Gunny2862

I thought you were an IT Pro! Marketing and hype are much more important than substance and delivery. HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA When's patch day? It better be somewhere between M-F....

The thing I like most(at this point) about the ScoutTrack program is the ability to use it in the field and update records "on-the-fly" using a "Palm" rather than having to get the handbooks together or a separate piece of paper and take them to the computer. And then when I sync my Tungsten the info is backed up on my PC, and I can have multiple backups on more than one PC. The Tungsten E I am currently using is much easier and less costly to replace if there were a catastrophic loss than losing a laptop. And when you consider taking the Computers to the field I don't think very many of us want; the weight, the risk of loss/breakage, the limited battery life. Actually if I implement this I may try to get one of the older Palm III units and see if it will run on that platform because I can use AAA batteries and have less worry about running out of Power.

If there truly was a one size fits all answer we'd all already be doing it. So always do a trial of the new plan while maintaining the old one. And see if the new system actually works for you and your team. But ONE THING you must remember is that in the electronic world you MUST have a backup of your records, I prefer two backups kept on different machines for anything important. And if that backup is intended to be useful it should be done every (insert meaningful period of time to you here, i.e; every time you add data, weekly, monthly, etc.) Really what happens if your paper records were lost, stolen or burned. It's just that much more likely in the digital world. That said, in an organization I was previously affiliated with I was fine with electronic record keeping, but I always kept a paper copy of things I HAD to have. And I knew that if someone who owed me a report wouldn't give it to me on paper that I wasn't likely to see it in any other format either. At least not without a little "intervention" time.

Amazon.com is advertising it on another Scouting webpage.

I'm working an evaluation of ScoutTrack for use on the Palm computing platform. So far I really like it, but I have to line up in complete and utter agreement with John-in-KC in asking the question about whether a new program methodology of turning in the reports will actually result in you getting timely and complete updates. My experience is that it won't. At least not over time - you may see a one or two month enthusiasm for "playing " with the new system, but the underlying fundamental is "doing the report". And if your DL's aren't turning them in, it's not likely that the new program will be either the carrot or the stick that gets them to do so. What else have you tried? How about a reminder on Your calendar to send them each an e-mail an appropriate number of days in advance - requesting that they reply to the e-mail with a report by such and such a date? If you need it in a specific format you could even send the form as an attachment. If they won't reply to that - they won't utilize your new software anyway, IMHO.

Thanks for the great discussion! I AM still lurking and learning on this one.

John-in-KC, Ozarks Trails. Really, by virtue of my overachieving bent, I'd just as soon be the subject matter expert on everything that is activity oriented. To include getting my Wilderness First Aid in addition to the rest of my current ARC certs. Because in part Murphy hangs around the unprepared, those who have a plan and all the pieces to work the plan rarely see the bugger. I am looking into the merit badge programs too - to be a MB Counselor but there's already a lot on my plate just to be basically useful. I think having fun is great!, it's even better when you can control/ manage the risk of the activity.

Okay, suitably chastened, and/or bring on the whips. I may have been too fast on my mis-characterizations. My initial thought was specifically focused on the VFW who denied membership to my wife after she had served in a combat zone in SWA, and was still single, although she was certainly "welcome to join the womens auxiliary" after we met and were married by virtue of my own eligiblity. Apparently they were afraid of dying out or are progressive enough to expand their membership rules - after I did a little research to try and back up my now confounded argument. My second thought of race only still applies I think, but only in the negative argument, I can't prove that they don't accept/admit white devils to the Nation of Islam. I don't have enough information on the information provided by erickelly65 but thanks for throwing in. Humbly waiting for what comes...

Thanks, that was really a help! Especially the BSLAT. Everything I have trained in I passed but the other scores fell short of 80%. BSFT and YPT are complete for anyone who may be concerned. I won't run through what training I have already done (because it's long and not necessarily distinguished) but I haven't been able to attend any of the face to face training like NLE, NLST, IOS, Scoutmaster Specific or Wood Badge. NLE and NLST scheduled and registered for in July.(This message has been edited by Gunny2862)

Okay, but back to what I thought was the point of the thread. Perhaps I was unclear - When other organizations, which discriminate on one basis or another, are mentioned in news or magazine articles it doesn't seem like the authors of the "responsible", "neutral", "fair - and balanced" press, and journalists feel it is necessary to identify the other organizations discriminatory practices every time. So why do it to one organization and not all. Seems like the press is being pretty discriminatory to me...

...for new Leaders? And if so, why is it so hard to find? The boys requirements are very easy to find, for Rank advancement, anyway. See the Handbook. So why is it almost a quest of its own to find the training for the Adults who need to know how to deliver, or help deliver, the program. I'm getting a lot done, but I don't have a sense of having a map to get me to a "Trained" destination. In my case for an Assistant Scout Master, but is there a common point where what is required for any position and then what would then be ideally followed up with in optional training? Or am I going to see this when I "finally" get to NLE and NLST?

Thanks Merlyn, I feel better now .

OGE, yer killin' me. ROTFLOL And I suppose Veronica and Betty are then free for Friday night? Not that I am or anything. Is this considered hijacking?

It does seem weird to me that what was once as much a piece of Field gear: Emergency water strainer/clarifier; Medical bandage, Ankle brace; Head injury cover; Splint and Lashing for pole stretcher especially when used in conjunction with those of the other Boy Scouts around, as a decorative item is so out of fashion today. I think if you aren't going to wear them, you should still have to carry them, especially when camping or trekking. Just MHO. (This message has been edited by Gunny2862)

And why, oh why, is it that it seems like every time the BSA is in the news or a magazine that the tag line about exclusionary policies is brought up. Any number of other groups require one to be male only or female only, or this race or that race, there is discrimination all over the place. But the same tag line doesn't seem to be applied every time the other groups are written about. Yet their exclusionary policies don't seem to be a problem. Without continuing to castigate the BSA! Can someone explain this?

Beavah, now just because someone is prior military doesn't mean that they don't have more than one golf club in the bag in terms of leadership styles... there's a lot more out there than just Good Cop/Bad Cop. Although in that framework I much prefer Good Cop. And beaver729 is spot on about training, I have considered it my primary responsibility to get all of the training I can get to accomplished. How can a new leader do their job if they don't know what the job is? How can a continuing leader do the right things for the troop if they don't know about program changes? Seems like, really I just quit reading (as much)about the Corps and am now reading about BSA.

Thanks for the quick replies! I didn't drag my own military past into this one! I dragged someone else's, Here's the reference: http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/abcd.htm Thanks for giving me the correct reference! And still the question - Does anyone actually wear the uniform correctly all of the time? I'm trying. ::-> I can cover a weekend but, with only one pair of Switchbacks the whole summer camp period clearly didn't go that way, in addition to not having had time to build up an inventory of Scouting related T-shirts yet. Wore my D.A.R.E. camp shirt, and other similar items for the Activity/B uniform when I ran out of Scouting items since laundry was a problem. Remember, new guy still well under 90 days. Buying it as I can for the boy and myself.

On a lighter and slightly more weird note; I have always liked that term "Regicide", only it has always made me wonder how many kings were named Reggie?

Sorry I don't have a library of references to use yet but... as the thread was about proper uniforming... Aren't Class A the full dress uniform merit badge sashes and all? The full ceremonial uniform. Class B essentially the same w/o the sash and any medals except Woodbadge is allowed? The traveling uniform and "in-house" ceremonial uniform And then Class C moves to the BSA activity shirt or unit T-shirt, still with BSA shorts or Trousers? The camping, "working" public service, or other activity uniform. And then we move into the "modified" uniforms we seem to use more prevalently which irritated someone enough to start the thread? Or am I misinformed again, always a possibility at this stage! And again I ask, Does anyone actually wear the uniform correctly all of the time?(This message has been edited by Gunny2862)

Prarie, Alas, I was unclear, in the USMC current issue and for as long as I was in Utility and Camouflage uniforms were the same thing - and thus unsuitable for our BSA outings. Although I still wear the boots unless we are taking a long hike. The only time I saw "greens" as a utility uniform was on some members of the platoon ahead of ours as we in-processed. LbE - a novel concept, and why I lurk around these forums. As a newbie I've got to get the gouge somewhere.

Thanks Ed!

BrotherhoodWWW makes a good point. I was a Latchkey kid. My brothers were either out of the house, in the military, or working from the time I started school. My working parents couldn't pick me up during their working hours and we were always somehow 5oo feet inside the bus rider margin. I remember my middle brother walking me back home from 1st grade once or twice but I know I walked the 3/4 mile, one way, to and from grade school the 1.5 mile to and from junior high unless I rode my bike - which didn't work well with 6 inches of snow on the ground. During those years the "expectation" was that I would go straight home, check in with one or the other parent and then I could play within 2-3 blocks with an "hourly" check-in until someone was home. Which occasionally wasn't until 7:30 - 8:00 PM. Yes, I knew how to make my own dinner from early on. This was not out of the ordinary for my neighborhood but how many of us would look at the same thing today and not have the alarm bells going off?

I think it is simply another reason why we have ASMs. Crew Momma has the additional burden of being the SMs wife but I think as ASMs we are not only part of the support for the program being delivered to the boys by the SM but also support for the SM.

So I am still unclear, oh most noble and honorable ones, What is the OA? Scoutings Honor Society or Camping Honor Society?

Just so we're clear, I would have to see some egregious, considered inaction by the Scout holding the POR to consider removing them, because they CAN'T grow into a position if they don't have a position. They can of course acquire a sense of responsibility elsewhere, but I thought that was a part of the character building we are trying to do here. And there is the issue of how do you mentor someone about responsibility if they don't have any to be mentored about? Really, IMHO the failure is ours if the Scout fails in the position unless they truly do not want to be there, or simply are Physiologically/Psychologically UNABLE to perform the job. And in the latter cases then we need to discuss accommodations, if any.