scoutldr

In my profession we talk about risk vs. hazard. A hazard is an unsafe act or unsafe condition (there is no such thing as an "accident" or "act of God" -- everything is preventable). Risk is the probability that the hazard will cause an adverse affect, such as death or injury. For risk to increase, there has to be exposure to the hazard. Risk can be minimized through training, experience, discipline, and careful analysis of each activity to ensure that hazards are identified and mitigated prior to exposure. If a leader is not comfortable that every hazard can be minimized, then he should cancel the activity. For those youth and adults who create unsafe acts or conditions, the penalty should be severe and sure. There is no room for error when you have others' lives in your care. The Guide to Safe Scouting has done a fairly good job of identifying hazards associated with common Scouting activities. It should be required reading for every registered Scouter and youth leader.

Don't be too hard on yourself, LeV. I am in the same area and read the news report. While this was indeed a tragedy, it didn't need to happen. Several cardinal rules of water safety were violated. The beach was unsupervised (no lifeguards). It's unclear if they had adult supervision (lookout). The youth who drowned did not know how to swim and his buddies were weak swimmers. There have been daily warnings of rip currents and we had a strong nor-easter the day before, which could have altered the ocean bottom depth. This was the latest of many drownings at the same stretch of beach. If only they had been Scouts...

Most of this is explained in the Cub Scout Leader Handbook, and in the training sessions, which you should enroll in ASAP. Start with Cub Scout Leader Fast Start (online), then New Leader Essentials and Den Leader Specific Training. The monthly Cub Scout Leader Roundtable meetings are also a great source of information and ideas. Now that you are a Den Leader, you can set the terms by which your den will operate. If 10 boys is your comfort zone, then stand your ground and say you don't have any openings and the Pack Committee will have to form a new den. Ideal is 6-8, but if you have good parent support, 10 is doable. Good luck, John!

Just say no. There is a reason that the recommended size of a den is 6-8 boys. You can't deliver a quality program with many more than that. It is the Cubmaster's job with the help of the Pack Committee to ensure that there is enough adult leadership to keep dens a manageable size. It's better for the boys and helps prevent leader burn-out.

I use 4 pieces of 1x2 cut about 4 feet long. Duct tape them vertically to each corner of the cot. Been using the same pieces of wood for 30 years. If you forget the wood, some semi-straight sticks from the woods work just as well. Just make sure there are no gaps between the floor and net at the bottom...skeets will find any hole and make your night miserable. Be sure to remove all traces of duct tape when leaving...LNT!

If there are written rules that were ignored, then you should appeal the election in a Scout-like manner. If there are no rules that address what happened, then you need to accept what happened and move on, and perhaps suggest a rules or by-laws change to close the loophole. Good luck.

Mahalo, KS for not merely quoting the book answer. No, the decision was not unanimous, however the scout was "highly encouraged" to appeal the decision. It was an unpleasant scene that didn't need to happen...the scout was angry, discouraged, bewildered (DUHHH!), and resentful. The poor dear had his self-esteem injured. Mom was in tears, SM was livid. A lot of work in a project for nothing. The offense (disclosed to the board in a reference letter, which was not intended to be a negative comment), was an egregious violation of "morally straight", by most measures, except maybe the moral standards of most teenagers these days, whose attitude is "stuff happens". The SM knew about it (as do all of the other scouts in the troop), however, it was felt it was "not relevant" and not important enough to mention to the Board prior to the BOR. My point is, none of this needed to happen. If we are not willing to accept the "morally straight" interpretation of most high-schoolers today, then we need to do a better job of communicating that through lower BORs, and SM conferences, and adult leader training. Hitting them with the 2x4 at the Eagle BOR is not fair, after having been encouraged and pumped up by the SM. It's also not fair to expect each unit to interpret the requirements on their own...we don't allow that with any other advancements. News Flash: There's more to being an Eagle Scout than 21 merit badges,wearing a POR patch for 6 months, and bulding a park bench. Let's keep the bar high. The public expects no less.

Be sure to complete an Application for Unit Fundraising and have it approved by your SE...the general rule is that you must offer a product of value for the money received. In the case of showing a movie in exchange for money, I believe that is generally illegal, unless you are paying royalties to the copyright owners, but I'll let the attorneys in the group address that. It is generally NOT permissible for a unit to solicit donations from the public. Only Council can do that.

My boss also declined to join with his son for the same reason. His rationale...he is a senior military officer with a Top Secret clearance. That should be sufficient, without disclosing his SSN to a group of volunteers parents who are not legally accountable safeguard the information. As Bob said, the vast majority of identity theft is from visitors to your home...or the Cubmaster's home. A secretary in our office recently was selected for a promotion with the USCG...when they ran her credit history for a security clearance, she found out she was the victim of identity theft when she bought a new car last year. Someone at the car dealership was the perp. It cost her the job, with no recourse. The Department of Homeland Security takes this very seriously, and so should we. I would think that BSA, Inc. could come up with a solution. I would feel better if the information were in a lot fewer hands.

As I have stated in other posts, as a member of the District Committee, I am occasionally asked to sit on Eagle Boards of Review as the "District Representative". While most Eagle Boards are joyous, explorative discussions with exemplary young men, on two occasions, this has not been the case, and in my opinion, the SM and Troop Committee were remiss in their responsibilities by even scheduling the Board, and they were either equally morally bankrupt or wanted someone else to be the "bad guy". I have not decided if I should disclose the details, however, these events have left me questioning the value and reputation of the Eagle Scout medal, and hoping sincerely that this is not a nationwide trend. It would certainly explain why the percentage of Eagles has been rising in past years to somewhere around 5% now. We can have all the Eagles we want if we are willing to turn a blind eye to serious character flaws and un-Scoutlike behavior when not in uniform. Is it a coincidence, or did the percentage start going up when units were granted authority to conduct their own Eagle BOR? I would like to pose a question to the collective wisdom of the group: Is there anything in a young man's record, character or actions that should automatically disqualify him from being granted an Eagle Board? And who should make the decision? I'm not talking about the obvious advancement requirements or avowed homosexuality or atheism. We all know that you need to be straight, believe in a God, and have 21 MB. Should there be a list of "fatal flaws", that say, "if you are guilty of any of these, don't even bother filling out the application"??? Or, should we continue turning a blind eye and keep cranking them out? Perhaps I am just old fashioned and need to accept that "morally straight" just ain't what it used to be, and find another hobby that doesn't challenge my moral conscience. This last experience left me wanting to grab the SM by the throat and say, "which part of the Scout Oath and Law don't you understand????"

Read the FBI warning on your DVD very carefully ...

OGE - I merely stated what is...not that I agreed with it. Chill!

While Ed's response was blunt, it was to the point. Such devices are portable, but they are generally not allowed in your school classroom, either. There is a time and place for everything, and things get "banned" usually because someone did not have the common sense to be discrete, and was using the device when they should be doing something else. In the troop I serve, anything is permitted, as long as it is used in the privacy of one's own bunk (with headphones on low volume), or during designated "free time". If it interferes with the program, or I can hear it, then it gets locked in the car and returned when we get home.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

Eagle COH, same scenario. Troop looked like they had just come in from a weekend campout and threw on their scout shirts. Had not rehearsed the ceremony, and the SPL flubbed his lines. Not even the DE, CC, or SM were properly uniformed. I spent a couple of hours cleaning and pressing my uniform and getting everything pinned on properly. I was embarrassed to be a part of the same organization.

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Thanks, Carol. I lost my Dad 10 years ago on Feb 17. This is always a tough day for me. My own sons are grown now and have jobs that require them to be working, but I'll probably hear from them this evening. As I did with my own Dad, they always ask me, "what do you want for Father's Day". Like my own dad, I tell them, "I don't need anything". The fact that they are living their lives in a productive, honorable fashion is all the reward I need. I understand that now.

I have a friend who takes annual vacations to Africa and is a semipro photographer. He takes several multi-gigabite cards. He tells me that taking pictures in "raw" format lets him get many more shots per card. Don't ask me what that means...

SW, sorry for the miscommunication. I thought you meant that the mini-sashes were in the catalog. I assume by "mini-sash", they are referring to the small white cloth strips that are a miniature of the OA sash, with a button hole in one end. Those are available on eBay, and are not in the official BSA catalog and are not uniform items, unless worn on the right pocket as a temporary patch, I guess. The "universal arrow", which is also called the "pocket rocket" around here, is a small sterling silver arrow suspended from the right pocket button on a red and white ribbon. It signifies successful completion of the Ordeal, whereas the lodge flap is worn only by members-in-good-standing of their local lodge. You are, of course, correct about the anniversary awards. Sorry for the oversight.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

If I can't bring my chair, I'm not going.

Unless the privilege has been revoked for cause.

I must have a defective catalog... OA sashes are to be worn only at OA functions. Never at a Court of Honor, Board of Review, or troop meeting. Nothing is authorized to be worn ON the OA sash. Sashes of any kind are never worn on the belt. As far as I know, the "mini-sash" is not an official uniform item.

Hunt, You could be describing a co-worker of mine, and he's 58 years old! Personalities may change over time, but not because of anything you will do. Find the good in the lad and capitalize on that.

In this council, we are made to feel like traitors if we go out of council to camp, and don't "support your council camp". I don't see the point. As long as there are "butts in bunks", who cares what council they are from?

Kristi, Semper is on the right track. Your e-mail immediately starts out highlighting the negative, reminding people that the "camp is not what it could be." That immediately turns people off ... they say, she's right, that camp is the pits. Even the name "Twilight camp" sounds negative to me...sounds like a rest home for old scouters! If you are going to reinvent the camp, then bury the old one and leave it buried and never mention it again. Start a new camp. New name, new Director, new program, new location (if possible), etc. Say nothing negative in your e-mail. Highlight only positive things. You need to instill excitement and enthusiasm and if you embody that, it will be contagious. Good luck!

No criticism was intended, Blueheron...good luck with your new position. As an experienced camp staffer, you already know that most of your time will be devoted to homesickness and ticks. In the part of the country you're in, read up on Lyme disease and deer ticks. Ticks need to be removed as soon as possible to prevent transmission of the Borrelia spirochete. Let us know of your experiences after camp!