scoutldr

@KDD - yes, cooler. As I recall, this was Sunday, we had just checked in and Mom had not gone home yet. Pretty sure the cooler went with her. Glass bottles were all we had back then...plastic had not yet been invented . Mattress was about 3 inches thick and stuffed with cotton batting....military surplus I think. In later years, they switched to canvas cots and you brought your own foam pad/sleeping bag. Meals were delivered to the campsite in "heater stacks"...no dining hall or central showers. All aquatics were in the James River. My first and only MB was Rowing and oh, how I remember those wooden rowboats were so heavy to launch and swamp and carry back up the beach. Swimmers test and Mile Swim were in the river, following a rowboat...upstream halfway and back down the last half. That was when men were men and the boys were too.

He will be kicking himself the rest of his life if he walks away now. Not sure how to impress that on him. I know too many adults who are "Life for life" and every one of them regrets not finishing.

First summer camp, circa 1966. Pipsico Scout Reservation, Tidewater Council. Didn't know about mosquito nets. Learned quickly. (I am the handsome young Second Class on the left!)

I always told my Scouts to be aware of what they were learning in school, especially extra-curriculars like band, drama and sports. Lots of those activities will satisfy MB requirements...just get them verified with a registered MB Counselor, preferably before starting.

Standard summer camp gear included skeeter nets (army surplus - durable) and pre-cut sticks or dowels about 4 feet long. Duct tape the poles to each corner of the cot and drape the net over (which is in a box shape). The cheap nylon nets available at places like Walmart are ok for one season, but tend to get holes in them. Make sure the net reaches all the way to the floor...you may have to adjust the length of the poles.

A pack cannot re-register without those leaders in place. Talk to your District Commissioner and District Executive and let them know they need to step in and help save the Pack. They should be working closely with your Chartered Organization.

Keep in mind...Scouting is about the journey, not the Eagle. Advancement is a byproduct of the program.

I have many Jewish friends. Never heard them say "OH MY G-D"

And the adjective "frickin" seems to have become acceptable in polite conversation. We all know what it's a substitute for. I guess "gosh darn" was the analogous phrase in our parents' day.

I find the copious use of "Oh MY GOD" (OMG) to be just as offensive. I had to remind one scout (who was devout Catholic) of the Third Commandment and he was like, "what are you talking about?"

http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-the-40-hour-workweek-2015-10

In my council, EBOR are scheduled and performed by the Unit Committee (like all BOR), with a District Rep present. The District Rep's job is to ensure an appropriate BOR is conducted, i.e., reasonable time limit, no retesting, no inappropriate questions, SM,ASM and parents not participating, etc. Council does not get involved except to "pre-approve" the Eagle app, the Registrar certifying that the advancement records are all correct. The District Advancement Chairman approves the Eagle Project plan before the Scout starts work. When the EBOR is complete, everything is given back to the Scout, except the Application and Letters of Reference. The letters are destroyed and the App goes to Council for forwarding to National. Parents will be told it can take up to 8 weeks to get back, then they can have the COH (or not).

And that's precisely why the Govt pays 2-3x more than it should cost for a given result.

What I see happening is that the job of the DE will become more tightly defined. The jobs that should be done by volunteer youth, Scouters and Commissioner staff will simply not get done. I have seen DEs staffing summer camp, chopping wood at camp, conducting training, attending Blue and Golds and Pinewood Derbies, unloading the popcorn truck and other "duties as assigned". Their core duties are "more units, more scouts and more money".

The difference is "independent contractors" i.e., free lancers. Your "statement of work" is with the Contractor with whom you have a contract. The people who "come and go" are employees of the Contractor. You don't get to tell the contractor HOW to achieve the statement of work, how many people to hire, what to pay them, etc. Independent contractors are usually "sole proprietors", if I'm not mistaken. The example I always use is the plumber who buys tools and a truck and a yellow pages ad. You hire him to fix your pipes and he comes out usually onHIS schedule, not yours. You don't get to tell him how to dress, what tools to use, or how long to spend. You pay him for results. But this gets complicated, and like I said, I'm not an expert.

Sounds like they have a case of negligence on the part of the guide and the Outfitters. If it was a "scheduled release" the outfitters should have known about it and canceled the trip. Prayers for the family of the Brother Scouter. He's with the Great Scoutmaster now.

I'm not a labor lawyer, however, in my short career running a consulting firm, I learned that you are either an "employee" or an "independent contractor". The difference is in who specifies the "means and methods" of getting a job done. And if you are a contractor, you have to pay your own AND the employer's share of SS and Workman's comp insurance. In my layman's opinion, camp staff would be employees, since they have a boss telling them where to go, when to be there, and how to do the job. If they are not free to do whatever they want, they are "on the clock".

Any thoughts on how the new overtime edict from the White House will affect Scout councils, specifically camp staff and the Professional Corps? For those who don't follow the news, as of December 1, 2016, anyone not classified as a "Manager" and making less than $47,476 per year ($913 per week) MUST be paid time and a half for any hours in excess of 40 in any given work week. That's up from the current $23,660 ($455 per week). Personally, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, it's going to increase the cost of doing business (inflation). On the other hand, lots of employees get screwed by being arbitrarily titled "Manager" when they are truly not.

@Stosh- not sure how they get Not sure how they get away with that. In our neck of the woods, the References are requested by the troop committee, sent directly back to the troop committee, and then destroyed after the EBOR. No one sees them (or should) except the EBOR members. The only thing submitted to Council is the Eagle Application (duly signed) and an Advancement Report.

If a "Letter of Reference" is an essential part of the Eagle Application, then BSA needs to state that in the requirement. That's all I'm saying. When I represent the District on EBOR, once in awhile all of the letters are not received by the EBOR date. What am I supposed to do? Reschedule? No. We proceed...since it's not a "requirement" anyway.

I think we beat this dead horse here once before. The requirement on the Eagle application is to "List the names of individuals who know you well and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf". So if the Scout lists names, the requirement is met. Actually receiving recommendations (nothing says a "letter" is required) is not the requirementand is beyond the Scout's control. I have seen units make up their own forms with a simple questionnaire and the respondent has to just check a box or fill in the bubble with no further comments required. And I have always thought the parent recommendation was a waste of everyone's time. What parent would say, "this kid is a loser and doesn't deserve it." The only time I saw a letter work against a Scout (just turned 18) was one from his sister which said "I admire my brother for accepting responsibility for his new son", which blindsided the Unit Committee and infuriated them. Seems the SM didn't think it was worthy of mention that he had fathered a child out of wedlock and was "living in sin" under her parent's roof. This was a church CO and they denied the Eagle by secret ballot. He appealed to Council and it was approved. Seems like the definition of "morally straight" has changed over the years.

Actually, the official red wool Jac-shirt is not for that purpose, either. Or polyester or whatever it is now.

I earned Eagle as an Explorer in 1970, hence my avatar. Back then, BSA issued knots in official Explorer green to match the uniform. Since that is the one I was awarded, following the logic above, should I not be wearing the dark green Eagle knot on my current BSA uniform? Of course, back then, there were WAY fewer knots and the backgrounds were irrelevant (ie, not part of the knot identification).

Does your Council have a Catholic Committee on Scouting which is the liaison between the Council and diocese? I would contact that person for help in liaising with the parish. You are correct, this is way more complicated than it needs to be. I would also inquire as to what other parish-sponsored units in your council are doing and follow their lead. Use the same bank they are using if possible. It's not (or shouldn't be) rocket surgery.

Sounds like a candidate for a Venturing Crew.