Old_OX_Eagle83

The answer all depends on what you use the trailer for, and how. Today's more responsible, fuel efficient vehicles, aren't friendly with hauling a pack and stave per passenger, and this is a good reason to have a troop trailer. Easily added to this are the needs to transport pioneering project materials, canoes, skis, or whatever special event material may be needed. The downside to troop trailers, expense aside, is the ease of bringing un-needed items. Bulky stoves, massive shelters. enormous tents, cots, back yard chairs, massive coolers, generators, and event televisions make the

Here's someone who gets scouting!

Rick, phones are not cameras, or books. You should have said "phones may be used as cameras or books"; an entirely different statement, with an entirely different meaning. There's two more things that haven't been added to the mix here: 1. Expensive electronics don't do well in the wilderness. Phones don't float well, aren't good underwater, don't do well in the rain, don't do well in the mud, have issues with being smashed, have to have air flow, and can't get excessively hot of cold ... not ideal for camping. 2. Phones undermine the "scout laboratory" that is the wilderness. Key conc

"While your point is valid to some extent, it is not our responsibility to monitor the access on the internet; that is their parents' responsibility. " Not correct Skeptic; for four reasons: 1. The youth is in the charge and care of BSA/Unit/Charter Org at camp, the parents do not decide camp/BSA/Unit/Charter Org rules. Choosing to send the youth to camp, while being aware of the rules, is a decision to abide by the rules. 2. Youth 1 online activities, in the privacy of his tent, are viewed by youth 2, whose parents may not agree with what youth 2 is exposed to. You have an oblig

I used to be a BEAR and a Good 'ol Bear too... And now I'm finished Bearing... I don't I don't know what to do... I'm growing old and feable and I can Bear no more... So I am going to work my ticket if I can... Back to Gilwell.. Happy Land.. I'm going to work my ticket if I can... (sorry to revive an old thread, but I needed that)

My youngest is working on Eagle; he and I are doing a high adventure trip to the BWCA in June. Enjoy the time you have with them, soon they'll be to busy for you. I think this may be my last chance to pry his eyes from electronics, and girls, and help him see this amazing world with his own eyes. These are special times indeed.

Here come the corporate clones in their crisp suits, chanting "you must comply": to neuter us and sanitize our program.

Fantastic write up. We're being made a battle ground for special interest groups; and it's being done because it gets those special interests media attention. Neither side of this battle gives a darn about scouting, or what they destroy to get in the spotlight. I view everyone who has poured fuel on this fire as an enemy of scouting, regardless of what side they're on. We scouts don't have a side, we're here to help youth realize their potential, and become strong citizens that not only succeed, but make this world a better place as they do so ... partisan politics has no place in this pr

You hit the nail on the head Stosh

For those of you that have stated you either allow your youth members to have cell phones, or know they break the rules, and as long as it's out of sight that's ok; here's a question for you: How are you monitoring what these scouts are doing on the phone, and the internet it grants access to? Don't we have a responsibility to monitor internet usage, and the general behavior of the scouts while in our charge? Two, or more, scouts alone in a tent with sleeping bags and cots can't get into much trouble. Two or more teens/adolescents alone, and unsupervised, with full internet access can get int

We don't allow youth to bring electronics to scout outing. We meaning pack, troop, or crew.

Many things have been said, but not much time has been spent on three essential items: 1. Scouts go to week long camps to become independent, and have association with non-parent adult role models. 2. Scouting at it's best takes place in wilderness settings to remove the distractions of every day life. 3. When all the gadgets and gizmo's are turned off youth hear and see the real world around them. Not to get overly spiritual, but God has spoke to me many times, and in many ways, none of them involved a cell phone... On this past weekend's camp out a fellow leader, busy texting and checki

It our unit we require every volunteer and parent to take YP. BSA's rules are more lax, but where's the downside to having everyone YP trained?

Although I can't speak to the validity of the cited numbers, I have seen the salaries of top execs in large councils, and would not be shocked if number given for the CSE's salary is in the correct range. America is rifle with the issue of overpaid top execs, our non-profits are as guilty as any. I'm not excusing excessive salaries, far from it, but I'm not remotely surprised. As members, we should expect full disclosure of the compensation paid to our professionals, and have a voice in approving those salaries. I imagine a 50% pay cut of every BSA exec, above DE, would not only not damag

Well said Torchwood

I sense that this one is strong with scouting ... Welcome to the forums!

ScoutNut, you read one BSA policy on advancement ... this is BSA. so complete your education by doing the following: 1. Take MBC Orientation 2. Read the current SM Handbook 3. Take current Committee Challenge 4. Read BSA District and Council Operations Guides 5. Take Scoutmaster position specific training 6. Take Philmont Training Center course for Key Three and District Operations What you'll find, after completing this list, is that like with so much else in BSA, the material is not in agreement. When you take all of this as a whole you will understand the accuracy of my

What happened was not only clearly a BSA policy violation, it was also very bad judgment. No drinking in the presence of youth period; if it's a scout gathering, it's a scout gathering. It makes no difference if a leader is in, or out, of uniform, he or she is still a scout leader. This is about safety and being the correct role model for all scouts.

Scout Nut I'm not sure where you get your misinformation, but it's way off. You would do well to remember the District and Council are merely 2nd line support for the Charter Orgs who own the program.

The who gay thing has nothing to do with this issue, just as the policy change had no real impact on any Boy Scout or Cub Scout. The three key elements that have caused our decline have been clearly identified in this thread: 1. Our program became outdated, and the attempt to update it went sideways (BSA needs to admit this and go back to the basics, and build a better update, not patch the broken one). 2. Our only true selling point, to the scouts, is real life adventure ... something you can't get behind a controller and keyboard, and fear of liability has watered down this element so

I would take exception. You can argue socialism, but Communism is just plain BAD! It has never worked anywhere it has been tried and in the Soviet Union, Cuba and North Korea, it has resulted in catastrophe after catastrophe. I confess to being a capitalist pig, but I've just not seen any case of good coming from Communism, whatever dictionary definitions you care to use. The concept of Communism is a fantastic one, but you are correct, to my knowledge there has never been a good large scale application of it. If we all lived in isolated hunter/gatherer, or even small independent agrarian

Rick, I'll look up the debates, I bet they'll be an interesting read.

Christineka, Keep in mind this is no longer Cub Scouts, the Troop will not work on rank advancement for your son, that is his responsibility. If you son, not you, is unsure of what to do he need to go to his Patrol Leader for guidance (if he's in a young scout patrol he may have a Troop Guide instead of a Patrol Leader). Those older boys are the troop leaders, it's good that they're there. Scoutmasters coach and mentor senior youth, they do not run the program. Also keep in mind all those outings are where you so leans, grows, and as a byproduct advances. The outdoors are the le

There's all kinds of bad information in play here. From the Scout's prospective: 1. The scout goes to his Scoutmaster with a request to work on a Merit Badge. 2. The scoutmaster assign's the Scout a Counselor. 3. The Scoutmaster issues the Scout a Blue Card 4. The scout presents to the Counselor with the Blue Card 5. Following all Youth Protection Rules of BSA, and the Scout's Charter Organization, the scout works with the appointed Counselor until completion, or either party can't continue. 6. Retaining his portion of the Blue Card the Counselor returns the remaining two up

Rick, I blame the media and the political machine. The media exploits any word, term, or name that can provoke a reaction. The political machine, throughout the entirety of recorded history, twists the perceived meaning of words to achieve the means of those who are, or would be, in power. Hollywood ... well that may even be worse. Communism isn't necessarily bad, neither is socialism for that matter. Of course, the perception held by the average person doesn't remotely resemble the definitions of these words found in any dictionary. Ignorance is dangerous, engineering misconceptions