to large corporations...
LLP, where he managed responsibilities for global strategy
Global Strategy
Global strategy as defined in business terms is an organization's strategic guide to globalization. A sound global strategy should address these questions: what must be the extent of market presence in the world's major markets? How to build the necessary global presence? What must be AND the...
and communication in their Worldwide Executive Office. In his twenties, he began a one-year trek across the country to interview Eagle Scouts and discover the legacy of Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
.
The well-known Eagle Scouts Townley met include Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Justice Stephen Breyer
Stephen Breyer
Stephen Gerald Breyer is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, and known for his pragmatic approach to constitutional law, Breyer is generally associated with the more liberal side of the Court....
, Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
, Defense Secretary Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson
Henry Paulson
Henry Merritt "Hank" Paulson, Jr. is an American banker who served as the 74th United States Secretary of the Treasury. He previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs.-Early life and family:...
, William H. Gates, Sr.
William H. Gates, Sr.
William Henry Gates, Sr. is a retired American attorney and philanthropist and author of the book Showing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime. He is the father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.-Life and career:Gates was born in Bremerton, Washington, to William Henry Gates I or Sr...
, J.W. Marriott, Jr.
J.W. Marriott, Jr.
John Willard "Bill" Marriott, Jr. is the Chairman and CEO of Marriott International.-Biography:Marriott is the son of Alice Marriott and J. Willard Marriott, the founder of Marriott International. He attended St. Albans School in Washington, DC, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance...
, Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
, and Jim Lovell
Jim Lovell
James "Jim" Arthur Lovell, Jr., is a former NASA astronaut and a retired captain in the United States Navy, most famous as the commander of the Apollo 13 mission, which suffered a critical failure en route to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission...
of Apollo 13
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
. Others include Tuskegee Airman
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....
Percy Sutton
Percy Sutton
Percy Ellis Sutton was a prominent black American political and business leader. A civil-rights activist and lawyer, he was also a Freedom Rider and the legal representative for Malcolm X...
, former POW George Thomas Coker
George Thomas Coker
George Thomas Coker is a retired US Navy commander, honored with the Navy Cross for his leadership as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, and a Distinguished Eagle Scout noted for his devotion to Scouting....
, NBA forward Mark Madsen
Mark Madsen
Mark Ellsworth "Mad Dog" Madsen is an American assistant coach and former professional basketball player.Madsen played NCAA basketball at Stanford, where he finished his career ranked in the school's career top 10 in blocks and rebounds. In addition, Madsen helped the Cardinal to four NCAA...
, an NYPD September 11 hero, and a crew of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
relief workers.
The books received positive reviews from numerous figures, including President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and novelist Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
called his first book “inspirational,” and President Jimmy Carter said, “These Eagle Scouts will inspire readers to become leaders in serving others.” NFL MVP Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
said, "Spirit of Adventure tells a compelling story about a new generation and America's future." Vice Admiral Tom "Killer" Kilcline
Tom Kilcline Jr.
VADM Thomas J. Kilcline Jr. USN was Commander, Naval Air Forces for the United States Navy from June 22, 2007 to July 1, 2010.-Biography:...
, Commander, Naval Air Forces, 2007–2010, said, "FLY NAVY crystallizes the imagination of flight into true inspiration."
Alvin resides in Atlanta, Georgia.