Region 7 Voyageur

Jake and Elwood took care of those Illinois Nazis.

Does anyone know what the BSA means by "open fire" in the Second Class Rank requirement 2g? I have heard different opinions from wood fire, or charcoal, or a backpacking type stove, or any stove with a flame.

The Insignia Guide says that the Eagle Rank (patch) is worn by "Boy Scout, left pocket" and the Eagle Scout Award (square knot) is worn by "Scouter, above left pocket".

Under the section on Venturing Insignia it says that "earned Boy Scout rank recognition, may be worn on the Venturing uniform"

Are you a Boy Scout, a Scouter, or a Venturer? It appears that a registered Venturer may wear the Eagle rank patch until the age of 21.

In general I like the current uniform. If I had the power to make changes I would:

Put a real collar on the shirt

Put a yolk on the shirt like they had in the 60's

Have garters with tabs as an option

Redesign the baseball style hat

Have a buckle for the web belt that stays locked in position like the web belt of the USMC

Have either real cargo pants or no cargo pants, maybe green jeans(This message has been edited by Region 7 Voy(This message has been edited by Region 7 Voyageur)

Here are two quotes that I think relate to this discussion.

August, 1913:

"Scoutmasters and Commissioners have in their positions to think of others

rather than themselves. Personally, I put on a uniform, even if I have only

a Patrol to inspect, because I am certain that it raises the moral tone of

the boys. It heightens their estimation of their uniform when they see it

is not beneath a grown man to wear it; it heightens their estimation of

themselves when they find themselves taken seriously by men who also count

it of importance to be in the same brotherhood with them.

I have been in the habit of wearing shorts instead of pants when in the

Scout uniform, but I do it intentional, not merely because I am more

comfortable in shorts, but because it puts me more closely on a level with

the boys. And the more a Scout official assimilates his inward ideas and

his outward dress with the boys', the more likely he is to be in sympathy

with them and they with him."

September, 1918:

"I had to comment the other day on the slovenly get-up of some Scouts I had

seen, and I am perfectly certain in my mind that their Scoutmaster (though

I had not seen him) does not dress himself correctly or well.

Smartness in uniform and correctness in detail seems a small matter to fuss

about, but has its value in the development of self-respect, and means an

immense deal to the reputation of the movement among outsiders who judge by

what they see.

It is largely a matter of example. Show me a slackly-dressed Troop and I

can "Sherlock" a slackly-dressed Scoutmaster. Think of it, Scoutmasters,

when you are fitting on your uniform and putting that final saucy cock to

your hat. You are the model to your boys and your smartness will reflect

itself in them."

Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell

EAMONN posted:

"you might want to look at the G2SS before you start using liquid fuels.

Eamonn"

Now I never thought of paraffin as a liquid fuel. Eamonn, are you talking about kerosene? Is kerosene called paraffin on the other side of the pond? My guess is that Pack2 is talking about candle wax.

Can a 19 year old "Adult" leader tent with a 21+ year old "Adult" leader? I have not found anything in the G2SS that indicates no.

Does anyone have experience or information about the Lyme disease vaccine?

Our Council had several cases of scouts that were diagnosed with Lyme disease last summer. The suspected source of the ticks was the council summer camp.

I heard several years ago that the vaccination took several shots at specific time intervals and at that time it was only 50 to 75% effective. I would get the vaccine if it worked.

Point of information to Mr. White's post, Bill Cosby is an Ed.D. not a PHD.

Red Feather posted:

"carry the flag

The rest of the nay sayers can pound sand, with a flag this size, respect for the flag and what it stands for is what matters. Not to mention what the lesson taught to the scouts carrying it. And what they will learn and remember."

I believe that respect for the flag and what it stands for means following the U.S. Flag Code. The lesson taught to scouts is that it is ok to treat or display a flag any way you wish. They will learn and remember that it is ok to display the flag in this manner because they saw Scouts do it in a parade.

Is there a difference between a flag being carried and one being held? In a parade this flag in question would be carried. On the baseball field was the flag just held in a horizontal position? We all hold a flag in a horizontal position when we fold it.

I do not see what the great urgency is to have this large flag in a parade if the only way it can be done is by violating the U.S. Flag Code. Sure we have seen flags carried in parades horizontally. It still is not correct. I assume that those that carry the flag in that manner are just ignorant of the code.

Though there are no penalties involved with violating the U.S. Flag Code, all citizens should do their best to comply with it.

Now can we get people to stop wearing American Flag bandanas or using them to blow their nose?

Gilwell

I believe that the Honor Medal, Heroism Medal, and the Medal of Merit or the square knot representative of the medal may be worn on the Boy Scout uniform if they were earned (awarded) to a boy as a Cub Scout.

Joe Foss, he was a success at every leadership opertunity he had.

I am sorry, I was not paying attention to what catagory I posted this thread in. It should have been under Uniforms.

I am guilty of often telling scouts and scouters that there is no Class A or Class B uniform in scouting. I feel that we are all better served if we use correct terminology.

Then to my surprise I read in an old (copyright 1989) Order of the Arrow Handbook talks about both a Class A and a Class B uniform. (page59)

Did BSA at one time use this terminology or was this a mistake that slipped past the proof readers? Does anyone have any historical knowledge on this?

I am going back to Gilwell this summer for my first time as a staff member.

I gather from the posts that a scout should obtain a copy of the advancement report that shows his earning of the current rank and show that when purchasing an additional rank patch. This would mean that in late spring as many scouts are getting new shirts in order to have more than one shirt for summer camp the troop advancement chair would have to make copies of many reports for scouts to have as proof.

Is a scout's rank card acceptable as proof?

I usually shop at the council store near where I work. This is not the council where my son is a member. This store has always sold anything you put on the counter. I went there this week to get the patches needed for my son to update his second uniform shirt. I was told that as of this week the store is now following National's guidlines and only selling rank patches with an advancement report.

I understand the need to control of the distribution of these patches. I am not sure but I guess If I had shopped at our home council's store they could have verified the rank status in the council's records.

I understand that scout shops are only supposed to sell rank patches to a representative of the troop that presents an advancement report. I understand why.

My question is what is the proper procedure for a scout to obtain additional rank patches for additional uniforms?

On page 115 of "Handbook for Boys" copyright 1948 it says:

"The United Nations stand for World Citizenship"

"The Scouting Trail along which these requirements guide you, is the path to citizenship

In your Home

In your Neighborhood

In your Community

In your Nation

In the World"

Now I happen to agree with these statements but based on WHEELER's other rants about the United Nations I find it hard to believe that he is so much in love with the 1948 handbook that speaks well of the United Nations.

WHEELER said in his/her? post:

Here's a new one "Give Happiness to other people". This is straight from the Mommy Scouts of America.

Here is a quote from Lord Baden-Powell:

"The most worth-while thing is to try to put happiness into the lives of others."

Sir Robert Baden-Powell,

Age 80. From his last letters, September, 1940.

I would never imply that Baden-Powell was a "Mommy Scout".

Page 29 of "Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures" is where it says that parents of a Scout cannot sit on a board of review for him. On the same page it says that the BOR is made up of 3 to 6 Committee Members.

One fact that was not known by others in the troop I am with is that the position of Chaplain Aide must be held by a scout that is 1st Class or above and has either earned a religious award for his age or is working towards earning one.

http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?c=xds&terms=chaplain+aide

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

Greek Proverb

Lacquer thinner and methyl ethyl ketone will do a number on your liver. I would not mess with these solvents.