matuawarrior

After months of debate and discussion, My Chartered Organization is starting a Sea Scout Ship. This is the first Ship on island since the 60's. We have a committee and an experienced Skipper ready to go. We have 5 Sea Scouts ready to hit the water sailing or Scuba diving. I signed on as the Chartered Organization Representative. It looks like they'll have a lot of fun. At first, we were supposed to transition our Venturing Crew into the Sea Scout Ship but decided to just start the Ship as a separate unit. Some Venturers expressed that they didn't want to be part of the Ship. We're working on getting access to a 40' tricat, a 30' barge, and some SCUBA gear. We'll see how this works out. Matua

One of my 19-year old Venturers/Assistant Scoutmaster is being nominated for a Heroism Award by our Unit Committee Chairman for saving the lives of two new Scouts from a near drowning in 8 feet of water and pulling them to safety during a Troop Campout in September 2003. My district is ready for this year. We did really well in FOS and Membership last year. Matua

Ozemu, How was your presentation last month with the Honor Camper Society your trying to form down under at your jamboree? I hoped you received my PM to your email address. I wasn't sure if you got it in time. Once were done with our final paperwork, I'll send it to you via attachment. Let us know how it works out. Matua

It's hard to believe that I've been with the Scouter Forums for a year now as a registered member. Although, I was lurking for a couple of years before I finally registered. In that time frame, I've read many posts from many posters here, as we all have. Some I've agreed with and others I don't. There are times when I felt the threads have gone off on a weird tangent but I try to follow along as best I could to the originals posters question or idea. I've learned that many of us who claim to be Scouters do Love what we do and are very passionate with the program by what we submit in our postings. We do interpret the Scout Oath and Law differently. Is that a good thing? I believe so. It makes me understand each one of you out there a lot more. It also makes me understand why you post the way you do. It also helps me understand the way I feel about me, my values, and my part in the Scouting Movement. Each of us have different experiences that we can bring to the table. Some of us see things in black and white and that's how we live our lives. Others see things in grays. We want to believe that we are always right. That's not always the case. I have more respect for those who stand by their ideals than those who tend to waver alot and not make a stand but it doesn't mean that I have to agree with or like them. When thier beliefs conflict with mine. In the end as Eamonn has posted, it all boils down to having Fun in the Program for our Youths. But, Our idea of Fun is also up for interpretation. Matua

I agree with Bob and EagleInKY's ideas on separate ceremonies. We started to do the same last year. Sometimes life lessons have to be learned at an Early age and each decision has its consequences. I do not believe in social promotion or letting anyone take part because their feelings will be hurt. Tommy Tenderfoot flunked the 8th grade but were promoting him to the 9th grade because we don't want to hurt his feelings. What's next having Eagle Scout Ceremonies for Life Scouts who don't earn the Eagle Scout Award. We should. Because, we don't want to hurt HIS feelings. Stop suckling these Scouts and start teaching them about LIFE. Listen to your Youth Leaders and you'll be surprised. Do you think it'll be fair for them that one of their own gets to bridge and not join a troop but they have too? Ask them how they feel. By allowing them, who don't want to join a troop, take part, you CHEAPEN the Ceremony for those Webelos Scouts and their family's on making a decision to join a Scout Troop. You CHEAT the Scout Troop from receiving a potential member into their fold. Most of all you CHEAT that young Webelos Scout into believing that it's alright to recieve and take part and not put out. You send them and their families the wrong message. The Separate Ceremonies on different nights will help solve that situation. That way a Webelos receiving his AOL and not wanting to Bridge will have his last night as a Webelos Scout at the AOL ceremony while the other Webelos Scouts move on to their last ceremony. Matua

KS, Yep, it doesn't make sense. We are closer to FEC than Aloha. But the powers that be have decided that Chamorro will remain under Aloha because we are an Unincorporated Territory of the USA. I believe it has to do with our District's Endowment but that's just me. Last year we did well in FOS than any of the other Districts. We increased in membership. We operate under different rules. We have sister units in Korea, the Kanagawa District, SAJ (Scout Association Japan) in Japan, and Taiwan. These Scout Associations travel here annually for camp or Leadership Training. In fact, we have a SAJ contingent coming here for 3 days in March and Aloha is not Involved. We have sent reps to attend the Nippon Jamboree last August. AS for Leadership Training, We are now focusing toward FEC for Woodbadge because it is alot closer and only an hour time difference, plus the tickets are cheaper Round Trip. Actually, we save $1,500 if we just go to FEC. Many of my scouters are taking Youth Protection training at the Maui Council Website because Aloha does not offer online training. (Yes, Hawaii has two Councils) It is not easy keeping the District and Unit Scouters Cool and Calm out here. Many are anti-Council and a Majority would still want to break away and form a Council of our Own, as it was in the 50's to 70's. But it boils down to $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. The latest fiasco is council losing 4 unit recharters and one of them is my Charter Organization's Scout Troop. These are units that turned in their recharters early and now we have to send back copies which just added fuel to the fire. BUT, I'm still mending fences, patching up rifts, and dowsing fires. Council just doesn't make it any easier for this Scouting Outpost. Matua

Dana, What we are doing is taking elements of OA and MOS and adapting it to our local area. We have kept the election procedure from OA but went back to the old OA quota. We have doubled the requirements from OA to make it, not harder, but challenging for all eligible Venturers. Some of the requirements are: Instead of First Class, the Venturers added must have earned the Ranger Award, Serve two-years as a registered active Venturer, Serve in a crew or district leadership position for one year, have 30-days of camping or high adventure trek, Serve on campstaff within the two years prior to eligibility, must be ARC or American Heart Certified in CPR and remain current, and receive Crew Advisors approval. Now the young ladies that are working on this have added "No OA carry overs" meaning that the young scouts can not use their Previous eligibility requirements to OA to be carried over to our HCS. EVERYONE starts on a new slate. We are closely mirroring the MOS structure to our three Honor Levels which is similar to the ancient Chamorro Class system. We are currently working on different trails to each ranking within the three Honor Levels. Adults may take a different trail than a Venturer and still rank among his/her peers. Transition to the next Honor Level is by ranking, tenure, and non-member vote. We have localized it to the island's ancient Chamorro Culture. We have researched the ancient weapons: sling stone, spears, shields, and darts; clothing and money: grass skirts/loin cloths, turtle shells (of course we will have to use imitation shells). One of the main duties of our HCS is to help the camp program during camporees and summer camp, similar to MOS. The other duties is to train leaders and camping skills to Venturers, Scouts, and Scouters. But the Main emphasis is to promote the 5 areas of the Venturing program and Outdoor activity among Venture Crews and Scout Troops, similar to OA. Matua

dana_renner, What's up with the double posting in all your postings? You maybe double clicking the "Submit Your Message" bar. You only to click once. Matua

Snoring . . . Are You sure? Maybe that's what they want you to think. Their probably in the woodline, hidden in the shadows, seeing if the Venturers are staying in their tents like their supposed too. OR Thier Speaking in Tongues due to the stress from dealing with Venturers all day and are seeking Spiritual Advise for Wisdom and Patience and to keep the pace slow for tomorrow's hike. OR Their watching movies on a portable TV/DVD player. The snoring noise just masks the sound from the TV. OR Thier using an ancient Scout language to communicate with each other, discussing if they should have peach cobbler or apple pie for tomorrow evening's dessert. One day you too will be doing one of the above. Only time will tell. Having Fun, Matua

I would suggest to look over the Committee and make subcommittees of the different areas: outdoor, membership, training, secretary, FOS, advancement, etc. This would help lighten the load from one individual to a small group. This would have the restless adults work in teams to deliver the program from the committee side. I would also see if it is feasible for the adults to meet in another section of the meeting place, a separate room. Make a monthly rotation list of the adults for the Board of Review. I would assign the SA's in the following areas: one for the FCFY program; one in each patrol as a Patrol Advisor; one or two as liasons between the neighboring pack's Webelos Dens; one as advisor to the Venturing Patrol; and one as a liason to a neighboring Venturing Crew. What ever area needs help. You could just plug in an adult leader to either help advise or to train. Matua

On a co-ed camping trip, it would depend on the layout of the campsite. We usually have the boys in their own campsite and the girls doing the same. If it comes down to one campsite, then both groups are on opposite sides of the campsite. The same thing if we're on the trail, boys are up the trail while the ladies are down the trail or vice versa. The one thing you should not forget on a co-ed trip is the 21+ yearold female adult leader. Very important, the young ladies cannot go if there is no female leader present. We normally have anywhere from 2 to 5 leaders on a trip. AS for setting up camp we use a trangular setup system. Tents on one corner, cooking area on another, and campfire on the third corner and downwind. This depends on the size of the area and other environmental restrictions. Matua

I earned my Life Scout rank before I went to the World Jamboree in Alberta, Canada. When I returned the troop I spent 4 years with folded. No parent wanted to be Scoutmaster even mine. So I transfered to an on-base troop. That worked out fine until my sponsor left island. So I was on my own trying to make it on base, anyway I could. I served on summercamp staff and was a member of the OA when they still did "Tap Outs" back then. I was appointed JASM with the new troop. THEN I got involved with sports in high school, cars, and girls. I spent alot of time in JROTC, which was alright. The 2nd semester of my Senior year, I went back, a little to late, to work on my Eagle Scout packet after I read an Army ROTC Scholarship Application asking if I earned my Eagle Scout Award. I ran out of time especially with the Personal Management MB. I didn't have the required time to finish. I had finished my Eagle Project but didn't have two Eagle required MB's to go before the board: Personal Management and Citizenship in the World. So I'm a Life for life. Matua

NO.

Great Story. It took awhile but the boys took the lead. Great turn around. Thanks for Sharing. Matua

We have designed our own Honor Camper Society for Venturing in our District. If your looking for National to do something, It maybe awhile.

We do what the Crew wants to do. We are an High Adventure Crew so we do backpacking trips, sailing, snorkeling, rappelling, climbing, mountain biking, and other fun events. The crew helps the Troop and Pack in Training: First Aid, Outdoor Skills, and Leadership Skills. In another thread, the poster suggest that Air Scouting returns as a program for Venturing. It's up to the Crew.

Powerful Images. Matua

The longest I've had a Scout travel to meetings was 20 miles. That was in 1998. The Average now is 8 miles. The reason was our program was Fun and we actually did things. Unfortunately, Economics forced the Scout to drop out due to the distance. Matua(This message has been edited by matuawarrior)

Woodbadge is worth it. Some people may need a little more help than others. They're probably still on that first leadership style where the leader has to work with them closely. Others may not comprehend the whole vision and mission presentation. But that's alright, the Troop Guide just needs to work with them a lot more closely than those who "Get It". I still use the tickets in Business and other areas of my life. It makes it alot easier to organize and it reminds me daily of what I need to do. And if it doesn't work, I can always adjust it as they taught in WB. It's just another technique of goal setting. BW posted that a vast majority of scouters will never embrace a personal vision or mission. IMO, I believe it to be true since many people will not have access to working circles where vision or mission is ever discussed. Some know it only as a statement that's printed and posted on the Work Place Bulletin. WoodBadge is no different. The diversity of the course will bring people who have more than enough knowledge than the presenter presenting the course and others who have no knowledge of the subject matter and let it go over their heads. Then you have those in the middle who just go with or against the flow. Even in this thread, there are posters who admit they had problems with the tickets and those who did not. Most have said that they had a great time, made more friends, and stated the course was worth it. Matua

Glad to hear that Dave has a new area to stomp around. I'm pretty sure that after the transition is over and he and Mrs Steele are settled that He'll be back. Once in a while we all tend to lurk around as before. Matua

I didn't have any problems with my tickets. I understood the Vision and Mission presentation. I know some of my patrol members had minor problems but it was worked out before the last day of WB. But then we had a Q&A period after each presentation. It seems that some of the participants in your situation really didn't understand the Mission/Vision Presentation and probably took that as the way to their tickets and confused it with the Goals. There probably should have been more clarification between them and their Guides and Instructors. I know in the course I went through. It was announced by the Course Director, SPL, Instructors, and Troop Guides that we had to have 1 ticket per session or presentation, that would help us in our Vision/Mission for the position that we are registered in, throughout the week. Fortunately, I had tickets for both unit and District levels. My understanding was that the tickets were goals that helped us get to our Mission and Vision. I have to look back at my copy of the syllabus. Matua

Hello Terry, I think there is a bug in the system. I'm currently logged on but I have yet to activate the "Ignore User feature". There are times when certain posters would or not appear on previous threads in the archives or current threads. Example: on one thread FOG's post are no where to be seen. Then on another BW's post are missing. And I haven't even turned it on. Maybe there cancelling each other out. Matua(This message has been edited by matuawarrior)

Hello Scoutmom, I don't have problems with women in the BSA. I enjoy working with them. Each one of us is different and we bring special positive traits to the campfire. I have a Co-ed Venturing Crew which mostly leans towards the young ladies. I have moms in the Group (Troop-Crew-Pack)Committee. My SPL during Woodbadge is a great lady. Many of the key trainers during WB were ladies. I believe they should be and continue to be leaders in the organization. Matua(This message has been edited by matuawarrior)

Adrainvs, Thanks for the info. We had a situation here a couple years back with my home Church regarding the same issue discussed here. The military church members stated that the US Flag should have precedence as per the Flag Code. I sided with them since I am a veteran. I have seen it both ways as well. Our discussion was not intense but it did bring about a question as to who we prioritize first in our lives. In the end, We decided to let the Church Leaders decide. I agree that the Scouts should follow the Flag Code unless otherwise directed by the institution's Pastor. I did not know that the Papal Flag is considered a national color. I knew the Israeli Flag was both national and religious. Matua

So does that mean the U.S. Flag precedes the Christian Flag (Protestant or Catholic)or any other denominational faith? I feel this should be left up to the Church where the event is taking place. With respect to the Flag Code, I feel God is Superior and His flag regardless of faith or denomination should be to the right of the U.S. flag. But as I said, I would ask the local Church Officials regarding their protocol where the event is taking place. Matua