scoutldr

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.

As a former training chair, I found the most complaints from attendees centered on content...which I had no control over. If I strayed from the syllabus to add things of interest, we went over time and they were unhappy about that too. The Cub Leader specific courses were the worst. Council would advertise the training as "Cub Leader Specific", and would issue quotas to anyone who signed up. I would end up with a class of 10 people...2 WL, 3 DL, 1 CM, 1 MC, 3 ADL, etc., and only one instructor. I did my best, but it was inadequate. As designed, the Cub training is too cumbersome to do it correctly.

Our CO, a Methodist Church, provides a place to meet...a termite-eaten, rat infested office trailer in the back...and they asked us last winter not to turn on the heat because of the cost. We fund everything ourselves.

"And if we can save just one life... well, than any restriction on liberty is worth it." That's a pretty frightening statement, there, Beav.

Well, TAHAWK, since none of us, including you, has been through the course, we really have NO idea on how they intend to pull it off, do we? Why not give them the benefit of the doubt and hold our complaints until they actually screw it up, if indeed they do. Our "SE" (proper title-Scout Executive) tried the same thing a couple of years ago. Since we are a highly transient military area, it would be impossible for every unit to stay "Trained", and several units said they would just fold. The idea quietly died. As a district training chair, my stats hovered around the 20-30% range, no matter how many training courses I put on (and I put on a LOT). I mainly trained other districts' scouters, for some reason.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

I am amused by the constant comments on the "miserably hot weather"...why don't we schedule every other Jambo for Minnesota in January so we can all be equally miserable? August in Virginia means temps in the 90's and dew points above 70. Nothing new or unexpected about that. The guys from Alabama and Texas think it's great. THose from Alaska think it's miserable. Go figure. Be prepared!

There is a printed syllabus for the IOLS course. If the SE signs the training card that the requirements were completed, then it's "legit". In my opinion, you may get "trained" but you won't learn much. In some councils, you are allowed to meet with a "mentor" to demonstrate the skills (mostly T-1 requirements). No formal training required.