artjrk

The foam pad should make all difference you need. The space blanket will not.

Sleeping on a cot is the same as a hammock (which I like to do) On the colder evenings it helps to have the foam pad under you just as if you were directly on the ground.

Random thoughts on this matter.

As a SM you will not only working with your older son, you will give a target for your younger son to work toward.

As a SM you can do many things to support the Pack. ie providing Den Chiefs, providing joint programs.

I don't think Beav was trying to belittle you. I read it as he wanted to remind you of the importance of the commitment you made when you accepted the position of SM in the first place. I think we all can use a gentle reminder sometimes. I sure do.

Continue to work with the CM and develop a strong relationship there. He can come in as an ASM and be with his son in the Troop. Maybe the two of you can work together to find another replacement for the CM position. I know others will say that's he CC job, but who better to know what it takes to do the job than one who has done it before. When I was asked to be SM, I was approached by the outgoing SM and the CC. Open teamwork between all the leaders makes it all work better.

No poptarts, unless there is a cooked meal to go with them. (and please share with the SM)

and for the Geezer Patrol (adults), I (SM) want a dessert on Saturday night.

Just last weekend the adult GM forgot the dessert. Luckily he did have a bag of apples so we combined Sugar, Cinnamon and Butter with a cored, sliced apple and baked each in the coals. Baked apples make a great dessert on a cold wet weekend.

I don't know why I am entering this discussion. But anyway. Polanski and his lawyers had worked out a plea agreement (the exact terms have not been disclosed) where he would admit guilt, keep her name out of the courts and he would not serve any time. Before sentencing the judge sent him to for mental evaluation as to whether he was a "sex offender". He spent 42 days in a high security prison but was found NOT to be a habitual sex offender. The judge allowed Polanski to travel to Europe to finish a movie that was in production. While away the judge and the DA were making it appear that Polanski might serve an additional 48 days beyond the 42 already served for evaluation. Polanski believed this was not part of the plea agreement reached, so decided not to return.

I am NOT saying one way or the other who is right. These are issues I have been able to figure out so far.

Over the Summer, PLC indicated the desire to install some type of Patrol competition in the Troop as a way to strengthen the Patrols. I have handed the above check list to aour upcoming SPL give him a basis to develop his own. I'll let you all know what he and the other youth come up with.

I love the idea of the patrol wanting to do this. I have been trying to encourage our patrols to do it for years.

I just have one question. I thought for a patrol to be able to go off without adult supervision, all the scouts needed to be First Class or above. Please correct me if I am wrong. In fact I would like that because next week we are implementing mixed age patrols.

Since you have stated that the Church is going to be the CO for the new Troop as well as the Pack, there may be little you can do about the camping gear and the money. It is quite plausible that the CO sees it as a redistribution of assets. The CO could be viewing it all as expanding its support for the Scouting program. If the money is going to start a new Troop and not necessarily just to the 3 boys.

I'm sorry but this doesn't sound right. The outgoing CM says 1/3 of the Pack's finances is going with 3 boys who are bridging out (2 of which are the CM's kids)(taken from your other post) Traditionally the money raised in fund raisers is for the operation of the Pack. I know the kids worked hard to help raise that money but it was for the Pack not their personal accounts.

I know my kids raised personally raised over $5,000 for their Pack over the years, but did not receive one cent. No complaints here.

OK I'm getting hungry now.

A neighboring troop put together a great DO cookbook and reference guide which is now available online at

http://www.macscouter.com/COOKING/DutchOven.asp

or the PDF version is

www.macscouter.com/COOKING/docs/DOCookbk.pdf

I've know one of the editors for years (same church) and he has now switched over to our troop. (He married into it)

In a different direction, we have had some good luck in trying cooking directly over an open fire (old school Boy scouts) ie biscuit dough in a 1/2 orange peel,

Biscuit dough wrapped around a large stick to create a bowl, toasting over a fire, then filling with soup or stew.

I don't recall a single time that we have requested a pavilion on a campout. There was one time where we were put next to one by the site director so we made use of the tables in it. Weather was not an issue anyway. I will add though that the columns supporting the roof were a perfect distance apart for my hammock for an afternoon nap

Normally we have the traditional rainfly/tarp for each patrol.

On a similar topic are the Troops that use those temporary car ports. That always seems a bit strange to me.

BLASPHEMY!!!!

The only time we allow a parent to sign off their son's MB is if the boy is working on the MB as part of a group.

Exactly!

I like being a "heretic"

I have been told in training and read in books that a standard briquette is 25 and instant light 15. therefore to get 350 you needed 14 biquettes. Now I just saw a new chart stating to use 14 briquettes on top plus 10 below. Well even though I was pretty good at Math, non of this ever worked as described. Just give me a good fire with coals I'm happy. I have thrown a bag a briquettes into the fire to get more coals though.

When a Troop doesn't meet during winter or Spring break, do you subtract that time from a boy's term of service? No, of course not. Don't penalize the Scout for the actions of others. He was there if the den needed him.

When at work and you find yourself lacking any immediate work to do so you browse this forum. Do you tell your boss to deduct that time from your pay?

"To prevent unauthorized use. "

Considering they post a style guide for proper use and The BSA image is free use for all Scout organizations as long as they follow the Style guide, again I ask, why can't they post the actual images in a usable format?

Adoble Illustrator (EPS) file has been sent. The challenge was set, but it didn't beat me. Gotta love it.

Actually I have to do this all the time for work so I knew where to look.

Got it!

I pulled it from the logo use guide PDF in the marketing section of the national site. PM with an email address and I can send it to you.

Why they don't post the actual image files? I don't know.

Just to let you know. You request hasn't fallen on deaf ears. I am still looking. I can't even find a good high rez version to create a EPS version for you.

Our District OA conducts a district wide Crossover Ceremony the first week of March. The ceremony teams were getting pulled too thin trying to perform at each individual Pack. This works fine for the Troop we are in now because it does allow the new scouts to participate in our fundraiser (mulch sales and delivery) and get a few camping trips in before Summer Camp. Before this Crossover in mass most of the packs that I knew would have the boys Crossover during their Blue and Gold Banquet in February.

As a youth, we called the SM by his first name, Clarence, until he retired from work and scouts. The new SM was Mr. something, I don't even remember now because I quit scouting at the time he came in.

Now my Scouts call me Mr Killian and I call them all Mr. ________.(This message has been edited by artjrk)

At one time our troop required (or strongly suggested) that to be SPL, the scout needed to complete Impessa (sp?) However in the last four years, we've only had one scout even go. I do wish we could go back to this because I have noticed a drop in the abilities and maturity level of the SPL's (including my son)

This is a point I just came across the other day as I was looking at my son's book. (I am the SM btw) The requirement for Scout Spirit just says "demonstrate" but not to whom. Why does the SM "Have" to be the one to sign this off. Usually the only way we know whether a scout has done this is by asking him during a SM conference. Wouldn't a fellow scout who sees the boy evryday in school, church, the neighborhood actually be better off in knowing how a Scout lives in his everyday life.

A related analogy: I was at a EBOR yesterday. The guy asked to do the invocation and benediction was the Scout's Young Life advisor in High School. During the benediction, he related how he was not that familiar with all the aspects of Boy Scouts but did know that Eagle was important. After hearing all the typical things one hears about the new Eagle Scout. he said "I get it now" He knew the Scout but now he knows why the Scout was who he was. He lived the Oath and Law in his everyday life and it showed.

One part of the article impressed me. Shenandoah Nat'l Park giving seminars and training to new campers on the various skills needed for being in the outdoors. We as Scouts and Scouters (hopefully) know all this but for many this is all new to them. Also the the preset sites are good to introduce the novice without all the upfront costs. Just like the first time one goes skiing, he doesn't buy all the gear, he rents it. If he likes the sport enough, then he buys his own.

It seems I am from the the same council as the OP. We have many from our Troop take WFA from an orginization called, Center for Wilderness Safety (www.WildSafe.com) I was reading their FaceBook page when I saw the following posting:

"The BSA will be REQUIRING all Scouts wishing to attain the rank of STAR, to become Wilderness First Aid certified, as of March 10, 2010. The requirement will be the completion of a 16 hour WFA course, and the NCAC will not be offering that; just their 3-4 WFA courses which are 25 hours in length.

"Our Question to YOU:

Our WFA course is 25+ hours long, but is an average of $115. Would you want your Scouts to take this course, even though the expense - due to its intense and thorough nature, or would you rather they get a shorter, less intense and meaty course for less?

"Give us your thoughts so that we can best serve you!"

Remembering this thread I asked for more info, where he received his info and the issue of the new books not including this. His reply:

"We were told about it at the Powhatan District Round-Table back in June. The announcement came from the NCAC Council Health & Safety chairman, Craig Johnson. He told everybody that it was passed down to him directly from the National Council at a recent health and safety meeting.

"I would tend to believe him, but we have not been able to verify this information from National; however we have heard of this from other Councils who have asked us to help them out with their WFA needs (they are smaller Councils)."

I am going to follow up with Mr Johnson to see if there is any more to this.