MoosetheItalianBlacksmith

welcome to the forum.

Good for you for trying to set the example with the uniform.

Have to tried contacting customer service to see if they could help. I looked a bit online and found a size chart for scout uniforms that goes up to 6XL but it didnt sell em. so their should be some floating around.

WOrst comes to worst till you lose the weight (by the way good luck with the weight loss i have to lose some weight myself) you get a kaki shirt with front pockets and do a whole lotta sewing

like i said i got used to MIB and i do like that abreviation.

Besides the men in black movies are good....now im waiting for the 3rd to come out.

but i can see where people would get confused i do it with other peoples name abreviations sometimes....but i always figure it out at some point. this differs from some of the other abbreviations where ill just figure out the rest of the message or ask somebody about it later.

1)Enhance the Troop Uniform with a common Neckercheif Slide

2)Organize our Storage garage to make it easier for our Quatermaster to keep an inventory up to date.

3)Organize and update the Outdoor Coordinators book to make it a more useful/efficent tool.

4)Ask 1 or more troops to join us for a day of fun so we can exchange ideas and make new friends for the future.

4)Organize and catorgarize troop history that was given to us from long past scoutmaster when he visited the Troop recently.

Hardest was #4 our troop was so petrified of losing boys to other troops they kept putting roadblocks in my way. I finaly in the last couple weeks went around them planned the event with 2 different troops and then invited my troop to it at that point once it was done. And wouldnt yha know we had a decent turn out.

yha some abbrieviations i just cant figure out while others it takes me alittle while.

In training on Saturday we had been talking about Stop,Start Continue for a little bit. and then sombody that uses it all the time at work and other places Said "SCC" and i had to stop and ask him what he was talking about.

Probably should have been obvious but my mind just doesnt translate the abreviations as well as it should unless i already know them and i know them well. I did explain this to the class he explained everything was good and we moved on.

Ive figured out MIB.

My other problem on here besides not knowing an abbreviation is constant abbreviations....some people will use them so constantly i start having a hard time translating the ones i DO know.

Dyslexic mind at work.....though never diagnosed my father has it and i have issues that strongly point to it. Ive just never gone and gotten diagnosed.

I was actualy posting in the other one when you deleted it.

First of welcome to the forums.

Then Based off of the previous things youve done you could do Syfi, Alien, around the world in 80 days, how things work, Making things move

if your camprees arnt necesarrily skill based your possiblities are only as limited as you imagination and the guide to safe scouting.

HAHA I get really confused with some of the abreviations too....glad to know its not just me.

there are pros and cons to fixed blade knives vs. folding knives. you plans with it or primary use for knife will help determine which knife you want to bring. Some camps and Troops have ban fixed blade knives. I find this to be foolish. its not the tool thats the issue it whos weilding it. We like to teach Wittling wich many people will tell you is easier with a fixed blade knive.

there are debates on knives that have been going on forever and i dont see them stoping soon.

But i have my fathers original BSA knife. Its a Fixed blade sheath Knive.

Consider....i aldready do it. Pleas nobody take the Following the wrong way im just stating the point and answering the question posted by Seattle Pioneer.

Im a Co-Training Chair for the District, Member of the District Eagle Board, Assistanct Cub Camp Promoter for District, District Committee Member at Large, Brotherhood meber of the OA, Meritbadge Councilor, Assitant SM, and Assistant CubMaster.

On top of being one of the primary Trainers in the District for District Training, Being WoodBadge Trained and Being an Eagle Scout.

I go to every Round table so I know alot of people around the district and even more people know me which i sometimes find alittle scary. Cause people will run into me places and start talking to me....and i have NNNOOOO clue who they are.

In Case anyone was curious the training went very well. And everybody learned alot. But they also learned something new that i think people are forgetting and needs to be reitterated. Because ive now run into it several times and i keep hearing other people running into it. SO im going to start incorperating it into the training a bit more.

Yes its a a program for the boys but without the help of leaders you cant have the program either. Leaders are looking for all the same things as boys. They want to be respected and treated well and not like pawns on a chess board.

When the New SM left he left going oh crap our troops in trouble.

I kepted my distance from him but was polite. My parents on the other hand made alot of comments about me knowing my stuff. Being really good at what i was doing. Thats why i teach all this....ect ect.In conversations with him.

nice idea in theory but not gonna happen..... I dont have the same Religous belifes....and they already have a COR even if he isnt doing his job.

I knew it was gonna be a tough job even as a SM but i was ready for it and actualy excited to do it. This new thing just made it toughter and took the thrill and excitment.

So if i could go back to the SM position i can get the job done....but as an ASM i cant.

I'll be 22 in September coincidentaly September will also make 16 straight years of scouting for me.

one correction the guy that got the SM position was not the guy that didnt know he was in the running it was a guy id been talking to and had been intrested in me geting the position and had said he couldnt take the position due to time constraints but would be willing to help me any way possible.

All of a sudden he has time and hes taking the position in name only.

I felt like he stabed me in the back. Because He was telling me exact oposite last week of what he was telling me this week.

What does the COR want? (The COR has the final word don't they?)

He was in the meeting and was in genreal concessus with most of troop. The COH and i have talked and get along. but i get the impression COR isnt doing his job from talking to COR because he didnt know anything about scouts or the troop. He assumed he was both COH and COR.

The Whole troop whants my experiance and expertice and training in the troop but i think they feel like im young so they can play me like a pawn and i dont work that way.

Who is running the Troop? (I've got a gut feeling it's the committee.)

From talking to multiple people the committe chair is runnint the troop her way for her boys. her sons came back from the summer camp first year program and had everything signed off while another boy and to reprove he learned every single thing.

I was at one meeting (SPL doesnt come to meeting cause hes looking at changing troops) the aspl called the meeting and made a plan and everything but the CC came in took over the meeting from the SM and then gave running of meeting to her son and didnt allow ASPL to do it.

So its the CC who from what i can tell nobody likes....last meeting every 5 minutes there was some snide comment about her.

What happened to the last Scoutmaster? (and have you gotten their take on the troop and committee?)

Yes ive talked to the last SM hes been retired for a year and a half but forced to continue doing the job since nobody steped up to do it. Its a genral consesus of most people the troop needs work including him.

I think that answers those questions.

and id still do SM when i wouldnt do ASM because as a ASM i have no power whatsoever and have to deal with what ever problems they want to cause for me. as a SM i still have to deal with some of those barriers but i have more power to get over them and help fix the problems.

If that makes any sense.

I think that answers all questions posed to me.

Its a troop ive never worked with before. and by that them mean id be reformating the troop and making all the changing and everything that the SM should be doing (If they decide they like that change) but would not be dealing with other adults or boys or getting any credit for the work.

SM's job would be to stand their talk and take credit.

Id still be willing to be SM for boys sake but im not Doing this Crappy hybrid job and the "sniff" for ASM as failed.

But if you were in my shoes what would you do? Would you run for it at this point?

Okay Id like to know what the rest of you would do in my situation.

I was asked if I was interested in the SM position of a troop. I went the troop meeting and talked with some people and found out it was failing on every level of scouting. So I got my DE and District Commissioner aware incase I didnt become SM.

Now talking to people nobody else has time for the job and from talking to the lady that asked me there were all green lights from making me SM so the interview was going to be a formality.

At the interview last night I get blindsided by the current ASM who told me just last week he does not have time for the position(due to coaching a sport) and hopes I get it so they can see change announcing himself as a potential candidate.

They Proceeded to blind side some of the leaders that actually did want me as SM by Saying one thing earlier and then in a mass group changing their mind last night.

The job they want to give me is SM without the title. I would be known as an ASM. The committee chair got made when somebody in the meeting said it that way though because she didnt want me to know thats what they were trying to do.

I was more than willing to finish out the year as an ASM so people could get used to me (as they said that was why they were doing it) and then taking on SM when the season started back up.

The way I see it though they can either have a SM or an ASM but not some monstrous hybrid of both. And at this point I dont trust them enough to consider being an ASM.

What would all of you do?

Oh and as a side note. I never introduced myself that way to the boys but the boys knew and introduced me as the potential SM. after the interview multiple boys ran up to me and asked if I was their new SM and you could see the life drain from their bodies.

Check with your Eagle board....at ours we dont really car which uniform they wear as long as it is a scout uniform. the Eagle board in other areas can be stricter. so to know what they want youll have to ask them.

Our troop used to do this as a reward for good behavior and camping and other scout stuff throught out the year. They were only allowed the one trip with electronics and stuff a year.

THis worked out great and caused the boys to strive to try and reach the goals laid down to be able to earn this trip. They always had fun with the other stuff too it wasnt just a checklist situation. Created alittle bit of a game amoung some to see how far beyond the original goals set we could acheive.

Unfortunatly we had a SM change and our current SM belives its owed to them and thats pretty much the only trip hes intrested in takeing them on. He forces it to be allowed and its know as the Annual trip instead of the reward. He has let the Scouting in the other areas go lax.

So i belive the Free trip has its place but it cant be the most important thing. if used right it can be a great motivator.

in answer to the how they get the position of leadership question.....apparently they show leadership in school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in his community.

Question is how many of those are they going to. and out of those where are they given an oppertunity to show leadership. I know school really doenst provide oppertunities for that....AT ALL.

Scouting can be considered a club....so if they can be in a club what stops them from being in a troop?

Elsewhere in community is too broad and leave it open so that the parents can say hes a leader to his siblings.

The only one of those I see as viable option is the religious organization.(This message has been edited by MoosetheItalianBlacksmith)

Gunny: If that's the way it's going to work the Scouts EBOR members should also be his Eagle project counselors

Thats exactly how we do it here....they come to the eagle board for pre project aproval and then are given a member of the board as an advisor/councilor to work with till they come back before the board for review of the Eagle Rank.

They were involved in a troop that folded. so it seems like instead of going and finding another troop they just became lone scouters.

So they dont fit into any of those catagories what are the thoughts on this situation with that info.

As of right now one of them hasnt even bothered to set up the mentor situation but is planning on just using the next door neighbor/carpenter.

Typically the parent wouldnt be in the room for the board but she was the "unit representative"

In a troop or another unit there would be other people there to help with the separation of parent and boy and make the boy a little more independent and responsible for themselves. Another leader can say step back and let them do it on their own.

And honestly thats why the parent usually isnt in the room for Eagle board/project approvals. The Troop leaders have made that separation especially if they are helicopter parents and said no we would prefer if you didnt come in. Weve had parents sit in the hallway and come in for the end of the board when we give a decision. On the other hand we have had parents where the troop leader came in and respectively asked if could sit in the back and told us right up front they went going to be a problem and we havent said no cause we never made the rule they couldnt be.

At the moment I am concerned that that boy will not be the leader of his Eagle project. Cause right in front of us she told him not to do something. and was trying to control the talking. We will monitor the project but only time will tell.

By the time they get to the Eagle board there should be a little better parent/child separation and they should have developed some more Self Leadership then that.

those are just my thought but that was a side note more interested in finding out about lone scouting and what people think of it.

(This message has been edited by MoosetheItalianBlacksmith)

Ive been in scouting for 15 years now. My father was a scout when he was a boy and rejoined with me 15 years ago. Neither one of us have ever heard of this one.

We went to the Eagle board tonight and when we got there we were surprised by two scouts on our list having the words "lone scout" under the unit number section of the agenda. Both were brought in to their project approval by their mothers. Neither one of the boys had a Troop or any other form of scouting unit.

One of the mothers swore it was a real thing and there was even a workbook on it.

SO Im curious how many other people out there have heard of it or dealt with it and what your thoughts on it are. Or if any of you had any information on it that might be useful...like the said workbook.

**AS A SIDE NOTE**

One of the boys mothers did keep trying to answer everything for him and keep talking instead of him she also told him not to agree to a fundraiser after it was mentioned that anything he says hell do at the board becomes his contract. SO she was telling him what to do with the project already.

The final review is really personal reviews.....yes you need to do what you said but things come up and things get in the way so its all about you doing the best you can do.

Did you meet the goal as well as you could and tried as hard as you could to get final result you wanted....was it the final result you wanted?

Some it comes down to honesty of the participants but if the ticket councilors can tell you really didnt put in an effort or try they shouldnt sign it off.

One of my ticket items I struggled with and finally got and the course director for my course came and talked to me and said that I need to make a final push and if after that Ive tried everything then I could still be signed off. I did get that one done with the final push but I had to go around my troop to do it.

You need to feel a pride in your own accomplishments....if you dont feel you did well enough to be proud of then you didnt finish.

The councilor is there to help you during the processwhen youre done your done their jobs done.

Im always wearing a hat....so at one point i started asking people what they think modern hat curtosy is (call it a survey if ye want). The result ended up being the hat wearing policy i already follow.

Take it off for national anthems, take it off when you sit down to eat (you can wear it too and from table but not while sitting), take it off in the worshiping sections of churches, and if you go to sombodies house and they ask you too.

The people that try and tell me to do otherwise bother me. Its my hat and i am being curtious so leave me be. If for some reason i fail to follow one of the above rule by accident on a rare day then Ill gladly be told to remove my hat and ill apologize for having forgoten it.

Ill even take my hat off if its a uniform hat for national anthom and pledge of alligence cause the way i see it what the flag stands for is more important than any uniform i may be wearing with a hat.

other people wearing hats to eat can bother me but i generally am more willing to let the older gentlemen get away with it cause you dont know their life experiences. Teenagers on the other had just dont want to be bothered to take of their hat most of the time. (i can say it cause im not too far seperated from that time.)

As for taking my shoes off....i hate to do it anywhere cause my feet get cold. and i dont wanna weare other peoples shoes.