From left, Scouts James Guglielmi, Graham Scull, Connor Mannion, Liam McGahay, Jesse Carlson, Jacob Mayberry, Elijah Carlson, Doug Guglielmi, Ryan Mannion, Joseph Carlson and in back, Scoutmaster Torry Hoffman, pose for a photo at a pinning ceremony, or Court of Honor. (Provided photo — Ashleah Mayberry)

LAKE PLACID — Some of the lessons learned as a native Adirondacker, and Eagle Scout, have served Jacob Mayberry well in his current venture: the U.S. Marine Corps.

“I learned how to adapt and overcome,” he said. “Stuff’s gonna happen, just you gotta deal with it when it happens.”

The mantra, “adapt and overcome,” has taken on new significance and continuity during his first year in the Marines.

“‘Embrace the suck’ of what’s going on,” Mayberry added, referencing a phrase that was popularized by Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Mayberry recently celebrated the milestone of attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in the Scouting America program, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America.

From left, Tynan McKillip, Nick Praczkajlo, Ryan Tummons, Jacob Mayberry and Sam Mayberry are pictured with the retaining wall Mayberry took on as his Eagle Scout service project. (Provided photo — Ashleah Mayberry)

Scouting has been a lifelong pursuit for Mayberry. He joined Cub Scouts in elementary school and joined the Boy Scouts in sixth grade, attending camps every summer.

Some of the practical skills emphasized in scouting have already been helpful, Mayberry said, including wilderness survival and first aid. The Boy Scouts also gave him the opportunity to develop leadership skills, learning to work with people even when they might not always like you for it, he said.

The distinction of Eagle Scout also requires completion of a special service project, which scouts choose for themselves. He was approached by a member of the American Legion Post 326 in Lake Placid about building a new retaining wall, since the existing wooden wall was “literally falling into the parking lot,” he said.

To prepare to build the wall, Mayberry had to come up with a concept and present it to the American Legion board. He said this was a good experience, especially since he had to learn how to address a group of people to ask for money.

“(It was) definitely something I had never done before,” he said. “A learning experience, while also helping and giving back to the community.”

Jacob Mayberry is pictured during Boot Camp Graduation at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina. (Provided photo — Ashleah Mayberry)

Torry Hoffman, the scout master of Troop 10 in Lake Placid, has guided both his son, Spencer, and two of his nephews — Mayberry and his brother Brooklyn — to become Eagle Scouts. He said only about 4% of Boy Scouts reach that final rank, and that in doing so, they join ranks with former presidents, military heroes and astronauts who were also Eagle Scouts. Troop 10 has existed in Lake Placid for around 90 years and is among the oldest troops in the state. Hoffman said he always had a feeling that Mayberry would serve in the military, and said his experience as a Boy Scout will serve him well.

“Obviously, I’ve known him since he was born, so to see him grow — he showed leadership qualities when he was in the troop and to see him carry that into the military is huge,” Hoffman said.

Mayberry graduated from Lake Placid High School in the spring of 2024 and joined the U.S. Marine Corp that summer. Throughout the past year, he’s been through multiple stages of training, bootcamp followed by a month at combat training in North Carolina.

He said he has always been interested in aviation, and the Marines have the “coolest aircraft.” So far, he’s ended up in a specialty that involves work with aircraft computer systems. He also sees military service as a way to experience other places. After a year in the Marines, he’s lived in the Adirondacks for 18 of his 19 years.

“I’d always thought about military service ever since I was young,” he said. “I wanted to get out of Lake Placid to see what else there is out there, also serving my country.”