Florida State Representative Thomas Patterson “Patt” Maney received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA), the National Eagle Scout Association’s highest honor, during a ceremony hosted by Scouting America’s Gulf Coast Council in Fort Walton Beach. This prestigious award, given to only about 2,500 Eagle Scouts out of 2.7 million in the last 55 years, acknowledges Eagle Scouts with exceptional national-level accomplishments and a strong dedication to community service.

First awarded in 1969, the DESA celebrates Eagle Scouts who achieve notable recognition, fame, or professional eminence, combined with a commitment to community and national service. Past recipients include luminaries like Neil Armstrong and Steven Spielberg, as well as Fort Walton Beach’s own astronaut, Dick Covey.

Maney, a lifelong public servant, expressed his gratitude, stating, “I’ve lived many blessed years, devoted my entire life to service, and this may be my highest honor.” With a career spanning military, judicial, and legislative service, Maney highlighted his dedication to “service above self,” a principle rooted in values imparted by his family and church.

Maney’s life of service began early as an Eagle Scout in 1965, later earning the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. A University of Kentucky graduate and former U.S. Army Reserve Brigadier General, he served in various global conflicts and spent 29 years as a judge in Okaloosa County before his current role in the Florida House.

This esteemed recognition affirms Maney’s legacy and continued dedication to his community and nation.