kraut-60

I bought a LED flashlight from Gander MT. last year to use at Philmont. I cant tell you the manufacturer or the name its sold under(cause I dont have it here in front of me), but it doesnt need batteries as it uses the wind-up gizmo-deally. I believe it has a capacitor inside to store the electrical energy generated by winding the thing up. I am well pleased with the performance this light has, minimal winding was required to get and maintain adequate light. The button on-off switch also gives the user a choice of a single LED being lit, or all 3 LEDs. The crank handle detaches and can be

If you are considering a new tent, I would suggest the Isis2 from Eureka. It weighs in at under 3lbs and is very weather tight due to its well designed rainfly with vestibule. I got mine late this spring and the first time out it rained...well, deluge would also describe the weather that weekend. Stayed nice and dry inside, and the tent body has lots of mesh at the top,back and sides for positive ventilation. The vestibule portion of the rainfly will effectively keep your shoes/boots dry, but not enough room for a regular backpack ( I normally bungee my pack to a suitable tree and put the

hot-foot-eagle, I applaud your wanting to recreate the uniforms of old to honor our 100th anniversary. Would you consider a color guard using examples of uniforms throughout the BSA's history? Using Mitch Reis' book on Boy Scout uniforming would be THE authoritative way to go and its one very interesting book to boot! There are still many sevicable older uniforms availible in sizes that go from small to large, even if you used the older khaki-green or olive green uniforms from the 1930's on through 1980, you could re-create several variations by utilising shorts, breeches (only used throu

Stosh, Yes the neckerchief should NOT be an optional item...but it needs to be made from better material than cotton and be square and bigger than the present official ones. The material that I favor would be the under-armour type fabric..that stuff flat performs!

Neither Packs nor Troops can "require" or "not require" parts of the Scout uniform. The shirt,pants or shorts, socks,belt neckerchief/slide and hat are all PARTS of the uniform. The shirt is not the uniform alone. Watering down the uniform doesnt help..wear it right or dont wear it at all. The kids will wear it IF you provide the example by having uniformed leaders who wear ALL of it.

Well Beavah, I too agree with what you posted. I feel the Scouters and Scouts who earned the ire of land managers and the bad ink in Backpacker are the reason they see ALL of us in the same perspective...the shame of it is, that the few affect the many,...the few who are "kinda" Scouters and Scouts...the close enough bunch...The "Trained patches..we dont need NO Trained patches!" kind of Scouters/Scouts. I hope that Scouting can be made availible to ALL kids,regardless of what color or shade they were "issued" in. I really wish we could show the parents and kids from the inner city and mi

I stopped on the way home from 2nd shift for a car steaming merrily away on US12w. The two guys in it thanked me for stopping and said they had help coming while holding up a cell phone..they also said I was the only person who stopped, so far. Once I stopped for a car pulled over with the occupants sitting in it...I figured something was up, maybe lost or out of gas...Turns out it was a couple of young guys sharing what I would call a "left handed cigarette", I was offered some , which of course I declined. After I drove off, I met an oncoming sheriffs deputy on patrol..I wonder if the

Beavah, your last post alludes to those fellow Americans who roll their eyes and look the other way when spotting a Scout or Scouter in uniform I take it? Are we now to "Do Our Best" to try and win over any and all who have a preconceived notion or idea that paints Scouting in a negative way for whatever the reason? I can hope to influence such people by ensuring my actions and behavior exemplify the Scout Oath and Law while in uniform and ESPECIALLY when not in uniform...perhaps some folk may change their tune regarding our movement...but I wont let my expectations outrun reality. T

Pack378, I sympathize with you on what our country seems to be embracing rather than rejecting...yes, it is NOT just minorities that have a problem with out of wedlock births and single mothers, some with children by several differant male fluid donors.(I REFUSE to call such people fathers!). As far as being a uniformed Scouter, I have worn my uniform complete and correctly while traveling on trains as well as planes and while doing so received nothing but positive response from the people I met. One lady asked me if I was going to a Scout function, I told her that my son,daughter and mys

Nessmuk, I hope you didnt perceive my post as anti-military. I am USN Ret. with 20 years service,..to me wearing a uniform is a PRIVILEDGE. I will agree that some here in these forums seem to be less than enthusisastic supporters of our nations armed forces. I think what many of those dont truly appreciate is the sense of belonging and the esprit de corp that a uniformed movement like the Boy Scouts can look back on as an important part of the heritage of Scouting. Nothing seems to me to be more of a touchy subject than uniforming when it comes to discussions in this forum....why I d

No,mtm25653...you arent the only one that has noticed what you described....just be sure not to be lamely justifying or militarising scout uniforms...after all helping Scouts engender a sense of personal pride in themselves might have adverse reactions from the wise old sages "dat" post 'ere eh!

Boy,...was it ever long reading through this whole thread! Did all you guys make nice with each other over the differences in opinions regarding pranks? Dont know if this is a prank,.. but it has become a tradition in our troop at summer camp on Wed. morning troop assembly in our camp site after breakfast(we patrol cook, no dining hall). After the SM has his say, I, the ASM announce " Ok guys! I've got some good news and some bad news" The older scouts know whats about to be said, so they stay quiet. One of the new or 1st year Scouts will ask "Whats the good news Mr. K?" To which I r

I have to agree with the body of the article and I can draw the conclusion that we MAY well end up worse as a nation for the end result of the helicopter parenting model,...but the question I beg to have answered is how did we end up with a nation full of parents who are so visibly committed to over protecting their off-spring? Is this what we get from 24/7 CNN and FOX news along with the drivel from the so-called news services of the major networks? We have promoted the boogey man from something kids would scare each other with to a near hysterical obsession thanks to todays news media..

I believe the over saturation by the News media/business of cases involving child abduction and abuse have fuelled the hysteria and phobias many parents have succumbed to in wanting to protect and care for their children. Kids arent allowed to be kids as I was a kid back in the 60's. No more Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night in many communities..now there is daylight on the sunday afternoon closest to Halloween here where I live. The ever increasing lines of mini-vans and small SUVs with a single parent in each outside the schools to pick-up a single student. The parents who wont allow

I feel the neckerchief should be functional first! It needs to be at least 32" and square, not triangular. And as long as we're at it,..lets have them availible in fabrics that are capable of performance under varying weather and temeratures. I like the suggestion of using wool and silk, I fell both would perform well in the field. I would also suggest using the same material that comprises my new favorite piece of gear, the Buff...yes, the same thing-a-ma-bob that the ladies on "Survivor" used as an expedient top. The material these are made from flatout performs! It wicks off sweat with

My son is a CIT at present at Camp Indian Trails, Glaciers Edge council, outside of Janesville WI. He was home yesterday for the first time since starting his duties as a CIT last sunday, 6-24-07. He told me that he rotated between 2 program areas each day, and was instructed by counselors in each area and has to carry out tasks assigned by them to familiarize himself with the material being presented as well as any work such as clean up or breaking out supplies. He is quartered in a 4 man cabin that he has to himself as he is the sole CIT at present. the cabin has 4 bunks and some shelvi

I am posting in support of F-Scouter here, those who refer to properly uniformed scouters as the "UP" should be ashamed of their conduct and their attitude. The uniform METHOD works...if you work it! The troop I serve in had a Court of Honor this past monday. Our SPL had a uniform inspection scheduled as part of the opening. Our new scout patrol (8 boys) had 4 scouts in full uniform and the other four in shirts and neckers. The boys who werent in full uniform were talking among themselves after the CoH and comments were heard such as "I'm getting those switchbacks, man are they cool

SR540Beaver; I had planned on getting the Shelby for my planned and fast approaching mid-life crisis...however a second Shelby GT as an Eagle Scout gift would seem appropriate. Do you think he would prefer it to be in 1/18th or 1/25th scale? Of course a display case would be included. I do appreciate your kind remarks regarding "Dad of the year". Thanks again!

My son will be a CIT for 2 sessions this month and up to the 3rd of July at Camp Indian Trails, Glaciers Edge council. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that youth staff can purchase uniforms at a discount during the summer they are so employed in our council. The program director indicated that my son should wear the uniform (complete) from the troop he presently is a member of, not a venturing uniform as we have seen used by camp staff at other camps we have attended out-of-council. I am glad we have had my sons' uniforms complete since he joined Boy Scouts, since having to pu

My daughters GSUSA toop leaders decided last fall that they (husband & wife) had had enough and would not return as leaders. No other parents came forward at that time to take over. I went and called around to other junior troops in our community to get my daughter back in scouting....All told me they were "full" and couldnt take any more girls in for members. I was stunned..I've never heard of a full scout unit. Myself and a lady whos a troop committee member as well as a GSUSA leader decided to re-start the troop my daughter had been in. The other girls who had their scouting c

There is Scout in my troop who has always money issues and claims his folks dont have the money to pay for annual dues or summer camp,..so for the last 2 years we covered him from the troops general fund. Recently, our troop committee finance chair was at an event that this scout and his dad also attended. The committee finance chair was in the line for raffle tickets and the scout in question was in line just ahead of him...with $150 to buy raffle tickets. The scout recognized the MC and knowing he owes the troop, told the MC " I guess I should pay you for my troop dues...but I'm gonna g

At Ponil we came off the trail Among us, were none who'd fail At the station in Raton The homebound crew got on The last part of our trek by rail

I am also in favor of going back to colored background position insignia,..however I would prefer the insignia that featured no written titles on it. These insignia featured the "old" universal BSA emblem,.. what we now see as the First Class rank emblem. I would of course also embrace returning to the older wreathed insignia for commissioners,coucil presidents and vice-presidents and ditrict executives/coucil-scout executives. These older emblems had combinations of colors that defined ones given position in Scouting. They made one have to study the insignia guide to know who was wh

I have a 15 year old son/Scout who enjoys gaming very much. He will play them when he can,..meaning when homework and chores are taken care of. This has not been easy to do as he is rather like most boys his age..meaning he would game as much as possible if left unchecked. Addicted? Possibly, but managing his gaming time in balance with other activities has paid off in better grades at school. I'm sure you are asking how can managing time spent gaming result in better grades? Well, about 3 years ago, I instituted what I call "Game Point Average" in my home for my son and daughter. Its ver

The crew leader of the crew I was an adviser for at Philmont last year, would not eat vegetables. He would not eat them whole,cooked as an ingredeint in a dish...no veggies period. His name is Spencer and he told the crew and advisers that vegetables "are not Spencer friendly". Well, Spencer traded for food he would eat and led the charge to rummage through the swap boxes when we hit the staffed camps on the trail. He never was hungry, or so he claimed. I was concerned he wasnt getting a balanced diet, but I remembered that as a teen-ager, I ate a diet that was heavy on starch and sodium