scoutldr

There's a "long form" of the DRP??? So when we sign the adult app, which one are we agreeing to, the "long" or "short" form??? Pet peeve...asking me to agree to things that I can't see or don't have access to. Didn't we learn never to sign contracts that contained blank spaces or ambiguities?

"But Jack makes a good point, we do have to have rules and we should do our best to obey them. When we knowingly break the rules we are not setting a good example for the youth we serve." OK, I'll bite. I want to do my best to obey the "rules". Just as soon as someone tells me what they are and where to find them. "Rules and Regulations of the BSA"??? Good luck. "Guide to Safe Scouting"? It says "Guide"...not "Rules for Safe Scouting". There is no publication titled, "Rules for Delivering the SCouting Program". So, absent that, maybe Pappy is right....as long as they renew our charter every year, we must be doing OK.

Perhaps your COR should write a letter to the SE explaining it to him. Return receipt requested.

Training WAS delegated to the unit level, with the "Pack Trainer" concept. The original concept has since been watered down to the point that the position is useless. Largely due, I think to the reluctance of Council training committees to "let go" control of "their" training. Sad. We can pontificate all we want as to the value of training, and castigate those who, for whatever reason, do not place a high enough priority on getting themselves trained. Bottom line is, scouters are not getting trained, and Council training committees need to find out what the obstacles and perceptions are. Most of the comments I heard after a training course was that the course did not meet their expectations...that's the syllabus' fault, not mine. Another barrier is cost. All training should be free to the volunteer...period. If they give up their valuable time to go to training, we should meet them halfway and not charge them for the privilege.

Is a potato gun considered a "cannon" or "artillery"?

Before everyone spends it, I assume it will be "taxable income" so you will only see about 60% of that amount. I also would not be surprised to see it phased out above a certain income level, so us "rich" people will never see it. The poor people will have shiny new rims on their Navigators and Escalades. Poor kids still won't have health insurance or decent meals. I am not in favor of it, but if foisted upon me, I will put it into my Roth IRA....or use it to pay for services that will have to be cut in order to fund this fiasco.

My district averaged 28% while I was training chair. Due to a high-turnover military population, I couldn't get above that. I'd train them and 6 months later they were gone. Maybe if there was a better way of documenting training in other councils, they could come in "trained"...but I couldn't even get accurate records from my own council. If they were trained before the new training program, forget it.

I think it's the Scout Law. "On my Honor"...one's good name, reputation, the confidence that people have that you will do the right thing without having to be reminded, regardless of what others may do or peer pressure. Someone once said, "Character (honor) is what you do when no one's looking."

Elementary age. Yes, I know about Reyes' syndrome. I think you know what I meant.

That begs the question...if your CO is not willing to fulfill the terms of the Charter Agreement, why did they sign it???

The camp medic is an EMT...if we're lucky. Sometimes it's an E-2 medic from a local military base. The one we had 2 years ago had never seen an ear thermometer before and tried to point it down my throat. I don't believe it requires any special medical license to take Johnny Scout's pill bottle off the shelf and hand it to him. That's neither prescribing nor "distributing". That's just "storing" and "documenting" that he got his dose. Of course, laws vary by state. My wife, a school nurse, cannot even give a child an aspirin unless there's a written Dr's order on file...doesn't matter what the parents say.

"strongly recommends that no volunteer accept this responsibility and that either the scout be responsible for his own medication or a parent or guardian must be present to manage it." Apparently the camp staffs never got the word. As a 53 year old adult, I am still "required" to turn over all prescription meds to the camp staff on check in and report to the health lodge for ever dose. We're not even "allowed" to have Tylenol in our possession in the campsite. Needless to say, most of us ignore it, since we're capable of taking our own medications without killing ourselves. And as of last year, the parent had to fill out a "authorization form" for EVERY dose that the scout was to take. Three times a day for 6 days = 18 separate forms.

Camo does not equal military. Maybe they were imitating hunting attire. My eyebrows were raised when I got my winter BSA catalog...see page 38. Sure looks like imitation military gear to me.

Sorry I didn't answer earlier, but one way to deliver training would be to solicit community partnerships with businesses that have satellite capability...around here we have "Cinema Cafe" theaters who regularly have Bowl parties with closed circuit broadcasts. VTC capability is not that expensive now and most major businesses, high schools, colleges and military bases have capability. To chime in on the more recent posts, I think there's plenty of "blame" to go around. Today's kids and parents are not interested in following the anachronistic model of "boy led"...it's too hard, and they're not used to achieving things like merit badges unless spoonfed as a group. They are willing to give "an hour a week"...but that's all they have to give. Too many other things to get done in the same week. You can train leaders all you want, but if they are experts at delivering a product that the public no longer values or wants, we're wasting our time. We make the best buggy-whips in the world.

That's watt ewe get wan stupid peeps depend on there spill czech two mush.

Nobody ever said it wasn't safe...just prohibited.

I can't say without seeing their drug test results.

Synchronous distance learning via satellite...like colleges do. Allows interaction with instructor for Q&A.

Each camp could hire an airbrush artist...just like Fantasy Fest in Key West!

"three tier program level"? Please refresh our memories, Bob.

Wasn't there a saying, "I'd rather be dead than rouge"? Or was that "red"...same thing I guess. The annual charter agreement says that the council agrees to provide camping facilities...is that nullified if the SE decides to sell off the council camp to pay his salary?

I think taking brand new scouts on a "winter survival" campout as their first camping experience is irresponsible. I remember as an 11 year old, lying there all night shivering uncontrollably with my teeth chattering just praying for morning to come (and this was mid-atlantic weather, probably above 20F). I thought I was reasonably prepared with my brand new official BSA sleeping bag from JC Penney...a summer weight bag. My mom didn't know any better. I had no clue about dressing in layers, changing into dry underwear, insulating under the bag, wearing a hat, etc. I almost never went back. To this day I absolutely HATE cold weather camping.

Our OA lodge flap costs 3 bucks. Can't be much profit in that, even though they're made in China. They do change the CSP every 3 years or so...but there's no pressure to buy the new ones and replace the old ones.

The charter "contract" is the New Unit Application. That delineates the rules for chartering a unit. Anything else is up to the CO. PS: the contract does NOT say that training is mandatory...only that it will be offered by the Council. If they want it mandatory, then change the contract language. http://www.scouting.org/forms/28-402.pdf

The SPL is in charge of the Patrol Leaders Council who are responsible for planning and executing the program. He selects the ASPL(s) and reports directly to the SM.