SMT224

Well, I just submitted a Tour Permit at myscouting.org for our April camping trip to a near-by National Park which requires we submit both a "Tour Permit" & "Proof of Insurance" no later than 2 weeks before arrival. We'll see if it's approved!! I really don't have a problem submitting a Tour Plan as well, but don't want the camping trip scraped because the NP isn't up to date on the BSA protocol. But this surprised me: there is nothing at myscouting.org on the Tour Plan change! No announcement or discussion of the impending March 1 change! In the meantime, the Council sent thi

Engineer61 - Only one way to find out: ask 'em! It may have been something totally unrelated to the prayer... or not.

Had a Scout at summer camp that came to me on Wednesday night feeling very sick. We took him to the medic and his symptoms matched cerebral meningitis. Apparently he had been feeling badly since Monday, but was so into being at camp that he didn't want to say anything. The medic freaked out, fearing a full camp evacuation. My self and another adult got him to a near-by ER (30 minute drive) and got in touch with his parents. After an hour they determined it was a bacterial infection and not meningitis. I call the medic and he was very relived. The parents showed up, and the kid

Every camping trip we forget something! We just don't know what until we get there! We've forgotten lanterns, cooking equipment, the tarp for the dining fly, food items, sleeping bags, dish washing equipment, and lot's of other stuff. And each time we have an opportunity for innovation! Rather than getting upset about it, we gather everyone together and think how we can solve the problem. It has led to some very creative thinking and problem solving. Sometimes we've had to locate the nearest WalMart, but usually we can figure it out and come up with a home made solution tha

Thanks for the links moose! I've now read through the past posts and am glad to know that I am not alone in my confusion! Is this all happening because the online Tour Permit at scouting.org was a bit confounding? Is that why they emphasize that the Tour Plan is "on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper!" I'd finally figured out the Scouting.org on-line Tour Permit and could crank out one in about 5 minutes. Now I guess I'll just add relevant info to the fillable pdf Tour Plan save a couple different versions, and will likely be able to get in the groove after a few months of getting up t

Have been on work travel quite a bit lately, so must have missed something, but our Council recently sent out guidance stating that the Tour Plan will replaces the Tour Permit as of 3/1/11. From what I've read, the Tour Plan is only applicable for trips over 500 miles. So now what do we do for our usual monthly camping trips (always way under 500 miles) where we had submitted a Tour Permit in the past? Do we just submit nothing? I've requested a clarification from Council, but haven't heard anything back yet. What was the problem with the Tour Permit anyway? Can anyone shed

Several years ago at summer camp, I took the opportunity to discuss food safety as we prepared for the Friday foil dinner. I saw this a an excellent teachable moment that would last a lifetime. After lunch, I gathered the Scouts together and explained the possible health risks associated with ground beef and how stay safe. I said that only I, the Scoutmaster, would handle the beef patties supplied by the camp, placing one on a foil square. The Scouts would then take the foil square, holding it only by the edges, over to a different table and add the onions, potatoes, carrots, and seaso

Happy New Everyone!! I'm excited about 2011! It looks to be a great year - we have 3 winter camping trips, 4 camping trips with a 10+ mile hike, one with a 20 mile hike, an extended 6 day summer camping trip, and orienteering camping trip, of course summer camp, and hopefully we'll be back at the Chunk! Cheers, and I hope all have an excellent year of Scouting!!

I do a SMC anytime a scout needs one, and the Committee conducts a BOR when there are enough Committee Members when the Scout is ready. It can be the same day, but not always. While I do not necessarily require a full Class A uniform for an SMC, the Committee always does for a BOR.

I agree with others who have said that a Patrol of 2 or more does just fine on a camping trip or other activity. This has proved much more successful than when we created a "camping patrol" composed of Scouts from different Patrols. If there is only one Scout, then he joins another Patrol with Scouts near his age.

I'll toss my story into the fire of this discussion... We camped last June next to a mountain with a steep switchback trail to the top, the trail continued down a ridge, through a valley, and back to the campsite. It was eleven miles, and just what the guys taking hiking merit badge needed. Plus, the elevation change was more than 1000 feet, so the camping merit badge requirements would be satisfied too. Everyone was excited to get to the top as we started out after breakfast. We had all made lunches and were looking forward to eating our pb&j sandwiches on top looking back down o

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This kind of thing has to come from the Scouts. They need to buy into it and be part of the decision making. Several years ago, we had a problem with Scouts using phones at Troop meetings. So, we discussed it at the Patrol Leaders Council meeting. The Scout Leaders considered various courses of action, and finally decided that no one needed to use a cell phone during a Troop meeting, camping trip, or at summer camp. They passed this information on to the Scouts the next Troop meeting and proceeded to enforce it with vigor. It worked, and within a month cell phones were complete

Yep, I got the email - two different versions 4 times!! All I can say, is whatever happened to, "A Scout is Thrifty"???? If indeed the email is accurate and not a fraud, big deal, so what?? Who cares if you get a bottle of dirt now or when you and your Troop visits the site sometime in the next twenty years? If at all!!! There are far more important things to spend our limited funds on than dirt!

Following on the discussion regarding the whipped cream skit, here is one that was refused at the last night campfire at summer camp. The SPL had to submit the skit, and the camp director refused to let the Troop perform it because it was too violent. The Scouts were disappointed and confused as they had been practicing all week and thought it was hilarious. Many of you will likely recognize the "Firing Squad Skit" as I pull it directly from the "Scouting Trail" website: Script: (3 soldiers in a holding cell stage left. In walks the leader of the enemy.) Leader: You have all been

I appreciate your replies - especially those dealing with the underlining problems that may significantly contribute to drowsy driving. I'm open to any other ideas on ways to stay awake... especially when you really don't have the option to pull over and nap. When I have 6 Scouts in my vehicle and I'm pulling the trailer with all the Troop equipment a quick 8 hour nap may be what my body needs, but does not fit in the activity schedule!

Not something I recommend... but I tell Scout that I have a dream catcher hanging off my rear view mirror so I won't have bad dreams if I go to sleep while driving... But, seriously, those of us adults in the Troop who go on most of the camping trip are finding that feeling sleepy during the 2-3 hour Friday evening drive to a camping site is becoming an increasing problem. Perchance age related? We deal with it by drinking coffee - or more likely one of the many energy drinks that are so prominently displayed at the check-out counter of a convenience store. I tend toward th

We also camp every month except December. Most of these are weekend camping trips, leaving on Friday evening & returning in time for Church on Sunday. And of course we spend a week at summer camp in July. Over the past couple years we have started doing extended summertime camping trips in June and August. In June we leave on Friday evening and return late on Monday. In August we leave on Friday morning and return late on Wednesday. This allows us to go farther away and really explore our surrounding. We also work on merit badges such as Camping and Hiking that require specific

tagguy - We've been to both, and my advice is to head north! How about Rodney on the Chesapeake Bay? Or Camp Spencer in the Broad Creek Scout Reservation? There are a number of excellent camps in the mountains southern PA that are much cooler that those in southern VA!

Gary_Miller This is the Boy Scouts of America not the Baby Sitters of America! This Scout sounds like he needs babysitting! But he is not a baby, he is a Scout! And as a Scout, the most helpful, friendly, courteous, and kind thing the Adult Leaders can do for him and the rest of the Scouts in the Troop is to enforce the Scout Law consistently. As to the particular elements of the Scout Law being violated by a boy who feels its ok to throw a tantrum every time he does not get his way Is he Trustworthy? No. Neither the Troop Leaders nor the other Scouts can trust him or depen

No matter what diagnosis is eventually rendered upon this young man, the best thing the Troop can do is to establish a code of conduct based on the Scout Law and then consistently enforce that code. As others have said, this should involve a meeting with the Scout and his parents to very clearly and neutrally let him know what is acceptable behavior and what is not acceptable behavior and consequences of stepping over the line. Based on my experience with a similar Scout, I suggest the consequences of unacceptable behavior be an immediate removal from that particular activity, an

Several years ago we were doing hamburger foil dinners on a Troop camping trip. I first had a discussion with the Scouts on food safety, the dangers of ground beef when we did not have adequate hand washing facilities, and how therefore I would be the only one handling the ground beef. As the fire burned, they chopped onions, carrots, & potatoes. We put all the ingredients on a picnic table for easy assembly. I was at another table with all the hamburger and a pile of pre-cut squares of foil. The Scouts formed a line, I put a heap of hamburger on the foil, and the Scout carried

Our feeder Pack does their AOL ceremony in conjunction with the Crossover ceremony for the entire Pack and all Cub parents. It is done in late April after a joint Webelos/Scout camping trip where each of the five Patrols creates sets up a Scout skills & games station for the Webelos and their parents. It has worked out very well, and the Cubs look forward to their time to go on the camp out and then earn AOL and cross over to the Troop.

I've seen Hennessy Hammocks in action, and they are very cool. I have several ENO hammocks which are the most comfortable I've ever used. But, if I ever win the lottery... this is what I'd get: http://www.junglehammock.com/. I've never seen a Clark in action, but from the website description and reviews, they look like all you'd need anywhere anytime - especially in cold weather!!

There are four of us adult leaders in the Boy Scout Troop who also have daughters in the Girl Scout Troop. The girls all want to be Boy Scouts, so we do very similar camping trips. Turns out girls like to play with fire and knives just like boys! However, they are not so much into chopping wood, and, as we have discovered, do not like Patrol cooking - they much prefer that we all (adults and girls) cook and eat together. And of course the boys do not sit around the fire and brush each others hair! The girls can hike and camp and do just fine camping like the Boy Scouts. If you take the b