RememberSchiff

On the descent, the troop was split by ability into smaller hiking groups. His 16 year old son was leading another group that started the descent earlier. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/11/14/scout-leads-his-dying-father-would-have-wanted/JNrcBwayIkyaqqzOKynf0N/story.html

Scoutmaster James Norton, 59, of Acton,MA Troop 1 died on Sunday while descending the 19 Mile Brook Trail in Bean’s Purchase, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. His troop had hiked up to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Carter Notch Hut on Saturday afternoon, spent the night at the hut and was returning down the trail when Jim collapsed. New Hampshire Fish and Game officials said members of the hiking group immediately started CPR and called 911. A National Guard helicopter was called in but could not land, a winch extraction was required. Despite the efforts of the hiking group and first responders, he did not survive. Troop 1 annually hosts the popular Isaac Davis 7 mile historic hike from Acton to Concord on Patriot's Day. Jim will be sorely missed by Scouting and Acton. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/11/14/man-dies-while-boy-scout-hiking-trip-new-hampshire/FF46wCgbSZ8Tn4TSr3ybqJ/story.html Scout salute and farewell

Did scheduling on Halloween weekend reduce headcount say due to Halloween parties?

Yes, but who makes the call of what treatment? Remember, do no harm.

Hmmm, IMO if a non-uniformed responder states they are a doctor, nurse, EMT, policeman, fireman, some relevant professional they should have some and be flashing supporting ID. Related questions, do good samaritan laws protect professional helping outside of their job? Duty to rescue? My state, there is none for average citiziens, but I believe if one does you cannot abandon the victim (running for help is not abandonment). There is a duty to report certain crimes. Another $0.02

That is odd about the medical profession. I carry my drivers license and all my other current licenses with me. Wasn't there a Far Side Cartoon joke about "Is there a doctor in the house?" and an ichthyologist answered the call? I can see a medical and maybe a legal need to document all who came in contact with the accident victim.

Two (presumably) uniformed scouts were returning home from a troop meeting when they witnessed a pedestrian being hit by a car. They immediately responded to help the victim. Another adult also stopped to help, stating that he was an EMT. According to this article, the scouts asked the non-uniformed EMT to produce an ID! Coincidentally, one of the scouts had completed a first-aid training session earlier at that troop meeting and said his instincts took over. "I just wanted to help her as much as I could until more help arrived," the 12-year-old said. "Our first-aid instructor was really good and taught us not to overthink things and just take care of it." http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_30524625/these-fitchburg-scouts-knew-their-motto-be-prepared Learned something new here. My unit teaches our scouts to make sure the scene is safe before assessing patients but it did not include asking to see ID's from other responders. When someone states they are (whatever) ask to see ID was not part of our first aid training. Well it will be now. What ID's (credentials) should scouts carry to show at an accident scene if they are challenged?

Update: Oct 21, 2016: (Michael) Kelsey, a former Dutchess County legislator convicted of sexual abuse in a case involving two Boy Scouts, was sentenced to seven years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision Friday. ... The 38-year-old former assistant scoutmaster was found guilty in May of first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree attempted sexual abuse, both felonies, along with forcible touching and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, all misdemeanors. Kelsey’s victims were two 15-year-old boys in 2014. During the trial, the young men testified Kelsey touched one of them and attempted to touch the other while they were sleeping during a Boy Scout camping trip at the Cranberry Lake State Campground in August 2014. Both teens spoke up in St. Lawrence County Court on Friday before Judge Felix Catena, who presided over Kelsey’s trial. The teens asked the judge to sentence Kelsey to the maximum punishment — 11 years in prison. ... Kelsey is classified as a sex offender and will have to register accordingly, Catena said. A risk assessment will be conducted prior to Kelsey’s release from prison to determine how long he will have to be registered as a sex offender. link with more info. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2016/10/21/kelsey-sentenced-7-years-boy-scout-sex-abuse-case/92516600/ I found no mention of Hudson Valley Council being present at sentencing or having any comment.

Hurray, congratulations! I like the addition of "learning" stations and also like tiered (by skill) competition as is done with an orienteering event. I have proposed a camporee competition scored as followed, but the majority wanted MB's and a Webelos program. All patrols visit all stations. Yellow patrols are scored only at T-SC skilled and game stations Orange patrols are scored only at T-SC-FC skilled and game stations Green patrols are scored at ALL stations and are also timed. Award top Yellow, Orange, Green patrols. Overall winner has highest average of scored stations. My $0.02,

Anyone know of any 12-15 passenger van rental discounts for scout units?

(Charleston’s Yeager Airport spokesman Mike) "Plante announced that the nationally televised Spartan Race National Championship will be held at the Bechtel Summit Scouting Reserve near Mount Hope next August, bringing hundreds of obstacle-overcoming endurance runners and their families to the area, many of them via Yeager Airport. Yeager staffers will be working with the New River Gorge Boy Scouts complex to provide ground transportation from the airport to the competition site." http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-business/20161026/study-says-yeager-pumping-175-million-into-regional-economy Could be exciting PR and revenue for BSA and Bechtel Summit. Spartan races are obstacle/endurance races for individuals or teams. "Commit to Fit" is their slogan.Obstacle racing seems to be a growing business, besides Spartan Race there is Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash,...I wonder if any Scout teams will enter. https://www.spartan.com/en Leave no trace. I hope the Spartans remember to remove their barb wire after race.

Has anyone seen documentation of BSA year-round (not seasonal) employment numbers over the past 50 years?

If a scout leader believes a crime has been committed on a scout activity/property, he/she must first report to SE. - Myth. Wherever crime committed, call police immediately. SE can request a copy of police report.

The convenience of bringing all that the troop has often compromises teaching scouts to plan and bring only what they need. "Well we can't forget anything if we bring everything we got" ... Rarely have that luxury in the real world. To use a trailer for an outing: - start with an empty, inspected trailer. - have scouts (patrols) create an equipment list, food list, WATER - have scouts (or Quartermaster) inspect equipment - have scouts load trailer from list. Learning to load a trailer is a disappearing skill - check trailer lights - SPL asks QM if trailer ready to go - SM asks SPL if troop ready to go. My $0.02,

I think they chilled. Last I heard National's lawyers were looking into Boy Scout Cookie marijuana but that was months ago. http://findmarijuanastrains.com/boy-scout-cookies/

To get scout camping credit it has to be a scout activity - scout troop campout, scout summer camp. No doubt uniform or not, they are scouts. Do I agree with this restriction? No, but given that, it seems inconsistent to me for scouts not to identify themselves and then seek scout service hours credit especially on that Good Turn website. If scouts, uniformed or not,. want to serve and not seek credit, all the better. Hi-Yo Silver. Scouting is mostly invisible in our communities. Remember when scouts could be seen in uniform walking to and from scout meetings?

A scout cannot get credit for camping unless it is a scout camping activity but he can get scout community service credit whether he identifies himself visually or verbally as a scout. Maybe scouts trained in emergency services (Red Cross, FEMA CERT?) earn a special full size square BSA necker when responding. Red necker with white cross? Helping others is more important than uniform but if scouts want to log these hours I think they should wear at least a necker. My $0.02,

"Class sizes range from 8 scouts up to 50 per session." 8 scouts is larger than any MB class that I have held.

The overwhelming dominance of one scouting method, Advancement, in the scouting program is what is bad. The resulting focus on Eagle instead of leadership and character development is wrong. This is not just one or two events. Camporees have merit badges as their themes (I have seen weekend camporees offer 5 safety MBs!). Summer camp is all about MB count. Jamborees? Even the Klondike Derby which was the ultimate yearly patrol competition has been mucked - "Let's add Wilderness Survival MB to the weekend." My $0.02 P.S. Ask a scout which is more fun, school or scouting. If he doesn't immediately and energetically say Scouting, our bad.

Theft-friendly storage? POD storage units may be an alternative.

Old school...Pocket protector Safety first and Be Prepared all in one convenient pouch!

Despite urging Council/District to return to patrol competition camporees, it seems hereabouts recruiting and advancement weekends are taking hold. Council/District Webelos Family Weekends have been around for awhile but troop older scout attendance has been low. How to increase older scout attendance? Advancement, of course, is the answer. Hello Scout Advancement Weekend! Here's an upcoming example from Gulf Stream Council Scouts get a hands on experience while earning merit badges. We offer over 60 merit badge classes. Scouts can take an all-day class or two half day classes. Choices include: Aviation, taught by a pilot and includes a visit to the airport and flight time Engineering taught by an engineer from Sirius/XM radio Environmental Science taught by an environmental science engineer specialist from Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection Fire Safety, First Aid, Medicine, Crime Prevention, Emergency Preparation taught by doctors, nurses and professionals in the police, fire and paramedic fields Music taught by a music professor from PBSC Citizenship classes taught by lawyers Woodworking taught by a master woodworker New classes added this year! Bugling, Collecting, Traffic Safety, Fishing, Backpacking & more…. The Merit Badge counselors for all the classes are either employed in their field or are hobbyist in the class they teach. They have spent many hours preparing for their classes. Class sizes range from 8 scouts up to 50 per session. SAW gives each scout the opportunity to learn from the best and perhaps think of a career choice in the future. Webelos Cub Scouts also join the older Scouts for the weekend to get the Boy Scout experience. Webelos will earn two Adventure Pins during SAW..They are offered a selection of five of their own classes, including Engineering, Build it/Fix it, Art Explosion, Into the Wild and Earth Rocks. The Venturing Crews join us this year completing requirements for the Venturing Discovery Award. Not to leave the adult leaders out, training classes will also be offered throughout the day. Choices could include Scoutmaster Specifics, Merit Badge Counselor Orientation, Introduction to COPE and core skill training such as campfire building, knot tying & more. Up to 15 classes run continuously, so Scouters can fit them into the day’s schedule. Scouters can join us for the whole weekend or just for the day on Saturday. Scouts from all councils are welcome. https://www.gulfstreamcouncil.org/SAW_2016 All in one weekend? Seems over-scheduled and about as much fun as high school but I'm told Advancement is King. My $0.02

Yes, like Buzz Aldrin has something to do with NASA, Mike has something to do with Scouting. IMO, Mike is that uncommon Eagle Scout who is a role model. He is fun guy too, e.g., at our 100th anniversary, he claimed to have taken CLEAN out of Scout Law and then compromised with a slogan "A Scout Is Clean … But Not Afraid to Get Dirty." While National is talking vague and academic about STEM or STEAM programs, Mike is specific and hands-on about national vocational training for high-paying jobs. Personally I had hoped that he would be one of the Key 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKie47V2lLY

https://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2016/10/12/mike-rowe-shares-wise-opinion-voting/ When asked by a fan, Jeremy, about encouraging everyone to go out and vote, Mike gave this thought-provoking answer. ...I also share your concern for our country, and agree wholeheartedly that every vote counts. However, I’m afraid I can’t encourage millions of people whom I’ve never met to just run out and cast a ballot, simply because they have the right to vote. That would be like encouraging everyone to buy an AR-15, simply because they have the right to bear arms. I would need to know a few things about them before offering that kind of encouragement. For instance, do they know how to care for a weapon? Can they afford the cost of the weapon? Do they have a history of violence? Are they mentally stable? In short, are they responsible citizens? Casting a ballot is not so different. It’s an important right that we all share, and one that impacts our society in dramatic fashion. But it’s one thing to respect and acknowledge our collective rights, and quite another thing to affirmatively encourage people I’ve never met to exercise them. And yet, my friends in Hollywood do that very thing, and they’re at it again. Every four years, celebrities and movie stars look earnestly into the camera and tell the country to “get out and vote.†They tell us it’s our “most important civic duty,†and they speak as if the very act of casting a ballot is more important than the outcome of the election. This strikes me as somewhat hysterical. Does anyone actually believe that Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen DeGeneres, and Ed Norton would encourage the “masses†to vote, if they believed the “masses†would elect Donald Trump? Regardless of their political agenda, my celebrity pals are fundamentally mistaken about our “civic duty†to vote. There is simply no such thing. Voting is a right, not a duty, and not a moral obligation. Like all rights, the right to vote comes with some responsibilities, but lets face it – the bar is not set very high. If you believe aliens from another planet walk among us, you are welcome at the polls. If you believe the world is flat, and the moon landing was completely staged, you are invited to cast a ballot. Astrologists, racists, ghost-hunters, sexists, and people who rely upon a Magic 8 Ball to determine their daily wardrobe are all allowed to participate. In fact, and to your point, they’re encouraged. The undeniable reality is this: our right to vote does not require any understanding of current events, or any awareness of how our government works. So, when a celebrity reminds the country that “everybody’s vote counts,†they are absolutely correct. But when they tell us that “everybody in the country should get out there and vote,†regardless of what they think or believe, I gotta wonder what they’re smoking. Look at our current candidates. No one appears to like either one of them. Their approval ratings are at record lows. It’s not about who you like more, it’s about who you hate less. Sure, we can blame the media, the system, and the candidates themselves, but let’s be honest – Donald and Hillary are there because we put them there. The electorate has tolerated the intolerable. We’ve treated this entire process like the final episode of American Idol. What did we expect? So no, Jeremy – I can’t personally encourage everyone in the country to run out and vote. I wouldn’t do it, even if I thought it would benefit my personal choice. Because the truth is, the country doesn’t need voters who have to be cajoled, enticed, or persuaded to cast a ballot. We need voters who wish to participate in the process. So if you really want me to say something political, how about this – read more. Spend a few hours every week studying American history, human nature, and economic theory. Start with “Economics in One Lesson.†Then try Keynes. Then Hayek. Then Marx. Then Hegel. Develop a worldview that you can articulate as well as defend. Test your theory with people who disagree with you. Debate. Argue. Adjust your philosophy as necessary. Then, when the next election comes around, cast a vote for the candidate whose worldview seems most in line with your own. Or, don’t. None of the freedoms spelled out in our Constitution were put there so people could cast uninformed ballots out of some misplaced sense of civic duty brought on by a celebrity guilt-trip. The right to assemble, to protest, to speak freely – these rights were included to help assure that the best ideas and the best candidates would emerge from the most transparent process possible. Remember – there’s nothing virtuous or patriotic about voting just for the sake of voting, and the next time someone tells you otherwise, do me a favor – ask them who they’re voting for. Then tell them you’re voting for their opponent. Then, see if they’ll give you a ride to the polls. In the meantime, dig into “Economics in One Lesson,†by Henry Hazlitt. It sounds like a snooze but it really is a page turner, and you can download it for free. Mike