Scouting

Let me introduce myself. I am an Assistant Cubmaster and a
Den Leader for Pack 56 in the Potomac District of the National
Capital Area Council. Our chartering organization is the PTA
of Westbrook Elementary School in Bethesda, Maryland, in whose
facilities we hold our pack meetings, our Blue & Gold Banquet and
many of our other activities.

I am also Unit Commissioner in the Potomac District for Pack 8
and Pack 1320 and for Troop 8 -- all of which meet in the
Bethesda-Chevy Chase, MD area (suburban Washington, DC).

As a boy, I was never involved in scouting. However, I became
involved in scouting in 1992, when my son became a Tiger. Since
then, I have found scouting to be an excellent vehicle for my son
to develop friendships, develop skills, develop an appreciation of
responsibilities and to have fun! In addition, advancement in
scouting often directly correlates with other educational and
recreational activities my son Brian would be doing anyway in one
form or another.

For example, on January 17, the boys of Pack 56 and their parents
attended the Washington Bullets vs. San Antonio Spurs basketball
game at USAir Arena in suburban Washington, DC. In late January,
my den (which is also my son's den) will be visiting a local
facility known as FutureKids Computer Learning Center, which will
help them with Arrow Point Elective 21, Computer Fun, in their
Wolf Cub Scout Books.

At the National Capital Area Council, I have available to me
Fast Start and Cub Scout Leader Basic Training, University of
Scouting at Catholic University in February, monthly roundtab-
les, Webelos Outdoor Training, Pow Wows, and other training
opportunities that do not occur to me at this precise moment.

I also have had the opportunity to view the Unit Commissioner
orientation videotape, to take Unit Commissioner Basic Training,
and will have the opportunity to attend College of Commissioner
Science, which will next be held at George Mason University in
northern Virginia in March.

Since I was not a scout as a boy or yound (sic) young man, I
would welcome suggestions as to how to make the scouting
experience as enjoyable as possible for the boys I work with
directly (although everyone in my den tells me how much fun
they are having, and their parents are complimentary anbd (sic)
and appreciative). I also would like input into how I can be
as helpful as possible as a Unit Commissioner.

Finally, living on the East Coast, Philmont may be too ex-
pensive and time-consuming an undertaking this early in my
son's and my scouting careers. I would like suggestions about
family-oriented summer experiences that are part of Scouting,
and on the East coast, that my wife, my son and I can enjoy as part
of a long weekend or a short summer week.

I'm sure we'll be talking soon.

David M. Koss
dmkoss@cap.gwu.edu

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