Slouchhat

Hello, what's going on here? http://www.scout.org/en/content/download/9539/81200/file/C0733WOSM_Institutional_Crisis_e.pdf best regards, Volker

Hello, well, I suppose there are lawsuits, but it takes more than an assertion to turn it into hard fact. The figures prove that things are happening, but it doesn't make everybody permanently upset either. Just because one Catholic priest has abused children, it doesn't mean that all Catholic priests are like that. The kids are being put in our care. Parents are encouraged to come to troopnights and see for themselves what is being done there. If they like they can visit us on trek or in camp as well, day or night. best regards, Volker

Hi OGE, about the lawsuits, I'd have to ask my attorney. He might be able to find out. I checked with the German yearbook of statistics, though, and based on cases which were reported to the police, verified and tried, the following data can be produced for 2006: In 2006 a total of 12765 children and youths were sexually abused. Of these, 963 involved abuse by someone in a position of authority, leadership or trust (including parents, other relatives, teachers, policemen, etc.) None of these abusers had anything to do with the scouts. May I ask why you are asking? bes

Hi Lisabob, for me this forum is an interesting learning experience. Things which are just natural over here are a big no-no there. What is standard there would be frowned upon elsewhere. I love this diversity in scouting. It gives this forum a bit of Jamboree flavour. best regards, Volker

Hello, I tried not to comment in this threaddidnt work so here we go: It is easy to imagine that, regardless what really happened in that adult leader tent that night, the third adult whos been sleeping under the stars probably has been so subtle in his approach towards the two adult leaders that they must have felt that all hell had broken loose around them. I bet that the third adult will have told everybody and his brother that he caught the two doing the dirty deed and which caused the two leaders to admit that they saw each other during the night. Did they admit having had sexual

Hi beavah, I think we have a very traditional approach towards clothing. Advising my scouts to use climatec underwear, polypros or gore-tex jackets for our winter activities makes us stand out even more like the proverbial sore thumb in German scouting. Most German scouts use the so-called Juja windbreaker either made from canvas or wool as an outer layer beefed up with a wool sweater or thick shirt underneath. We teach our kids the onion-layers-principle. In wet weather, the outer layer would be a gore-tex or other waterproof suit or maybe a poncho, if dry, a windproof ripstop smo

Hello, sorry to interrupt, but what's it about this nylon/polyester clothing all the time? I fail to see why they prescribe plastic clothing in the BSA. best regards, Volker

Hello, for some reason many people can't accept that life is not a pony ranch and that in the scouts, accidents can happen. Unfortunately, people sue over the most ridiculous things and their lawyers don't tell them "Man, this is BS, go get a life and leave your neighbour alone." because they make a fortune accepting the most stupid case. But let's face facts: if we get too fixated on liability and insurance there won't be any activity anymore. best regards, Volker

"The book does prescribe the uniform but far too many don't want to buy all the parts." Unless the book also states that it is mandatory to have all the parts specified in the book and in which combination and when they are to be worn you'll never get a uniform appearance. best regards, Volker

Hello, I don't think a memo is enough to make a statement a policy or a rule. Our handbook clearly says what the uniform is. A bit of transparency would help you a lot, it seems. best regards, Volker

Well, many buy the leather breeches used at flea markets or on Ebay as they are pretty expensive if you buy them at the clothing shops. Mine cost me about 30 Dollars used, but near mint. At the shops you pay a minimum of 150 Dollars. At least. For those who are wondering why leather breeches...have you ever been on a three-week hike in Sweden's Sarek National Park or in Mongolia or in the Yukon Territory? Then you would know that no other pants would withstand the rigours of such a tour. Ask the old mountainmen why they wore buckskins.

"From the very beginning, B-P had to fight charges from liberals that Scouting was just a program to prepare boys for the military. The original uniform was derived from the South African Constabulary, not the British military." So why is it that we don't all wear the BSAC uniform anymore? What's wrong with khaki and a campaign hat? This is the uniform associated all over the world with the scouts. It may look a bit old-timish, but it is for all intents and purposes a practical uniform. Our new troop will be an all-khaki troop soon. In my country the scouts try hardest not

Hi Mom, welcome to the gang. Good luck with your quest. Maybe your best bet is to form your own local scouting group. Who says that you have to be BSA or GSUS to pull that off? I'm leading a co-ed troop here in Germany and it works very well. The girls are cool customers and at the games they can play just as rough as the boys. Just yesterday one of the lasses surprised me with the supposedly most difficult standard knot although I hasn't taught them yet. Have a look here if you like: www.frederickselous.blogspot.com The patrol is new and they are not uniformed yet, but that'

Hello, is the foul weather hat cover the plastic foil type with elastic ring? Off Topic: Yes, we're the gang that jumps out of perfect airplanes. I did some time in a Bundeswehr parachute battalion. No, we don't use the ooo-rah and hooo-ah shouts. In fact, I found it strange at the JRTC in Ft. Polk hearing the hooo-ahs all the time. Thought it was a local thing, but heard it again in Mogadishu from Rangers and 10th Mountain. Back to topic: Our troop has an African motto: "pamwe chete", that's Shona for "All together!" or "Together only!". You can hear our scouts chanting i

Aye aye, I stand corrected. This paratrooper didn't know any better. :-) best regards, Volker

Gunny, you're a former Marine, right? I'd not expect you to wear anything less than a campaign hat with a straight brim. Thanks for the tip with the plywood hat press. I'll have to make one for the USMC hat in my collection to make it look smart. best regards, Volker

That's probably exactly what the parents need to be told. best regards, Volker

Hello, don't worry. You're not a Drill Instructor at Boot Camp. The thing is called a Campaign Hat, so just let the hat develop a bit of character so it looks like a hat that's been on campaign and not just in the locker of a chairborne ranger. In fact, that's why I love my well broken-in Rhodesian slouch hat so much. best regards, Volker

Hi Lisa, Nevada, first thing that springs to mind would be the Ponderosa Ranch. You've come to a great place to discuss scouting issues. Welcome. best regards from this side of the Atlantic, Volker

That's the way I see it, too. The way the troop is set up and operating, it is not going to change anytime soon. best regards, Volker

Wow, that boy would be in for a big surprise on my crew. We eat what's on the menu, nothing else, unless the kid's excused for medical reasons like allergies, etc. As they say over here: hunger's the best cook and after a day without food, he will love a piece of bread with whatever is available on it. But if his patrolmates are already questioning his behaviour, they might sit him down on this matter anyway. best regards, Volker

Hello, thanks a lot. I''ll try to make our upcoming website a little more international. I got a phone call from the SM of a troop some villages over who offered me to transfer a patrol of five 14/15 year olds who live in a hamlet close by to my troop. He says they are nominally in his care, but that, in fact, they are too remotely located for him and much closer to my gang so he would rather lose some scouts and see them being taken care of than letting them struggle on with him nearly unable to provide the needed leadership. So if the boys agree, I might end up with an instant

Hello, congratulations and good luck for the future! best regards, Volker

Hi OldGreyEagle, no prob. I just didn''t want to come across too confrontational. You know how easy it is to misunderstand each other on the Net. best regards, Volker

Hi OldGreyEagle, I''m not saying that we have sipped from the Grail of Truth to make everything we do sound right. Sorry if I may come across that way. I am well aware of the potential problems we might have or might be running into with a co-ed group. In fact, I''d rather have an all-boys gang, but now the boys are the minority in the patrol and we have to deal with it. The youth program co-ordinator in our parish says that this is typical for youth groups in our town. It is completely different two towns over and across the Rhine. Strange things. best regards, Volker