Eamonn

"merit badge work does often turn into something that more resembles school work. I wish all the merit badges could be re-written to include games related to the subject of study." Please don't think that I'm pointing the finger or in any way being unkind. I do believe that we need to take a long hard look at the purpose of Merit Badges and how Scouts go about earning them. I can and do see that there are some MB's that Troops might want to work on in a Troop setting, there are others that if the Annual Troop program is set up in such a way, Scouts will more or less fall into meeting most of the requirements. Still most MB's should be about Scouts following areas of interest that an individual Scout might want to pursue. For some of these Troops might very well have resources that can be made available. For example I live in a rural area. A lot of people involved in Scouting own farms and farm equipment. They are an excellent resource for Farm Mechanics MB. A Troop might have a few Scouts who might want to get involved with this badge and have them meet with resource who often is a MBC. The Troop as a Troop doesn't need to do much more. My big beef is when Troops bring the expert in and spend a month or so covering the subject just because they have an expert and if the truth be known only a couple of Scouts have any real interest in the subject to start with. Then of course what often happens is that the only real requirement for earning the badge is having sat through the classes. As Scout Leaders, we need to be Imaginer's. Sometimes all that is needed is to add a made up story to add spice to what might seem like a very mundane task. The number ten can full of melted green jello becomes an Atomic Isotope. Others might take a lot more work. Having Scouts use make up and chicken bones to make First Aid become more interesting. Doing hikes at night with check points and activities along the way. I made the mistake of thinking that older youth would find stuff like this childish and boring, but our Sea Scouts who are mostly about 16 really got into it. Ea.

While of course it's a mistake to make generalizations. I have visited a lot of Troops on both side of the pond. The UK and the USA. For the most part English Troop meetings seem to be a lot more about having fun, with only a small amount of time set aside for any type of formal instruction. The instruction being done in the and with the Patrol. Followed up by some sort of inter-patrol type game or quiz. Advancement wasn't based on Merit Badges. As a Scout Leader in the UK, I used the PLC meeting as a time to ensure that the P/L's were up to snuff on the skills that they would be covering over the coming month. I also kept a log with a record of each meeting showing what we'd done with a rating of how well it had gone over and a few notes. The meetings were fast paced, with very little down time. Sadly (I'm now ready to duck!!)A lot of the Troop meetings I have seen over on this side of the pond seem to have become so focused on advancement that fun has been put on the back burner and Troop meetings are not that far from just being an extension of school work. As a SM here in the States, some parents were upset that the Troop wasn't spending as much time on advancement as they would have liked. Activities such as tracking, signaling and orienteering are great opportunities for helping build Patrol spirit, get the Scouts doing more stuff out doors and let off some steam. With the Ship, some of the Sea Scouts became really good at all sorts of signaling and found ways of making it into fun activities. Most activities can with some imagination be made fun and presented right the Scouts will enjoy and learn at the same time. Of course presenting them at some sort of a clinic? They become just another boring something that is about as much fun as watching paint dry. Finding ways that boring type stuff can be presented as being fun, does take some hard work and some imagination along with a good deal of planning. More and more it seems to me that leaders are worried about looking at new ways of doing things and un-willing to spend any time planning and working with the PLC to ensure that Troop meetings are something that Scouts don't want to skip or miss. I'm sure if I was 14 years old, I'd much sooner spend an hour running around like crazy doing tracking than sit through a Merit Badge class. Ea.

Ed, I have to wonder if it's a Devils Food Cake or an Angel Foods cake? Either way I bet it is just heavenly! Ea.

Eagle007, sgk8102 seems to be asking "what has to be done here"? While I can and do respect where you stand on this I do find statements like: "Told to leave the premises - no alcohol means no alcohol whether on you or in you." A little over the top. I'm not in any way in favor of relaxing the BSA rules. In fact I complained when we had youth color guards at Council fund raising events where alcohol was being served. (I lost that one!) From what has been posted the problem with bringing alcohol to camp, which is against the rules was in the past and was dealt with. The problem sgk8102 has asked about could or might mean that no rules were in fact broken. Ea.

"Does everyone need wood badge?" Does everyone need a car? When I lived in London, I could have got by without a car. There was lots of buses, trains and taxis. So the answer is no. I do think that a well run course doesn't do any harm and in most cases can help our volunteers become even better leaders. It isn't going to change people. If you send a twit to training all you get at the end is a trained twit. Ea.

Hi and Welcome. I do enjoy the odd adult beverage. I don't need the odd adult beverage! I don't drink alcohol when I'm in uniform, around youth members or on BSA premises. When I'm away at camp, I like to stay at camp and have never wanted to go out for a night. I'm more than happy to let others run to the store or do whatever. As a rule the guys who do the running to the store and whatever, do so wearing Scout uniform, so them stopping for a "Quick one" Just doesn't happen. Before I'm willing to join the chorus of "Show them the door". I think we need to fill in some of the blanks. Not far from our Council Summer camp site there is a great bar, which serves a fantastic Prime Rib. Very often when I'd pick up my son from camp we'd stop there. While stopping for a "Quick one" is not something that I'd do. If these guys did? (You haven't said that they did.) As long as they weren't in uniform, didn't have any youth members with them and didn't arrive back at camp under the weather or didn't drive over the limit. They have not broken any of the BSA rules. What rules the CO might have in place? That's a different matter. I would hope that all adult leaders would not talk about things like the great bars they have found with our youth members. For me this isn't setting the example. Back in 2005, my son served as a youth staff member at the National Jamboree the adult staff members he worked with wanted him to join them going out on their night off. These guys did follow all the rules. He didn't join them and spent his night off with the Troop from his Council and his "Old Man"! But the next day some of the younger guys who had gone out spent the entire day retelling stories about one guy who had drunk too much and had made a real fool of himself. Not what I'd expect from adult leaders. Ea.

If I were one of the adults going to Philmont with this Lad, I'd be worried. For me along with the danger that this Lad exposed himself and maybe others to? The matter of trust comes into play. I am a very forgiving sort and do see that boys will be boys, I also see and know that at times kids do dumb things - A lot of times as some sort of experiment, even when they know what will happen, they still want to try it out and see for themselves. This in no way takes away from the danger that they place themselves in and because we care and because we love these kids we need to treat the situation with tough love. However in this case, this isn't the first time. It seems from what has been posted that he and the adults have been down this road before. It has gone past any sort of experimentation. The Lad knows what happens next, he has been educated and trained. He has a history of doing this sort of thing. I'd want to meet with the adults who are going on the trek and find out how comfortable they feel about taking this Lad and if they feel that they can trust him? Then I'd meet with his parents with him present and explain that there had been a meeting to see if he could be trusted and how this in it self is not a good thing, then I go over what was said at the meeting. My vote would be not to allow him to go. I've been at Philmont when there was a wild fire burning. But even if he is allowed to go. I would explain that what he has done has led to his trust being questioned and that it is up to him to try and show everyone that he can be trusted. Ea.

"The Scout Executive, as the lodge's Supreme chief of the fire, is the highest advisor in the lodge." The SE is the chief of the fire. He is the "Top Dog" He chooses the Lodge Advisor. The Lodge Advisor is a volunteer. Because the SE is or can be a very busy fellow he can also appoint a professional to be the professional to keep an eye on things. Very often along with their District jobs, DE's are assigned to work with other Council Committees. The Training Committee, The Advancement Committee and so on, in our Council all have a DE who sits in on the meetings and while most times doesn't do that much,but can be useful acting as a go between. When it comes to the Lodge, Districts don't play any part in the Lodge. So DE's really have no input as to what goes on. I'm not certain how long a period the Lodge Advisor serves in our Lodge. I think it's 3 years. The SE selects and appoints the Lodge Advisor. The selection is entirely up to the SE and other than membership in the BSA and the OA there are no requirements that need to be met. The SE is free to pick anyone he or she likes. The SE can ask or not ask others for their input. DE's, the District Committee and even the Council Executive Board play no part in the selection. Ea.

I was born with the gift of the gab. It is very rare for me to be found speechless or unable to at least give as good as I get. About a year back I was doing a presentation about food safety for the inmates where I work. The group wasn't very large, about ten young guys aged from about 21 -25. One guy was playing up acting the clown and just wouldn't quit. I just wasn't able to get through to him, so I said to him "Hey Sean, if you keep it up I'm going to have to write you a ticket." Write ups in jail are dealt with by a Hearing Examiner. He or She gets the write up confronts the inmate and decides if he is indeed guilty or not and then hands out a punishment if he is guilty. The punishment can range from Cell Restriction with loss of privileges to being sent to the Restricted Housing Unit. (Most inmates call the RHU "The Hole".) This young guy stood up and looked me right in the eye and said " Mr W. What the !*$@ (Feel free to fill in the blanks!) Do you think you can do to me? I'm serving two life sentences and twenty years. Do you really think I'm worried about a ticket?" I was really shocked and taken back. No one ever cusses or swears at me, in fact inmates can get written up for swearing at a staff member, but I was so taken back at that moment that I didn't even give that a thought. It took me what seemed like a long time, but was only a matter of seconds to come up with a reply. After the class I met with him and his Unit Manager and we had a little chat about his behavior. I didn't write him up. That somehow got lost along the way. He did for reasons not known to me do a couple of spells in the RHU. A month or so back I did run into him and I asked him how things were going? He said "A lot better". He went on to tell me that I was right when I'd said to him that it was up to him how hard or how easy he made living in jail was going to be. I must have touched a nerve. Strange thing is that I can't remember saying it. Things are good between him and I. He never ever passes me or sees me without saying hi. I know it might sound odd but I kinda like him. I put the fact that he is guilty of a double murder on the back burner. Ea.

HWMBO and I don't fight or "Get into it" very often. When we do have a heated discussion I get upset when she says things like"You always..." Or brings up things that I have done way back in history. The fact is that I don't always do what I'm accused of, even if I may well have done it once. There are people who from an early age show signs of needing lots of help. I'd be worried if my son had from an early age started killing and enjoyed killing small animals and setting fire to the house. I am not trained in understanding human behavior. While I have had a couple of very general trainings that barely skim the surface, I don't in any way claim to be any sort of an expert. When faced with someone who has done something wrong, I feel that what happens next? Is very much up to me and left very much on my door step. When trying to work out or determine what happens next? I fall back on my values and my sense of what is right and what is wrong, which for the most part are one and the same. While I don't like it when HWMBO brings up things that are from the past. I know that when dealing with a wrong doer, I don't just deal with the situation or wrong doing that is at hand, but I do allow my past dealings, my history with the person come into play. When dealing with children or young adults I also allow my own past history to come into play. Sometimes if I remember that I did something similar, I think that I'm better able to relate to what has happened and very often am more sympathetic. A big difference between dealing with a wrong that a child or young adult has done and my fighting with HWMBO is all too often when I fighting with her is that both of us are trying to score points. I know it's silly and no matter how many points are scored that there is never a winner. Still we allow it to go on. But when dealing with a young person, I'm not trying to score anything. My hope or maybe my goal is in some way to correct something. While there are times when part of this is making good and fixing what has been taken or broken. There is more. Sometimes this more is some kind of a punishment. A lot of times when something can't be made whole, returned, fixed or replaced, punishment seems to be the only path that is open. I remember when my son was very little that we had a Time Out Chair. The thinking was that by sending him to sit in this chair he would have time to calm down and reflect on why he had been made to sit there. When I was very little, I don't think the idea of Time Out was around and I got a little smack on the behind. The idea I think was that I'd reflect on why I'd been hit? Sometimes I wished that I had been able to give my son a little whack! It was a lot less work than trying to enforce the Time Out chair. Growing up when I did and where I did whacking kids seemed to be the punishment of choice. The list of people who whacked me and who were permitted to whack me is a very long list. While we now see whacking as being wrong. I have to admit that even as a kid some parts of it weren't all that bad. The best part for me was that it was a one time deal and was over with quick. I suppose as a deterrent being hit and the fear of being hit did work fairly well. I knew that I didn't enjoy it. But as for bringing about a change of behavior? I' think maybe it may have made me more worried about getting caught than bringing about any real change. In a Scouting setting, even though I'm informed that "Safe Haven" is no longer in use. I still think we want Scouting to be a safe place. I can see and do agree that removing bullies who hurt and harm others is as a rule a good thing to do. Punishment in Scouting is really tough. Sure removing the Lad from Scouting prevents any future problems, but does little to help bring about the change we are supposed to be working toward. The good old stand by of doing extra chores, cleaning the bathrooms and the like are frowned upon. So how do you deal with punishments and righting wrongs? Eamonn.

nolesrule Well done. Ea.

Life would be a lot easier if everything was black or white and the good guys wore white hats and the bad guys wore white hats. Sadly that's not how it is. We spend a lot of time lost someplace between the black or the white area. For me Scouting is all about relationships. Not every Lad that has joined a unit that I have been involved with likes me and a few have found out that Scouting just wasn't something that was for them. When that happened, most times they quit. I do believe that every Lad should have the opportunity to join Scouting. I also believe that Scouting is not always right for every Lad. The Lads that choose to stick around are in many ways lumbered. They are stuck with me. They don't have a vote to remove me or replace me. This might seem a little unfair, but that's the way it is. Little Lads who join a Troop that I'm in as a rule start off using their Sunday manners. They yearn and want my approval. I want and yearn for them to do well, have fun and enjoy what we are doing. The truth is that I care about them. Over time the Sunday manners fade and we both get to know each other better. A lot of times I'll know who did something without even having to ask. While maybe they might not admit it, but they know that I know. I also think that they have some idea about how I'm going to react and am going to do about whatever it was. We become in some ways like HWMBO and myself. We grow up knowing each other. I look at being allowed to be part of their growing and their understanding and sometimes their confusion as a great privilege. I feel truly blessed. I have standards which over time they get to know. They might not always agree with them, but this isn't a democracy! I really do want these Lads to get as much out of having been a Scout as they can possible get out. I know that if I sign off on something then that something has been done. My feeling is that to do otherwise is short changing the Scout. Over the years I've had to deal with a lot of situations. I've seen Lads who were the greatest little Lads up until they were 15 or 16 fall in with the wrong crowd and land in all sorts of trouble. Some were happy to e where they were at. I knew in my heart of hearts that they were "Gone" and no matter what I wasn't going to fix what was now wrong. There have been others where I have gone and testified in juvenile court for. They have returned to the Troop. They seem to know that they have not only got into trouble, but they have let themselves down and by doing that they have hurt me. I can't stop caring just because a Lad has done something dumb. Still there is a period of time before we can get back to where we once were. Strange thing is that more often than not in many ways we become closer than we were before. I have talked with Scouts who have messed up and we have agreed that they did indeed mess up and also agreed that they need time to win back the trust that they have lost. I don't think of this as any sort of a punishment. More along the lines of a time to rebuild. Before we think about " The Rubber Stamp" we might want to think about The Mission of the Boy Scouts of America: "It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, to prepare them to make ethical choices during their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Scout Oath and Law." Very often when I feel that I've lost my way or am confused I take a long hard look at this. Ea.

Reminder on enforcing Youth Protection ? Of course my heart goes out to any and all youth who are harmed and hurt. But posting a reminder? I don't need anyone to remind me not to Rob A Bank. The people who do molest and harm children are not going to follow the BSA rules, just because the BSA says too. This guy has been found guilty and from what is in the paper it kinda looks like there is a good chance he will be found guilty of molesting other Scouts. If we really want to try and prevent the kids in our care from being molested we need to teach them to: Recognize, Resist and Report. Many if not most of the YP protection guidelines that apply to adults have more to do with us (Adults) protecting ourselves from accusations that might be made against us more than anything else. Eamonn.

Crossramwedge, Did you really mean the Application and not the project? If you meant the project? My feeling is that the answer has been given. I read and re-read the application form and it really doesn't seem that clear what the CC is signing off on or for, at least it wasn't clear to me. With all the respect and good will in the world. It was clear that you don't like this Lad and that there isn't a lot of love lost between you and the Lad's father. Are you 100% sure that you are being fair to the Lad? At times even the best kids do really dumb and stupid things. I remember a while back that we had a big fuss in the District. A Lad who had been all the way through both Cub Scouting and Boy Scouts, made Eagle Scout. I knew the Lad and his family and had sat on his ESBOR, where he presented himself as a person who I thought could be the poster child for Eagle Scout rank. However between the time of the ESBOR his COH, he along with a couple of other Lads removed the donkey (Ass.) from the nativity scene that the small community where he lives puts out every Christmas. I was District Chairman at the time. My phone was very busy. Some thought the removal of this statue was a hanging offense! A lot thought that presenting this Lad with Eagle Scout Rank was just wrong. I did my best to explain that he was in fact an Eagle Scout and the presentation didn't really make any difference. I did talk to the Lads mother and the Lad. In fact I went to his home to meet with them. The Lad said how sorry he was and that he hadn't really meant to upset so many people and at the time it just seemed like fun. The donkey was returned and the Lad and his couple of friends re-painted all the statues and rebuild the stable. The fuss did die down, but even though the Lad had been a good Scout for over ten years and has not been in any trouble since, there is a handful of Scouter's in the District who feel presenting him with his Eagle was wrong. I agree that he did mess up, but he had met all the requirements for Eagle and even though he'd messed up and acted really dumb, he was as far as I was concerned an Eagle Scout. I think that he also thought of himself as being an Eagle Scout. At the end of the day the true worth of most awards are what the person who receives it holds it up to be. Along the way I have received a lot of awards. I think that for the most part I probably am worthy of most of them. But I was made?? Vigil Honor in the OA. I think this was mainly because my son was an officer in the Lodge as were a number of the Scouts that had gone to the National Jamboree. That and maybe because I'd been a Brotherhood for over 20 years! The truth is that I know that I really wasn't the best person for that honor. I very rarely wear the sash and just don't feel right about the whole thing. I think if I'd been asked before I was grabbed that night at the fire I would have said something. Everything moved a little too fast and I was wrong in not saying something. Maybe in time the Lad you talk about will see for himself how worthy or un-worthy he was of this Eagle Scout award? Maybe it is something that he really couldn't care less about? Time will tell. I have known a lot of Scouts over the years, some I like to think I have got to know very well. Even with the Scouts I thought I've known really well, I have never known if they really have given something their best, only they know that and maybe that's the way it ought to be? Ea.

I wasn't sure so I went to: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927.pdf I looked at the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook. On page 11 I see that the project plan has to be approved by four people: Religious institution, school, or community representative. Scoutmaster/Coach/Advisor. Unit committee member. Council or district advancement committee member. This approval is needed before the project starts. After the project is completed it needs to be signed off by the: Applicants signature. Signature of Scoutmaster/Coach/Advisor. Signature of the representative of religious institution, school, or community. So as CC there is no need for you to sign off on anything. Eamonn.

My employer has a Code of Ethics. Which we all are supposed to follow. It covers not only what is acceptable behavior at work but also behavior while not at work. Just recently a new policy was put in place about what is not allowed to be put on Social Networks (Face-book and the like.) I am supposed to inform my employer if I'm given a speeding ticket or arrested for any reason. I'm not allowed to stop and have an alcoholic beverage in a public drinking establishment while in uniform, even on my own time. These rules are very clearly written and I signed a paper saying that they had been given to me and I understood them. I also carry a pager which I'm supposed to answer even when I'm not working. I have never been paint balling ever. But we have a couple of Sea Scouts who are really into it going so far as to carry their gear in their cars. Now and then they will at Ships meeting make plans to meet and go paint balling. Sometimes inviting others to join them. We all (Them and I.) That this is not in any way a Scouting activity. No announcements are made and whatever plans that are made are their own. They have a couple of times invited people that they met while paint balling to join the Ship. There have been times when these new guys have thought that paint balling was something that the Ship did. I don't as a rule look for or use Loop Holes to try and circumvent rules and regulations. Not because I always agree with the rule or regulation but I think doing so sets a very bad example for the youth. I can't see myself standing up saying "We are going to do whatever, but because it's not allowed by the BSA, we are not doing this as Scouts." To a group of Scouts. But I have had a few Lads who are Scouts come over to my house and help clean up trees using chain saws. Just like the group that goes paint balling, this isn't a Scouting activity. I do let these Lads know this and in almost all cases their parents are aware that it isn't a Scouting activity. While I don't ever lose sleep worrying about insurances and the like. God forbid that anyone ever gets hurt, but if they did, I would accept full responsibility without feeling any need to even inform anyone from the BSA. Ea.

Right now I'll just pray that they are found and are OK. Ea.

"I find it hard to believe anyone on this board would not understand that." Believe it! I wasn't sure what it meant. Living here in Pennsylvania we have so many acronyms that all start with "P". Also working for the State "PS" Is used a lot. I did a Google and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test came up first, followed by Professional Sports Authenticator. I had to scroll down 17 headings till I saw public service announcement. Anyway, have you heard Scouting Is: Fun(Cub Scouts): http://www.marketing.scouting.org/Recruiting/WordsToLiveBy/PSAs/Radio.aspx Or for TV Visit: http://www.marketing.scouting.org/Recruiting/WordsToLiveBy/PSAs/Television.aspx. There are also some scripts that you might want to use to make your own in the marketing area of the BSA site. Ea.

Sorry! Double Post. Ea(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

A couple of years back I took a mini cab from London to Gatwick Airport. The driver was a middle aged Pakistani. While of course I know it would be wrong to determine the feeling of an entire country by the feelings of one mini-cab driver. This guy was about as anti American as I ever met. He seen the crossing into Pakistan by American military as being just wrong. He felt that America was trying to force American values on people that they didn't know or really understand. Many of the young (21-30 old)Muslim men that I talk with feel that they are in some way being picked on because of their religion. I do think that the death of Osama Bin Laden is a much needed shot in the arm for the guys who are serving in the military and those who have served. As far as I know within the next 90 days America is supposed to be bringing home some of the military that are in Afghanistan. I'm unsure if this will help or hinder this? With all that is going on in the middle east, with people taking to the streets and governments trying to put down demonstrations. Who knows maybe your run of the mill terrorist will have enough on his plate and let this one slide? I do hope that maybe in some ways this will bring some sort of closure for the families that were harmed 9/11. As for the war on terror? I really don't know. For years I watched the IRA terrorize the mainland of England, with bombings and in Northern Ireland with shootings and all sorts of terror. While I'm sure that the Good Friday Peace Accord did and has helped bring an end to the "Troubles". Part of me believes that many of the young people in both the North and the South just didn't have the same passion as the generations that went before them and without this passion they were not going to make the same moves that had been used in the past. To be very honest my problem with Islamic terrorism is that I'm not sure what they really want? Sure I understand that ending American military presence in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula is the goal of some of these organizations and a lot of them are unhappy about the American support of Israel. Some groups seem to hold with the idea of radical Islam with a hatred for all things American.From what I've seen on the TV, some of these radicals hold with the idea that America is somehow leading their young people down the wrong path. These same people are the people with large satellite dishes that bring western TV programs and movies into their homes. We will at some stage have to sit down and talk with groups that we are in disagreement with. (I'm thinking about the Taliban and Hezbollah). Just like the English sat down and talk with Sinn Fein along the way Sinn Fein moved from being a para-military organization to become a political party. Of course not everyone was happy and some groups refused to even attend meetings when they found out that Sinn Fein was going to be there. I really don't think that there is a military solution to what's going on. Removing Osama Bin Laden might make things worse as he might be seen as some sort of martyr and this could lead to more acts of terrorism. Until we sit down and negotiate with the groups involved and people on both sides are willing to bend a little, I don't see any end to what's going on. Eamonn

AnnLaurelB Does bring up a very good question. What is and what isn't a Scouting event? I never in a million years seen any of the birthday parties that we had as a Scouting event, even though most of the kids attending were Scouts. In light of the no Patrol camping rule that seems to have popped up. What happens when a group of Scouts ask if the can use Troop equipment to go camping and say that they are not going as Scouts? Is there a line? If so who draws it? Ea.

I'm a little un-sure what your goal is? Do you want to perform a ceremony for those who may not have seen or know the correct way of retiring an American Flag? Or is the goal to retire this over sized flag? I think maybe the best plan would be to retire one or two of the many flags that you have and then after the crowd has gone, respectfully retire the rest. With only a handful of people. Eamonn

The job of US President isn't easy. My hope is that whoever is elected can surround him or herself with very clever, bright and intelligent people who are able to advise and at time push what is needed. More than anything Presidents and Prime Ministers need to be seen as leaders. This past week the President talked about the Birther issue, saying that it had became a distraction. While maybe at times distractions can be good. I'm thinking about how the Royal Wedding that they just had across the pond, was maybe a good thing and gave the people there an opportunity to if only for a little while too focus on something that really wasn't or isn't that important, away from the bad news and economic news of the day. When the distraction is about how the leader has used poor judgment and has maybe abused the office that he has been elected to hold, it gets in the way and prevents him from being able to inspire and lead. While maybe years ago there might have been some things that might not have received the media coverage that we see today, Presidents having a mistress or just behaving badly? Today with 24 hour news coverage, every little thing is under the microscope and is reported with the risk of being blown up till it becomes part of the national debate. Most of us never really get to know the President, but we expect him to do what is good and what is right. This becomes hard when it becomes clear that he isn't doing what is good and what is right. Just as I expect a SM to set the example for the Scouts more than just being able to do the practical stuff. I expect our leaders to be people that even though we might disagree with, still be people that we can look up to. Eamonn

While each Troop is different and goes about things differently. I found that we did better outfitting each patrol with Standing Camp gear and having enough light-weight gear for just a couple of Patrols. The light-weight gear was Troop equipment. We had 14 Patrols and never ever had that many Patrols at the same time go off on hikes. Most times we had a base camp with Patrols or just a few older Scouts take off from the base camp with the light-weight gear. But there is more than one way and whatever works is great. Ea.

Growing up back in England, I can't remember ever having to deal with Mother Nature dealing us much grieve. Back in the late 1980's, here in SW-Pa. We had some very nasty storms go through. I really don't remember the details, only that they were bad enough to be covered by the media in England and I had a good many friends call from home to see if we were alright? About a month ago a tornado did touch down not far from the jail where I work. It done some damage, taking the roof off a local high school and knocked some trees down. Thankfully, no one was really hurt. I have watched the recent storms on TV. My heart goes out to the poor people in the areas that were hit. The damage is almost more than I can comprehend. I feel kinda helpless, knowing that the best I can do at this time is to just send a check to the Red Cross. Not trying to high-jack the thread. Three years ago during summer camp a night time storm went through the camp and even though the camp had been inspected a large limb came down, hitting a tent with two Scouts sleeping inside it. One Lad got off with a few cuts and bruises, the other had a broken collar bone. Please take the time to check that the tents your Lads use this summer are safe and clear from any tree limbs that might fall. Also be sure to check the Bad Weather Plan that the camp has in place and share it with your Scouts. Eamonn