oldsm

In my council, all you need to get a Trained strip is $1.35 at the Scout Shop. They're just as available as any other non-Eagle patch. That said, our district Training staff does hand out strips at the conclusion of appropriate courses. Some of us have developed quite a collection of Trained strips that way! Of course, a Scout(er) is Trustworthy, so s/he would never consider wearing one if it wasn't properly earned.

I mostly sacrifice a good night's sleep. I routinely use a CPAP machine at night, but nature hasn't figured out how to power it. So I mostly catnap. I'm usually pretty groggy the next morning. But it is so worth it! I just love the time late at night (after quiet time) chatting with some of the boys; sometimes it's the older scouts, sometimes the younger ones. It's a great time to really get to know what's on their minds, what problems they face, their likes and dislikes, their dreams and goals. And I really like seeing them (OK, prodding them to hurry up and) strike camp in the morning so we can go home.

My troop handles used uniforms a little differently. We ask scouts to donate their outgrown/used-but-still-good uniforms to the Uniform Bank. There is no financial consideration for contributions -- think about being thrifty, kind, and helpful and doing a daily Good Turn. When a scout needs a uniform part, he can check to see if the Bank has what he needs. If so, he purchases it for a small cost (I think it's about $7 for pants, $5 for a shirt, $1 for socks, etc.). The money raised this way goes into the general troop coffers to help fund equipment purchases. We do not look at this as a money-making venture. Our committee opted to charge nominal prices (compared to the cost of new parts) because many people, including those of modest means, feel uncomfortable with the idea that they are "charity cases" and would rather pay at least something for what they get. This way, what they get is usable but not new parts for a "used" price. The Bank Manager has the discretion to waive the cost entirely if the situation warrants. This system has worked very well for us.

Troop meetings are mostly planned by the boys. But we can't forget the adult guidance. (Adult interaction is one of the methods, I believe?) True, the boys mostly like the outdoors stuff: camping, hiking, and so forth. BUT they need the weekly meetings in order to plan those outings, begin learning new skills that they will be called upon to use on those outings, etc. As adults, we need to help them see the importance of those weekly meetings. Now, if we just sit back and let the boys plan everything by themselves, they'll more than likely wind up having an opening, maybe a closing, and fill the space in between with capture the flag, general mischief, and other forms of pure play. It's the nature of young teens. We can also provide our adult guidance to help the boy leaders learn how to make instructional/administrative/routine meetings interesting so that the boys become engaged and involved and don't see the meetings as boring, necessary evils. And help them see how the weekly meetings have a direct impact on how much fun they have on the outings. It's all in how you approach it...Boy led: yes. Adult guided: yes.

Thanks for the help, Eagle. I know all about the official logos at usscouts and the bsa website (http://www.scouting.org/identity/contents/12.html). I use them. What I'm trying to find is the full-color version as shown in my original post, but in vector, eps, or jpeg format. Someone obviously created it and posted it as a GIF. I just want a scalable format of that image.

Ed, Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, that is just a scan of a patch. What I'm looking for has more the appearance of the GIF file in my original post. No shaded background, no threads, no border. It should look more like artwork with shading (illumination?), etc., not like a "product". Anyone else?

I'm not sure if this is the proper place to post this request, but I can't think of a better one. I am looking for a particular piece of clip art. It's the full-color Tenderfoot emblem. Here's the kicker: I need it in a vector or EPS format. I have managed to find it in a GIF format, but that's designed for screen (not for print). I can't enlarge it without it quickly becoming pixelated beyond usability. Here you can see what I've found in GIF format: http://clipart.usscouts.org/library/BSA_Boy_Scout_Ranks/Tenderfoot/tenderfoot_emblem_color.gif (It's a little distorted, but in the right format that can be corrected easily.) Does anyone know where I find this image in a scalable format? I know it's not an official BSA logo (they're all red/blue/black). What i'm looking for has beautiful gold fleur-de-lis, brown eagle wings, red/white/blue shield, etc., that almost appears 3-dimensional and really looks great on printed materials (like our troop recruitment brochure). Scanning a patch doesn't give the professional appearance that I'm looking for, and I don't have the graphics background to edit/convert it into a finished image. Thanks for any help you can offer.

I just checked mine and had no problem. Everything appears OK.

It sounds as though Lisabob's unit does what we call a "show & sell", where you obtain product, park yourselves in a high-traffic area (like a grocery store or a Wal-Mart) and sell on the spot. In a case (no pun intended) like that, it is understandable to not offer a low-volume flavor. I think most units, my own included, do the "take order" sales. That way we take possession of the exact quantities that our customers have ordered. We always have a few people who want the popping kernels (no added fat or salt -- important to some people), and a few who opt to purchase the $50 tins. I think we probably have higher sales than we would with a show & sell, altough I don't have any figures to prove it. My own sons have discovered the value of tracking sales from year to year. They have a large repeat business, and even have people asking when they can buy more. They have also discovered the value of collecting up front: no "cancelled" sales, no repeated attempts to deliver/collect, etc. They always leave a signed thank-you note when people aren't home at delivery time.

Because the switchbacks are a different cut from what we're used to and come in finished lengths, I suggest that everyone try them on at the Scout Shop before you purchase them (youth and adult). Or else be prepared to return them. If you must do mail order, consider ordering a couple of different likely sizes and then return what doesn't fit.

The switchbacks are roomy. I wear a 48 waist, and for once they're not too tight in the seat, thighs, etc. These pants do have a slightly baggier look than the traditional pants, so that might take some getting used to. However, they're great for hiking, squatting, etc. Very comfortable. Two weeks ago I tried them on a 5-mile hike with full pack - they were terrific. If there's one thing I'd really like to change, it would be to add shorter lengths. The shortest inseam is 30". A 29" would work better for me. I know a number of other scouters who could use a 28" or even a 27" length. Unfortunately, these pants are not easily altered due to the boot zipper. Maybe sell the legs separately... Are you listening, National Supply?

What works best for me: 1. Sew on a machine, practically moving it my hand. My hands cramp very quickly if trying to hand-sew (my mom taught me to do both kinds of sewing when I was about 6th grade - even made some of my own shirts back then, which became the subject of taunting in later years - but that's OK). 2. Staple the patches in place. No residue to remove, easy to change. East to see if it "looks" straight before you begin sewing. I use 2 staples on a MB or square knot, 4 staples on just about everything else. Staples are easily pried loose with a seam ripper (don't use a staple remover, because you'll catch patch threads). 3. Use transparent thread for the top stitch. Don't try to go fast, and it won't break too easily. Eliminates the need to match thread colors and is virtually invisible. Also saves the cost of buying 20 different colors of thread (been there, done that -- a scout is thrifty!). The bobbin color doesn't matter since it's not seen. Transparent thread comes in "light" and "dark" shades. The light one seems to hide better for scout patches. 4. I sew directly through the border of the badge. That way they stay flat and make a neater appearance. The border will have a "crease" where the stitching is, but it's hard to see unless you look closely. 5. Use a fairly long stitch length - maybe 1/8" to 3/16" long. Any shorter and they're hard to remove if you find you made a mistake. Too long, they show up more. 6. For pockets, my wife hand-sews since I can't manage it any more. Glues never work. They let go in the wash, leave residue, and are just plain lousy in my opinion.(This message has been edited by oldsm)

The boys in my troop love doing flag ceremonies. I think that teenage boys, at least those in scouting, often have more respect for what the flag stands for than do many adults. I never worry about how my boys will treat the flag either in public or in private. They know how/what to do, they train each other, and execute without any adult intervention. Regarding voting, one of my sons will be turning 18 in October. He double-checked the date of the next election with me. His comment: "Good! I'll be able to vote." He registered to vote last spring and has been looking forward to doing his civic duty. Maybe we should include an emphasis on voting as part of our citizenship message.

It's important to realize that all of the people you mention probably don't have a lot of discretionary time, especially if your troop is running well. It's just a fact of life that we all spend time trying to put out fires (instead of nursing the kindling) and just trying to keep our heads above water. My troop has done some pretty significant things for our district, and the most recognition has been a brief acnowledgement if someone was there when the deed was done, or maybe a mention at roundtable. I've seen some units earn a "reputation" in districts by always puffing their chests over their programs, growth, skill levels, or whatever. Few people want to hear that. Some units try to show how they're "better" than others. Most people don't like that. Units who are careful to use their "role modeling" to encourage others to help out with something are far more likely to receive an enthusiastic response. That said, I don't know your unit, and I'm not passing judgement. Just food for thought. My troop does things for the opportunity to serve, to build character, and for the personal satisfaction of observing the 3rd point (and others) of the Law. Sometimes our "recognition" is a certificate. Sometimes we remember to take pictures and pat ourselves on the back by putting an article in the local newspaper. Most of the time we're just glad we did what we did. Congratulations on starting up a troop where there was none. That's a LOT of work. It's fun to have recognition from your peers, but unfortunately we can't always adjust our schedules to suit someone else's - maybe that's why no one from your district came. Be glad some people from the Council came. Keep up the good work. It is noticed more than you know.

Our custom has been for the boy to list his references on the application. Then the EBOR chairman requests references from them. Sometimes it's a phone call; sometimes it's a letter requesting a written recommendation (in that case, a stamped envelope addressed to the EBOR chairman is included). All recommendations are handled confidentially and made known only to the members of the EBOR. That is made clear to the people asked to provide references. We don't have the scout provide any actual references - that makes it easier for people to be more candid in their responses, knowing that the scout won't see their comments. It's worked well for us.

I did a "show & tell" with the new pants. The boys were excited about them. I'm surprised at the number of posts on this topic - 7 pages! I didn't realize that scout pants were such a hot topic. An aside: at a recent uniform inspection, one of the boys who was being used as a "correct" example quipped that he was even wearing scout underwear. No one asked him to model them...!

What's wrong with having industry "sponsorship" of a merit badge? To my way of thinking, it's a natural occurence. Having an association behind a MB should help to ensure that a subject is covered in a technically accurate way with some degree of thoroughness. Consider also the cost of developing a new MB. It seems that having an entity outside BSA contributing toward the process both encourages community support of scouting and enables BSA to conserve its own resources for use in other areas. Composites may not be your cup of tea - or mine. That doesn't matter. Let's face it: plastics are a HUGE part of contemporary life in the industrialized world, and more and more development is occurring in this area. Think about Burt Rutan and his "space plane" made largely from composites. NASA is hugely interested in this area, as are many sectors of industry.I think that many boys of scouting age dream about space exploration. Think about the materials used to make the cars we drive today - more plastic and less metal. Think about implantable human body replacement parts. Composites have a huge role to play, and capturing the interest of tomorrow's scientists today will only help to ensure the future of our country. One of the purposes of a merit badge is to expose young men to areas in which they might develop a career interest. I'm no expert on plastics. But if I were to become a Composites MBC, I would certainly welcome an industry resource to help me become more effective.

I'm not getting it either. If someone wants to chase Texas, the BSA National Council main phone number is 972-580-2000.

Wingnut, We distribute permission slips well ahead of time (usually), and use the returned ones as our basis for who's going. If a scout doesn't show up when we're getting ready to leave, we call his house. Usually, it's a case of a change in family plans or he got sick and no one told us. The parents always drop their kids off at the departure point, so they always know if their scout is with us.

A young man in my troop has earned his Eagle. The first one in about 2 years. Yay! A question has arisen regarding the Eagle Charge. In planning his COH, the young man requested that his former Scoutmaster administer the Eagle Charge. I think that's a great idea. However, when I told the former SM that the scout wanted him to do that, he said he can't because he himself is not an Eagle. I haven't found anything that says who has to administer the Eagle Charge. None of the various Charges I've found make any mention. Now, I can see where it would be nice and symbolic to have an Eagle administer the Charge. But with the paucity of Eagles from our troop, that's not too easy. Besides, the scout has a great deal of respect for his former SM. Our troop doesn't have any established "tradition" that has to be followed - each COH has pretty much been created from scratch depending upon the desires of the individual scout. Thoughts and opinions are welcome. Thank you.

Since when does an inseam measurement have a "front" and a "back" measurement???

Gwd_socuter, you made me smile! I think you're normal. Good luck getting rid of the trailer. On the other hand, it's good advertising...

The shorts inseam will surely vary depending upon the total inseam, probably as a percentage. I'll check the shorts when I get home tonight and let you know. Gern, you don't have to worry about Daisy Duke (unless you're camping close to the Girl Scouts!). They're not that short.

I think I agree with the "contrived" uniform theory. I checked the Royal Rangers link, and it is quite a bit different from what I saw in the magazine. The trademark issue of the BSA uniform makes sense. Maybe this is some stock photo that Backpacker came up with rather than a picture submitted by the contributor. Thanks for the responses.

Got mine tonight and have been wearing them for the past 4 hours to see how they feel. My observations thus far: They feel lighter than regular scout pants. They don't wrinkle - at least not badly. Because of the ankle zippers, they are finished lengths. That means no more hemming. Sizing is quite generous, unlike most sports clothing these days. I wear a 30" length, but these pants in 30" length definitely drag the floor without shoes/boots. It's a good thing I tried them on at the Scout Shop, because I needed a size smaller due to the roominess (yay!). The waist is elasticized, which helps movement. Plenty of room in the seat/legs, which is nice for us larger guys. Converted to shorts, they aren't as short as "short shorts", but they're above the knee. All pockets have velcro closure. Not sure I like these for formal wear (such as COH). The extra line at the zip-off point is visible, and the pulls on the zippers hang down just enough to show. Color is quite faithful to the standard green pants - a little different, but not much more than the variation you often find between dye lots. The hang tag touts a "gear loop" for hanging things off of. Mine don't have it, unless they're referring to a belt loop. Very comfortable and airy, but I wonder how they'll be in cold weather. My son saw these and immediately said "I want some". Go figure! At least I beat him to it. I'm still not giving up my regular pants for formal occasions. Sometimes the dressier look is appropriate. All in all, I like them. The price is right, too, considering the convertability.