skeptic

2 hours ago, Tron said:

Yeah, .00000000000000000000000000000001% of the military budget; good one, they'll just order 1 less box of $10,000 toilet seats. 

I'd just be surprised if they had any fortitude? Fun point about this administration, Trumps approval rating is like 10% above the projected percentage of likely voters who were going to vote for him. He's actually polling better now than before his re-election. Seriously though, what's the position of the scouting caucus? I don't see one, someone throw me a link to a real position. As far as I can see they're not taking a position on this. What's the point of putting time into having a scouting caucus if they're just going to roll over and take it? 

I did not get any esponse, but I have challenged them to actually stand up for the basic tenets of Scouting and to not just use their "support" or being an Eagle as some kind of additional reason to tempt people to vote for them.  I do not see many of them living the tenets in their so called leadership positions.   If they did, perhaps we might actually see something positive develop in Congress.  I get the impression many of them do not understand how poorly they are living those tenets, if at all.  Certainly few are serving with Honor, or "doing their best", if the results we have are any measure

.  

3 hours ago, Tron said:

Not much meat here except a personal comment. Is the scouting caucus going to actually level a position on this? 

Hard to say.  If they have the fortitude to stand up to the ignorance that continues to grow out of this sorry administration, maybe.  Not going to hold my breath though.  

A response from the Scouting Caucus in Congress.  https://thehill.com/homenews/5623663-glenn-thompson-pentagon-proposal-scouting-ties/

30 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Having worked in various joint commands in plans (J5), exercise (J7), and operations shops (J3), I have to tell you these things are FAR from free.  Military exercises, deployments, employments, redeployment, and reconstitution (after the fact) are quite expensive, in fact.  Literally hundreds of millions of your tax dollars are spent on these each year to maintain unit readiness.

Difficult to stage? yes... Scarcity of opportunity? no.  Quite the opposite.  Military commands at all levels routinely have to cut exercises and practices from their schedules to support various "hobby horses" or "pet projects" the military is tasked to support based on political pressure.  The National Jamboree is a good example of such a "pet project." 

Do the units supporting these get good training?  Absolutely. 

Could the resources spent on the Jamboree be better used supporting other valid military training objectives?  Absolutely.

Do I support the use of military resources to enable the Jamboree?  Absolutely 😜 (Sometimes the troops would rather support something at home like this, rather than flying to a third world country to practice their "wartime" skills there.)

 

Thanks for noting "free" is not a good word here.  Nothing is ever free, but often it can be less expensive.  

We have myriad examples of poor end results when the first notice of overreach and ignornce appeared and we ignored it.  Bringing it to the fore just makes it less of a total surprise when one of the ego meisters in charge gets such poor ideas.  What the nay sayers never note in regard to the Jambo involvments is the almost free training and practice the Military gets in those events.  Dealing with large groups in events and emergencies is difficult to stage, so the Jambo offers one way for that to happen.  In 85 when "Bob" came to visit, the Army made themselves proud in their response and support.  The speed and turn around of drying out thousands of sleeping bags and restoring order in flattened areas was beyond expectations.  And, if our old friend Joe Price's story to me as to how he became a collector is partly true, the Military drew on early Scouting manuals and training to kick start and support the huge training needs.  He was tasked in his position in a part of the support groups in finding as many of those Scouting resources for training support that he could, and so it became a long time hobby after the War.  He told me once that the original Field Book by Hillcourt wa one of the standard resources, as were the early Sea Scout manuals.  

And the continued service to honor Vets on the various National Days is almost expected in many communities.  The service to the Civil War reunion in the thirties or the flag postings in cemeteries we see regularly.  Many instances of horable Flag retirements at Scout camps, and the Eagle projects that focus on respect for the military and its members.  

IF this actually is proposed, I suspect it will NOT be well received by Congress, even in this confused period of our history.  

4 hours ago, scoutldr said:

The values of the DoD and woke Scouting no longer align.  Predictable.

Woke is not a real thing; just a hot button prod.  Simple adherence to the Scout Law, Oath, and so on is not Woke, just civility and basic kindness for others, no matter their beliefs or how they may look, o what their name are.  Ignorance held up by stupidity and sheeple.  

The included link came in an email to me this morning from National, it appears.  How many others may have gotten this?

https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5615164/pentagon-scouting-hegseth-cut-ties

From an email out of National this morning.  https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5615164/pentagon-scouting-hegseth-cut-ties

Secretary of the Navy is already pushing back.  But this coming out of the current administration is not a surprise.  

Here is a link to a slide show of some of the statues placed, and that may still be there.  It would be a great adventure for womone with the time to pursue an updated gathering of photos of those statues still standing across the country.  https://libertysisters.com/index.php/nggallery/slideshow?page_id=117

2 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

https://youtu.be/7YBLGOnX3hE

A show that could not be made today...

 

Not on purpose.  It seems to me that we have something similar in process in D.C.  

Not yet, though it was on one of the common FB pages.  Taking after the Gov and "leaking stuff".  

8 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

After months of "piloting", an important policy change, i.e. "Coed Scouting"  "family troop option" is announced and in common National fashion, the implementation details and other supporting documents are not available. There are rumors of a 5-page Best Practices PDF?  Contact  your Council for information!

IMHO, a scout program with leadership development, outdoor adventures, and reduced membership costs grow membership. Dragnet recruiting not so much.

My $0.02 or is it a nickel now?

At least a buck.  Then it can stop there.  

As I have aged to old coot or goat status, I find few things surprise or tryly annoy me.  Not worth the bile.  As long as the YP is in place and the Scouter means well and is focused on the youth growing, what is the big deal?

1 hour ago, Tron said:

I see what is going on here now. This is being redone based on the demographics of the people surveyed in the first study in 2023. Check out the demographics of the people surveyed in the Scouting Edge study; there are 3 chart slides squeezed on to 1 and a half pages of the study in the appendex. The 2023 study was basically a random subset of the whole national population; they probably wanted that to be a marketing survey to see how to capture new or emerging markets (especially when you notice that the non-white male population was under represented in that study based on who historically and currently dominates the membership ranks of Scouting America). This new study is about Alumni and current membership. So in the R3 cycle of membership they did the Recruit emphasized on emerging markets,  this is probably the Re-engage or Retain stage of the R3 cycle. 

1 hour ago, Tron said:

I see what is going on here now. This is being redone based on the demographics of the people surveyed in the first study in 2023. Check out the demographics of the people surveyed in the Scouting Edge study; there are 3 chart slides squeezed on to 1 and a half pages of the study in the appendex. The 2023 study was basically a random subset of the whole national population; they probably wanted that to be a marketing survey to see how to capture new or emerging markets (especially when you notice that the non-white male population was under represented in that study based on who historically and currently dominates the membership ranks of Scouting America). This new study is about Alumni and current membership. So in the R3 cycle of membership they did the Recruit emphasized on emerging markets,  this is probably the Re-engage or Retain stage of the R3 cycle. 

And soon another bunch of phone solicitations and post cards about how we can buy a book?????

4 hours ago, Tron said:

What sort of questions are they asking in this survey? 

Ones that likely will be shrugged off if answered with good options for growth and change.  

2 hours ago, HashTagScouts said:

This is coming after they are putting a ton of work into Camp Pupukea on Oahu.

New Cabin Designs Unveiled for Camp Pupukea - Hawaii Parent

Fairly common; the rank and file most often have no clue, as those running the back play are not overly communicative to the peons.  Still waiting for the announcement of our last camp which is supposedly in escrow, though no info is available for some reason.  As some may remember, they sold our primary camp with no warning already.  So we no longer have viable council camp property.

We always saw and heard amusement with the "Kings (important) Papers.  Again, no longer deemed "appropriate".  

Not sure it has anything to do with the Covid interruptions.  Did they have to have any skits approved first?  The newest attitude on such things is, from my recent experience, one of overly zealous concern with something maybe hurting feelings or hinting at stuff once just part of normal life interactions.  Especially NO possible inuendo or suggestion of body functions, animal or human.  In some instances we no longer are supposed to sing the old Region Twelve song, for example, as one of the early versions, and the ones most of us recollect has nakedness suggested.  The old standby trainge elephant skit is not acceptible, nor the dumb two scouts arguing about belts, but not noting that is the topic, noting length.  The JCPenney skit is no longer generlly allowed, nor the one with fish(suckers) hanging on a line.  The really sad thing is that they are exposed to far worse daily on TV and in public where the four letter word is now so common few even notice.  And TV programs often have so many beeps in them that it is simply tiresome.  Just my thoughts, but I am of the lost generation when we still were innocents and still were neighborhood families.  

Not sure what the issue might be, other than surprise to you.  IF she is properly vetted there should not be a problem, especially if she was not necessary as leadership for your unit at the event.  

2 hours ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

Being told that I have to believe in the Christian god, or at least be a monotheist, because of the legacy phrasing of the spiritual duty Scouting America uses.

The Law I have made the Promise to do my best to follow many times as a youth starts "A scout seeks their own beliefs and respects that of others." I have to do no such thing (be a monotheist), thank you very much, and you don't get to tell me what my spiritual beliefs are.

Not sure what you are saying.  It specifically states "respect others' beliefs" and does not mention anything about monotheism or otherwise.  Pretty broad and subjective it seems to me.  But, whatever floats your boat, as some say.  

It is often expected to identify if you are part of the group.  At many COH's they even have all the Eagles gather around in some manner.  For years at our Eagle recognition gatherings they would do some type of "who is the earliest Eagle here" type of thing.  But, bragadocio is misplaced too often and can be annoying.  But, Kind is one of the points of the Law.  So, smile and go with the flow.  I have learned after decades that it is not worth the sour stomach to let it bother me.  

2 hours ago, Jameson76 said:

Our successes are almost all unit based, and seldom noted by Council, unless they find issue a way to monetize that success.

Fixed it for you

 

Well; youo certainly hit the nail squarely.  As one of our leaders growled last week when I mentioned the apparent sale of our only remaining camp; "If it means money, they do not care how it affects the units."

There is a certain irony that National grew from the need to respond to the trenches where Scouting struggled to survive, but was locally vibrant for the times.  And now, when we are back to struggles in similar chasms, they seem to be unaware of reality too often.  Our local council seems too often to simply not get that most volunteers simply want to be kept in the loop.  Our successes are almost all unit based, and seldom noted by Council, unless they find issue.