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John-in-KC

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Everything posted by John-in-KC

  1. I'm a Cub Grub guy at my district DC; second year at that task (three years before that as the wood guy). Last year I did Dutch oven cobblers and hot dogs. Dutch oven cobblers work! I'm going to do them again this year. I'm also going to do twist. I'm going to do it under an austere environment though... nonfat dry milk, bisquik, and YOU JUST GAVE ME AN IDEA.... forget the spoons and the cut down milk jugs as mixing bowls ... I'm going to have parents/cubs measure mix into gallon plastic bags, add water, knead in the bag, turn out and twist onto the sticks!!! THANKS Shel
  2. Ed, Thanks for following up on my "Approved" to Bob White. As far as approval goes, here's my connotation: If the Troop is doing a collective service project, then the Scoutmaster has bought into the PLC's request, thus no individual Scout needs to ask "May this count please?" If a Patrol is doing a service project, it's reasonable to think the PL has talked to the SPL and the SM, thus no individual in the patrol needs to ask "May this count please?" Sometimes a boy will hear of a project outside a Troop. My son and I worship outside our physical scouting District.
  3. Well, Bob, The requirement says: APPROVED. Thus, the SM is the policymaker. The CONCEPT, though, is "The more you give, the more you will get back." A SM who does not look at each case of service to see how it fits on its merits is a fool. I counsel PRAY's God and Country series. To achieve the God and Church award (and thus the religious knot), the service hour requirement is 10 hours (with 10 hours additional service in worship). I'm fairly generous in my interpretation, with my main question: How does this better the community you live in? OTOH, my CHURCH, in con
  4. A few years back a good friend of mine did his "Doctor of Commissioner Service" thesis. He concluded, after surveying units and evaluating National program materials, that a good round number of Scouts in a Troop is about 45. That number fills the leadership positions without having Scouts double up, and allows room for advancement. For FOG ... there are activities the G2SS restricts to chartered Varsity teams OR Venturing crews, and at least one activity (handgun shooting) restricted SOLELY to Crews. YIS John
  5. Cubs Rgr, I would hope your son listened to what the election team said when they began their work of supporting your Troop's election. Here's what my local lodge posts on its portion of the Council website as the purpose of the Order: ~~~~~~ The purpose of the Order of the Arrow is fourfold: To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit. To promote Scout camping To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful
  6. Here's one several of our Scouts are doing... World War II and Korean veterans are in the last stages of their passing. Vietnam Veterans are approaching 60. Desert Storm vets are now from 30-60 depending on their age when they deployed. The Library of Congress is collecting oral histories of Veterans. In our case, we're chartered by a VFW post, so the project was to collect WWII member oral histories. Our candidate led a team of Scouts and Scouters in collecting the histories, videotaping them (and ripping the videos to Mpegs on CD-ROMS), scanning significant personal documents,
  7. A few years back, we were a start-up Troop. We had NO third year or beyond campers. None. Zero. Long story. Our second-year campers had a full day being off in buddy pairs. Our Tenderfeet campers, by default, received escort ... usually by 2d year Dads (same as someone else said ... Scouts don't want their own parents following close ... ) Now, we've got 8 or 9 boys going back for their fifth year, and several more for their fourth. Herding Tenderfeet will be off the list of adult tasks ... but checking hydration is definitely ON the list. YIS John
  8. Gidget, As an Arrowman (albeit long removed from my youth), may I offer some suggestions: 1) Visit with the Chapter Advisor first. He or she reports to the District camping committee, as do you. Enlist him or her into your campaign. 2) For Arrowmen 14 and older, offer them J-staff positions. If you have any 13 year old Arrowmen, offer them Den Chief positions with their registration and fees underwritten by the District. Amazing what a kid will do for free T-shirts. Consider asking the Cub Grub guy or gal to throw a "loaded baked potato" lunch for them one day during the D
  9. Handgun shooting is reserved to Venturers only. From G2SS... "Handguns (Venturers only) "The following guidelines relate to the use of handguns within the program of the Boy Scouts of America. (in boldface) "Handgun use is limited to the Venturing program only." Another... (in boldface) "Pointing any type of firearm (including paintball, dye, or lasers) at any individual is unacceptable. However, law enforcement departments and agencies using firearms in standard officer/agent training may use their training agenda when accompanied with appropriate safety equip
  10. Bob White wrote: "The only requirements that count of course, are ones in a published Merit Badge book. On-line information amy seem handy but it is not official. The Scout or the Counselor must have a BSA publication with the set of requirements that the scout is using." Huh? Unless you are considering BSA Requirements a Merit Badge book ... (I know neither add to nor take from btw.) Common sense tells me the most recent basic copyright date between a MB pamphlet and the BSA requirements will determine which has most recent requirements set. Given that BSA revises R
  11. Bob, What are your thoughts about the Venture Patrols cross-registering as Venturers? The first benefit I see is the access to activities given by the Guide to Safe Scouting. Venture patrols, if I understand policy, are still Boy Scouts for GSS purposes. Thanks for the input in advance. John
  12. FOG, I won't bet against you, but I will also bet he deals with ... Tenderfeet who are homesick on their first weekend out. the parent who buys a 30 degree bag in an area with -10 winters the boy who "just doesn't understand why" the District Advancement committee won't pass his Eagle project without the SM signature. John
  13. Philmont Director of Programs was our guest speaker at Council Commissioner college last weekend. Confirmed there are openings at the Double H yet this summer. Since this is year 1 for the property, the staff member is going out for the entire trek for a reason: He'll be on GPS, and be mapping tentative trails for the future. There are some indicators of program coming. The Philmont PD said they want to put in a modern black powder shooting facility. Hope this helps. YIS John
  14. Nor am I a professional, nor do I play one on TV either. Our Council Director of Program is a Scoutmaster. I've seen his Troop in the field. He knows the challenges we have. John
  15. I'm a unit advancement coordinator, and I counsel 4 merit badges. In point of fact, I just went out to one of the unofficial merit badge web sites ... he has data from the 2002 book online for Personal Management. My personal wish is that BSA Supply Division would take the BSA Requirements book and just place it online. There is no reason for the advancement requirements to be a profit center. My thoughts. Others may have different thoughts YIS John
  16. This is my delurk. To Dan and all: There are guidelines and helps for each position of responsibility in the unit JLT Scoutmaster program package. In that package, the only POR that reads as though there is a BSA policy requirement is the JASM ... it seems to have an age floor of 16 years. I can think of a couple of good guidelines for both SPL and ASPLs: Parental commitment to the boy for his term of office. I've seen what happens when a young man says "I want this POR" and his parents say "You can take it, but you have (insert time consuming activity here) we expect
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