KoreaScouter

Laura; Thanks! OGE sent me a fistful of them a couple months ago...slightly different design, but the same message. KS

One of my other ASMs was telling his friends about this over a card game last night, and one of his friends finished the story for him, having experience with the same phenomena. The strange thing for me, is that this is a not unknown risk, and is also one that I have never heard of. I've been a "first responder" for 26 years, and have been to countless traffic accidents, with cars on fire, fuel on fire, cargo on fire, on concrete. I've been warned in training sessions about nearly everything, including not breathing fumes from burning vehicle upholstery, but I've NEVER heard anything about exploding concrete until this happened to us two nights ago. KS

The notion that the media uses the word "rebel" rather than "terrorist" because it takes up fewer column-inches can be easily refuted by two facts. First, if the print media were concerned about column-inches, they wouldn't consistently label, in print, conservative persons and ideas as "conservative" (a very long word). Second, print media stories consist of a lead (first paragraph), a bridge (second paragraph), and a body (all subsequent paragraphs). Beginning print journalists are taught to put their most important information in the beginning paragraphs of the body, because editors under space constraints will lop off the end of the story to make it fit, rather than ask a journalist to substitute shorter words for longer ones. KS

Actually, we got the surrounding area of the concrete cleaned up okay...used some bleach from our dishwashing kit...my ASM who did the fire instruction took care of that; I'm not sure how much manual labor it took for him. Thanks for the info on the concrete. KS

There is divergent opinion on this, and there have been many threads in this forum that have debated the issue. See Mike Walton's discussion, in a link from usscouts.org's web site. The BSA Insignia Guide, on the first page, quotes our Congressional Charter, that stipulates we won't wear uniforms that imitate military uniforms. The "barracks lawyers" will come out of the woodwork, saying that commercial camo isn't imitating a military uniform (of course it is), or if you wear military OD green, it's not camo and should be okay. I'll be the first to admit I wear official pants at troop meetings, District meetings, BORs, COHs, ceremonies, and so on. At campouts, hikes, and other outdoor events, I wear other green pants that are more comfortable, more durable, more useful, and less expensive, so I guess I'm okay with the second argument. Yes, my issue here with Scouts appearing to be combatants is greater than it would be there. However, I would submit that it's also an issue for you, albeit less of one. You don't want Scouts appearing to be hunters, contras, white supremacists, separatists, tax protesters, or any of the disparate paramilitary and fringe groups who also wear camo clothing in some combination, and run around in the wilderness...no matter where you live. The debate over camo is a symptom. The illnesses we need to cure is that the official BSA green pants are not suitable for extreme outdoor activities, and that BSA does not require uniform wear. Until those two are cured, we'll accomplish little discussing it; although the debate is engaging! KS

Do you carry those little bottles of gelled alcohol hand sanitizer with you? A dollop of that stuff makes a great fire starter... KS

Okay, here's the scene. Klondike derby, out in the depths of a wooded military training area. One of my ASMs is going to demonstrate survival fire building techniques he learned in survival school. Throughout the area are these fairly large concrete slabs that used to have buildings on them. Buildings are gone, slabs still there; all of them about 30 years old and 3 feet thick. One about 10 feet from our troop Baker tent. After the instruction, he throws a little fuel wood on it and shows how to dry wet boots with a fire. Then it's on to s'mores and stories. After a couple hours, the Scouts head off to bed, and I'm tidying up the Baker with another ASM, keeping an eye on the embers. Suddenly, an explosion from where the fire is. We both look over to see embers flying five feet in the air, and spreading out over the whole concrete slab. After moving a couple camp chairs further away, we check the spot where the fire was, and there's a crater in the concrete about a foot-and-a-half across and three inches deep at the center. Spalled concrete fragments are laying in a ten-foot radius. My ASM remembers hearing years ago that concrete exposed to heat may do this, because of air pockets that get expanded. I had never heard of it or seen it, and have seen many fires on concrete, usually at vehicle accidents. The sobering thing is that if this had happened an hour earlier, nine people would have gone to the emergency room. We did our morning formation on the slab, and explained to our Scouts what happened. The irony here is that we consciously decided to do this on the slab, so that we wouldn't create an unsightly fire ring on the ground in this wooded area. We could have LNT'd the fire ring, but there's nothing I could do to repair the bomb crater. I'll never build a fire of any size on concrete again. Any of you knew about this tendency with concrete? KS

Just got back from District Klondike, and when I was outfitting my son, I got him something he was a little skittish about at first, but it saved his bacon over the weekend when it got below freezing. I call them neck gaiters, but they're called other things too. Basically, it's a tube of polypropolene that you pull over your head, and it sits around your neck. If you need more head coverage, you pull the top of the thing up around your ears and the top of your head. If you need still more, you can pull part of it up from the bottom and have nothing but your eyes showing. If you need just a stocking cap, you can fold it into one of those, too. Or just a headband. Amazingly versatile, and meets that time-honored requirement of backpackers that one item do at least two different things. I was running a station at Klondike, and I saw several Scouts with these neck gaiters, and as a measure of merit, he wouldn't take it off the whole weekend! Check these things out if you've never seen them. KS

We appear to be on the horns of a dilemma here. I don't think anyone would argue against criminal background checks for Scouters. Now, how to get it done? If BSA had the in-house resources, I would ask why those people aren't busy rewriting the Fieldbook, for pete's sake! All kidding aside, you have two basic options; contract or go to the government. The government charges a fee if you're not a law enforcement agency; that's why there's a market for the contractors. Putting aside the power-politics hyperbole in many of the links posted in this thread (Common Dreams calls itself "progressive"; is this a new euphemism for "liberal"?...see "media bias" thread), how to address the concerns over the contractor BSA seems to have chosen? If paying the FBI and local agencies for file checks is a better option, even if more expensive, how many of us will be willing to pay a registration surcharge in order to cover the cost? Why wouldn't BSA accept employer-ordered background checks, or defense security clearance background checks, as evidence of suitability? KS

Look in your blue pages under State or U.S. Government for a military guard/reserve unit near where you live, any branch of service. Odds are, there's more than one. Since the Gulf War, a substantial portion of our military force structure has been transferring from active to guard/reserve units. Those units began getting called up for extended periods after 9-11, and are getting activated and depoloyed at a greater rate right now. What's different about these units deploying and an active duty unit deploying is that the active duty unit comes from an active duty installation, with the families in close proximity and all the military family support architecture in place. The guard/reserve units don't have the same support infrastructure, and the families are spread out all over the place...maybe across the street from you. I can assure you, the deployed guardsman or reservist's wife and kids are just as nervous, and just as alone, as an active duty member's family. Find these families, and offer to shovel their snow, mow their lawns, run errands, etc. They need it, and they'll certainly appreciate it. Just a suggestion... KS

For what I consider an excellent book on the topic, read "Bias", by Bernard Goldberg, published in 2002. If you recognize Goldberg's name, it's probably because he was a CBS correspondent for 28 years. He fell out of favor with CBS leadership, and Dan Rather in particular, for criticizing, as an insider, network media bias in an editorial in 1996. Immediately ostracized, he stuck it out for several years before leaving CBS in 2001. Of course the WSJ is a conservative newspaper; so what? That's not the issue. The issue is that conservatives will admit the WSJ is conservative, but liberals refuse to admit that the New York Times is a liberal newspaper. By the same token, Rush, Sean Hannity, et. al., openly declare themselves as conservatives. Liberals, however, describe themselves as "middle of the road". When did the curve get so skewed to the right? No media bias? Then, why do network anchors consistently label people and ideas with which they disagree as "right-wing" or "conservative", but they never seem to use "left wing" or "liberal" tags on anyone or anything? That's just one example. Goldberg quotes many others... By and large, the people I know do not hold exclusively conservative or liberal viewpoints on every topic. They are conservative on some issues, liberal on others. I think that explains the success of Fox News Channel; their coverage reflects the diverse views of Americans in general. Sean Hannity AND Alan Colmes on the same show; Bill O'Reilly will take anyone on, regardless of their political stripe. And so on. Anyway, read Goldberg's book, then see if you still think there's no liberal media bias... KS

Just under $50 for a new large, with an alloy frame, kidney pad, straps, and belt? Not a bad deal if that's what you're in the market for. How's their return policy? KS

There's another angle on that, too. On the higher-ticket items such as tanks, helicopters, and airplanes, critics and the media usually express the cost per copy by taking the total program funds over the life of the program, and dividing it by the number of tanks, helicopters, whatever, that are produced. It's expedient, but can be very misleading, especially if the item has a small production run, like a B-2 bomber. The fixed costs of all the production & test facilities, as well as the costs of basing and support, are apportioned over a small number of airframes. This makes each airplane appear more expensive than it actually is (although they're not cheap by any means!). A Ford Escort would cost $50 million if Ford designed it, built factories and test facilities, laid on a parts stock, mailed out employee paychecks, trained mechanics nationwide, advertised, then only built fifty of them. KS

Sorry if I misunderstood; perhaps we should define our terms. You said BDUs; that stands for Battle Dress Uniform, which is the mil-spec military clothing. What I guess you meant was disruptive pattern clothing, which can be made of any material (including quick-drying), have any number of technical features, and is made and sold by a variety of companies. As long as I'm splitting hairs, the BDUs come in two basic fabric weights, although you may find more in catalogs & surplus stores. The "temperate" are the heavy ones, all cotton, reinforced everything, and they wear like iron. The "hot weather" are thinner, have a little nylon in them including ripstop threads running through them, and also have reinforced seats, knees, and elbows. At the first hint of rain, we throw on rain suits or gore-tex unless we want to be wet all day, regardless of which ones we're wearing (maybe Army Rangers don't, but those guys skew the curve anyway). I don't wear any disruptive pattern clothing when Scouting, and neither do our Scouts/Scouters. We have reasons in addition to the very good ones Mike Walton offers... KS

Hops_Scout; It's difficult to give you a definitive yes or no. I don't know you, how big you are, how far you're going, how much you're carrying. Anyway, here goes: The ALICE is an external frame backpack, aligned horizontally. If you're backpacking off prepared trails or bushwhacking, it will get hung up on brush, vines, branches, etc. The standard frame is a light metal alloy, and is not adjustable except for the kidney pad -- the frame is sized for a man. If you're not yet fully grown, it likely won't fit you properly. There are aftermarket frames made of a plastic-type material that are adjustable, but they're expensive. There are two sizes of ALICE packs that will fit the external frames. The medium has just three external pockets, and can be carried with or without the frame. The large has the same three external pockets as the medium, and a row of smaller pockets above the other three. It can only be used with the frame. If you can, check out both. Check the frame carefully; it shouldn't flex or creak, and all the rivets/welds should be tight. Scratches and stuff, especially on the bottom, are normal. Check the pack itself to make sure the snaps all work (many on used ones are dented so bad they won't close), the drawstrings work, the map pocket on top still has its waterproof plastic intact, and that there are no worn-through spots, especially on the back adjacent to the radio pocket on the inside. If the pack and frame are not assembled together, take the time to put them together to make sure all the d-rings and straps are there and they work. Make sure the kidney pad and waist belt are attached to the frame and they all work. Remember, if you're buying from a surplus place, many of those packs have taken a lot of punishment. The ALICE is rugged, will hold a ton of stuff, and can work for you, too. I wouldn't pay more than $50 for a large in very good condition, with a good tight frame. If you have an army post near you, perhaps someone you know could check the military clothing sales store there -- they may have new ones for not much more than a used surplus one. KS

I'm active duty; some military gear is perfectly suitable for Scouting; some isn't. Over-engineered, too heavy 'cuz it's ruggedized, meant and sized for adults not boys, etc., etc. In many cases, the commercial technical gear is lighter and more suitable. Much of the military gear you can get your hands on is surplus, two or three generations behind what you can get at REI... HopsScout; where did you get the idea that BDU pants dry quickly? They are 100% cotton, with extra panels sewn in. I can assure you from extensive, personal, miserable experience, that they do NOT dry quickly! KS

If you can't find one, I can get them made for you. You'll have to get a quantity though, to make it worth your while. Lemme know if you're interested... KS

When I was a Cubmaster, I always went out of my way to make a big deal out of the Webelos to Scout transition, especially the "graduation" farewell. I wanted the younger Cubs to see it and want to be up there themselves next year, or the year after, or the year after. You guys are doing it right! KS

Ed; My best wishes for a full and speedy recovery from the other side of the world. Our Troop would like to send a card to the hospital...can you give a c/o address? KS

Actually, I believe it's the Council, not the district, that approves counselors and maintains the list. MB Counselors are not registered with the unit, but with the council (and they must be registered AND trained). When we recruit counselors, we send the application to council without CO signature. Since counselors are not registered with the unit, how would you be able to assign counselors if you didn't have a council list? KS

I've done JLT, and I've done BSA 101s, too...not at the same time. I'd recommend doing the JLT first, and the BSA 101 on a subsequent weekend. Your newly elected leaders will be forming as a team. I think they need to do that without the distractions of new Scouts on their first campout. If all your PLs, APLs, the SPL, and PL are in JLT, who's minding the store? On the other hand, if you do the JLT as a campout first (great idea, BTW), part of the campout/applied JLT can be planning the BSA 101 for the new Scouts. I'm not saying you couldn't pull it off since I don't know you or your other leaders, but that would be an incredible number of moving parts at a single event. Good luck. KS

BSA doesn't limit winter camping to certain ages/ranks...if you're a registered Boy Scout, you're eligible to go. If your troop imposes further restrictions, that's a self-inflicted wound. Winter Camping is our troop's monthly theme, with Klondike around the corner. The BSA Troop Resources for Winter Camping as a theme, of course, offer mostly-complete Troop Meeting Plans. They include skill instruction for new, experienced, and Venture-age Scouts, all of which tie into a successful winter campout. We're using them, and taking all our Scouts who want to go, from Tenderfoot to Eagle. I've never understood why a leader would take a perfectly suitable plan based on almost a century of experience, laid out in front of you like a buffet, and toss it in the trash and do something inferior. KS

Our Advancement chair prints the TroopMaster permission slips and sends them to the appropriate troop meeting with her son, a Life Scout in our troop and ASPL. They give them to the PLs, who give them to the Scouts or call those who weren't there to get one. If a Scout shows without one, I have extras and mom/dad signs right there...I try to make it a little dramatic, too, so it's a significant event he may not repeat. I try not to make it too complicated or too much of a "minefield" for a Scout. It's real easy to win a game of "stump the dummy" with them, but I don't think it serves any purpose other than to confirm that an adolescent boy can be a knucklehead. I, for one, believe that Scouting is a lot more complicated now than it was when I was a Scout. Call me a softie, but I try to recall what it was like to be a boy, and always remember that when I'm dealing with them. KS

Way cool...just curious: Did you have the Tigers doing the "hump-a-deedle" background part during the song? KS

The current Fieldbook is the 1983 edition...very old. It is supposed to be in revision since much of the nature stuff went out of the handbook a couple editions ago. I use mine a lot, but it does need updating... KS