fgoodwin

ALL: I can't take credit for the story (although getting lost is certainly within my capabilities!). I found the article while browsing and thought it was worth reposting. Fred

I hate to be the grouch here, but w.r.t. #9, its not the job of the MBC to present one (or more) professionals in the field of communications to the boys. Its the *boys* job to research careers in communications, select one and share with the MBC the responsibilities of that career and the qualifications, education, and preparation it requires. I understand with 60 boys that will be difficult to do -- but #9 should have been listed as a "pre-MBU" requirement, i.e., the work for #9 should be completed in advance of the class, and the class should be for the purpose of presenting the results to the MBC. The work for #9 (and many other requirements) can easily be done in advance of the class, because the MBC is not required to approve the career selected for research by the Scout. That's how my Council approaches these MB sessions, and with a group that size, I see no other way to do it. Obviously, when working one-on-two (YP!), the preferred approach would be to go through the MB booklet with the boys over some period of time. But in a group setting, that's simply not possible, and much of the work must be done in advance, where the class will allow only enough time to go over the results of the boys' work, and for signing the MB cards. BTW: many MBUs don't require that the boys bring blue cards. As a MBC, I will always have extra cards available so the boys who leave with only "partials" will have his own proof of that fact, beyond the electronic records maintained by the MBU organizers.

Wilderness Survival -- Well Not Really http://www.ccrane.com/library/survival.08.13.01.aspx Two years ago I convinced my girlfriend to hike with me in Mt. Tamalpais (Mount Tam), just north of San Francisco. We figured on a day hike, and so we just tossed a few things into backpack, jumped into my 4x4, and went up into the range and looked for a place to start hiking. A while back, I'd been driving around the neighborhoods that bordered the park, and had seen places along the street where people could just park, lock the car, and start walking. When I saw those paths along the residential roads I thought, well I've got to see where those go and so, when my girlfriend agreed to go for a day hike, I suggested that we start at one of those residential markers. Now, don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of experience hiking and camping. While in high school I joined some friends and a minister in what we called our "Idaho Crags Expedition", spending about three weeks horseback riding, hiking and camping. Since that time, I've taken some time off here and there to teach people the methods of minimum impact camping in the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, rock-climbing techniques in Peru, and even some winter camping in the German Alps. In other words, I wasn't a beginner when we decided to go for that hike. And still, I failed to take seriously one of the main things I used to tell people when I'd take them hiking: most hikers get hurt when they go out for a day hike unprepared. They figure on a short trek up to a peak and back, and don't account for shifting weather patterns, dried up streams, and the hunger pangs of walking even just a few country miles. Our hike started out pleasant enough; after we parked, we just started following a path up toward the highest peak we saw nearby. I had four bottles of water in my backpack and my girlfriend had a few bananas and GORP (good ole' raisins and peanuts) in hers. We got there around noon, and expected to go up to the peak and be back before dusk. We walked on up, saw a crumbling water tank, the remains of an old fence, and followed what looked like a worn joggers path to the base of the mountain. For a couple hours we just followed the path around and around the mountain, spiraling up toward the top. It seemed fine enough, but then I saw this one path that just shot up straight through to the top of the mountain. It was probably a maintenance trail, but it looked manageable enough, so, after convincing my girlfriend that it would be a good climb, and that we'd get a nice view of the bay, we decided to go up. And up we went, up and up and up. We stopped briefly to take in the sights, and have a light snack, and, when we finally neared the summit, we realized that it was taking us much longer than we had expected to get to the top. The sun was in decline, and the cool air was making its way over the mountain. It was time to turn back. We took a look at the maintenance trail we'd followed up and agreed it was just too steep to go all the way down, especially feeling as tired as we did. So we started following the trail that spiraled down the mountain. And we walked. We passed by a few things I was sure we'd seen before, and then a few mountain bikers equipped with lots of lights and very full-looking panniers. The bikers were heading into the mountain for some night riding, we were trying to get out before the sun went down completely. We kept on hiking. Another two hours went by and we still weren't out of the park. Fortunately, we were in good spirits, and managed to joke with one another while we wandered through the woods, but that wasn't enough to keep us warm and keep us on track. Eventually, it started to get dark, so dark that we could only see the stars above and the lights of the houses in the distance. Other things, such as the turn in a path, or the possibility of finding the path we took into the park, were just about impossible to see. Finally, three hours after sundown, we come across a gentleman who looked like he hiked these woods everyday. I called to him, and after staring at us kind of blankly and quiet, polite disbelief, he said, "can I help you kids?" I asked him if he could help us figure out where we were. He then pulled out a map, a flashlight, a compass, another flashlight, and handed me a small radio to hold for him while he got out a small bag of GORP he carried "just in case." He handed me the map and said, "you came out here without any supplies?" I just smiled, nodded a little, and said, "yep". He laughed at us, said we'd hiked about seven miles from our car, and showed us a trail to follow to a parking lot. There's a phone there, he said, where you could call a cab. How embarrassing. I'd taught people how to make it out in the wild with just a pocketknife and some matches, and here I was lost, confused and cold in the middle of the night. My girlfriend was not impressed. Though she was cold, hungry, and ready to find a quick way home. We were lucky that night. As we walked out into the parking lot, we met with someone who'd just come into the woods for a quick jog. She was on her way home, and offered us a ride to our car. We got to the car, turned on the heater, and drove to the first restaurant we could find, anxious to enjoy any bit of civilization after having been reduced to our barest essentials for just a few hours. There you have it folks, a personal illustration of why you shouldn't take anything for granted. Even though I was an experienced hiker, I made almost every mistake in the book. First I didn't get a map, so I didn't trace the path we'd follow. On top of that, and perhaps even worse, I didn't bring along my compass or a flashlight. I had a pocketknife with me, but it couldn't cut through the night and find our way home for us, so it wasn't all that useful besides slicing up an apple. A radio would certainly have told us about the cold front coming in, and we probably would have tried to get down from the mountain sooner. As it was, we were didn't have the tools to help us "city folk" get out of the woods. Do me a favor. The next time you go on a day hike, don't make the same mistakes we did. Okay. Nobody would. But even so, just in case, take my advice. Get yourself a good flashlight that can help you read a map in the dark, light your path, and isn't too clunky. One of the best flashlights I've ever used while hiking is the CC Trek Light. Its compact, but it puts out a powerful beam of light. Remember, unlike wild animals that instinctively make the most of the outdoors, most people still have to carry what they need to survive with them into the woods. Make sure you have the right equipment, and don't have to find yourself using your own experience as an example of what not to do when heading out for a short day hike.

Thanx for the update. I assume the SM reviewed the forecast before he left with the Troop, and made a judgement regarding the likelihood of snow where they were going. I'm glad this didn't end in tragedy.

Thanx for the first-hand account. I'm curious, because the article doesn't say: what was the forecast for the weekend? Was snow mentioned at all?

Mesa Scouts found OK after wet, cold weekend http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0313weather0313side.html http://tinyurl.com/ofbbr Kids, leader lost in Superstitions Lindsey Collom The Arizona Republic Mar. 13, 2006 12:00 AM The search for a missing Mesa Boy Scout troop ended early Sunday when rescue crews spotted a tent peeking from a snow bank in the Superstition Mountains. Nine boys and one adult were rescued from the mountain after spending the night huddled in three tents during a winter storm punctuated by freezing temperatures and biting winds. Cmdr. Robert Cooper of Superstition Search & Rescue said the group, which originally included a Scoutmaster and another chaperone, had been in the mountains since Friday night. The troop camped out in Haunted Canyon during what was supposed to be an overnight trip, but the group was overcome by the weather Saturday morning. The Scoutmaster and a chaperone parted from the group Saturday afternoon to search for their vehicle, which was miles in the opposite direction, Cooper said, but did not exit the canyon the same way they entered. The snow had blanketed the trails, whiting out the landscape. A search for the troop began about 9 p.m. Saturday after a concerned parent called 911. Fifteen Superstition Search & Rescue volunteers located the troop's van in the darkness and canvassed the area by vehicle and on foot. By then, the snow was more than 3 feet deep and the troop was nowhere to be found, Cooper said. A break came in the morning, when an Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter spotted one of their tents. With the coordinates in hand, rescuers trekked several miles up the mountain by foot to make the confirmation. When Cooper and his crew found the boys, they were "soaking wet and had nothing warm left." The crew provided food, water and warm clothing until a helicopter could lift them from the mountain. No one was injured, Cooper said. The boys and their families were reunited by noon. "They were lucky," he said. "They made several mistakes to get into that predicament, but once they realized they were lost, they did everything right." For more information: http://superstition-sar.org/

ericjude, forgive me, I didn't really answer your question before I criticized what you're Troop is doing. In my son's Troop, non-advancement opportunities are generally made in the form of announcements by whichever adult happens to know about them (usually the SM). This really isn't the most efficient way to do it and boys who miss the Troop Meeting don't get the benefit of the announcement. I'm going to suggest at the next Troop Committee Meeting that the SM suggest to the PLC that the Troop Scribe (or however the PLC decides is best) issue a monthly newsletter with a calendar of upcoming campouts and other events & award opportunities of interest to the Troop. In this way, time for announcements can be minimized and a written record of events and non-advancement opportunities can be provided to everyone, including those boys & parents who miss the meeting. Our own Troop has many such awards at each Court of Honor; many times, the boy himself identifies the award and completes the requirements to earn it. Some examples are Leave No Trace, World Conservation, religious awards, etc. For an illustrative list of non-rank awards, see: http://www.usscouts.org/advancementTOC.asp#other The list is not exhaustive; many such awards exist, some may be Council-specific or event / location specific. A little research should turn up many such opportunities. But rather than simply taking Troop Meeting time to present these (time which could better be spent on program and patrol activities), I suggest that once a promising opportunity is identified, share it with the SM who in turn can mention to the PLC. Then the PLC can decide if they want to spend Troop Meeting time on a presentation (by an adult but preferably by another boy) to the rest of the boys. It is the PLC's job to plan and execute the Troop Meeting; let them do their job. Justa suggestion . . .

Wood Badge SR-771, Alamo Area Council A few slots still remain for Wood Badge Course SR-771, Alamo Area Council. The course will be conducted over two, three-day weekends: Mar 31-Apr 2 and Apr 21-23 at McGimsey Scout Park in San Antonio, TX: http://www.alamoarea-boyscouts.org/training/training.html#WB For more information, please contact the course director, Mike Snell at 210-656-2735 or by email at mike.snell@fifth.army.mil Fred Goodwin Keystone District Training Chairman Alamo Area Council

ericjude: welcome to the Forums. Have your ASMs and SM been trained under the new curriculum? Specifically, have they taken "Fast Start"? If not, you might want to suggest to them that they all go through it, possibly even do it together. I know many Troops (my son's included) have ASMs or other adults "presenting" at the Troop Meeting every week. Unless the PLC specifically requests such a presentation, that's not the best example of how "boy-led" is supposed to work.

Justices OK Berkeley's move against Boy Scouts group http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/14058431.htm http://tinyurl.com/py2sg Posted on Thu, Mar. 09, 2006 DAVID KRAVETS Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Berkeley did not violate the rights of youth sailors connected to the Boy Scouts of America when it demanded marina fees because the group violates a city anti-discrimination policy. The city revoked free berthing privileges for the Berkeley Sea Scouts because the Boy Scouts bar atheist and gay members, which violates the city's 1997 policy to provide free berthing to nonprofits that don't discriminate. The free speech case challenged the legality of removing or withholding public subsidies from groups whose ideals run counter to the government. The justices ruled Berkeley, celebrated in the 1960s as the home of the Free Speech Movement, could demand that a group receiving subsidies renounce a policy of "invidious discrimination." "We agree with Berkeley and the court of appeal that a government entity may constitutionally require a recipient of funding or subsidy to provide written, unambiguous assurances of compliance with a generally applicable nondiscrimination policy," Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar wrote for the court. City officials told the Sea Scouts that the group could retain its berthing subsidy, valued at about $500 monthly per boat, if it broke ties with the Boy Scouts or disavowed the policy against gays and atheists. The Sea Scouts, which teaches sailing, carpentry and plumbing, refused to do so and maintained that such an edict was unconstitutional because it compelled speech it did not agree with. The Sea Scouts, which received free berthing for seven decades, also contended the group was unfairly singled out because Cal Sailing Club and Berkeley Yacht Club still receive privileges at the city-owned Berkeley Marina. The Sea Scouts alleged its free speech and freedom of association rights had been violated in light of a 2000 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that said the scouts' membership policies were legal. Lower courts ruled against the Sea Scouts, which has about 40 members and had as many as 100 before the subsidy was removed. A San Francisco appeals court said Berkeley could use subsidies to further a public agenda. The Sea Scouts berth one boat at the Berkeley Marina, where the group now pays a $500 monthly fee. The group removed two others because it could not afford the rent. The city argued that U.S. Supreme Court in 1984 said the Department of Education could withhold funding to schools that discriminate on the basis of gender, and ruled the year before that Bob Jones University could be stripped of its "charitable" tax status because of its admission policy barring black students. The Berkeley Sea Scouts argued that the California Supreme Court in 1967 overturned a Los Angeles County ordinance that required prospective municipal employees to take an oath repudiating groups that advocated overthrowing the state and federal governments. The group also argued that the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972 ruled that a local chapter of the Students for Democratic Society could not be barred from using a Connecticut college's campus facilities because it was affiliated with what the university deemed a national group "likely to cause violent acts of disruption." The case is Evans v. Berkeley, S112621. __ Editors: David Kravets has been covering state and federal courts for more than a decade

North: Values under siege http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/NEWSREC0101/603080306/ http://tinyurl.com/gstt2 Article published Mar 8, 2006 By Daarel Burnette II Staff Writer The Boy Scouts of America is being attacked by left-wing factions bent on forcing the youth organization to abandon its Judeo-Christian traditions, talk show host Oliver North told an audience in Greensboro on Tuesday. These "assaults,'' by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, are scaring off public and private donors, afraid of being associated with the religious controversies being whipped up around the Scouts, North said. " 'In God We Trust' is a national motto, not a right-wing slogan," said North, who is a former Scout. "If it's good enough for our currency, why isn't it good enough for our Boy Scouts?" In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the BSA is a private organization and allowed to exclude homosexuals from membership. That and other controversies involving gay people and atheists have led to calls to deny the Scouts funding and access to public facilities. North spoke at the Koury Convention Center as part of the Friends of Scouting fund-raising campaign. The breakfast, attended by 300 people, raised $225,000 for the Old North State Council, according to Tim Harper, the field director for the council. Tickets cost $750, with tables for 10 going for $5,000. The council has about 10,000 Scouts and covers an eight-county area including Alamance, Davidson, Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham. North is a retired Marine lieutenant colonel decorated for valor during the Vietnam War, and now the host for Fox News' "War Stories" talk show. He gained notoriety working in the Reagan administration when he became involved in a plan to secretly ship arms to Iran and use the proceeds to help Nicaraguan Contra rebels. Harper, who has been involved with the Scouts for 41 years, said that Old North State hasn't seen a decline in overall giving because of the controversies. "This area is a faith-based area and we're heavily backed by the faith community," Harper said. "I think our values and principles align with the community." But Maurice Hull, the vice president of the council, said that the Scouts have seen a shift from where they receive money. "We have seen more grass-roots support from individuals and less from organizations," he said. Hull said that the BSA have been unfairly labeled recently as a right-wing organization. "That's simply not true," he said. "We're tolerant of all religious beliefs." Others, such as Susan Pyle, a High Point resident and a former Girl Scout, say it might be time for the Boy Scouts to focus less on religion and more on the other aspects of the organization. "It's hardly a religious organization," Pyle said while standing in line to get a book signed by North. "It's so much more than that." Boy Scout Alden Mueller, a 17-year-old senior at Early College at Guilford, said having faith as part of the Boy Scouts oath is a valuable tradition "Faith provides moral basis to build values on," Mueller said. "It's a shame to reinvent the value system on the lack of beliefs."

Forgive me -- this has nothing to do with the question, but I thought I'd mention that there is a Yahoo Group specifically devoted to Troopmaster: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TMTUG/ The unofficial user's group for purchasers of TSI's Troopmaster, Packmaster, and other related software for unit automation. Join and participate in the exchange of information on how to better utilize these software products. PS: welcome to the Forums, SmokeyBear!(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

Time for summer camp http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/08/pf/saving/willis_tips/ 5 Tips: Get a head start finding a camp for your kid now. Here's how. By Gerri Willis, CNNMoney.com contributing columnist March 8, 2006: 11:26 AM EST NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Snow may still be on the ground in some places, but summer camps are already beginning to fill up. If you're looking to get your kids into camp this year, 5 Tips is here to tell you what you should know before packing their bags. 1. Get in now It's estimated there will be 11 million kids going to summer camp this year. To get into the camp your kid wants, you should act quickly. Many camps are reaching their occupation limit by March, says Jeff Solomon of the American Camping Association. Parents shouldn't wait past mid-April if they want to send their kids to camp, according to Ann Sheets of the American Camping Association. You should also start making your camp decisions now if you're considering a traditional camp. They tend to fill up first, according to Chris Thurber, the author of "The Secret Ingredients of Summer Camp Success." There's another benefit to being the early worm. You may get a registration discount, says Sheets. Keep in mind that schools in some states let out earlier than most and that means summer camp starts even earlier. In Texas, for example, schools get out in the middle of May. 2. Whittle down your options Too much choice isn't always a good thing. Today there are over 5,000 day camps and 7,000 sleep away camps. There are camps for every kind of hobby, from sports and fine arts camps to education and test prep camp and travel and adventure camps. To narrow your options, get a sense of what you can afford and what interests your child. Then you can begin trolling the Web. The American Camp Association runs a database of 2,400 accredited camps that you can search by your activity and cost preference, at www.campparents.org. Camps that are accredited by the ACA must comply with a number of health and safety standards. Keep in mind only a small portion of summer camps are accredited and there are plenty of great summer camps that may not be accredited. If you want to see all camp choices, go to www.mysummercamps.com. You'll be able to search traditional, specialty or special needs camps. Unless you don't have time to do any kind of research, you'll want to avoid camp consultants, who are generally paid according to their camp referrals. 3. Negotiate tuition Summer camps are not cheap. One month at a private camp will cost you at least $3,500. Agency camps like YMCAs or the Boy Scouts cost about $350 a week, according to Sheets. Try to get your kid a "Campership." Camperships are need-based scholarships some private camps may offer. Not all camps advertise they have this kind of program, says Thurber who is also a member of the ACA. And don't worry, you don't have to fill out complicated forms like the FAFSA. It's much less formal than that. You can negotiate a better tuition rate. This may work if you have more than one child who is registering, or who may be a future camper. There may be a discount for referring other families. And if your kids' book shelves or toy chests are overflowing, you may want to donate the stash in exchange for a discount. Camps are also in need of medically trained personnel. So if you volunteer to be a nurse for a month, your kids may be able to go to camp for free. 4. Get the stats There are a few statistics that are essential to determining whether the camp you've chosen is a strong one. The most important stat is the average tenure of camp directors. If the average tenure of a camp director at that camp is five years or less, it's a very negative sign, says Thurber. If that average is more like 15 years, take it as a sign that the organization is very strong. You should also look at the retention rate of campers. If 75 percent of campers return, that's exceptional, says Thurber, but even a 50 percent retention rate is pretty acceptable. It's a worrisome sign if less than half of campers return. You should also ask how the counselors are recruited. If there is a high percentage of counselors who were once campers, it's a good indication that leadership skills are cultivated and valued. No matter how you slice it, a counselor who has invested years in the camp is going to be stronger than the counselor who just answered an ad. 5. Get help Going to camp isn't always a bowl of cherries. And it may not have anything to do with your child. Only five states require criminal background checks for camp counselors. Homesickness is also bound to play a role. In fact, 95 percent of campers have homesickness at least once and about one in 14 kids will have intense anxiety, according to Thurber. If you find that either the camp just wasn't the right choice for your child or that they're not adjusting well, you may be able to get your money back from the camp. While refund policies vary from different camps, you may have some wiggle room. Track down the camp director and ask whether you can get some or all of your money back. If you feel it's best to file a complaint against an accredited camp, you can go to the American Camping Association directly. Otherwise, look to your local Better Business Bureau or Health Department. ____________________________ Gerri Willis is a personal finance editor for CNN Business News and the host for Open House. E-mail comments to 5tips@cnn.com

Jamboree report released http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/032006/03072006/173252 http://tinyurl.com/r62en March 7, 2006 12:50 am By JEFF BRANSCOME Contractors with a now-defunct Virginia tent company said they never solicited help from four Boy Scout leaders electrocuted while setting up a large dining tent on the opening day of last summer's National Scout Jamboree, according to a report released yesterday. This contradicts a statement issued during the jamboree by officials from the Western Alaska Council, in which they said the contractors asked some of the leaders to help raise the tent. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's report also states that the federal agency would have issued a citation to the Boy Scouts of America for exposing employees to an "unsafe condition" if the leaders had been paid by the organization. "Regardless of their volunteer status, their safety should not be compromised," the report says. But Charles T. Pope, area director in OSHA's Norfolk office, said officials didn't intend to accuse the Boy Scouts of America of any wrongdoing. "We didn't do an inspection of them," he said. The Scout leaders were killed July 25 at Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County when a 28-foot, 8-inch aluminum center pole for a large dining tent they were erecting struck a 7,200-volt power line 28 feet, 4 inches above ground, according to OSHA. The OSHA report also states that the contractor said setup of the tent was 70 percent to 80 percent complete when the Scout leaders "insisted on helping." Tents and Events employees told OSHA that a Scout leader also was going to allow some of the boys to help, but the contractor would not permit it. The men had been helping two contractors from Tents and Events Inc., which recently paid OSHA a $3,000 reduced fine for two "serious violations." OSHA's report says the company did not provide adequate training. The company, a division of Rent Quick.com, closed because it could no longer fulfill customer orders, the report says. However, the company will continue to pay worker's compensation benefits for its two former employees who were injured at the jamboree. Out of respect for the victims' families, officials with RentQuick.com never publicly refuted statements posted on the Western Alaska Council's Web site, said their lawyer Michael Harman of Richmond. "We have not seen any point in trying to get in any kind of contest over who said what given the horrible nature of this tragedy," he said yesterday. A secretary for the Alaska Council referred questions to the Boy Scouts of America's national office in Irving, Texas. A spokesman in the national office declined to comment on how the Scout leaders got involved in raising the tent. Kenneth G. Schoolcraft, an Anchorage attorney and spokesman for the family of one of the victims, said he requested a copy of the case file but hasn't yet received it. In gathering information for their case file, OSHA representatives interviewed a variety of people associated with the jamboree, including officials with the Boy Scouts of America and Fort A.P. Hill. The report doesn't include any names. One contractor from Tents and Events was interviewed at the Medical College of Virginia's burn unit, where he was recovering from third-degree burns, a concussion and a chipped vertebra. At the time, he didn't remember any details of the incident but recollected it in a later interview. One contractor told OSHA officials he felt pressured to let the Scout leaders help because they repeatedly asked him, "When are you going to get the tent up?" "I felt they wouldn't have listened if I told them no," he told OSHA officials, adding that he regrets not being more forceful. "They would have helped anyway." The Scout leaders told the contractors where to place the tent, the report says. They chose a spot on a downward slope, which concerned the contractors more than the overhead power lines, the report says. Earlier in the day, the contractors had erected a tent under power lines on flat land, the report says. The men had a booklet by the tent's manufacturer that indicated potential hazards, including overhead and underground utilities. The accident occurred when the contractors and six Scout leaders were raising the pole. The base of the pole was secured in a handcart, which one of the Scout leaders was pushing down a slope, the report says. "It is the action of pushing the handcart which directs the pole to a fully vertical position," OSHA's report says. It was during this process that the pole hit the power line, the report states. Most of the leaders were holding the pole. One was holding onto a nylon strap attached to the cart and was not injured. The incident happened because "just too many people" were trying to push the pole into position, one of the contractors told OSHA investigators. "He said he felt they just pushed too hard, and since they were moving downward on the slope, they accidentally pushed the pole onto the line," the report says. After the 2001 jamboree, a task force said the Boy Scouts did not have "an adequate number of safety personnel" to address and resolve safety issues. That task force made recommendations for the 2005 Jamboree that OSHA says were not fully implemented. Gregg Shields, the Boy Scouts' national spokesman, said he did not know which task force suggestions were not implemented. However, the task force report specifically mentioned "dig permits." The OSHA investigation revealed that nobody requested "dig permits" to drive the tents' stakes in the ground. These permits are requested by the Boy Scouts of America's Jamboree division, Shields said. The permit applications are reviewed by Fort A.P. Hill's Department of Public Works, the report states. Upon approval, the department mails the Boy Scouts of America a diagram of the area, with all utilities marked, including overhead power lines. The department issued 400 "dig permits" for the jamboree, but never received 14 others that were required, according to OSHA. Shields said he's not sure why the BSA never requested a dig permit for the Alaskan troop. To reach JEFF BRANSCOME:540/374-5402 Email: jbranscome@freelancestar.com

The crossover is Pack's responsibuility, not the Troop. See page 22-2 of the Cub Scout Leader Book (2001 edition): "Webelos Scout Transition to Boy Scouting" "Pack Responsibilities" "Plan a meaningful crossover ceremony at the pack's blue and gold banquet that includes the presence of troop leadership to accept the Webelos Scouts as they graduate to Boy Scouts." Obviously, the Pack and Troop need to coordinate how this happens, and if the Pack allows the Troop to run the show, so be it -- but your SM / UC is mistaken when he says crossover is a troop responsibility. When Webelos II boys can cross into different troops, it only makes sense that the Pack plan the ceremony and invite the various SMs to participate. I understand in this situation, conditions changed. The receiving Troops & SMs need to get over their issues and work to coordinate this event for the benefit of the boys. Of course, that's easier said than done. I wonder if they've given any thought to how their inability to work together will affect the choice of Troop by next year's Webelos IIs? Good luck, and please keep us posted.

webelo_mom, welcome to the Forums. I think the statement applies to male and female Venturing youth going on a campout, even if siblings. But the Cub Scout Packs I've been affiliated with have always allowed brothers & sisters to share a tent with their parents. Some Councils do not allow siblings to attend Council-sponsored Cub events. Such a policy would obviate the problem you allude to.

JTC: welcome to the Forums!

I know this is a very sensitive issue for many Scouters, either retired or active military and / or hunters. I think Mike Walton can say it much better than I can, so I will cite to him. Between his comments and those in "Scouting" magazine, I'm not sure how much more can or need be said. Other than this: those who want to wear camo or BDUs will do so regardless of what anyone says, so its rather pointless to give this URL, but I said I would, so here goes: http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/camo.htm

I meant to post this back in October, but never got around to it; here's a letter from the Oct 2005 issue of "Scouting": ===================== NO 'CAMOUFLAGE' UNIFORMS My troop participated in a joint troop service project last spring, and...another troop [had] its members wearing full camouflage clothing, with the striking appearance of being members of the U.S. Army rather than Boy Scouts. Our congressional charter prohibits Scouts appearing as a paramilitary unit [which is why we have] the restriction against wearing any form of camouflage "clothing." Daniel Ketcham Scoutmaster, Troop 855 Executive Board Member, Golden Empire Council Cedar Ridge, Calif. According to the Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA No. 57-492), under "Insignia, Uniforms, and Badges," Clause 4(b) states: "Imitation of United States Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps uniforms is prohibited, in accordance with the provisions of the organization's Charter." http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0510/d-lett.html ===================== Whether or not this answers the question is up to you to decide.(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

According to this webpage: http://www.mtn.org/~oldowski/bronze.htm being awarded the Bronze Pelican does not authorize the Scouter to wear the BSA adult religious knot. I was fortunate enough to be awarded the Bronze Pelican last year by the local Catholic diocese. But I do not wear the knot.

wingnut, I'm glad to hear your troop is relying on more than just Webelos for recruiting purposes. Of the boys who were not Cub Scouts, do you find the retention rate any better or worse than Cubs who cross over?

Wingnut, would you share with us how much direct recruiting your troop does? By that I mean, how much recruiting of middle school boys (who were not Cub Scouts) does your troop do?

FS: that's not a bad idea, but do you also suggest he wear blue epaulet loops with his Cub Scout position patch? Again, if its only a couple of months, that's one thing -- but if for some reason, it takes more than a few months to get trained in the Boy Scout position, I think it would be preferable to wear the ASM position patch sans trained strip, and red shoulder loops. But that's just my opinion.

You might also ask the troops you visit to put you on their email distribution list, so you'll know about upcoming campouts, special troop meetings (e.g., COHs, etc.). I agree that requesting permission rather than popping-in unannounced is the courteous thing to do.

The trained strip applies to the position to which you were trained. As you change positions, you must be retrained in order to wear the trained strip for the new position. So yes, you must remove the trained strip in your ASM position until you complete your new training (SM / ASM position specific + IOLS), and no, Wood Badge does not substitute for the position-specific SM/ASm training plus IOLS. I would take it off, because you assume it will be "just a couple of months" but who knows what might come up at work or in your family life that might cause you to delay one or more parts of your ASM training? Or the training might be canceled, etc. any number of things. Never assume. OTOH, unless the uniform police arrest you, I certainly won't tell . . .