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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/23/20 in Posts

  1. How to build a fire pitch a tent, cook over an open fire, use woods tools, take a nature walk - indoors. Truly an awful "idea" - to insult the concept of an idea. 💣
    2 points
  2. As a Scoutmaster in the 90's, after a patrol showed me their plan, and had at least two First Class Scouts with them, I'd let them go on an outing. We did keep tabs on them from afar. They knew they carried my name and reputation, and that of the Troop with them. If they did something stupid, I would hold them accountable, by recommending to the committee they be dismissed from the Troop. Never had any issues. Amazing growth and changes in self confidence upon their return from their trips. They held each other to standard. It was a beautiful thing.
    2 points
  3. As recently as the early-mid 1980s (when I did my Scouting as a youth), my patrol (located in a small rural town in East Tennessee) would regularly take hikes in the Smoky Mtns, canoe down the Hiwassee River (with lots of whitewater), and camp at our troop shelter by ourselves---no adults in sight. Of course, we were all in high school and some could drive and we had the GOOD SENSE to know what to do and what NOT to do (most of the time)....Probably the biggest point of difference in the methods of Scouting today vs. the past (pre-1980 or so) is the shift in emphasis from the patrol to the tro
    2 points
  4. This thread reminds me of a maxim my father used to say to me. "just because you can, does not mean you should."
    1 point
  5. The SM conference and BOR are chances to get feedback on your program. The #1 reason that Scouts become inactive is "boring meetings". If they are sitting in chairs being "talked at", they will leave. Also, many kids are "overscheduled" these days...with school, band, sports, etc. I always told them "show up when you can"...if they were otherwise active in a worthwhile activity. But if they would rather sit at home and play video games, that's up to the parents.
    1 point
  6. You could also try asking why the Scout did not attend. Maybe the Scout had a conflicting event (Are some dates/weekends better than others?). Or perhaps the Scout was not interested in the particular activities (Are there other activities that the Scout would be interested in? Has the Scout communicated this to his/her PL?).
    1 point
  7. We are on the National Flagship fleet for the 6th year in a row. Ship 911 out of Georgetown, Texas
    1 point
  8. Hi Alma, In the upper right corner of your browser, click Your name. Then click Profile in the drop down menu, then Edit Profile.
    1 point
  9. Update 4/21/2020: Ship 198 has won the 2020 National Flagship Award from the Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS) and Sea Scouts, BSA. The award is presented to a Sea Scout Ship that demonstrates excellence in youth service leadership and strong adult mentorship, which results in a quality character development program and outstanding youth membership achievement during a calendar year. Read more of their past year accomplishments at sources: https://seascout.org/news/2020-national-flagship/ https://www.capegazette.com/article/sea-scout-ship-198-wins-
    1 point
  10. With all due respect, either the person responding has not read the posts on Facebook that link to national's prohibition to online outdoor training, is ignoring the posts with the link, or is not following the first point of the Scout law. Give me a day to find the document.
    1 point
  11. Eagle, DAM form, item 4. says "The nominee’s attitude toward and cooperation with the district and/or council is to be taken into consideration." In our council, that equates to FOS and other donations. Little to do with actual service to Scouting. Same for SIlver Beaver. Pay to play... One day, I'll shed my illusions and realize, donations = service.
    1 point
  12. Those list may not be written down, but they exist. One long time volunteer has been in semi-retirement visiting the grandkids a lot. He's been involved at the district, council, and at point national, level since the early 1960s. But he raised a lot of questions about things over the years, and has been on the unoffical list for years. He finally got the SIlver Beaver this yeart . Funny thing is, everyone thoughty he had it already.
    1 point
  13. As a professional scouter you know good and well that these things happen all the time. There are too many people in positions at the council level that run it as their own personal fiefdom. And, too many as well, that either go along with or make excuses for it.
    1 point
  14. Looks like the Brady Bunch...Wood Badge Edition 😀
    1 point
  15. so now we are pencil-whipping scouters with training. makes sense. 😢
    1 point
  16. Not much more...our council maintains a "blacklist" You're the professional...why would a council do such a thing?
    1 point
  17. I have gotten myself designated as PNG (persona non grata) in our council for asking too many questions, "disrupting" the money trail, and informing folks about how the money is spent from public documents like the IRS Form 990 (which may have put a dent in FOS). Removed from District Committee, removed from Council committees, removed from council training team, ostracized by many... And all without so much as a phone call from anyone at the council saying, "We'd like to discuss this with you before we take any adverse action." Unethical, in my book. You do find out who your friends a
    1 point
  18. This is interesting, even with liquidation pending and viruses (present and future) afoot, the BSA's strategy hasn't changed a bit: The Importance of Reporting Smashingly Super Metrics to National. Councils are still focused on quantity ("we've kept our numbers up, in spite of everything!) rather than quality. Speaking of quality, I got a chuckle out of the "same attention they would at camp" sentence. As we've discussed earlier, with overloaded classes and/or disaffected staffers as instructors, it's not a great selling point in some camps (I hope that's not the case at yours). P
    1 point
  19. The NCAP "Standards" are in a 372 page document - even larger than the G2SS! There is no way an inspection team can do even a poor job on this in the amount of time they are onsite. The last time I saw an inspection team they arrived between 9-10 and were gone by 200 after the pennant photo op. Here's just one example of a standard....Does the camp provide MBs. Yes? you pass that one. Of course if the camp doesn't get a trophy it is likely the end of that camp and the SE is history.
    1 point
  20. Do you really not see the disconnect here? You told us that many units choose non-participation. Then you go on about what a swell council it is. Something doesn't match up. This is a perfect example of how councils ignore the feedback they get from the units. They look at themselves through rose colored glasses and simply dismiss any contrary responses they get from the units. This is about accountability. We need to be able to hold our councils accountable. By eliminating the financial incentive, the councils will finally be free to totally ignore the needs of the units.
    1 point
  21. I have calmed down enough to comment on the "Freeloader Unit" title that @Cburkhardt uses to describe units "that attend camp out of council, don’t participate in district or council activities, don’t assist the council or district financially (through FOS, product sales or otherwise) and don’t assist by participating in activities or training events." But @desertrat77 pretty much nails it with why units I've been in that are "freeloaders" are they way they are. Further, @Sentinel947 spot on that adding fees will make it worse. When National increased the registration fee, people dr
    1 point
  22. Here's the deal, National has already stated online outdoor training is not allowed, yet A) they are jumping into it and B) People are ecstatic about it.
    0 points
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