RememberSchiff

If true, can express checkout be far behind?  

Ask your son.

Ask your son who has signed his blue card so far. (His Scoutmaster)

Ask your son who he should contact.

Years ago, I did t-shirt transfers for my den. I bought the color t-shirts at A.C.Moore.  I used the Hanes t-shirt design software and printed out the iron-on transfer shirts.

For the Pack and Troop, i.e. large volume, I just used a local sport clothes supply shop. I did not have any BSA trademarks in the design, just  Pack 25 or Troop 54, town name or CO name,  outdoor artwork.

5 minutes ago, Stosh said:

Sitting here at the fire with nothing to do I got to thinking about this OA ceremony stuff and came to the conclusion that all the rumors that we hear coming down the pike seem to be coming to fruition at an ever increasing pace.  I'm just afraid the Indian theme for OA is going to be history.

I thought maybe the Knights of the Round Table might be a option, but no one seemed to bite on that very hard.

Well, what about turning OA into a Scout Honor ceremonial team where they dress up in FULL Boy Scout ironed uniform, shirt, campaign hat, necker (Eagle if earned), belt pants, socks, patches correctly placed, OA sash (kept as is for traditional purposes), white gloves, looking like a scout is supposed to look like in a Rockwell painting. 

Then the Cubs on one side of the room and troop(s) on the other, the bridge in the middle.  Plenty of flags for troops and patrols.  Bugler plays a fanfare, ASSEMBLY would be nice.  An OA honor scout takes off the Cub's necker and slowly escorts the Cub over the bridge while reciting the Oath and Law to the Cub, who, after an exchange off salutes, then is formally, by name, introduced to the SPL  (Having been arranged in advance) The SPL calls forward the PL of the patrol he will be with and he is again introduced by name to the PL.  If he and his buddies want a patrol of their own, the TG is called forward he's formally introduced by name to him.  The PL/TG then puts a scout necker on the Cub and presents him with  a BSHB and has him fall-in with the patrol.

Of course if one wishes further emphasis on the Cub/Scout transition, the parents are with the Cub on the Cub side and the Honor OA scout shakes their and takes their Cub over the bridge without them.

Like the current AOL ceremony, a sense of seriousness is maintained throughout.

Time for another log on the fire......

@daimyo welcome to scouter.com

14 minutes ago, Back Pack said:

There are no independent news sources anymore. 

Comedy Central, The Onion, Mad Magazine, and Scouter.com 

6 minutes ago, Sentinel947 said:

Wow. I don't trust Buzzfeed much, but if this is true. That being said, I honestly think it's fake. The grammar and word choice seem very off for a Corporate executive, even in an informal email. Buzzfeed is clickbait journalism. It was "fake news" before there was fake news. 

With that being said my thoughts on the article as if it's true:

Agree, consider the source and that it reads like fake news, but I was surprised the article gave a specific date for the email - Jan 9.  An email snipe hunt is on over the internet.

27 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said:

The more I think about it the more I like it! How about a tiny one for the mantle holding the ashes of dear old Mr Turtle. (or maybe a little backpack)  It can join my wives collection of the ashes of 3 Sheppard's and 5 Cats. 

or maybe the BSA will license these biodegradable paper turtle urns.

http://www.passagesinternational.com/biodegradable-urns/water-urns/biodegradable-turtles

I am always skeptical of news sources, some more than others.  A recent Buzzfeed article details an Surbaugh Jan 9, email to scout executives which Buzzfeed claims to have seen  and spills the contents.

How truthful that article is, I do not know, but keep a look-out for this alleged Jan 9 email. @Eagle94-A1

The article does mention Scouter.com. , maybe someday we will be mentioned by the BBC or NYT.

Surbaugh said the proposed survey question was a "mistake" and apologized for causing "distress" to members by the mere suggestion of coed scouting — words he said were "toxic" to many scouters.

He said that he had stopped the survey from going out to members because "there are those (not just on Scouter.com) that really dislike our leadership and will say, 'See, we told you so. They LIED to us, they just want co-ed scouting, and this is a sleazy, back door way to show that’s what some people want so they can push their agenda forward.'"

He added that the proposed idea would also make BSA staff "feel foolish" for defending the organization from accusations of coed scouting.

23 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

 IMHO that's part of the problem. We went from a SM in failing health to an SM whose job keeps him on call a lot. He doesn't have the time to commit. The troop is actually being run by an ASM with a history of having siblings or grandkids camp with the troop in order to have enough adult go.

So your ASM lead by example and opened the gate.

I just think this rescue in Australia is cool. 

Lifeguards launched the drone, steered it towards the swimmers and dropped a “rescue pod” into the water, where it expanded so the swimmers could grab it and swim to shore. The rescue took just 70 seconds. The two swimmers were exhausted but unharmed. Drone cost $343,000.

More info here.

Does Philmont use drones? Other than for STEM, I wonder if any BSA camps are using drones.

The tail is wagging the dog here.

The SM is responsible for the Scouting Program in his/her troop. If the SM decides NO family outings, then there are none. If SM decides one a year, then one a year.

My $0.02

How many of your scouts/families have quit over your Pack's decision to admit girls? Did they quit scouting or transfer?

Be aware some old posts were about old forum sofware.

This topic is locked.

@AVTech welcome to scouter.com

Walter Mondale commentary in Minnesota StarTribune back in August, 2017.

We can't afford to get the mining-vs.-land-protection equation wrong

But as Minnesotans well know, the value of the Boundary Waters extends far beyond mere economics. A recent scouting magazine article about our secretary of state begins with this sentence: “You could say Rex Tillerson’s path to the corner office began on a portage trail in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and Ontario.” The Boy Scouts of America has sent hundreds of thousands of kids into the Boundary Waters since 1923. It is in good company. The Girl Scouts, YMCA camps, Voyageurs Outward Bound School, Wilderness Inquiry, church and community groups, and many other organizations — as well as countless families — have given kids unforgettable outdoor adventures and imparted life-enriching lessons by taking them on Boundary Waters canoe trips.

http://www.startribune.com/walter-mondale-we-can-t-afford-to-get-the-mining-vs-land-protection-equation-wrong/441453433/

I am not sure of the "we" here. I do not believe it is a US company mining the ore.

We, all of us, need water too obviously. Mine drainage will be a given and continuous. In drier areas that threat is less but treatment of contaminated water has not been effective.

https://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/copper_sulfide_mining

8 hours ago, LeCastor said:

I don't think that's necessarily the point RS is trying to make.  Personally loving the outdoors and being enthusiastic about the Outdoor Program (as a method of Scouting for the youth) are not totally the same thing.

Yes, maybe we should discuss with photos how the Outdoor Program (aka Outdoor Method) can help achieve the Aims of Scouting.

To my indoor parents, I sometimes say our Outdoor Program is our hands-on development lab.

Another $0.02

Update  notice contributed by @Thunderbird

There has been an October, 2017 update to the  announced August 1, 2017 Eagle Palm policy.

There is also an unlocked discussion on this topic.

@Thunderbird , welcome to scouter.com

28 minutes ago, HelpfulTracks said:

That begs the question. Is calling someone un-scoutlike because you disagree with them, well.......un-scoutlike.

Follow the Scout Oath and Law and you should be fine.

8 minutes ago, Chadamus said:

If adults aren't interested in doing, then maybe hearing about it could be the approach. Passionate stories from Scouts filled with tales of adventure with friends might convince the parents that their sons are benefiting from an outdoor program.

My .02¢

Good point. After an outing, I always wish that I or someone had taken more good photos* to tell a scouting story.

*good photos - close-up, in focus, no backs of head...

35 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

I'm glad I don't have this problem in my troop. We have just enough volunteers, and even some parents that will go camping if they need too. Only issue with us is that some parents only speak spanish.

Anyway, I personally believe that having a "Parent Camp Out" without any scouts at your CO (if they have a picnic area, grove, etc.) and get them familiar with everything, mostly camping. Maybe some want to get involved but are afraid too. I personally would give them a position (committee, advancement chair, etc) so they feel important and may be more inclined to go camping and attend more meetings.

Parent involvement or coverage is not really the topic here.  This is about getting a non-outdoorsy parent to appreciate scout outdoor activities rather than discourage their scout to just do a minimum.

Similar to a parent who is not good at or dislikes math telling his high school student to just take two years of math rather than encouraging his student to take more math courses.

Sorry I was not more clear.

oh, oops where is that red-faced embarrassed emoticon? 

From the description of Brownsea II above, I took a different leadership course back in the 60's.

Thanks @TAHAWK