qwazse

The bitter truth was that the Cold War wasn’t being won by flexes in space. Technical superiority was not gaining the upper hand over Vietnamese tactics. The West’s only hope was to “out-economic” the Soviets and the Maoists. A moon base was too expensive with no immediate gains, plus deep space was utterly terrifying, and too few US states had an economic benefit that contributed to Saturn V rockets. The shuttle program seemed promising with the thought that one might touch down at an airport near you, and the International Space Station, the massive Galileo Probe and the serviceable Hubble Telescope drew international engagement (i.e., spent other countries’ budgets). Closer to Earth seemed safer, although we would soon learn the folly of that presumption. The Soyuz weren’t glamorous, but even when one didn’t work, our astronauts’ odds of living to complain about it were higher. Plus Kazakhstan turned out to be a pretty cool destination after the Iron Curtain fell. We needed all that time to build up robotics, autonomous vehicles, electricity generation, and additive manufacturing … and Kevlar! But, we also needed more open risk assessment — a skill that some Japanese auto manufacturers had, but NASA had to develop (wrecking a few probes along the way even after that). And orbital mechanics had to be mastered. Although we’ve gone back to roughly the same aerodynamic profile, the scale of Orion, how it’s assembled, how it flies, and how go/no-go decisions are made eclipses anything any nation has done. It’s a testament to those decades in near earth orbit that the thing even has a toilet (although the plumbing needs more engineering). There’s a lot the space program can teach our scouts about science, but there are lessons in integrity, dedication, and fellowship that should not be ignored.

I also took time last night to stream NASA TV on a hand-held while the boys were wrapping up the meeting. About a half dozen boys were captivated as the signal came back with video from inside the capsule. There was something for everyone. Some of the boys were space-dorks like myself, others were mechanically inclined, and others were into software (how could they not be, with their advancement being checked electronically?). More importantly, all of the scouts understood when I described the capsule as something like a six-man tent. I’m starting to think about a mock-up for our next campout. (Or maybe summer camp?)

It’s nice when some writes your SM minute for you: “From the cabin of Integrity here, as we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration. We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything that we hold dear. But we most importantly choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived.” https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-eclipses-record-for-farthest-human-spaceflight/

It’s like I have an evil twin. I scanned my certificate so it’s ready to mail any time my training is in doubt.

Based on data from other countries, it takes about two decades for scouting organizations who open membership to girls to stop losses and recover membership. And, those groups weren’t sued into bankruptcy. So, don’t expect to hit bottom for a while.

Perhaps being a 70s kid, I don’t see the point. Our scouts seem to be earning different elective MBs. And they’re doing it honestly. I would discourage revising a program around those who will try to short-change advancement. It only makes it more confusing for the straight shooters.

Sounds about right. The IT structure was built on the assumption of a certain number of staff available to address unique cases. Keep up those calls and this will get cleared soon enough.

Allowing cell phones when your trading post sells MBPs sounds like a losing strategy. That said, our trading post doesn’t sell MBPs.

I can think of no faster way to decommission a garrison than to deny programs that servicemen and women want for their kids. That said, even among military families, demand for scouting programs is limited. The West Point camporee, should it turn its attention to Trail Life youth, could be a game changer for that organization. On the other hand, the school will have less access to youth. BSA faces a sunken cost dilemma with Summit. The DoD has a similar issue. Sec Def would have to pose a different mechanism to spend a million and have access to tens of thousands of high school students for a week. I’m pretty sure congress would be skeptical of any other scheme for that price. Also, SBR has some nice terrain for drone training. There’s a deal to be made here.

Having been raised in a troop that had BoRs monthly, I don’t see that as a problem. But, if they flex their schedule, they really should flex with scouts. Does a month here or there really matter? Probably not. But if it doesn’t, then setting aside time for 2nd BoR shouldn’t matter either. On the other hand, you’re stuck with the culture you have. Leave a little grace to consider that the SM may have acted the way he did with this scout because he wasn’t pleased with how things went down three months ago. He knew he couldn’t adjust the BoR schedule, so the path of least resistance was to be available on weekends to conference ambitious scouts.

Possible reply: “Priority is given to skills training, which is primarily done in situ on campouts, which we use meetings to plan. We encourage skill mastery at meetings BY PLANNING IN ADVANCE with fellow scouts to set aside meeting time to do so.” Or, don’t waste your breath and just work for smiles.

They can vote with their feet.

Phone a different MBC each month. That allows for 36 awards potentially earned between ages 11-12. What would happen if the majority of scouts did that? MBU proponents would gripe about the 1% of scouts who skate through because of the few lax MBCs.

@mylo_cat, I think I know who in particular helped you. Rock solid customer service. Excellent display skills. He used cordage instead of screws to put up display racks. I hope you get to visit the shop and thank the staff in person. ETA: They would love a thank-you with picture. Seriously, they work for bonuses in smiles.

I will also point out: social media posts intended to trigger rise up on feeds. Meanwhile proper discourse like what people may ponder in this moderated forum is not clickable. Even if a decent comment from a seasoned scouter here were to get memeified, it would be framed so terribly that half of us would think their membership should be revoked. When I was advising my coed crew, my most strident opponents provided some excellent program activities for my youth. Words may hurt me, but sticks and stones make for a great cooking fire.

I’m afraid that your expected timeline for change is far too soon. Seven or eight years is far too soon for any of these young women to rescue the lost in an avalanche, explore some unknown frontier, lead her nation through war, secure a peace, or become mom of the year or any of the other feats where, as such an adult, she will look back and say her time on the trail to eagle was the first step toward the rarified height where she now stands. Then and only then will people not have time to complain about the rise of a single scouting program for Americans of both sexes. I have a niece who I believed was presidential material. She balked when I said it years ago. She is now on her school board. I envision in another decade or two half of you will be voting for her, and the other half will be making up partisan excuses not to. (I’m just writing this now to be able to link to it in the future.) But for that to happen, she will have prevail in a sea of nay-sayers. Same for my daughter when she’d play dress-up. I told her to never settle for princess, or even queen. It’s empress or bust. The metaphor still applies now that she is an engineer solving a major corporation’s largest problems. My son’s wives are in similar positions. I sincerely hope one day they have their own firm. But that kind of growth only occurs when those who oppose you manifest for who they are. These “bullies” are doing your scouts a favor. They have something to overcome. It will make them great.

Well, there’s two. Sounds like leadership in his academic trajectory is of immediate importance. Are the family farmers? Have their own business? There might be one or more things that he can do to represent them. Religious life? Is there something he’d like to do for his faith community? How about on the ride to or from school? Maybe he can get to know one thing about each classmate. The requirement shouldn’t be overthought. It’s to help someone realize that leadership opportunities are everywhere. Give the kid at least one simple idea that you think suits him, and ask him to come up with three more. For some kids, structured activities are a no-brainer. For others, it’s noticing little things where they can make a contribution. Be positive, and hopefully this kid will come back to you with some nice ideas.

@brennan52 welcome to the forums and best of luck with your project. While you’re at it, consider starting to work toward the Distinguished Conservation Service Award.

The school is off today, so technically no meeting. We are, however, meeting at a local park to decorate one of their Christmas trees. We won’t meet during Christmas break, but we are planning a backpacking trip after Christmas. At the last CoH, I asked the boys to give a round of applause for the adults who provided the depth of leadership required for the activities we can do during “gaps” between meetings.

What position? Like a bill to reduce DoD's budget by the amount they would no longer spend to help secure jamborees or feed scouts evacuated from a hurricane?

Happy thanksgiving everyone. Generally, a scout who is belligerent to other scouts or not willing to talk to the committee would require the board to be suspended, written instructions given about what needs to change in some reasonable time frame (e.g., within a month, during the next campout). The board could then reconvene and determine if the youth's behavior was scout-like or if the youth was more willing to discuss troop life with these adults. I dealt with a "failure to bowline" once when I was a crew advisor when a scout failed to complete a Life BoR in his troop. The committee had not given him in writing how to remedy the situation. But, they did say that he could come back next week and demonstrate this skill. This was distressing to the scout who felt blind-sided by the challenge. Because he was in my crew, I laid out three options. He could comply and demonstrate the skill. I could discuss with the committee about how they might have been out of bounds. He could continue the rest of his advancement with me and the crew committee. He chose the first option. It turned out that the chairman of that board approached me about the situation. He was an Eagle Scout and knew very well that he didn't go by the book. But, he was frustrated that a number of scouts weren't keeping their skills up. He was just trying to turn it around. It didn't sound like he wanted every BoR to be a test. I opted to just listen (for once) and not play G2A wonk on the guy. It seemed like his heart was in the right place, and I'd rather have an adult like that than someone who quotes chapter and verse inflexibly.

Is this the cost of shrinking membership?

I’m having a similar challenge with a family member who would rather raise funds to sponsor a scout to attend World Jamboree while I know that, for the hassle, lowering the cost to every youth (and maybe young adult) in entire contingent would be preferred. I gave our head of contingent a call, and he had just talked to a parent of a former WSJ scout who also wanted to sponsor a single scout of the contingent’s choosing. I guess you have to work with donors as they come to you. But targeted contributions call for a lot of oversight. On a troop level, I tell donors that we have a scoutmaster discretionary fund to allow the SM, the CC, and the treasurer to confidentially assist scouts who need it.

I like your attempt at not swallowing the doublespeak. I would encourage everyone to be more direct and use the term “mixed sex troop.” The last thing the youth who participated in the mixed sex troop pilot need is for their efforts to imply that parents and siblings and extended family will all be part of the troop. No! These girls and boys weren’t testing the hypothesis that every scout’s family members would facilitate successful implementation of the program. The issue at hand was a neighborhood of boys and girls (not biological brothers and sisters) working the program together with beneficial outcomes that outweigh proposed detriments.

The delusional thinking regarding increased membership stupefies me. We will be fortunate if we see a turnaround in a decade. Prove me wrong. (Seriously, please prove me wrong.) This summer, I did meet a couple that said they would not support our troop if it ever went coed. If five girls approach me to start a unit, I’ll help them. But, I have no inclination to hazard community support if SA continues the corporate doublespeak of “family” scouting. I’d rather say our CO fields a unit for boys, and one for girls, and they sometimes join in the same activities.