Hal_Crawford

Merlyn: I wouldn't be too sure. Sarah Palin is not from Minnesota but she sure sounds like it. You betcha! (wink)

Our troop has used custom 3 digit patches for longer than I have been with the troop. When a scout joins we give him a Handbook and a troop patch. Fortunately we are almost out of the red and whites so we would be reordering anyway. Given Murphey's Law I am surprised that the color change didn't happen right after we purchased 3-4 dozen patches. Some units get their patches made with the veteran strip included on the patch. That will also save sewing (always a good thing) so we will probably do that this time as well (60+ years).

Congratulations to a fellow NCAC scouter! I haven't taken scouts to the inauguration before but I live in Arlington so I'm in the neighborhood. According to WRC TV news this evening: Metro will open at 4AM and is expecting "crush crowds". All Metro public rest-rooms will be closed for security reasons but they will have "portable restrooms outside some stations. Security checkpoints at the Mall will open at 7am. Plan on walking. Backpacks are OK on the Mall but not okay on the parade route. My best advice, expect chaos, allow way more time than you would expect. Double check all of the above as things change. The Post reported this week that they are expecting 10,000 charter buses...that's right, TEN THOUSAND charter buses! Also on tonight's news: The city does not believe that it will really be 4 million people. Hope they're right or at least prepared to be wrong. On the good side this will be an experience that your scouts will remember and tell their grandchildren about. Best of luck to you all, Hal

Packsaddle and NJ: I am fairly new to this forum and have tried to stay out of the political discussions. I just want to weigh in that I too agree with your point of view on this subject and feel the same frustration with the policy and with the views of many that are based on misinformation and stereotypes. A previous post said that "People in the forties and fifties would have never dreamed that homosexuality would become first tolerated and now in some communities accepted". I doubt that many in the forties or fifties would have dreamed that an African-American would be elected president of the United States but but guess what, it happened. Many in those times would have given you all sorts of "statistics" and "facts" showing why African-Americans were unsuited to serve in high office, teach, serve in combat or even sit in a classroom with white children. I hope we all agree that they were wrong. Many in the forties, fifties and sixties would have told you that women were unsuited to work as anything other than teachers, nurses or secretaries. In Scouting they couldn't be anything other than Den Mothers, certainly not Scoutmasters. Whatever your political bent you have to admit that women are in statehouses, governor's mansions, the congress and the cabinet. Women head major corporations. Though women are still technically excluded from combat that hasn't stopped them from military service (up to and including the ultimate sacrifice) and a woman was just promoted to four star general. Women are also Scoutmasters and are well represented in this forum. I think we can all agree that those stereotypes were also wrong. Gays are still the victims of the same sort of stereotyping and prejudice that confronted blacks and women (and Jews and the Irish and the Indians to name but a few). I wish that the BSA was out in front on this issue rather than behind but that too will change as more voices like yours' are heard. They are not just voices in the wilderness. Thanks, Hal

I was living in Atlanta in 1982 when 4" of snow quickly blanketed the city in the middle of the workday. You'd have thought it was Armageddon. People fled their offices and tried to race home before the snow shut everything down. They didn't make it. I-75/85 (aka the downtown connector) came to a standstill, drivers abandoned their cars and walked to downtown hotels leaving an interstate highway as a parking lot. Schools were closed for the rest of the week. It was reported that the City of Atlanta only owned one snow plow. Residents seemed baffled as to how to put chains on their tires; some putting chains on the rear wheels of front-wheel drive cars. The storm followed a week of temperatures in the single digits. Water pipes were bursting all over the city in houses that were not designed for that kind of cold. I was fortunate enough to already be home dealing with a burst pipe when the powder hit the pavement. How does a city like Atlanta react to a 4" "blizzard"? They name it: "Snow Jam 82".

Stosh: If you were here in Northern Virginia you could have gotten by with a lightweight rain jacket. High today was 65 with a light rain. We are supposed to get some of your cold air this weekend but still we are only talking about nighttime lows in the upper 20s. Long range forecast is for 15" of snow. That is for the whole winter! Of course it will be colder in the mountains and there will be more snow but winter camping here is not what you guys do in the land of milk and cheddar. Now you want to talk suffering, check out our humidity in August. Hal

We often do a February backpack in the Shenandoah National Park. There are some primitive cabins that can be rented and they all involve a hike-in. Last year it was about 3.5 miles with an 1800' climb. Scouts did not have to carry tents, pads, pots or cookware (the latter items being stocked in the cabin) so it wasn't too hard for the scouts new to backpacking. While it can get cold in the region we have usually had hiking temperatures above freezing dipping into the high 20's. Trail can get a little icy in the shady spots but it is manageable. Not all the scouts are up for the challenge which is just as well as the cabins only hold 10-12 total. The hike built excitement for our summer high adventure trek and some of the scouts still think of it as the first "shakedown". We tent camped at SNP a couple of years ago and the senior scouts were griping because it never got below 45 degrees. So much for "winter camping" (I think I hear the guys in Wisconsin and Michigan laughing at us).

That clarifies the requirements Star and Life but why doesn't it say that in requirement 4 for Eagle? Is it an error of omission by BSA or is the requirement for Eagle different? How do we know which it is?

I think I have been missing something. Reading the Eagle requirements (http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/eagle.aspx) I can't find any reference to the alternative of a Scoutmaster assigned project. Where does this come from? Hal

NC: I guess to be truly prepared for an emergency you would have to know first aid.

We have had scouts work on both simultaneously, particularly at camp (Goshen Camp Bowman. A couple of years ago we had our waterfront closed by flooding (ironic, ain't it?). Another scouter and I happened to be EP MB councilors so we created an Emergency Prep class as a substitute. A number of the scouts were simultaneously enrolled in First Aid and there was no problem as the all completed First Aid at camp. The scouts in EP all got partials as there are requirements that have to be done at home with family. EP is now a regular offering at Bowman including a camp-wide emergency drill. Scouts need to do the family plan/discussion in advance in order to complete the MB at camp. Bottom line is the two merit badges can be done simultaneously.

Whether it is wrong or right he did a great job. Did he sew the pocket shut? If not then I am really, really impressed.

At Goshen Scout Reservation's Camp Bowman staff wears class A's for flags every night (so do the scouts and scouters). There is generally a variety of Boy Scout and Venture uniforms. Staff wears scout shorts/switchbacks and camp tee-shirts (different color each day) for programs. I believe the other camps at Goshen follow the same practice.

Have you tried working with your council to see if they can make accomodations for the LDS sabbath obligations? We have a lot of LDS units in our council (and the Marriott family/corporation are major donors). One of our counsel camps has set up Monday morning check-in for LDS units. Camp Olmsted (http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=15977&orgkey=1933) at Goshen Scout Reservation is a dining hall camp that runs Sunday-Saturday. As program doesn't start until after lunch on Monday the LDS units can get the entire experience. I'm not LDS and our unit camps at a different (patrol cooking) camp at the reservation so I cannot personally attest as to what Monday morning ends up being like but the LDS scouts/scouters I have talked to didn't seem to have any complaints. I should note that the reservation is about a 4 hour drive from the council so those scouts must be leaving for camp at OH-DARK-THIRTY Monday morning. I don't know how your council camps are set up but since there are a number of LDS troops that are looking to go elsewhere I would think the council camping committee would be eager to work with you. Good luck. YiS, Hal

I believe that is called a 401-keg.

"In 30 or 40 years, I suspect many middle-aged men will be exchanging comparable thoughts on 9-11." As our parents felt about Pearl Harbor. I suppose that every generation has their pivotal day, the one that everyone remembers exactly what he or she was doing when they heard the news. My dad would always remember that day as he was already in uniform so it meant "get back to base 'cause we're at war soldier". The start of the Korean war was less significant to most but my parents were both in Seoul so it was hard for them to forget those events either. For my son, I think 9-11 will always be that day. He was in 9th grade and they tried to shut down all outside information. I was shocked when I learned this thinking they had let a teachable moment pass them by but then I remembered how many kids in his school probably had a parent working at the Pentagon and how those parents might be casualties. I guess they made the right call. But for me, it was November 22, 1963. As a 10 year old I'm not sure that the world seemed all that innocent. A year before we sat through the Cuban missile crises. Living in a suburb of DC there was no question where those missiles were pointed and not a lot of confidence that "duck and cover" was going to make it all better. Some of the families in the neighborhood started digging fallout shelters. But I remember the days after Kennedy had been shot it all seemed to be unraveling. And then a few months later the Beatles played the Ed Sullivan show and not long after that girls started looking interesting and nothing but nothing was ever the same after that. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Another camping option in the DC area is Pohick Bay Regional Park. http://www.nvrpa.org/parks/pohickbay/index.php Part of the park is a decommissioned BSA camp. The park is conveniently located to Mt Vernon plantation (George Washington's home) and Gunston Hall (George Mason's home). Closest metro is Springfield/Franconia with 5000+ parking spaces. Note that all of the Smithsonian museums are free admission which will be really a plus with a group of scouts. You have to pay to park at Udvar Hazy but it is worth it. Must sees: The Smithsonian American History museum just reopened after a 2 year renovation. See the original star spangled banner that flew over Fort McHenry. The US capitol has just opened its new visitor's center. You might want to contact your congressman to see if his office can set up anything special at the US capitol. The Air and Space Museum on the Mall and the Udvar Hazy museum (near Dulles International Airport) are both great, especially for scout aged guys. The Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Between them are a the WWII memorial and the Vietnam memorial. National Archives: see the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution. With the exception of Udvar Hazy all of the can be accessed from one Metro stop (though there are several to choose from around the Mall). I believe that all of the above are free. In Virginia there is Arlington National Cemetery. You can arrange for your troop to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/ceremonies/wreath_layings.html Serious scouts in full uniform please! This is a serious event. Even if you just go to see the changing of the guards it is worthwhile. Near the cemetery are the Pentagon (doubt they give tours, security is tight since 9/11) and the Iwo Jima Memorial. These are all in Arlington County (my home) which was originally part of the District of Columbia. You could spend a month here and not see everything. Hope you have a great time. Hal Arlington, VA

Another camping option in the DC area is Pohick Bay Regional Park. http://www.nvrpa.org/parks/pohickbay/index.php Part of the park is a decommissioned BSA camp. The park is conveniently located to Mt Vernon plantation (George Washington's home) and Gunston Hall (George Mason's home). Closest metro is Springfield/Franconia with 5000+ parking spaces. Note that all of the Smithsonian museums are free admission which will be really a plus with a group of scouts. You have to pay to park at Udvar Hazy but it is worth it. Must sees: The Smithsonian American History museum just reopened after a 2 year renovation. See the original star spangled banner that flew over Fort McHenry. The US capitol has just opened its new visitor's center. You might want to contact your congressman to see if his office can set up anything special at the US capitol. The Air and Space Museum on the Mall and the Udvar Hazy museum (near Dulles International Airport) are both great, especially for scout aged guys. The Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Between them are a the WWII memorial and the Vietnam memorial. National Archives: see the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution. With the exception of Udvar Hazy all of the can be accessed from one Metro stop (though there are several to choose from around the Mall). I believe that all of the above are free. In Virginia there is Arlington National Cemetery. You can arrange for your troop to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/ceremonies/wreath_layings.html Serious scouts in full uniform please! This is a serious event. Even if you just go to see the changing of the guards it is worthwhile. Near the cemetery are the Pentagon (doubt they give tours, security is tight since 9/11) and the Iwo Jima Memorial. These are all in Arlington County (my home) which was originally part of the District of Columbia. You could spend a month here and not see everything. Hope you have a great time. Hal Arlington, VA

45 years ago tonight I was supposed to be at a pack meeting. I was a Webelo, looking forward to joining Boy Scouts. The pack meeting was cancelled and instead I sat at home watching on a black and white TV as JFK's coffin was unloaded from Air Force One. We had learned that the president had been shot while I was in PE. Soon I sat in my fifth grade classroom and watched as Walter Cronkite told us all that he was dead. When I went home my father, an Army officer and a staunch Republican was sitting in the living room, crying. I had never seen my dad cry before and I don't think I ever did again. I asked him why he was crying for a man who he didn't like. He said, "I didn't like him as president but I never wanted this to happen". That was one of many lessons from that week that I will never forget. In the coming days we saw the alleged assassin gunned down on TV; we saw a presidential funeral and we learned about all the pomp and ceremony that comes with mourning a nation's leader. From my neighbor's yard we watched the jets after they finished their fly-over of the funeral at Arlington Cemetery. As a scout and a safety patrol I soon learned the protocol for flying the flag at half mast. These are lessons and experiences that I have always remembered and always will and I hope and pray that our scouts today never experience a presidential assassination or anything similar. God Bless America.

The Scoutmaster does not have the power to change BSA rules. As you point out the requirement for joining is 10 years old with AOL so I don't see how the boys can join before their birthdays. It would probably be a good idea to talk to your DE or commissioner to determine the best way to head off a train wreck.

I believe the signature line for Scoutmaster/Coach/Advisor refers to a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, a Varsity Coach or a Venture Crew Advisor, effectively the same position depending on the type of unit. As the scout in question is in a Boy Scout Troop his SM should sign the workbook.

Although I have commonly seen the AOL on the pocket, the old Insignia Guide (http://www.scouting.org/media/insigniaguide/06.aspx) shows it below the pocket. While the new insignia guide has not been published and none of the promotional materials show scouts wearing the AOL, I would assume that it still goes beneath the pocket. At least it's easier to sew when it is not on a pocket.

Jr. Leader training is normally taught on the troop level but it has been replaced with Troop Leader Training (TLT). Opinions vary as to whether it is an improvement or not. Districts sometimes offer a more advanced version. Try checking district calendars. NCAC offers a weeklong training called Impeesa: National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). Info on the NCAC website (http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/) is current for 2009. Summer camp info for NCAC is mostly current but they haven't posted all the 2009 registration forms yet. Info on Lenhok'sin High Adventure just got posted last week so they seem to be making progress. If you have specific questions that the website does answer try giving a call to the NCAC Marriott Scout Service Center 301-530-9360. I have found the staff there to be very helpful.

I recently created a site for our troop using iWeb. I am hosting it on my mobileme account but it could easily be published to another host. Because the mobileme address was to hard for people to remember I registered a domain name (with Godaddy.com) and set it up to forward and mask. Our URL is http://www.troop162.org I had no previous experience with creating a web sit but using iWeb I found it was not hard at all. I worked with one of the stock templates and modified it to suit our needs. If you have the current version of iWeb it will be easy to see what the original was and how I modified it. Note that the size of the site (about 29megs) may be larger than what you would get on a free site from your ISP. My only disappointment is that iWeb does not seem to have a good way to integrate a calendar format into the pages. I posted a calendar for download as a PDF file.

We had a scout in our troop with severe dyslexia. It was considered a disability and he got a waiver on aging out. Might be an option for this scout.