scoutingagain

If you go with an outfitter/guide they will most likely have wetsuits available to rent at a nominal fee. SA

I don't know if it is usual practice, but it is not unusual for an SPL to attend committee meetings. SA

"I would place my trust in an EBOR. I would place my trust in a Council Committee to select a qualified Council Advancement Chair." Crewadv, I would agree. Which is why when a member of an EBOR abuses that trust by not recommending a qualified candidate for reasons having nothing to do with the requirements of the award, we who are here to serve the youth, are so disappointed. SA

Our unit usually does a whitewater trip every other year and always with a professional outfitter. Whitewater trips really do get your blood pumping and it's always one of our best attended events. I always love the part when the guide gives the newbies, the "This ain't no Disneyland park ride, so do what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it!" speech. SA

If he's going with a youth contingent they will in all likelyhood be having at least one or more shakedown outings before they go.(At least they should be, heaven help them all if they don't!) If he participates in these, at 19 he should be fine. Remember the program is geared to 14-18 year olds. If he can't make the crew shakedown outings, he should try and get out on a trail, with a buddy or two at least a couple of times. It is important these shakedowns be at least 2 nights. Just about any Tenderfoot can survive one night on the trail, stuff everything in a pack and hike out the n

Yes, excellent. We can now recall the helpful, curtious and kind scouters out there who were ready to seek out and rip off all unsanctioned UU religious awards from those disobedient youth miscreants that dared to defy the BSA Insignia Guide. Now we only need to go after those pesky Wiccans. SA

"IMO, this is where that particular EBOR should have gone. " Absolutely. A follow up discussion on how the scout came to his conclusion and pointing out other points of view would be fine. However holding up the scout's advancement because one adult didn't like the answer because he didn't agree with the scout's point was totally inappropriate. After the discussion the scout may or may not agree with the other point of view with respect to being Reverent. However the discussion has no bearing on whether or not the scout has met the requirements for Eagle and I would expect an ad

"The District rep wanted to deny him his Eagle based on the response." It's stuff like this that just scares me. How does an adult with this attitude towards a youth member that honestly answered a question get into such a position? The scout didn't say he wasn't reverent, he just indicated if he had to eliminate one element of the Scout Law which would it be and gave a reason. The scout apparently understood the desires of Baden Powell more so than the District Rep. Jeesh. SA

" The human cost will be huge." This is absolutely true. There will be significant economic disruption that will result in costs, personal and financial to people. However, you also need to consider the costs to people if we continue down the road of seeking cheap oil. The gov't could subsidize the oil companies to keep gas relatively inexpensive to those on Main St. We can continue to drive high horsepower vehicles that get poor milage. We would continue to spit out exhaust gases that may or may not warm the planet, but they certainly increase incidence of lung cancer, asthma and ot

The eggs in the bag thing are fine for me. I love the taste of phthalates in the morning. Look at is this way, if we all keep cooking in plastic, the whole gender thing becomes pointless as we all tend towards becoming a single male/female monogender society. SA

Barry and I seem be clarifying each other well. Yes, the question was more rhetorical than anything. My first reaction to the intial post in the thread was, as many others, a scout is reverent, why would a question about God be out of line? But Pack's response got me thinking. I think open ended questions about reverence and duty to God are fair game. They are part of the oath and law. The scout can express his thoughts. Short of explicitly saying there is no God and he is not reverent to anyone or anything, just about any response a scout would have would likely not get him into trou

Well I don't mean to speak for Barry, but I don't believe he meant what the sentence implies taken out of context of his discussion. I suspect he meant more that the EBOR process was to confirm the candidate had in fulfilled all the requirements, but I'll let him clarify further if he so desires. Those requirements include a "Duty to God" and "Reverence". Asking a candidate how he fulfills those are legitimate areas of questions I think. Asking a direct question about the candidate's belief in God I think could be considered personal and is not a legitimate question. Belief in God in

" The attitude is that if you specificaly seek out or make it clear you want a particular job, that that means you are automatically unqualified for the position and should not be given it. " Well the solution to this issue is obvious. Simply volunteer for any position EXCEPT the one you want. Make is absolutely clear you are completely unqualified for that position. The simple laws of organizational bureaucracy will ensure that would be the only position made available to you. Lisa, One other source may be professional associations related to environmental professions. T

Well while the charter organization concept works on paper, the events described are a good example of what can happen when COs take a relatively hands off approach to their units and leaders. Sure COs are supposed to select and screen adult leaders but how many of us are involved with units where that simply just doesn't happen? The fact is many, many COs don't have much direct input or are very involved with the units they charter. The papers are signed as a formality and sent on to Council. How many council execs are going to turn down a new charter application for new units given

"But like any other award ceremony in the world, it should be hosted by the organization, with da awardees and their families as guests of honor." Oh how I wish that were so. We're in the middle of planning our son's ECOH. I would have been happy to have the unit plan and execute it as a simple affair after a standard COH. Hand out a medal, shake some hands and have a piece of cake. But as Steve Martin would say...Nooooooo. SWMBO who has not had all that much to do with my son's scouting career other than to be a supportive mom that doesn't like to camp now sees something that she ca

By their nature, BORs may tend towards some questions scouts may be uncomfortable with. This is where hopefully either another adult steps in to clarify the question or in the case of an Eagle BOR, if the question comes up with respect whether or not a scout believes in "God", the SM might clarify, as in "How do you show reverence?" or "How do you do your duty to God?" when the oath is stated. But the point I made in my previous post, is that this issue/discussion should take place several times before an Eagle BOR. SA

Who knows? Maybe by 2014 or 2015 the issues that prevent the USG supporting the Jamboree may be resolved? I know scouts may be all hung up on the camping thing, but as noted in another thread Jamborees aren't really much like camping. How about using the facilities of a large state University for a couple of weeks during the summer? Schedule it between summer sessions. Dorms, dining halls, athletic facilities, arenas, stadiums, a lot of infrastructure that isn't used much that time of year. SA

Welcome Macy and congradulations to your son. I'm sure your son is not the only scout to be a bit suprised by such a personal question at an Eagle BOR, however he should not have been. Questions related to his faith, how he perceives the world around him and how he shows reverence should be a part of his ongoing advancement process starting from Scout and including all his other Boards of Review working up to his Eagle BOR. If they havn't, your troop is not fully serving the youth membership. I can see how this might happen though in a unit that is essentially secular and does not i

Actually Muslim units are among the fastest growing BSA units here in the USA, at least in this area. As far as the article goes, I would assume that everyone that supports BSA's right to free association based on religious and moral beliefs would support Muslim women in their desire to enjoy the same right. SA

"I think the thread is about using what the Organization prescribes v. using what works - as long as it doesn't directly offend the Organization. " Exactly! SA

BW, the statement that caught my eye was: ""The idea now is, 'If it helps Joe do the mission, let him have it as long as it's not hot pink,' " says Army veteran Logan Coffey, founder of Tactical Tailor, a custom-maker of packs and pouches in Lakewood, Wash. "It's a giant change" in the military mind-set, he says in a phone interview. " There have been several threads discussing this issue in the Uniforms section. Here's an example of one uniformed organization apparently relaxing it's uniform standards to better accomplish it's mission. If the word "military" was removed from this

I see this is a judgement call on the part of the adults. They have to drive and deal with the road conditions. Ultimately each individual driver can make that decision but I think it is better for the group to come to a consensus. We have an outing planned for the same weekend and will be facing the same weather system, and decision making issue. We will probably make the decision in the parking lot Sat. a.m. based on the absolute latest weather forcast. SA

Given a number of threads in this section on the general topics of uniform purity vrs field function and occaisional comparison of scouting uniforms to military wear I thought members of the forum would find the article below of interest. Seems like scouts and scouters are not the only ones modifying their uniforms to meet their needs unofficially and it appears as if some of that is becoming officially sanctioned. SA By Patrik Jonsson Thu Mar 6, 3:00 AM ET http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080306/ts_csm/abattleshop FORT BENNING, Ga. - Commando Military Supply on Vict

Sorry, but real coffed is not made in Tea bags. SA

Yes those are the requirements I was refering to. They are no longer required for 1st class. You have an old book and an old work sheet. The 2008 Advancement Requirements book will have the most up to date Advancement Requirements. The National Website also posts advancement requirements at http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/firstclass.aspx . You will see as scoutldr posted, the survival skills requirement is no longer a 1st class requirement. SA(This message has been edited by scoutingagain)