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High adventure does not have to be just Philmont, or Boundary or Sea Base. A program that can fill the summer on just basic scout skills is possible. Many forget that scout skills go beyond merit badges and such. Include tracking, wilderness survival, orienteering, pioneering, camping and cooking into the program. Start with basics, how to cook with tools and without. Camp with tents, etc., and move into tarp tenting or if have friendly farmland natural shelters. Track each other, move into id'ing signs of creatures of the land. Teach the stars and how to follow them, tell the time, know directions. (check the camping forum KScouter has great stuff) Build all of this into an overnight where they must track someone to a campsite that gives the bare necessities (10by10 tarp, 50 foot rope or things of your choice) What they have on their backs will be their food, shelter etc. The possibilites are endless. Set a seperate trek for the newer boys that is easier, but challenging. During all this stage a lost scout search. 'Let your mind go, Neo'. This was a summer program I helped put together some time back and the scouts who participated still talk about it. Yes, many of these skills I had to learn. But remember you only have to know a 'litle' bit more than the scouts. whew! yis

Ditto with Bob and dsteele. Many ideas are also in this thread, Camping and high adventure. you might want to look into the various merit badge books that pertain to camping and wilderness living. yis

Excellent questions. Only a couple of others come to mind and they may be variations of some of those listed: Of the merit badges you have earned which one(s) did you gain the most from... which ones do you wish you had taken... and which one(s) do you feel you really did not earn? The answers are sometimes suprising. As a scout and a possible Eagle Scout, how have your responsibilites to the community and the people in your communtiy changed from your being a scout? The younger scouts answers sometimes have to led out of them but the older scouts give pretty interesting answers yis

Was that thunder?.... no I think it was the groans bemoaning that this thread has surfaced again. Sorry folks, but this is a topic dear to me. Many new sources of ideas and tidbits out there. So give us your ideas. Please. Learned recently that the best angle for sharpening knifes is approx. 25 to 29 degrees. Axes call for a steeper angle 35 to 45 degrees. Thanks to AKEagle, I will go to machine shops to look for magnesium shaving and strips for fire starting. Thanks AK. yis

Our adults are called the Crak'd Pot patrol. Our totem is a cracked dutch oven...long story. We do not compete but try to set the example for the other patrols to follow. Our camp chairs are "sacrosanct (sp?)" and targets for the boys to vie for. Mine is the chair of many colors and is a high prize. Trying to get the other leaders to agree on a patrol motto and yell but that will be coming in time. yis

Welcome to the campfire. What rank is your boy going for? Our Troop protocal is a boy has a scoutmaster conference for each rank. I believe that is a requirement for each rank, check your scoutbook. Normally a SM conf is between the SM and the scout (of course in view of other adult scouters) and is not a grilling session. That is reserved for the BOR which in our troop is held by star scout or higher (with adult oversight) for the ranks up through 1st Class, star and above BOR are held by adult scouters and yes is in part a review of what the scout has learned and in part what and where the scout is in their development. Never is a BOR a Face the Nation setting!!! If you could give more information as to what has happened in the past, etc that would be very helpful. yis

A Scout is Reverant....not religious. yis

ditto with Bob. Other than that scouting would be a geat outlet for these boys if they can hook up with a good troop. No easy answers. Just hope and luck. Also welcome to the campfire, search the other threads for maybe an insite and keep coming back and let us know how it all goes. Remember that the forum is here to help if we can. yis

Of course the boys are embarresed to wear the uniform, it only represents skills, experienes, and attitudes that are uncool. Just kidding, if the adults wear uniforms not just to meetings but also in public the boys will tend to also. When told they are uncool for being a 'boy' scout, ours come back (at times) with skills in cooking, camping, wilderness survival, knots, high advinture, backpacking, stars, etc, etc,etc,. By all reports this usually shuts the other ones down. The key, IMHO, is the adults wearing the uniform and being proud of it. We here in Mic-O-Say also do public dances and demos where the scouts wear their native american costumes and are well recieved by not only the public but their peers. (go figure) Adults also show up in their stuff of MOS. If you as leaders show pride being in uniform it will rub off. yis

Oz, your potasium permaganate info. Still trying to find a vendor, found the stuff but only in liquid form, I'm good but that is strecthing it a bit. But still looking. yis

Words alone cannot comfort the need that is part of your lives at times such as this. Troop 216, boys and leaders, send their condolences to all of you during this time. Good advice in this forum, please let us know how this was handled for our own reference.... We're here. yis

Pat yourself twice. Good for you!!! yis

Senior Field Service Engineer for Olympus America (17+ yrs) providing emergency service and onsite training for automated blood chemistry analyzers and automated blood typing equipment in hospitals, blood banks and reference laboratories througout the midwest. Scout as much as I can and owe much, much to my wife and will make up for it all. Scout as a boy (Eagle) and ASM (past) CM (current. Served with the 101 Airborne, Mo. and Co. National Guard. Medic with the first two and artillery plotter (Long Toms) with the second. Both boys are Eagle Scouts and Runners in the Tribe of Mic-O-say. yis

The key to buying a pack is to have it fitted to you at the store. Not just put an empty pack on but put the pack on and then add weight (sand bags) to the expected weight range and see how the pack rides. Many but the pack off the shelf or through a catalog but do not take the pack to a reputable store to get it fitted. This will cause a problem with the pack when it is put into usage. When our troop is planning a backpacking trip we will have the boys and adults bring their packs (packed) to a meeting for fitting. Makes a world of difference whether it is internal or external. Mine is an external and I just like the way it rides, especially after getting it fitted. Not once but periodically as I change. yis

Just a stray thought, wonder if BSA National has enough clout to get it offered through the catalog? What do you think National? yis

Jeff, the only things I think you might have missed is a whistle and duct tape. I know, duct tape? As a past medic with the 101st one of the items we were told to have just in case was duct tape. Works to protect blisters if needed, can hold wounds closed if needed and tends to less affected by enviromental conditions that will defeat most bandaids. Doesn't take much and can also be used to mark trails, danger areas and many other similar uses. One of those things that if you don't have you will probably need. Also much cheaper to use in quantity than medical tapes. yis

Ditto with Ev and Hops. While sports tends to lean on the 'team' structure more than scouting does, scouting in the long run teaches more on how to work together to accomplish a given task. Individual advancement and learning is what scouting offers. No matter what the persons speed is they can still reach their goal and feel good about the accomplishment of that goal. Work with the young scouts (and the older scouts) to enable them to get the most out of scouting that they can. It is most definitely worth the effort to do so and watch them advance through scouting and grow in a way that they would not be able to otherwise. yis

Congratulations!! used to be a beaver..'if it ain't for the boys it's not worth a dam' yis

Congratulations to you and yours! Try not to puff up too much, shirts can get expensive:) yis

Took the training, lasted about 1 and half hour with 26k land line. Passed (darn it all;) but the online certificate was stripped off of the email by either local server or virus protection. yis

Our troop does not subsidize outings. We do have funding available to assist a scout if necessary and a list of past and present adult members that will help pay a scouts way to camp if needed. yis

Oh no, another fire starter to investigate!! Anyone have any success or hints on pie pan ovens to bake biscuits? Or any thing else? yis

No words seem right....thank you. A short paraphrase of a poem might fit.. take a moment in your busy day to look around you and enjoy what you view for those who have given of themselves so that you have the freedom to do so... May our troops be safe. yis

Knot of the Night is used at random intervals to that the scouts can't brush up for just one night. Two different colored ropes make it easier to see which rope goes where. Teaching the uses is good also, this comes in handy since every overnight I can go on the boys always have some knot work to do, camp gadgets, tripods for cooking or patrol flag, etc. Knot board is useful also during relays and knot sessions. Visual display and all that. Also the boys know that I will always have two different colored ropes tied with a larks head on my scout belt and at any given time during a meeting ( as long it does not disturb the program) they may be asked to tie one of the basic scout knots (younger scouts) or one of the knots needed to know for pioneering (older scouts). They seem to enjoy watching others try to tie the knots and many times one scout will help and work with another scout on how to tie the knot. Knots are a basic part of a board of review for all ranks including any Eagle board that I am on. The scouts that hold the early rank boards are making sure the scouts have the skill also. Part of the way boards are done...tradition. I have found that if I show enthusiasm for a skill the boys will also..... eventually. Small groups are best to work with. When I am working with just one or two scouts I have them stand beside me, that way they see the rope movements clearer. Teaching the Monkey Fists has gotten many of the scouts interested in knots. However, splicing is still magic to most of them. Had one ask me why splice short ropes to make a long one when rope is cheap at the hardware store. Sigh. yis

The flag worn on BSA uniforms is diplayed in the 'static' position for viewing. The military adopted the flag going forward, following military traditions. My understanding is that BSA has been granted the ability to wear the flag, one of the few organizations so honored. yis