sbemis1

Replaced the pack's track with aluminum about 14 yrs ago and still in use I think.

We simply mounted alum track on the old (4-section homemade) wooden track bed. no alignment problems as the old one was structurally sound, just beat up.

My understanding is that this council now accepts ONLY blue cards as proof. They do not even trust their own records.

Of course, historically, that is a GOOD thing.

Only there 1 day this year (coverage issue).

Food, Facilities, Program, Staff all good or Excellent.

Programs for older youth keep boys involved.

They keep voting to return, that in spite of the fact that the first year we went, the food was nearly inedible.

CM,

I'd go with it being your problem. The Crew leader should be decided by the crew. (Unless you are going to overrule somehow based on health and safety issues). If the crew finds they have made a mistake, the crew can either change it or live with it. The boys are allowed to make mistakes like this, and hopefully learn from them. I would expect the crew knows his level of involvement is not up to your expectations, but if you overrule their decision, then you will be making a clear statement of who is really in charge of the trek. (Depending upon the voting rules, you might ask for a vote of confidence by the entire crew since half of them voted for someone else).

I sure can't speak to the specifics of your contract, but unless removal was clearly specified I would pass on that one. In addition to the bad feelings someone, or the troop is going to be out real $ unless you have replacements lined up.

I also would not have rebuffed the older scout. This may have been a way for him to reconnect to his friends in scouting in ways that the normal troop activities do not. Even without specific conditioning training, most of the youth can handle the trek.

As an aside, while I know that many adults choose the trek for their crew, as well as too many of the other duties, many also do not.

Remember that as much as we as crew advisors would like to give the boys a perfect trek they will always remember, it isn't going to happen, and they will always remember it anyway.

Enjoy your trek.

We have a former scout in our troop that joins us for summer camp. He is in a troop in Saudi Arabia.

Encrypted flashdrives are available for not too much more $.

It IS a lot easier to misplace than a big ole stack of tree pulp.

(This message has been edited by sbemis1)

I noticed on our recharter that when I added a new scout, the parent was automaticaly added as a scout parent, and could not be deleted without dropping the new youth also.

Our council was trying to take the hard line approach this year. The produced lists of trained vs untrained which (just a guess based on the physical amount of paper) is about 10% trained vs 90% untrained. The numbers are not switched accidentally.

Slight problem: The lists do not have data from national transcripts, AND it is missing a lot of training done locally as well. They have asked for lists from the troops on a 'best guess' basis. Somehow I doubt all that data is going to get in by the end of the year.

The missing data does not always come from a lack of troop input. I regularly submit training which has never made it to council records.

sigh.

I keep the troop records, badges, etc.

When parents complain I ask/remind/tell them that the boys need to come take care of it themselves.

Often boy returns with parent behind him.

I apologize (my fault/your fault/nobody's fault, doesn't matter).

I ask the boy to keep reminding me until it is taken care of. (I forget more than I'd like to remember about).

We do print off adv and go over a week in advance to try to head off those problems, and remind the boys

that if something is missed at COH (or anytime), talk to SM AC me after and we'll look into it.

Seems to keep everyone happy.

Our troop has 2 fundraisers.

Xmas breakfast. After expenses the money is divied up in 'scout acct' according to time volunteered/worked supporting the breakfast, with parents/families time included.

Strawberry festival. Profits go to troop account for operational expenses, and usually a bus to summer camp. A nice bus.

Son's troop DOES do the charter bus to summer camp every year. Much nicer than trying to have the parents move them all 4 hrs each way. Gear fits down under, except what the SM takes in his pickup. Usually the farthest travelled troop for the summer. Enough CM show up by the end of the week for BORs.

Even the BK lunch stop on the way home has come to expect us to drop in.

Troop had a trailer in years gone by, replacing it comes up every 2-3 yrs, with not enough interest to make it happen.

Camporee and beach trip are the car camping variety, the rest are geared more like backpacking even if the only hike is into camp.

The diving section does not appear to have a spanish transation, unless I missed it.

The links that I checked all go to english language websites.

He may have gotten on in this troop, after all

BOR need not be for advancement.

THAT might have been a real suprise for the scout!

My sympathy to anyone charged with collecting/verify health forms. Twice was enough for me, though I still get to cart them around.

Our troop is a bit more lenient, but if you haven't turned in the form you don't get on bus for summer camp. We do always have a few come in that morning. . .

An aspect of the med forms issue, in our troop at least, is that med insurance won't let you have 2 exams in the same year. with many doctors requiring a recent exam to sign the form, the turn in for a given family gets later each year as scout progresses through his career (adults too).

Some years back my just-crossed-over son went on his first trip with the troop. Survivor weekend, bring-no-tent-build-your-patrol-shelter. They cooked their dinner in heavy blowing snow over open fires. 20in by morning (quite unusual for this area). 1 adult only bailed to the cabin when his tent collapsed on him. They still talk about that one....

From 09 trek and a friend's son (former ranger)

Used to be min 2 adults. If one can't go/leaves trail, admin assigns you to hike with sister crew, if available. Or move a 'spare' adult if in contingent mode. May also re-route you if none is available so you can be with a sister crew (This happened while he was a ranger there). Being short on staff like everyone else, they do not have a ranger available to assign to you. Last option is crew leaves trail, and don't know if ever used. I've seen 3 adults often recommended in case 1 has to come off.

Our troop's experience is that admin/staff goes out of their way to keep crews going, and get ppl back on trail if at all possible.

I had decent weight, but I have multiple health issues that get me the hard stare. Contacted admin/health about a year ahead and also in spring. (anyone with issues should do so). Also got some interesting looks from Nav Acad ranger (VERY good btw) on the uphill parts. I would however fail any reasonable timed test. None of were weighed though we all looked good, weightwise at least.

Some years back I used the label file that troopmaster can create for these, imported that into a Word doc, played with the formattting a bit (ok, a lot), and use that to print on the clear 2-up Avery labels. Now I just use the COH list or blue cards to type in the information as it is already formatted and faster. It leaves room for the SPL/SM signatures on the card itself. They come out looking pretty nice.

Troopmaster doesn't(or didn't) have licensing for the images used by BSA on the cards.

Just to not leave Basement alone in the cold, I fall on the negative side as well.

I never completed. A friend in the same class did complete, and also did not think much of it.

Many clearly enjoy it and get a lot out of it.

Son's troop has hiked AT in rain/snow/hail on the same day. His first survivor weekend it snowed 18" right after they built shelters, they all slept out.

The only cancellations I recall:

- too much snow on roads to travel 1 hr to camp

- no snow for Xcountry skiing resulted in switching planned monthly outings

Learned computing (Fortran) on OMR cards in high school (not many admit to using those). Then regressed to punch cards in college (COBOL, ALC).

I don't see the youth's preferences stated, I'd expect 'the sooner the better' covers it.

Seems like a good time for him to learn patience and delayed gratification.

I believe a lot of councils (ours being one for sure) pads the fee a lot for a better return. Breaking even = failing, here.

Around here the boys MUST preset their completed blue cards with their Eagle application. Seems the council doesn't even believe their own records. I don' know why.

Now I will go back to adding all the YPT training, AGAIN, and hope it goes somewhere besides in the bin.

So you will have to satisfy 2 masters. The contingent and Philmont. Went 2 yrs ago with a contingent from our council. No particular restrictions from our contingent, except special shirts and carry-ons for travel, and a picture requirement in performance T shirts that were donated.

Took all our own gear, except the philmont frisbee (sump strainer) and one rope. Youth and 2 adults used 2-man tents, 2 adults used 1-man (Eureka Solitaire for both) each. Stoves used powermax fuel then available in back country trading posts. Fly was 12X12 sil nylon. Used the 'rehydrate in personal tupperware' cooking method (pots used for boiling/cleaning only). For a while we expected to have 1 three man tent as there were an odd number of youth, but that changed to an even number.

Emails and calls to Philmont for any clarification on any subject are (or were then) welcome and the answers were complete and knowledgable.