LongHaul

First let me reply to eolesen's post. Owasippe is right about 200 miles from Chicago it's about a 3.5 hr drive. Our neighbor to the north, NorthEast Illinois Council has it's Summer camp in Pearson Wisconsin about 285 miles away at 5 hours drive and they are expanding. A foot note is that the current SE from CAC was SE in NEIC and did try to sell their camp but was stopped by the executive board. As for the elections.... After the slate was turned down National sent a representative to "speak" with the voting members. The voting members were told in no uncertain terms that; Our SE would remain

(This message has been edited by LongHaul)

The waters are rising and running bright green with the monies being spent by both sides in the battle. Currently this case is in its second week before a judge in the 14th Circuit Court in Muskegon Michigan. The Chicago Area Council attorneys, along with the Scout executive and Council President have been trying to convince the court that the development and creation of 1278 residential sites and the influx of a projected 3604 residents on the 4765acres now comprising the Owasippe Scout Reservation would not negatively impact the community. It is the Councils position that the 4765 acres i

Personally I've always thought there should be a sewing merit badge. Not just patches and buttons either. LongHaul

Just a question here and not a criticism. If a boy has one of the outdoor group Cooking, Camping , Hiking, Backpacking should the counselor for all the others just accept that requirement 1 has been partially if not completely satisfied? I've never seen in print that work for one badge cannot be used for completing another, except where it is specifically noted in the requirements book and then it usually references another badge. Got another wrinkle as long as we are being specific, as a Swimming merit badge counselor I am not designated as a person allowed to sign off rank requirements for m

Sorry folks, don;t know why "it" did that but trying to edit just made it worse. LH

The old style mess kit employed a cover held on by the handle for the "skillet/plate" This can be used to cook the corn bread in just support it using empty soda cans and place 4 or five coals under it flip the kit half way thru baking. Box ovens work best is you can't get enough dutch ovens which are designed for the purpose. Reflector methods almost demand a wood fire as the ash on charcoal limits the radiant effects of the coals. In a real pinch we have used the large pot and frying pan cover from a standard trail kit as a dutch oven. Use an old one as it stains the pot and lid. Make two lo

The general rule of thumb is that Merit Badge work can be used to fulfill rank requirements but can not be used to fulfill other merit badge requirements. Example is hikes used to fulfill hiking merit badge can be used to fulfill 2nd and 1st class rank requirements but not requirements for backpacking or camping. That being said I have to ask how this "duel credit" is being established. Is the scout asking to be signed off for First Class cooking requirements because he has Cooking merit badge or is he asking his meritbadge counselor for credit on Cooking merit badge because he is First Class?

I came up against this from a different angle. As an MBC is would like for the boy to talk with me before he begins his work, particularly with regard to Personal Management. When I was presented with work done prior to our first meeting, said work was in my opinion unacceptable. After appeals and problems with District and Council the response we got from National was the the information on pages 22 & 23 of the Requirements book are procedures NOT requirements. Said requirements are found listed under each Merit Badge Heading. The boy is REQUIRED to complete the REQUIREMENTS as listed, no

My solicitation of Beavah's advice is because he apparently is in some profession which causes him to deal with these type of issues professionally. The things that are posted to council web sites or distributed by councils may well be what they want you to do but no necessarily what the law says you should or must do. When it comes to Risk Management Councils protect National and themselves first. If talking to your SE could open you up to a civil suit for deformation I think the people I am training have a right to know that and I as a trainer have an obligation to tell them that. If I go a

Beavah, Strictly a request for information here. In the current YP Video there is a scenario in which a boy reveals he was abused by a fellow scout while on a campout. Is it your position that the leader to whom this revelation is made should call the SE and SE alone? If one gets the secretary we wait for a call back, if we get voice mail we wait for a call back? We don't talk with the abused boy's parents? We don't alert the authorities in our local area ( where we would expect the predator to be). We don't alert the authorities in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime was committed? Secon

>>When the boy applies for Eagle National gets involved and the Council Advancement Chair/District Advancement Chair can "question" MBC's from out of Council (usually only eagle required). Nah, dat just doesn't happen, eh?<<< Beavah, Sometimes it seems your seated on a swinging pendulum. You switch between what is, what you think should be, and what is supposed to be and state each as hard fact. The truth is that it does happen. Should it happen? NO, will National overturn the decision IF the boy appeals and takes it that far? Yes, but it still happens. One of our CACs actually

As for going outside your council for merit badges you have two things to remember; 1. BSA Advancement is a National program. A registered MBC is a registered MBC for the purposes of advancement for the entire organization. A merit badge earned in Maine is good in Oregon. 2. This only becomes a real issue when a boy applies for Eagle. Until then the local troop deals with the question and it revolves around did the boy get approval from his Sm before he started the badge? Johnnie scout comes home from summer vacation with a blue card signed by someone the SM does not know claiming Johnnie has

Lisabob, First let me say I have no problem with what Michigan and Florida have done. Let me also say that I dont see why Iowa and New Hampshire should have such an influence on who the major parties support for the presidency. The idea that the DMP &RNP dont care about your vote is what confuses me. If my state isnt allowed to go first then my vote doesnt count? I always thought the primaries were intended to give the DNP & RNP an idea of who they should run for office not for the purpose of revenues. You say the feeling is that the system is broken why? Because it does not

Beavah, If National wants to distance itself from training why the push from National on the local Councils for trained leaders? So much time is spent at the Council Training meetings talking about diluting courses to increase attendance that some trainers, myself included, are getting getting ready to throw in the towel. kb6jra, Certification is only as good as the person issuing the certification. When the new millenium training was introduced my district put together a team to study it and prepare to present it to the volunteers. One thing we decided up front was to teach th

I still say you need to protect yourself and the unit and put this thru channels. I would talk with the COR and try and have this woman banned from contact with your unit. Let her find another unit to bless with her time. LongHaul

Gern, I agree, I came into this thread late and as I was reading over page one I was composing my reply along "Give the Boy a chance" "Don''t ask and tell him not to tell" but when I got to the middle of page two >>Whatever a Boy Scout reveals to a Scouter, however - is probably not deniable. Though there are some issues with this Scouter''''s motivations and intentions, her information does appear to have some validity. In addition, this female Scouter is a "MySpace friend" to the Scout as well. The Scouter claims the Scout told her about "experimentation" that was happening at a c

Lisabob, You have told us how you feel about the DNP and it''s response to Michigan''s decision to disregard Bi-partisan mandates for scheduling state primaries. You''ve told us how you feel about the Democratic candidates'' response to Michigan''s decision to disregard Bi-partisan mandates for scheduling state primaries. How do you feel about your states decision to move it''s primary out of pure greed? I''ll have to say that Michigan''s Gov. Jennifer Granholm didn''t try to say it was to get better choices or improve the election process, she admitted it was to try and get more campaigning d

THANK YOU LISABOB Why is anyone still talking about this boys sexual orientation? I totally agree with Beavah''s advice and hope some adult will have a long sit down wit this boy BUT the alegation of sexual activity and "experimentation" ON A CAMPOUT puts this in a totally different court. Is it CO policy to ignor sexual activity on campouts? Is it troop policy to ignor sexual activity on campouts? Is it CO/Troop policy to say "As long as I don''t actually see it it''s OK my us?" Just what does it take for adults in this unit to stop and ask "What actually happened on this campout?" LongHau

>>Once I see those names, maybe I can provide you with some who haven''''t received "oil" money.

I only posted the location, I had nothing to do with the reproduction. Woods Wisdom is out of print but I doubt it makes a difference. I agree over 600 single page entries is tough to read but when you are looking to reproduce or pass on a specific item it works great. LongHaul

For any of you that would rather do things on-line the old woods wisdom has been scanned and put on-line. http://www.moorecountyboyscouts.org/woodofwisedom/index.html great resource! Much of this is still available in hard copy in the Troop Program Features 1,2&3 LongHaul

Lets get something straight here. "The Government" refereed to in this article is the government of Great Britain. The credentials of the "Governments expert" are not given and the background of the case are not given. Let's all think back to the Reagan days when Secretary of the Interior James Watt and his experts justified lumbering the National Forest because trees produce oxygen which is a poisonous gas. Just because the "Governments expert" could not substantiate the claims made buy the documentary does not meanthose claimswere false. For the record I think Gore went overboard and, to p

Why all this adult mentoring? Where was the example this scout had from the last person in that office? Why are we so adamant that the SPL has the competence to appoint a troop Scribe but not the competence to admit he picked the wrong person and correct his mistake? Do the adults do all the appointments? Boy Run means you work with the team the SM picks? hotdesk has an SPL that proposes giving a scout a detailed description of a position and asking that scout if he is willing to fill that position. If the scout accepts he then has the option to renegotiate the terms and duties with the SM in

OGE, Sorry I was indeed misreading, actually I got it mixed up with the link I posted which is requireing all leaders to be trained under the new format. Does you Council recognize training taken before 2001 when it computes who has basic training for their position? In my council they decided to only target new leaders. When I took over as SM in 1993 I was considered trained because I had taken Scoutmaster training in 1971!!! LongHaul