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Fifty years ago, the Oct. 21, 1968 edition of the Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster,PA) reported that the Boy Scouts of America voted to allow girls in Explorer troops (ages 14-18). Locally, the program got mixed reviews. Some students were enthusiastic about welcoming girls to science groups, dances and parties, but not sports activities or hiking. Explorers would admit girls “by special interest” beginning on Jan. https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-that-was-doctor-delivered-baby-while-in-labor-herself/article_ac46279c-ba95-11e8-9c45-dbd83b22f3c5.html

@Momleader, I suspect you can safely ignore this. Here's another DE story just to amuse you. I'm the district camping chair. We made reservations for our winter campout and have, since the 70's, always looked for the coldest, snowiest place we could find. Yesterday our DE said our reservation was cancelled and we had to do it at the council camp, where it has never been. I made a few phone calls today. Turns out the council is broke, has not paid last year's bill, and is just trying to stiff these people, the neighboring council. We're going to ignore the DE and have all troops write checks to

This could quickly turn into an I&P thread at this rate, but as a health professional, I am going to say that I also believe that the BSA should come out as pro-vaccination. High vaccination rates have kept these things from being an issue for a long time, but that may not be true for long. While I acknowledge that parents currently have a legal right to decide not to vaccinate, that doesn't mean that these families have a right to have their children around mine. Summer camps, winter camps, and all sorts of other BSA activities are high risk for disease transmission of all kinds.

When my son got his initial Lifeguard cert about 5 years ago, he was in a class with a single other person. He was dismayed that the other boy was a mediocre swimmer and still passed the course.

My son is on the swim team and when I saw the Swimming merit badge run at 2 seperate summer camps, I was appalled at what passed in their eyes for proficiency. It provides a false sense of ability that may endanger them in a panic situation. My wife is a certified US Swimming instructor (many classroom and pool hours) and she conducts our swim tests. She is very critical and parents complain about when their son gets marked as beginner vs, swimmer. Swim in a strong manner and continuously means something different in their eyes. If they fall out of a boat at camp and have to swim to

Here is a scaled version. 4 rounds 400m brisk walk 15 Step Ups on a stair ~6"? 15 air squats 15 push press 10# dumbell each arm 10 push-ups on knees 15 crunchs 2 minute rest

My son was not able to complete his Swimming Merit Badge at summer camp. Are there any recommendations on how to get Swimming merit badge outside of a summer camp?

SSS, speaking up against power requires a great deal of courage. Not only for the 10 year old new scout vs. the 17 year old varsity scout, but for adults as well. In fact, most repeated abuses occur because our human nature doesn't want to risk personal harm for standing up. Most of us hope instead the bad behavior will not happen again. For a culture you describe to exist in the troop, the adults have to allow it and encourage the culture. Just saying "The Scout Law is-the-law", won't work. Actions set the tone of troop culture, not words. And that you don't fault the rest of the PLC is

Side story, I was just at our council office and one of the staff was telling someone else how yesterday (many years ago), her dad's ship was sunk and he floated in the ocean for 3 days before rescue. Interesting stuff. I did not remember the ship name.

What’s the URL? We can try to recover it through the Wayback Machine to see the exact language. Yep, that’s where I threw up my hands and stopped searching. It’s a useless system. Getting trainers to pay their fees, not getting people trained, is clearly the ESCI goal.

Thank you, @qwazse. Actually, I've been lurking for some time and just decided to help out.

A Scout is Brave. How much effort, bravery, would it take for a young, inexperienced Scout to speak up, act against an older, experienced Scout? I do not so much fault the rest of the PLC at this party . Yes, they need to be encouraged to Speak Truth To Power (the SPL is "power" here.). They need to absorb, own, the idea of an "ideal". Protect those younger, perhaps weaker (in whatever way) ? Call to task the older SPL that is acting like an idiot, rather than an ideal? Unfortunately, one must ask where did this SPL learn such behavior? I would posit it was not an inherent , intu

How old is your son and what prevented him from completing the merit badge at summer camp? In my experience, most scouts, and even their parents, have little concern for whether or not they can actually swim well...they just want the merit badge. I'm a Swimming MB counselor and a dad from my son's troop recently asked me if I would sign off on Swimming MB for his son, who's 12 or 13. I had a few issues with: 1) The fact that the dad and not the scout was approaching me about this 2) That this particular dad seemed to have the expectation that I would automatically s

If you're advocating this for most of scout leadership, I see coronaries in the future.

I took my training through SOLO. The course was set up by a neighboring council, though my council also uses them (being they are based in New England I would presume).

My WOD starts and ends with 16oz curls. 🍺 I sometimes do box jumps with a trainer. He has me do sets of 3 different exercises that work different body parts. After my first workout with him, which was after many years as a couch potato, I couldn't walk down 1 flight of stairs the next day. Now that workout would seem incredibly simple. Getting started is hard. Sticking with it is harder.

Mash, that rocks! I really like having the run in the mix. Very challenging. PS Added: Thinking on the way home from work, I could do that particular WOD right at the home and around the neighborhood, and get a superb workout.

@BillFan90 My answer to you might depend on what is your family situation. Specifically, do you have a son in the troop? I have been a Scoutmaster twice. During my first tour of duty as Scoutmaster (7 years), we were a new-married couple without children. My wife's resentment of the time demands was understandably an issue. She was left at home alone on many campout weekends, and much of my vacation time allotment from work was spent on Scouting adventures and summer camps. While I treasured these Scouting experiences, my prioritization was at times unfair. I vacated the Scoutmaster

Let's talk about this particular boy. The fact that he forced another boy to sit still while he rubbed his barely-clothed genitals on the other boy's head does raise the prospect that he may do so again, to somebody else, of whatever gender. It also raises the distinct possibility that he may do something worse to someone else, of whatever gender. It also raises the question of whether this is the first time he has done that to someone.

Make sure any milestone anniversaries fall at the same time as a High Adventure trip, that's a real crowd pleaser....

Weapons platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd BN, 75th Rangers, Ft. Lewis, WA You?

Thanks! I really enjoyed Wood Badge, but I try to be open minded about where it can be better. I had "type 1" and "type 2" adults in my unit when I was a scout growing up. I jumped into Wood Badge at 22 mostly as a way to encourage our Scoutmaster to go. He needed it. It made him a better Scoutmaster, but it wasn't some enlightening experience for either of us. Good training, fun, I still keep in touch with many staff and participants from my course, but not anything the way some folks rave about Wood Badge. Still, I have a pretty positive impression of it. I don't even know if I was a Sc

Absolutely. My comment here has some bolding for emphasis and clarity. As a lot of Wood Badgers in my area like to say "Feedback is a gift." I've actually really enjoyed this thread, because it gives me things to look for in my own Councils' NYLT and Wood Badge programs. Obviously not all these critiques apply to every Wood Badger or every Wood Badge program, but it's still great feedback. I obviously can't speak for every Council, but I think mine has a decent handle on some of these things with our Wood Badge and NYLT programs. I definitely do see some of these critiques in my council.

I have heard that reference and don't get me started on that statement. The two could not be more different in goals, aims, and achievements. I did see one (was a Cub Leader at the time) wonder why there was no knot for WB...I swear that guy slept in his beads...

Some of you have read about the litany of challenges I've been facing with troop I'm involved with. Some I am going to try and "Knock it off with them negative waves." and focus on the #1 and #2 reasons I am involved with the troop, my sons, and something positive. Oldest son spoke with his PL at the meeting about taking to time to check on tents and patrol boxes. PL said go for it. When middle son found out, he decided that would be a good thing to do as well. Since he couldn't ask his PL, he assumed it would be OK since he is APL. They found issues with the brand new, only been on 1

Hello, sir. Have you met scrapple?

I renewed my Lifeguard BSA at camp this year. I was surprised to see how poorly some of the scouts swam, ones that had the swimming and lifesaving merit badges already. Poor technique and not much strength or stamina.

I couldn't agree more! Especially since we are recruiting girls into Scouts. Some on this Forum might not agree but girls will be going out camping with tents right next to boys. If boys will do this to another boy, they will certainly try it with girls. I am sad and disappointed to read this situation.

That's a pretty damning statement to make against boys. So, because of this incident, involving this particular SPL, you feel with great certainty that boys will no doubt do something similar to girls?

I'm addressing the implication made that 'if one boy does this, all boys are likely to do this.' I'm not defending this particular SPL by any means. What he did was horrendous, but all boys should not be labeled as a threat to girls because this kid can't control himself.

@BsideI'm very sorry that this happened to your son and the horrible position that this horrendous incident has put you, your son and your family in.