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LATEST POSTS
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By RememberSchiff · Posted
May 2, 2024: "ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a former Boy Scout volunteer to 22 years in prison for hiding cameras in bathrooms at a St. Francois County, Missouri scout camp. Judge Sippel also ordered David Lee Nelson to pay $55,000 in special assessments that will go to a fund for victims and prevention programs and $6,810 to pay for counseling for the victims in this case. After he gets out of prison, Nelson will be on supervised release for life, with special conditions that include a prohibition against any contact with minors without permission. Nelson hid two cameras in bathrooms at the S Bar F Scout Ranch in St. Francois County in July of 2021 while working there as a volunteer. Nelson hid the cameras in paper towel dispensers, positioning them so they would capture a shower stall and other portions of the bathroom. One camera was discovered when a scout leader and scouts were cleaning out one of the restroom stalls. A search uncovered another camera, and leaders then called the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department. When questioned later by a sheriff’s deputy after being spotted near the bathrooms, Nelson lied and said he was looking for a cell phone charger that he’d left in the stall. During Thursday’s hearing, victims and their parents said Nelson was supposed to be protecting the scouts and was supposed to be someone children could trust. Nelson’s crimes, they said, have now left them unable to trust others. The victims also said they now experience fear and discomfort every time they try to use a public bathroom. " ... More at source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/former-boy-scout-volunteer-sentenced-22-years-prison-hiding-cameras-camp-bathrooms -
By HICO_Eagle · Posted
I don't remember the prohibition against convoying on the old tour permit but we usually only had 3 vehicles when going anywhere and we made sure everyone understood the route we were taking before setting out. The difference often being that the drive leader HAD to lead from the front rather than middle as on a hike. I suppose others would have called that convoying, we called it being aware and keeping the group together. -
As I noted earlier, the old tour permit specifically noted no convoying or caravaning. It was on the permit someplace and had to be noted and signed. But, basically, as noted here everyone should know where they are going in case they get lost. Meet up places for head count is a good idea. Most importantly have some sort of connection other than vision to the others. -
By SiouxRanger · Posted
convoy so that if a vehicle has a failure, we can still get the youth/adult to the train on time. And the wounded vehicle can sort out repairs later. 4. Things happen. Run out of gas. Bathroom stops. 5. Lead MUST know the number of vehicles following, and MUST have a good sense, well perfect, of what the last vehicle looks like headlight wise. 6. A written list of cell phone numbers distributed to all drivers, and if not, MUST exchange cell phone numbers to lead and tail drivers. 7. Tail driver NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, passes the second to last driver. The tail driver is always, ALWAYS the last driver. Some driver stops for any reason, the tail driver always remains the tail driver. The tail driver never passes any vehicle in the convoy. We have had times, rarely, where the convoy got quite spread out and the lead pulled onto the Interstate shoulder for folks to catch up. A questionable thing to do, but depending on circumstances, traffic load, sunshine, etc., not as risky as might be thought. It is a lot to ask of the lead, but if everyone is paying attention it does work. HOWEVER, in light of the information I've learned on this thread, I have to reexamine the wisdom of convoys. (On one convoy to summer camp, a dad, once hitting the interstate, disappeared at 80-85 mph., flying past everyone. Met up with him an hour later at the summer camp. Well beyond the speed limit.) My half cent's worth. (not pricing myself above that sage, the Remember guy…) -
By SiouxRanger · Posted
Very interesting thread. After 25 years of adult participation-never heard mention of the "no convoy" rule. As a lawyer, I've read a great deal of BSA documents on policy, 2 deep leadership, guide to safe scouting (no boomerangs, rats), stoves, liquid fuels. use of words with more than 7 syllables but less than 10 syllables, best practices to avoid plummeting space junk (NASA branded but ownership denied), bull roarers (OK-I think), coracles (nope), etc. A scouting professional once "corrected me" telling me that "scouting is not complicated." Compared to a soccer program where parent drops off child to race across field to the game and returns to the car? Parental involvement in soccer can be nil. Liability risk is less than nil. Scouting is very complicated. AND, if you get it wrong (somehow, and it is easy to do), you might end up a defendant for some abuse case and paying your own lawyer tens of thousands of dollars ultimately to be proven innocent. Try BANKRUPTCY. Seems to have worked for National. All of that sounds "simple" to me. Nope. Our troop has convoyed for my 25 years there. Though never had a vehicle incident, that is anecdotal and no basis to make policy. Much to my distress, I was always designated as the lead. Only got everyone lost once-BUT, I was following the directions precisely of someone who claimed to know what they were talking about. In our wanderings, we came across a local in the hinterland who gave us corrective directions and we made our way safely. (Sunday morning after the campout, we ran into the good smaritan in a grocery store who reminded us (M)E that "you are the lost guys I got on your way…" (Thanks.) So, if convoying, having been the lead, there are some pointers I have learned: 1. The lead is "driving for everyone." That is, my van is 5-10 vehicles long. Like driving a train. You can't run through a light nd leave the rest of the train hanging. You stop at the light. Let folks catch up. With luck all will make it through the next light. 2. Everyone needs to know where they are going in case they get separated from the convoy. It all becomes a massive flow chart, taking into account all the unlikely events and imponderables. (On one convoy, a van lost some electrical connection under the dash. We all stopped, the driver's brother who happened to work at an auto parts place in the town where the failure occurred, sent the right part and an hour later, the ENTIRE troop was on its way. 3. If a vehicle suffers some failure, if all are on their own-no convoy, then that vehicle is on its own. To get to the train taking our treks to Philmont, we ALWAYS
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