Gold Winger

Scoutmomma, we're talking Venture Patrol in a troop, not a Venturing Crew. Different beasts. The local Venturing Crew isn't much different. It's made up of boys who left the troop but unless the adults come up with the ideas, the boys would be happy to just sit around and complain about being bored.

"Whenever I need some belt buckles, I just tell me wife and she gets me some from here:" I didn't see anything about Scouting buckles. "That's strange. I have had the same belt buckle I bought 14 years ago. " Maybe they were made better back then. I agree with the others that today's buckles are unmitigated crud. I have a bunch of vintage ones that I bought on ebay. I'm set for the next 100 years.

Wow! I just read about the REAL ID act. Worrisome stuff. States rights started dying around 1860 and are ready to be put into the grave. Every time that something bad happens, the sheeple run around in circle, wave their hands in the air and cry out "we need more rules." A bomb in a shoe? Gotta take your shoes off to get on a plane. What happens when someone stuffs a bomb up their butt? Digital exams before you can board? A kid shoots another and the cry goes out for rules prohibiting guns at school despite the simple fact that the first kid broke 17 state and federal laws including the one about shooting other people. Next we'll have ID checks at state borders. Universal email and phone surveilance isn't far away. The sheeple cry "if you aren't doing anything wrong, you shouldn't have anything to worry about." The government is already attempting to bridle political speech with the laws regarding ads close to an election. I don't know if that one got shut down. We already have silly laws regarding "unlawful assembly". Since the government is in charge of educating our children, can any help be expected from that quarter? Columbus is evil. Washington and Jefferson were bad men. Lincoln was great because he took away the rights of states which resulted in the deaths of thousand but that's okay. I don't know if leaving BSA is the solution but I am worried about the new world order. Along those lines, I have never understood why the pundits are always crying out that "we've lost respect in the world community" So what. It doesn't mean that they won't sell us stuff or buy our stuff. It doesn't stop them from crying out for our aid when something goes wrong. End of rant. For now.

" Most summer camps don't have a licensed health officer 24/7." Neither do schools but schools require that meds be turned in at the health office.

I took a class at the University of Scouting about Venture Patrols. The most interesting idea that came out of the class was for the Venture Patrol to be an ad hoc patrol or 'virtual patrol'. For every Venture Patrol activity, the boys interested in that activity would band together and elect a Patrol Leader. So if you had three activities being planned, let's say hiking, rafting and skiing, you'd have three virtual patrols. There may or may not be overlap between the patrols and each patrol would have a PL. This system allows the PL of the virtual patrol to focus on his activity. When the ski trip is over, the skiing patrol ceases to exist. When the hike is over the hiking patrol ceases to exist. The virtual PLs go back to other duties. However, to make this work, you have to have boys that are willing to do things. :-(

As someone else said, a Venture Patrol can be a wonderful thing if done properly. You're 16 or 17 and car camping has gotten old, day hikes are pretty dull too. So the Venture Patrol can head off and do some more adventuresome stuff like hike the AT or spend spring break canoeing the Ohio river. The thing is that the boys have to want to do SOMETHING. My son's troop had a Venture Patrol and they did nothing. I sat in on a couple of their planning meetings with the Venture ASM and it was frustrating. "Do you guys have any ideas of stuff that you'd like to do?" Blank stares. "Any wild ideas? We'll see how we can make them work." More blank stares. "A canoe trip? Hiking the AT? Sailing the Carribean?" "Nah . . . " "Here are magazines with reports of different excursions and ads for things to do. Look them over and see if anything grabs you. I'll be back in half an hour." The boys spent that half hour talking about video games. The advisor came back and said, "Guys, we're willing to help you do just about anything that you want to do BUT you have to start with a nucleus of an idea." More blank stares. The sad truth is that they didn't want to do anything unless it was organized for them from start to finish.

" In my Council, most exec Board members are coming from their day jobs, and meet in coat/tie." Of course, it's too much trouble to tak your uniform to work and change before leaving. In my old district/council nearly everyone was in uniform at Roundtable and District meetings. If necessary, folks would change at work and come to the meeting. In my new district/council, uniforms are the exception. The reason, "I come right from work." Interesting, no?

If you have the job, wear the patch. If someone has a problem with that, that's their problem. I have a shirt for each job.

" Violating the constitution is a much greater high crime than getting some from an intern." It has often been pointed out to me that the Supreme Court gets to decide what is and what isn't constitutional, not a group of Scouters.

"Expect both sides to require a notarized birth certificate copy if yeh go that route." If you're from Pennsylvania, notarized copies are illegal so you need to carry an original. Orwell had it right but missed the year by 20.

Edited because it would have likely been deleted. :-( For the record, my given name is Gold Winger, actually it is Gold (edited for euphenism) Winger. So I'm safe from big brother (apparently not, OGE).(This message has been edited by Gold WInger) (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

An adult can be registered with many different units at one time. I'm registered in two different councils right now. So, no you don't have to resign as ASM. The really good thing is that you don't have to pay the $10 for the second position. :-)

"Gold Wing, I think you will understand the value of how Laser Tag benefits in patrol method if you just go watch one game of it." Oh, I've watched it.

Those damned Yankees were the agressors because they insisted on maintaining an armed presence in a soverign country against the wishes of that country.

I second Eagledad's question. I grew up playing "Army" laser tag is just a more advanced version so you don't have to "I got you!" "No you didn't!" I will say that we outgrew it before junior high so I really don't understand adults who want to run around shooting at each other unless it is training for combat. Then again, maybe I'm out of step with the world because I think golf is silly too.

" maybe restrict business hours to conform to religious beliefs." I, for one, liked the blue laws. Having most stores closed on Sundays made for a nice quiet day. Instead of rushing to Costco or the mall, you had a day in which you could do little else but relax. It was nice.

" When I suggested this in the COuncil I serve I was told that what commissioner's do, but alas they don't." Even if they do, there's no real authority do say, "You can't do that!" and have it stick. "It's a system that puts its faith in the people, not in the central office." Which allows for Eagle mills and troops that add or subtract requirement so that everyone is playing by differing sets of rules.

Purcelce, when I want your dissenting opinion, I'll beat it out of you :-)

I'm pretty sure that the only required elements for the uniform are the BSA strip and the shoulder loops which are what differentiate it from a plain khaki shirt. Walton asserts that the flag is an optional item because in the old insignia guides it was indicated as an optional item. I'd like to see the flag vanish from the uniform, patriotism is more than just wearing a flag on your shoulder. Hmmmm. . . maybe I'll be a rebel and take the flags off my shirts.

In the books, the SM and a couple ASMs go camping with the boys. In the real world the SM, ASMs, CC, MCs and a few assorted parents tag along because they have to drive three hourse to get to the campsite. What to do with all of these adults? They all aren't needed to "lead" so they become a patrol. Someone cooks, someone does dishes, someone collects firewood. Then after dinner when the boys are either talking about killing zombies or asleep, the adults sit around and discuss adult topics like how we didn't worry about zombies at their age.

I don't like plastic clothing in general for many reason, flamability is one of them. Stuck away in a trunk in case I ever shrink enough to wear them are a black 1980s vintage Army issue V-neck wooly-pully, a green Brit issue wooly pully, and tan one of unknown origin. I like the wooly-pully :-), it's warm and looks nice over a shirt.

That might be because you're an Army guy :-) I know that the Army had the wooly-pully back in the 80s, do they still have it or has it gone the way of sateen fatigues?

My district recently made it a requirement that all "contact leaders" must complete training within one year of joining. Boy was there some uproar over that. But it's all calmed down and everyone is getting in line. For my part, I don't understand why people would want to take on a job without training.

"How about a bit of both, GW? "I think it is also good for the boys to see their parent(s) being a bit more kid like than alwas to 'adult'." I just read a column in the paper in which the columnist commented on how when we were kids, the kids did kid things and the adults did adult things. The subject was sports but it can be applied to Scouting or ballet or drama club.

"A sweater for camping? That's just fruity. I'll bet you wear a beret, too!" Like the Royal Marines, I wear a sweater and a beret. And I'm proud too! :-P