red feather

A two bladed Buck knife is good.About 3 inches long closed and not that pricey. Been carrying one for 40 years.

yis

Been using this with the troop that I serve as a life lesson, they eventually understand, it is a haha for the young but as they age understanding kicks in:

Never play leap frog with a unicorn!

Stock answer when they have other resources: Yes? (blank look)

Doing a Good Turn is a couple of things:

When in a parking lot look around for carts that are not in the cart corral and go get them and put them where they belong. Amazing how other people will get the hint.

Bring happiness to those around you every day even if it means leaving the room.

When something is said that need not be said:

Even a fish will stay out of trouble if it keeps its mouth shut.

yis

fed feather

Recieved the Nov/Dec Scouting magazine and on page 6 there is a painting (graphic) that just looks wrong. I hope that the professionals that pay good money for providing accurate information to the scouting world had a reason for what looks wrong. Since the page is signed by the BSA president, BSA Ntl Commissioner and the Chief Scout Executive I hope there is a history behind the painting (graphic). Please take a look and let me know what you think.

But then again my senior moments may be elongating into longer time increments.

yis

red feather

Have made hiking staffs out of bamboo, popular, oak, walnut,osage orange, apple, and one that is the one I use the most, and blast if I can identify the wood (found it as dead fall while hiking, may be shagbark hickory?). I like to find a branch that has a bit of bend that fits my hand for the top and then straight enough to provide a good grip when it hits the ground. One and a half inches to two inches in diameter fits my hand. It should be of a length that reaches just above your waist. A good staff has character and fits you.

just rambling

yis

Red Feather

Thanks for the input, good info. Will be talking to the PLC this coming Monday to start the process.

Thanks again

yis

red feather

Looking for safe fuel storage systems. Currently fuel is stored in the troop trailer and churches barn. Any input would be appreciated.

thanks

yis

To be informed is forwarned. Not to pass judgement but to be aware of what may be an issue. Once again as SMs, we are responsible for the welfare of all, repeat all, of the scouts and scouters in our care.

Knowledge of an existing condition/situation allows us to be able to observe, repsond, and work with scouts and parents. Not knowing is worse and can lead to another 'life exprience' that can further hurt the scout.

The easy scouts are just that, easy. Scouting is really for those that need what scouting can bring to them and maybe change them. Seen that, done that and got the tats and t shirts.

As is a common ideam is todays world information is paramount. Same, same with scouting.

I would want to be informed and be ready to try to devolop the scout or not. Depends on the sitiuation. Open mind until proven different. A scout is Trustworthy until proven different isn't he?

Forget one month, if there was a scout or scouter that was tranfering to another troop because of 'issues' then the SM of the new troop needs to be aware/informed of the reasons. Common curtesy.

The troop that I serve will take on all new scouts on a level field, it is up to them at that point. If there is a transfer for issues there is a definent need to know here. How else can proper evaluation be done? New scout same as the old scout? Same same as parents. Gotta know.

soap box broken again

yis

red feather

As a SM I would hope that pertinent, correct information would be passed on, common curtesy. (verified with visits to council leaders to the extent as to what council knows of course) Not to make a judgement on the scout but to be informed on what may impact the scouts and scouters currently in the troop that I serve and am responsible for.

Isn't that a bit of "Be Prepared"?

yis

red feather

Scouting happens.

Ome of many lessons that can be learned that last a lifetime.

yis

red feather

Ditched the shaving mirror and use the compass mirror instead.

Added clips to fanny pack and pack to hang the fanny pack in front as a 'belly bag' to store daily needed things and basic survival gear while hiking. Unclips and can then be worn as a fanny pack.

Well identified plastic sports drink bottle to prevent the winter late night tree trips.

Lanyard that carries whistle, compass, fire starter and ID tag. Made out of 100 foot of paracord with cotton cord center as tinder.

Metal shower curtain hooks instead of d rings. They also hold fish. Make good zipper pulls in winter. (do not have to take gloves off)

Oversize muslin triangular bandage as head scarf, face scarf, hotpad, bandage etc.

Cut down 6" elastic bandage as neck wrap, head band and even as an elastic bandage.

yis

red feather

Reread post. An given meetin we also have 35 to 40 scouts in attendance. Lots more scouts than scouters.

yis

red feather

Welcome to the campfire. I post as a SM of a troop that I serve that some years ago had been more adult led than scout led. Notice the differnce between boy led or scout led. Subtle difference but a critical one. Any boy can learn to lead but to learn to lead as a scout takes different skills and achievements.

When I was asked to be SM we had 3-5 active adults and 21 scouts. We know have 49 scouts and on any given meeting 10 to 14 uniformed adult scouters. Not adult leaders but adult scouters. Big differnce. As adults in scouting we should not be leaders but developers of youth leaders. (that is the hard part of adult scouting) Not to say as an adult scouter scouting is not a hoot. It is a what keeps us going. Each adult scouter has a job that allow the troop to function in the manner that the SPL and PLC directs it to accomplish.

Training of adults is very important in developing the program of scouting. It teaches that scouting is for the boys and not one that makes the adults and parents 'feel good' about what they and their sons are doing. With the training and the application of that training your troop will grow and develop boys into scouts into leaders.

Get all the training possible, develop more skills with the troop that you serve. Develop boys into scouts and stand back because they will amaze you.

yis

red feather

We have a saying in the troop: Wake up, packup, eatup, cleanup, ruckup.

Last campout the SPL,ASPL and and a PL overlsept as did a couple of cooks. (the first three were in the same tent/tarp) The cooks were the responsibiliy of the patrols to get up. (with help to get the cooks gear packed in time to ruckup). The rest were mine to sing them into wakefullness. In the troop that I serve that is seen as a bad thing. ;(

I will not go into what as is part of my 'singing',(I do a pretty reseanable good morning sunshine) with the tent/tarp losing their location in enjoyment. It only takes once to teach them (not the stakes) and those to come up to those positions to happen only once (with reminders). The scouts say that I cannot sing and need a bucket to carry a tune. No bucket has ever complained.

Seriously, a life leason in responibility.

Had a Eagle Board this weekend with one of the members not a scouter and was told afterwards that he had not realized that every thing scouting does has a life lesson and message. Humbling.

yis

Fought the same senario.

imho, the issue is not the particpation of scouts with the Eagle project but the involvement of parents to but into the program. If parents/guardians do not 'buy in' the scout may not.

Involvement in or at projects come with the expectations and traditions of the troop over time. And that takes time to generate.

The troop that I serve performs thecrossover of the webeloes then performs the same thing for the parents. Reinforces the idea that they are not done just starting on the trail of scouting with their son.

Close to 50% retention of parents. Once the scouts crossover with the troop scouts welcoming them, the parents cross over with the scouters (adult leaders) welcoming them.

As SM I like to think I set the 'tone' and am responsible for that tone. Retention of scouts and scouters is a big part of that. Building the scouter support allows me to work with the youth and help them with the program of scouting.

Expectations, Expectations, Expectations, gotta start that at the Cub level and build/enhance that when they cross over. Ask your CM to let you speak at Blue and Gold as to what the cross over means and what the parents are growing into. Takes time but the fruits that you will reap will only enhance the troop that you serve.

For what its worth.

yis

red feather

Congrats on the Scoutmaster thing. The caveat that it is only one hour per week is true, the fine print (very fine) is 'per boy'.

We also have a cooking award for the patrols, the Golden Skillet. The back is covered with tape and the winning patrol gets to write their Patrol name on it and the date. Usually get a year plus on the back. The skillet is displayed in the troops trophy case for all to see and the winner after each overnight is of great interest. The judge(s) for the award are the SPL (or acting) and the ASPLs (or acting). Cooking, total patrol participations and all is included. We have had winners include a one scout patrol put on a great meal for himself and just outdid all the the others, had a duty roster up and just did a great job.

Have fun, have patience and sit back and enjoy the ride.

red feather

Old or new I like to burn out the previous seasoning by filling the bottem and the inner top with campfire coals. If you have a quality iron oven this will open up the iron and release the seasoning. Once burned out start seasoning with your favorite (crisco is what I use normally but am trying olive oil). It will take some time to get a proper seasoned dutch oven. I like to do a couple or three fried chickins meals in mine to get them going.

If you know the history of an older dutch oven then the burn out may not be needed. Good luck and have fun.

yis

Looking back over the whirlwind of the last 4 years the most important thing initially was getting the scouters of the troop to buy into boy led. Takes belief as SM that it can and will work and patience is the name of the game.

Recruiting of adults to be on committee and as ASMs is also very important with them understanding where the troop is heading. Our Committee is very strong with 8 to 11 active members and our scouter core is also very strong averaging 13 uniformed scouters each meeting.(the troop has 45 or so scouts each meeting)

The scouters only interact with the scouts on an as needed basis and operate as their own patrol ( that only took 3 years to get started). But once started they developed their own identity and operate seperate from the SM. I am not a member of the scouter patrol.

Youth elections started the culture change with the boys choosing their leaders and learning what is needed in that leader. The SPL chooses his staff (with consultation with the SM) he chooses one ASPL and I reserve the right to choose a second one (also consulting with the SPL to assure compatibility). This tool allows me to give a boost to a scout in learning leadership skills.

Setting the expectations of scout led from the beginning is also very important to success. Reinforcing that the troop is the scouts responsibility and praising the scouts whenever they behaved as scouts of the troop that they are responsible for gave the scouts a source of pride in what they were doing. Several times it has been overheard from one scout to another, 'that is not how scouts in this troop behave or do things'. Scary.

Breaking the cycle takes time, patience and vigilance. Stay in focus, stay on track, be willing to overlook some things but also be ready to step in and ask 'is this how this troop does things?' Get your scouters trained and work with them to enhance their understanding of the training and why it is needed.

One thing that has helped in this is our habit of having same age patrols. This limited the crossover of the old ways to the new and each new patrol grew up in the new culture. Our first and second year patrols know no other way of doing things and the third and fourth year patrols are providing the scout leadership having grown up developing the new culture.

Set the expectations high and the scouts will reach them. Set the expectations of the scouters high and they will respond. Keep the scouters busy, talk to them about the scout led program and they will undertand and buy in. Getting the PLC to be a functioning body was another chapter but they are now functioning and have/are learning how to hold meeting.

The next challenge was started this year. We now have a troop culture that is scout led and working and we are starting the process of developing the patrol method even stronger. The scouts are liking the idea and are slowly developing how they want to do it.

How did it happen? The scouts did it. They were expected to and they responded. The message has to be constant. For years I have been a very 'dumb' SM requiring the scouts to go to their leadership for answers. They look themselves from boy led to scout led.

Hope this helps, let me know

yis

red feather

Been four plus years of transition. Adult led to boy led to scout led. The biggest transition was from boy led to scout led. (and that is where most scouters and adults said 'Wow') There are a lot posts about boy led but not scout led, maybe need to watch the semantics? (not sure, try this test at meeting, call the boys to order and then scouts to order and observe the difference) When the troop was boy led the involvement of the youth was there but marginal but when they moved to scout led the improvement of their decisions and focus was very noticable.

When the boys become scouts they were informed of the difference and they took ownership of the troop as scouts. Almost frightening in how they changed in taking charge of what they are doing.

The SPL and his staff has taken responibility for the troop ( notice not charge of the troop but responsibilty) and has been a major difference is how the PLC and the troop is led.

That said, the biggest hurdle was with the adults. Getting them to 'buy in' to scout led. Many wanted to become a merit badge mill, eagle mill, etc etc etc. But once they allowed the boys to become scouts the transition was and is impressive. One key was to get the adults trained and provide them responsibilites where they had to interact with the scouts to provide the program as scout led. And getting the scouts to interact with the scouters (notice the semantic difference between scouter and adults, peronal perception of position is importent). The number of merit badges earned and I repeat earned and the number of Eagle earned (repeat earned) has gone up with the scouts taking personal responsibility for their achievements. Like I said almost frightening.

Not real sure why the need of this post but I think new SMs and scouters and others might like to hear about a troop that has made this transition. I am very proud of the scouts and scouters of the troop that I serve. They are proud of themselves to be members of that troop and are presenting the program. (not without oopses but that is expected)

A troops culture is what has to be developed. New ways take time to become the norm. Had to age out the scouts who grew up the older way of doing things and once the younger scouts came to leadership age they only knew the scout led way. Same with the adults/scouters. Once the scout led culture is in place then the issue is preventing the other methods to try to take hold. Takes constant observence of new/existing adults and scouters to make sure they make the transtion or stay on track.

One on the challenges is reigning in enthusiatic new scouters. Takes about a year more of less to harness that enthusiasm. Just takes monitoring and pointing them in directions that support scout led.

Guess that is all, looking for others to post with their experiences with the transition. Scouters (notice not leaders) who are taking one the responsibility of SM or ASM might enjoy and learn from others experience and information. After all it is about the scouts isn't it?

yis

red feather

33? Wow! The troop that you mentioned, are they scout led or adult led? Sounds more like a adult led scenario, but could be wrong. If the SM and CC are working together then it may, and I repeat may, be possible to have that many acitve and working adults. With the troop that I serve we usually have, on average, 15 uniformed adult leaders and 7 not uniformed (normally parents monitoring and some committee members)but have 40 or so active scouts at each meeting.

It has taken 4+ yrs as SM to get the involvement of the adults to 'buy in' to the scouting program and have them assume roles that allow me to be a 'scout'master not the troopmaster. The scouts are the leaders of the troop and the adults are there to facilitate the neccesary work that adults can do and allow me to work more directly with the scouts, not the admin details of the troop. With proper buy in and a scout led troop 33 adults could be done if they are an active troop. But, wow! 33

If they are pushing the scout led program and looking to grow then that level of adult involvement would be a great recruiting tool.

yis

red feather

Stosh probaly said it best, but the concept of scout led is an important one and I have to add my 2 cents.

Key is getting the adults and PARENTS to buy into the idea that the scouts can plan the program, execute, and learn from the plan. New scout parents will be the big hurdle.

Sounds easy, but it is not. The troop that I serve used to be a mix of adult led and some scout led and it took 3 yrs to get it to scout led. Biggest thing to learn was the answer to questions. "Ask the Senior Patrol Leader." A scoutmaster and adult leaders have to learn how to be "unhelpful" at times.

The troop has grown from 20 or so to over 50 with the last meeting having 17 uniformed and 'mostly' trained adults , 49 scouts and 4 visitors looking for a troop. The adults are there to provide adult consultation and cover any admin tasks needed ( training a replacement I hope),they all have troop jobs with BOR's and two deep responsibilities as a part of them. Some commitee work is also done during meetings. The scouts held patrol meetings and worked on advancement, next overnight and ideas for the next spring camporee. (all the SPL and PLC planning)

The troops Owl Patrol is currently planning the councils spring camporee. The Owls are the adult patrol and are a great resource for the troop and are very active as an adult patrol but do not intrude on the functions of the youth patrols. (lots of coffe gets consumed )

The culture of the troop has to be developed over time. The scouts who grew up in the last system had trouble adapting. The younger and new scouts knew nothing other than scout led. Problems? You bet and still have the scars from biting the tongue.

Next is training the new adults, get them trained and believing in the idea of scout led. If you as SM set the example of expectation for both the youth and adult, they will with time buy in (the adults and parents will be the biggest problem to overcome). I say scout led not boy led since a boy cannot lead a troop but a scout can. Slim distinction but an important one. Remember, develop the troops culture.

Set the bar of expectation high and set back and wonder if you did not set the bar high enough and then raise it, remember the idea of the culture of the troop that you are creating.

The troop that I serve pushes Trustworthy, A Scout Is, and personal responsibility. The troop provides the opportunites for advancement, merit badges etc but does not provide them outside of what the PLC decides. Set the bar high and watch them reach it. And the raise it.

yis

sorry for the soap box, but I do get excited about this program

red feather

Remember that what he wears during the day must not be worn at night!!! Day clothes collect moisture that will degrade the effectiveness of his sleeping bag, and he may sleep cold. He will need a set of sleeping clothes. Otherwise he may not be able to get warm. Lots of tips available and you might want to get him to do his own search on winter camping and winter warm tips. (Be Prepared sort of thing)

A good stocking hat, polartec is good (one for the day and one for the night) is light weight and what I prefer. Layering of clothing in the winter is a must. Wicking at the skin, transfer level next and a wind, moisture barrier on top of that. Types of material will depend on the weather. Neck gaiters are better that scarves as they don't come off easily and are normally harder to lose.

Footwear is also to be considered, feet need a wicking layer, transfer layer and waterproof and breathable outer. Same with hands.

A glove of polypropolene in a mitten is very warm and an overmitt over heavier gloves is very good also. Search overmiit and you should find links.

Sounds like a lot but there is information on the web to be found. Search layering, wicking, overmitt, and winter clothing.

Hope this helps. Do not be afraid of winter camping it is just a matter of learning, reseach and being ready for it. Put it in his hands to learn what is needed and be ready to be surprised at what he can and will learn.

Dump the cotton, 'Cotton Kills' It collects moisture and will not let it go easily. Hang some just washed jeans outside in cold weather and see how easily they let go of the moisture. Summer use of cotton is ok but winter no.

Warm in winter

yis

red feather

There must be a lot of sites that we use that some have not heard of.

These are a few of them that have come in handy or fun.

Accuweather.com

for good radar maps based on zipcodes or location

hiker.com

for equipment reviews and ideas

gethuman.com/us/

for customer service numbers and shortcut ideas

military.com

speaks for itself

Hulu.com

for online shows

RefDesk.com

news and lots of links to reference material

Any others out there?

yis

Same thing as in before but in a different venue. What is the Scoutmasters job?

yis

I like the Thermax brand long johns, lightweight and so fr durable, not sure they are made anymore. Found them a couple of years ago in the bargan cave at Cabellas and got all they had.

The military closed cell pad is good as a second pad, Cabellas also has a closed cell pad for around 15.00 or so.

yis

He is a Life scout working on Eagle, has not earned it yet. Life badge on shirt.

yis