Eagle732

"Eagle......so you live in Maryland and haul your trailer on the streets paid for by Maryland vehicle registrations??????? So your overloaded 10,000 trailer is tearing up roads that it should be paying for, or am I missing something????" Yep, you are missing something. My trailer is nether overloaded or tearing up the roads, but thank you for insinuating that I'm a greedy scofflaw. I follows all the rules and regulations of the State of Maryland. I drive more on the streets of other states including Maine than Maryland. It is totally legal and no more unethical than claiming every available tax break. When the State of Maryland passes a law against it, which they easily could do if they choose to, then I'll register in MD. I made the point that registering a trailer in Maine is legal and possible (at least in my state). which is a fact and what the OP was inquiring about. I was neither discourteous nor disrespectful to you and I would ask that you treat me with the same courtesy and keep you misguided judgements to yourself. I also notice that you make judgmental remarks to the OP. "How many boys do you have????, 5 or 7????. you should be able to easily transport a weeks worth of camp gear and food in the bed of a pick up truck or van....... Or am I missing something?????" Maybe the guy wants to store the equipment in a trailer. Maybe it 's just the way he wants to run his troop. I think you are missing something, it's called courtesy, respect and tolerance of others. (This message has been edited by Eagle732)

I have a 10,000 lb. flatbed trailer that I tag through Maine for probably 1/5 the cost of a tag in my home state of Maryland. 12 year ME tag $189, a 2 year MD tag is $180. Individuals, businesses and organizations (including troops) can register trailers in Maine.(This message has been edited by Eagle732)

I ran into the same situation when as a CM I had a new dad apply to be a Tiger DL. The DE called me and asked me to discuss this with the COR and if it was OK with the CO than the application would be approved. Since the DWI was 15 years ago it was deemed to not be a problem. Another case I had involved a DL application where the background check showed the Social Services had removed the children from the applicants home due to poor living conditions. The CO decided it would be OK for this individual to be a DL but would only be allowed to have meetings at the CO's building, not in the individual's home. In cases like these it's a judgement call the CO makes.(This message has been edited by Eagle732)

"Three years ago I was unhappy with the troop my sons were in - no uniforms, no regular meetings, no trailer, few campouts." I would be especially concerned about the "no trailer" thing. How does anyone expect scouts to camp without a trailer full of stuff? I'd like to get rid of both our trailers, the big chuck boxes and the dozen and a half 9 pound tents and go with only the gear they can carry on their backs.

We're buying two MSR Pocket Rocket canister type stoves with the folding bases for stabilization for Philmont. I consider the canister stoves safer for scouts than liquid fuel stoves.

Sucks stealing from kids. All units should have an outside audit. Who do you get to do that? A professional accounting firm (at what cost?), someone outside the unit who is knowledgable in accounting practices, or maybe someone from the CO? We should probably have our books audited but don't. Something to look into.

Is there a way to register parents without them holding a position in the unit?

The most comfortable and lightest pad you can buy (in my opinion) is the Thermarest NeoAir. The full length regular is only 14 oz. I used one for my entire Appalachian Trail thru-hike last year (5 1/2 months) and still use it on scout camping trips today. I intend to take it to Philmont next year too.

I initially denied a scout Wilderness Survival MB. He took it at summer camp but missed the over night sleep in a shelter he built requirement because that evening he decided to participate in another camp activity. At the end of the week he had a completion on the MB. I asked the counselor why he signed off, the MBC said the scout said he built a shelter at his camp and spent the night in it, which he did not do. I withheld the MB until he built a shelter and spent the night in it which was several months later.

For years we didn't have a UC, or if we did they never contacted us. A few years ago one was assigned to us and he does a great job. He calls me every once in a while, occasionally show up at meetings, provides some good information and is always very positive. I'm glad we have him as a resource.

Some thoughts on '92's comments. 1) 'SM or other person conducting the test is under pressure to have the scout pass the test and signs it off. Only when the scout takes Swimming MB at camp afew weeks after taking the test with the unit, he cannot pass the swim test,let alone do requirements for the MB ( told that happened a lot and why my council wants a copy of the cert attached to their form AND the AD has the right to reject the form).' Camps retest anyway. 2) SM or other person conducting the test cannot recognize a "strong manner" and thinks the person who barely makes it has passed when someone who is trained can tell the person is on the verge of drowning. If the SM can't recognize proper strokes and technique he shouldn't be testing. A SM who doesn't know first aid shouldn't be teaching that either. 3) Lawsuits have arisen and national wants certified folks doing these tests for legal reasons. The most probable explanation but then why not require a professional signature for the First Class swimming requirement?

Apparently it goes to your council's "Endowment Fund", whatever that is. My guess it goes into the general fund. My family did the James West Award in memory of my uncle who was a life-long scout/scouter for over 60 years.

So why is it that a SM who is trusted with taking boys on swimming and boating trips and has the capability of signing off on rank swimming requirements not capable of judging whether a scout can pass a swimming test? Since this swimmer test is the same as the 1st Class requirement do I now need a certified person signing off the requirement? And before you all start judging me I take the swimming test requirements very seriously. When we test before our annual canoe trip I'm always tougher than the staff at our council camp's pool is. We test in a public pool which opens a few hours early for us with lifeguards on duty. From my understanding of the requirements these lifeguards would be authorized to certify that scouts have met the swimmer requirement even though they have no responsibility for the boys well being after they leave the pool.

"The swim classification test done at a unit level should be conducted by one of the following council- approved resource people: Aquatics Instructor, BSA; Aquatics Cub Supervisor; BSA Lifeguard; BSA Swimming & Water Rescue; or other lifeguard, swimming instructor, etc." I think I fall under the "etc" group of council-approved resource people. I still have my Lifesaving MB card that council approved over 40 years ago:) Seriously, do units do their own swim testing?

From the form Eagle92 posted the link to: "The swim classification test done at a unit level should be conducted by one of the following council- approved resource people: Aquatics Instructor, BSA; Aquatics Cub Supervisor; BSA Lifeguard; BSA Swimming & Water Rescue; or other lifeguard, swimming instructor, etc." So a SM can't certify a swim test? I don't hold any of the titles listed unless you count earning Lifesaving MB in 1971.

"So why are their no service hours for Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class either??????" Actually there is a requirement for service hours for 2nd Class. 2nd Class: 1 hour (minimum) My point is that each increase in rank requires an increase in skill level. Seems this should also apply to service too.

Which brings up another question; Why is there no requirement for service for FIrst Class? Seems to me 3 hours would be appropriate.

"what your talking about it the scout spirit part of rank advancement." No, I was talking about the definition of Trustworthy as stated in my old handbook. "We cannot take rank or requirments away but if they are not living by the scout oath or law you can delay that signiture till they are....or you feel they have improved." I didn't say we CAN take rank or requirements away, I said that I think we SHOULD be able to bust a scout back a rank for serious violations of the Scout Law. We don't need to rewrite the definition of Trustworthy, just look it up in any old handbook.

Well when I was a young Scout we apparently were guided by a different Scout Law. As I recall Trustworthy was defined in the Scout Handbook. "Trustworthy. A Scout's honor is to be trusted. If he were to violate his honor by telling a lie or by cheating or by not doing exactly a given task, when trusted on his honor, he may be directed to hand over his Scout badge." Clearly telling the truth and being honest are (or were) part of the Scout Law. Maybe not so much today. The current handbook does not mention a scout turning over his Scout Badge for failing to live up to the promise. Wonder how that would effect the "Numbers"! I think we should be able to bust a Scout back a rank for serious violations of the Scout Law. Another thought. How many adult leaders live up to the Ideas of Scouting including being "Trustworthy"?

Lots of good ideas. We held a "Utensiless Cooking" contest during our last camping trip. Despite heavy rain the patrols pulled it off. They discovered it's tough to get a good be of coals when you fire pit is filled with water. One patrol grilled chicken on a flat rock, one did shish kabob, and one hot dogs. I'd like to do more cooking competitions. The scouts refused to bake potatoes in mud even after I assured them that we did this quite often "back in the day"!

I like this monthly cooking contest idea. How do you work it? Do they use camp stoves? Do you change the rules? How much time do you allow? Please share the nuts and bolts of this with us.

Reminds me of my first day's assembly at ILOS when our patrol flag was late because the guy that had it had a last minute work commitment. We rigged a flag from a T shirt and a stick, then quickly decorating it with a Sharpie. When the staff saw it they could have ridiculed it and gave us grief over not having a proper flag but instead they marveled at our resourcefulness. Something to be said for making the best out of a situation and encouraging Scouts to do so.

Advancement is individual. In my opinion each scout should receive rank when it's earned. However if the patrol decided on their own that they wanted to do it as a group then that would be great.

I don't want to make the change but the COR is correct in this case and justified in his request to be heard. He's a very experienced (60 years) Scouter, past SM, CM COR of two units. Seems he's entitled to a little respect. Everyone on this side of the isle is on board.

Well I'm not worried about the idiots from District (are they all idiots?) but our COR is insisting his concerns be heard.