RememberSchiff

I don't know how many veterans continue to serve as Scout leaders. They usually do not mention their prior service until the troop attends a Veteran's Day service or at a Scout gathering when veterans are asked to stand and be recognized...briefly. The BSA Adult Application does not ask Are you a Veteran? Perhaps it should. Maybe a new right sleeve strip VETERAN to be worn under the US flag or Veterans wear their scout uniform with the US flag blue stars forward? Wasn't there a VETERAN strip ? A more immediate and continuous recognition? My $0.01 this Veteran's Day,

The first auction of Neil Armstrong’s personal memorabilia and artifacts — including fragments of the Wright brothers’ 1903 flyer the famous astronaut took to the moon and back — brought in more than $5.2 million. Fetching the highest price — $468,500 — was an identification plate from the Apollo 11 lunar module Eagle from which Armstrong emerged in July 1969 to become the first man to set foot on the moon....his Boy Scouts field cap went for $12,000. Approximately 3,000 lots — some consisting of more than one item — are being auctioned in three parts. Before the first three-day sale began Nov. 1, Mark Armstrong said his father’s mementos included ones “that make you think, items that make you laugh and items that make you scratch your head.” Armstrong’s sons, Mark and Rick, put the items up for auction. The remaining lots will be sold on two dates in 2019, the 50th anniversary year of the Apollo 11 mission. https://www.whio.com/news/what-are-pieces-the-wright-brothers-famous-flyer-worth-auction-found-out/I91ZUL8iCVLFti6TZ5xxKL/

Scout salute and farewell....

@TLK welcome to scouter.com

Back in the day, camporee Cracker Barrels were noted for poker and fellowship (I guess it is called networking today). Most were WW2 or Korea veterans who understood "we're in this together..." Problems were discussed , resources accessed, and cooperative solutions developed outside of the camporee schedule. The next day, scouts or scouters from another troop might magically appear bearing skills and knowledge we were lacking like patrol method, Morse code or lashing. Imagine the PL of the patrol who won the camporee competition stopping by to teach our scouts. My $0.02

@Mohunter welcome to scouter.com

Missed sales opportunity? If a parent said they were there to sign up their kid for Soccer, Band, 4-H, Girl Scouts, ...I would ask them " Say while you are here, could I tell you about our Scout program?..." Informed not confused. Not poaching either. Girl Scouts may think they have dibs on all girls coming in to join "scouts", but that is simply not true. My $0.02,

Have not seen any confusion. One group sells cookies, the other does not. Hmmm maybe that is it - some rumor that Scouts BSA will sell Scout Cookies - Slim Mints, Do-or-Don't, Trailalongs, Gilwell Grins...

I suspect they attended a ropes course at New England Base Camp (Camp Sayre) .

Apparently two-deep married ok. “Winchester Cub Scout Pack 507 (grades 1-5) has over 110 Scouts in it, making it one of the largest Cub Scout packs in the Greater Boston area,” said Matt Gordon. “I am an Eagle Scout myself and was the leader in charge of the whole Cub Scout Pack (called the Cubmaster) for the past four years and was getting ready to retire after my son, Sam, crossed over from Cub Scouts into Boy Scouts last spring.” Matt’s plans changed course, however, when his daughter, Lily, “heard me talking about how girls could join Cub Scouts starting in the fall for the first time,” which piqued her interest. Matt initially asked Lily “if she wanted to do Girl Scouts instead because honestly I was ready to retire.” After some persistence from Lily, who agreed she would recruit friends, says Matt, “my wife, Laura, graciously agreed to step up and help me out” as a den co-leader. The Gordons teamed up to start a new girls den — a small group of Cub Scouts who are the same gender and age — as part of the larger Pack 507. Matt ultimately went through with his “retirement” as Cubmaster to focus his attention on the girls den for grades 4-5 with Laura, who had not been previously been involved with Cub Scouting. The new Winchester Cub Scout den comprises eight girls and began meeting in September. Their activities have included camping in the Blue Hills Reservation, canoeing, traversing a high ropes course and outdoor cooking over a campfire. http://winchester.wickedlocal.com/news/20181106/meet-winchesters-first-cub-scout-girl-den

Which patch? or or ??

Fred Hendershot (72) and Dan Swezey are Delaware's newest Eagle Scouts. Both men have been Boy Scouts their entire lives. They live at the Mary Campbell Center in Wilmington, where they completed their Eagle Scout projects. "My eagle project was a donation drive for Forgotten Cats. Their mission is to humanely reduce the homeless and unwanted cat population. The drive collected 410 cans of wet cat food, 335 pounds of dry food, 169 pounds of kitty litter and many more supplies," Fred says.Dan led a project to create science kits and a research book of experiments for the Mary Campbell Center's Saturday Science Hour.His goal now is to help others achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Source link with video: https://6abc.com/society/eagle-scouts-dont-let-disability-stop-them-from-achieving-goals/4610717/

Full statement from Boy Scouts Lake Erie Council: Dear LEC Scouting Family, Let me begin by apologizing for not being able to communicate sooner. It has always been my approach to be immediately responsive with the hope that you would hear both good and bad news directly from the council if possible. Unfortunately, a set of evolving circumstances prevented us from a mass distribution prior to yesterday evening. By now, you are likely aware that yesterday a former adult member was arrested and charged in federal court with production of child pornography. We were disturbed to learn about and condemn these charges. Nothing is more important than the safety of our youth members and we take these charges very seriously. Upon learning of the investigation by Homeland Security, we removed this individual and prohibited him from any future participation in our programs. In addition, you have likely seen mention of an incident that occurred in June of 2017. Let me assure you that this incident was both thoroughly reviewed at the time and the appropriate action was taken. While that incident was different in scope and kind to this case, in our determination and efforts to fulfill our commitment to protecting our youth and to fully cooperate with the authorities, we were able to provide information to Homeland Security that resulted in criminal charges. The Boy Scouts of America seeks to prevent child abuse through comprehensive policies and procedures to serve as barriers to abuse. These include a thorough screening process for adult leaders and staff, criminal background checks, requiring two or more adult leaders be present with youth at all times during Scouting activities, and the prompt mandatory reporting of any allegation or suspicion of abuse. Anyone with any information on potential abuse should contact authorities to ensure the safety of our youth, in and out of Scouting. For more information about the BSA’s youth protection policies, please visit bsayouthprotection.org. We are committed to providing ongoing support to victims and their families, including counseling. We want to help victims heal, on their own terms, with a professional counselor of their choice. Through the ScoutsFirst Helpline, the Boy Scouts of America offers assistance with counseling to any youth member, former youth member, or the family of any youth member who suffered abuse during their time in Scouting. To reach the ScoutsFirst Helpline, call (844)- Scouts1 or 844-726-8871, or email scouts1st@scouting.org. In addition, if you have specific questions about this case, please contact Homeland Security at 216-749-9602. As this matter is ongoing, they are the only ones who are able to provide answers to our questions. Know that we continue to cooperate with law enforcement as they investigate this matter. Yours in service to youth and families, Marc J. Ryan Scout Executive / CEO Lake Erie Council, Boy Scouts of America https://www.13abc.com/content/news/Child-porn-charges-for-Boy-Scouts-leader-prompt-question-abotu-2017-incident-499712311.html

Thomas Close, 39, who is associated with Troop 406 in Richland County and is also known as “Aqua Joe,” admitted to filming boys changing between 2011 and this year. He also said he had downloaded child pornography since he was 16 years old, and that his sexual preference was for boys between the ages of six and 16, according to an affidavit written by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations agent Benjamin Shaw. .... In August (2018), (HSI) agents talked to officials at the Boy Scouts' Lake Erie Council in Cleveland. They showed a director cropped images from some of the videos, and the director said it appeared they were shot in teepees at the Firelands Scout Reservation in Wakeman, five miles west of Oberlin. Scouts sometimes change clothes in the teepees, the affidavit states. The director said other videos look like they were shot in locker rooms at the Wakeman camp, investigators say. Since all the photos appeared to pertain to changing before and after swimming, a director provided agents with a June 2017 report regarding an incident at the Wakeman camp that may be related. A den leader made a complaint about Close, the affidavit says, and the director told Close that he would be fired if it happened again. Over a year later? Call the Police when incident occurs!!! “This case was solved because of good investigative work but also because a parent who was trained to look for signs of suspicious activity raised their concerns to Scout leadership,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “We all have an obligation to be aware of what is taking place around us and let authorities know when there are concerns.” Anyone with knowledge of the man’s unsupervised contact with children should contact HSI at 216-749-9602. https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2018/11/ohio-boy-scouts-of-america-employee-charged-with-secretly-filming-boys-changing.html https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/2018/11/01/boy-scout-official-arrested-child-porn-charges/1851611002/

Update: Lake Hallie police said Monday that the deceased were: 9-year-old Jayna Kelley and 10-year-old Autum Helgeson, both of Lake Hallie, and 10-year-old Haylee Hickle and her 32-year-old mother, Sara Jo Schneider, from the Town of Lafayette. The surviving girl was hospitalized in Rochester in critical condition. ... Lake Hallie police said the driver and a passenger in the pickup truck both told investigators they had intentionally been inhaling chemical vapors (huffing) just prior to the crash. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/girls-scouts-killed-driver-colten-treu-huffing-before-crash-chippewa-wisconsin-officials-say/

That can come out when the camp director is prosecuted under Ohio 2151.421 Reporting child abuse or neglect parts a and b. http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2151.421

Just before Christmas, the Department of the Interior reversed an Obama administration decision and opened the door for a copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the northeast Arrowhead region of Minnesota. ... Northeastern Minnesota is known as the Iron Range and taconite mining is deeply tied to its history. But Twin Metals, the Minneapolis-based company that holds the leases, is planning an underground copper-nickel mine, which has never been tried in the state. Opponents argue that this type of mine is much more toxic and risky than the traditional taconite mines of the Northstar State’s past. The Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters states on its website: “It produces giant waste piles that, when exposed to air and water, leach sulfuric acid, heavy metals and sulfates. Sulfide-ore copper mines pollute groundwater, rivers and lakes. In the history of sulfide mining, pollution has never been avoided.” (I recommend viewing Campaign to Save website . Online petition and environmental science material - RS) However, Twin Metals points to the Eagle Mine, which has been operational since 2014, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as the only mine currently producing nickel in the U.S. You can read about that project here. The Twin Metals mining leases are located along the southwest border of the Boundary Waters. The location is critical because the site is north of the Laurentian Divide, meaning that rivers and streams in this watershed flow north. Pollution could have a massive impact on the entire ecosystem, not just the lakes and rivers near the mine. Sources: https://www.outdoorlife.com/what-sportsmen-need-to-know-about-boundary-waters-mine#page-2 4 page science facts handout on impact of Sulfide-Ore Copper mining on Boundary Waters Wilderness Area https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/sites/default/files/public/attachments/stbw_science_fact_sheet.pdf Petition https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/tell-department-interior-and-bureau-land-management-protect-boundary-waters

@KarenZ welcome to scouter.com .

Another senseless tragedy. Scout farewell.

Nov 3, 2018: Opinion in Duluth News Tribune. Industrial Mining must be kept away from the Boundary Waters by Tom Tidwell, Chief of U.S. Forest Service 2009-2017 I first saw the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in July 2014 from a seat in a U.S. Forest Service floatplane. Below me, stretching as far as I could see, was some of the most beautiful country I had ever encountered in my 40-year career with the U.S. Forest Service. The Boundary Waters — part of the Superior National Forest, which is public land owned by all Americans — contains almost 1.1 million acres of forests, lakes, streams, and wetlands. It is the most-visited wilderness area in America and has been every year since its designation under the Wilderness Act of 1964. From the air it was easy to see why people were so concerned about a proposal by Twin Metals, owned by Antofagasta of Chile, to develop a sulfide-ore copper mine on the edge of the wilderness. In every direction, interconnected waterways laced the forest, and when considering sulfide-ore mining, the issue of water is central. When exposed to air and water, sulfide ore in which copper and other minerals occur creates sulfuric acid and generates heavy metals and other pollutants. This is sometimes called "acid mine drainage." This type of mining is more common in drier landscapes in western states. Even there, water pollution is significant and persistent. The vast network of waterways in the Boundary Waters region makes it particularly vulnerable to acid mine drainage. The increased acidity and heavy metal pollution could be catastrophic. It would be impossible to contain pollution given the interconnectedness of the waters. Compounding the problem is the absence of natural calcium carbonates, which means the water has virtually no capacity to buffer acid mine drainage. The waterways along the Minnesota-Ontario border would carry pollution from a Twin Metals mine downstream to Voyageurs National Park in the U.S. and to Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario. Because of the obvious risk to a national treasure, in my position as chief of the U.S. Forest Service, I initiated a review of copper mining in the area in 2014. The process included a public-comment period, two public hearings, and careful scientific assessment of the impact sulfide-ore mining could have on the Boundary Waters watershed. The review process proved conclusively that the watershed of the Boundary Waters is absolutely the wrong place for this type of mining. In 2016, after thorough consideration of the information gained in the review process, on behalf of the Forest Service, I denied consent for the renewal of mineral leases to Twin Metals and asked the secretary of the Interior to withdraw from the leasing program for 20 years the federal mineral rights in the Boundary Waters watershed. Such a mining ban is preceded by an even deeper consideration of the scientific, economic, and cultural impact of copper mining in the area to ensure the withdrawal is warranted. The administration of President Donald Trump reversed all this. In May, it brushed aside the science-based review and analysis that began in 2014 and reinstated the Twin Metals leases. On Sept. 6, the Trump administration canceled the deeper study on the need for a 20-year ban on mining activity in the watershed, further paving the way for Antofagasta's Twin Metals to build an industrial mining complex on the edge of the Boundary Waters. These were bad, anti-science decisions that went against the core mission of the Forest Service, which is to protect our national forest lands. Sidestepping careful scientific review and enabling sulfide-ore mining imperils the entire Boundary Water region, which has a vigorous and sustainable economy centered on clean water and a healthy natural landscape. For many decades, people from across the country have traveled to the Boundary Waters to enjoy camping, canoeing, fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, and dogsledding. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, school groups, and countless other organizations enjoy the high adventure and opportunities for personal growth and leadership fostered by Boundary Waters expeditions. We must keep industrial mining away from the Boundary Waters to preserve the rich experiences and priceless wilderness Americans have treasured for generations. http://duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/columns/4524156-local-view-industrial-mining-must-be-kept-away-boundary-waters

IMO, now that your son has completed ALL requirements including Scoutmaster Conference for Star, he should have a new BOR. My $0.02

These previous replies were split from...sorry for any confusion - RS

A lot going on in this topic, I am still sorting through replies. I might split some replies into new topic(s). My impression of the video was more fantasy as it showed a group of scouts on an unsupervised patrol outing, i.e., patrol method and no adults. Don't I wish that were still true. As to digs to other youth groups past or present. IMO, the smores (a Girl Scout invention) at the end, was that implying girls could now have the best of both - the BSA patrol method and Girl Scout smores? My $0.02 and let's be a little kinder otherwise this topic may be moved to I & P Thanks, RS P.S. I did split up replies about Two-deep to a new topic. @NJCubScouter @MattR @desertrat77 @LeCastor @John-in-KC

IMO, also add Each scout packs his own gear and whatever gear his patrol assigns. Each scout is responsible for that gear, specifically cleaning and drying himself. He should setup a clothes line at home (he knows the knots and has rope) and learn how to use the washer and dryer. Learning to sew would also be great. Should parents talk to the SPL or the SM first? My $0.02

Pending confirmations aside, I cannot recall any past administrations whose members had such strong connections to Scouting. Trump may have the most Eagle Scouts in his Cabinet of any President. How ironic is that? Secretary of State Rex Tillerson - Eagle Scout, National President of BSA 2010-2012 Attorney General Jeff Sessions - Eagle Scout and earned the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry - Eagle Scout and earned the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley - Chair for the 2006 Friends of Scouting Leadership Division campaign. Now that is hard-core! Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon - Girl Scout Please correct or add any I missed.