SSScout

"It is a puzzlement"... "The king in The King And I" We all have to find our own way in this world. If , as a youth, you join Scouts and are asked to make that Scout Promise (it is not , after all, an "OATH:), and you decide your "Duty to God" is not to believe in it/her/him, so be it. There is something out there that will draw you, whether it is the Three Laws of Newtonian physics or some spiritual awakening ("aHA !"). My dad was a good man. I feel blessed to have had him , or did he have me? No matter. He often told me he was uncomfortable with "Organized Religion". I came to find this rather curious, because he was a 33rd degree Mason, which is a very spiritual and very organized organization, when you think about it. AwakeEnergyScouter, no one is asking/requiring you to be a monotheistic believer. If someone is, then they need to be reminded that the Scouting movement , at least in the US of A is "non-sectarian". It professes no particular faith. True, some Troops/Packs and around the world other Scout orgs do require some religious connection, that is their right, and you and your family can choose accordingly. As a Scout Chaplain, I have had some good conversations with Scouts who come and say "I'm not sure about this God stuff." Yeah, me too.... You can look up B-P's quotes about religion and faith. Remember, he came from a Church of England start, but became very "universal", shall we say. Did you hear about the agnostic, dyslexic insomniac? Poor fellow lay awake all night wondering if there is a dog.......

Hammers? Totin' Chip traditionally asks the Scout to MAKE a really good tent peg. Hatchet(s) part of a Scout's kit, yes? Our Troop used to (I should check on this) make poles out of saplings and the tent pegs were kept for use and as examples for the next Scouts.... As for the tarp/ shelter, the Troop of my yoooth made them out of 4 mill plastic and heavy duty duck tape and grommet sets. Ten by ten, made shelter tents and dining flies and such. Older Scouts took 'em to Philmont and Jamborees, said others ooo'ed and awww'ed at them...

Interesting turn of discussion, this... ""parent wants son to go from Scout to Eagle by Christmas."" Has the Scout been asked what HE wants from Scouting? Mom wants an Eagle badge....

On a bike ride, Scout uses CPR to help save a Scout dad's life....

I do not think that Baháʼu'lláh, or Gibran would agree with your comment. A Scout is Reverent...

Two things occur to me: First, "the work is done by whoever shows up". Very often the job is given/assigned to whoever raises their hand, regardless of anything else. Second, I suggest as required reading, Kahlil Gibran's book "The Prophet", in this case the chapter on Children, a portion of which I quote here: "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.... You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams....." See you on the trail......

If the Scouts and parents and (?)Leaders are properly registered, the Council at least should have everyone's email and USPS addresses. Send the info directly to them.

Oh there are some go getters.... Back in my days of yoooth, my Troop was very active, merit badges were not that important. We went camping and hiking and other stuff, New kid joins, his dad is a navy doctor who would attend meetings in full whites. The kid soon announced that he had done the math, so many months required for each rank, and he would be Eagle by such and such a date. Us senior Scouts looked at each other and realized he might well become the first Eagle in our Troop ! we decided we could NOT let that happen. Merit Badges became more important. We started looking for MBCounselors, shared earning them. The "new" kid was an okay guy. He became the third Eagle, about a year and a half late from his original schedule, but that's okay. Armymutt, talk to the Scout. Unless he has some other issues (ASD? Autism spectrum?), He needs to take charge of his Scout career. Remind the mom that SHE is not the Scout.... sounds like she wants to live the Scout life she missed out on as a yoooth. Make her a ASM WITH TRAINING, then a Commissioner to get her out of your Troop's hair,...

Patrols? Neighborhood "gangs", in the good connotation. Family hierarchy: Big Brothers/Sisters exampling/teaching/modeling to younger bro's, sis's. Committee(s) of the whole to accomplish SOMETHING.... a trip to see a museum/hike a trail/go see a movie/earn a Merit Badge together/attend a CAMPOREE/serve for your CO, just the Patrol.... Patrol Dad, Mom, Waaay back when, our phone tree, (remember them? ) often garnered a bunch of "friends" meeting to see that movie, visit that museum... just because we were friends, not ONLY Scouts. But the Scout imprimatur was there. Our folks knew where we went, what we did, saw. Somewhere along the way, when Scouting became less cool, and the parents decided they (THEY ) couldn't trust us, didn't trust the rest of society (let a 12 year old walk to the store by themselves??), and because the BSA fell down HARD on protecting the Scouts from the unacknowledged predators out there, in here,,, We needed two deep Registered Scout Trained Adults on any Scout activity. Protecting not only the younguns' but the adultuns' too,,,, Can a bunch of friends go for a hike, go to a ball game (if they have the bucks!😉), without calling it a "SCOUT ACTIVITY" ? If they tell their parents, and the parents say "have fun, be home by 8 !" , well ... ? What is a "PATROL" today?

Ats what 'm talkin' 'bout...

Oui, ze leetle grey cells, zey try to be the challenge, n'est ce pas? You precede me, friend, I claim 77....😉

Yes. Oh, if only our political leaders (if not all) could lead and live their lives by the standards of the Scout Promise and Law....

Yes, I amhert too sometimes after hiking, especially my pheet....

? Amyhurst?

1) What was his record before the camp? Was he a "Scout" in the (minimum of how many years?) before he was passed as Eagle? 2) what was his "attitude" before the camp? Is Scouting something he does to please his dad/mom? Is it because he is (was?) trying to beat his brother/sister? 3) Family dynamics (see #1,#2). Are there mom and dad issues? 5) Would he rather be (sport/gang/Marines/anything but this sissy Scout stuff)? I once helped a dad (newly divorced, it turned out) plan the Eagle CoH for his son. I only knew the Scout by sight. The dad had a nice but simple affair planned, formal invitations to family, friends, Troop. The Scoutmaster was military and could not be there that day, but the ASMs did the good job. I really have no idea why, but we had only about 15 people there, theoretically could have had thirty or forty with Scouts and family. Words said, thoughts expressed, Scout/Eagle Promise made, cookies eaten, and boom everyone left. We never saw that Scout again at our Troop activities, altho he was only 16. Thinking about it, I could envision this Scout basically saying to the dad: "There, I did it, now get off my back."

When BSA began welcoming females into Scout Troops and Cub Packs (Explorer Posts and Venturererer Crews already) our Council wasn't sure how to proceed, so they said "pick a number". Our home Troop, 759, welcomed a sister Troop 7592. Seemed to work. Money changed hands, papers signed. Then, they said "no, we need a better, clearer destinction" , so later Troops/Packs became, at least on paper/Scoutnet denoted as (forinstance) 222B and 333G. letters show the gender difference. and the number strip on the sleeve will be only numbers.... So it is written, so shall it be... Or Gee....

I would HOPE one would click on the website and see the rest of the cartoon.... https://www.gocomics.com/thebuckets/2025/06/18

Let's see... Cub Scouts? maybe... Camping? ummm no.... Scoutmaster Minutes? nnno... Working with Kids ! ,,,, Okay, Open Discussion, by default..... https://www.gocomics.com/thebuckets/2025/06/16

So I am pleased to report that the CPR/AED training went well. However, (whatever?) with six weeks of various bush beating, we had one Scout, one Scout parent, one person from Meeting and 8 teens from a local private school. The trainers were happy to have been there, and so we will see if we can schedule again in the fall.

This past saturday, I was on the porch of our Meeting House, tending to some maintenance, when I looked up to see a young man walking by (we are at the north end of a county "history " trail. ), and I said hello. He was carrying a backpack, looked to be fully equipped, he had two hiking "sticks". We spoke for awhile. He said his Scout Troop (!) was going to Philmont, and he knew he had to do some "training". We talked about gear, distance (he did not know the trail he was on , except it was "in the neighborhood". It was the first time he had been out with his new pack (it looked new!). I shared some of my hiking history, and counseled him about the distance of this trail (you can do a five mile loop, good for the Second Class requirement), and encouraged him to "get tired now" so you won't be as tired later. It sounded like his Troop was going the last week in July.... I

Funny you should mention.... I have been trying to organize/schedule CPR/AED training for some time and by chance at a recent IOLS/BALLOO weekend, met a Scouter who does such things. We got it scheduled, and it will occur tomorrow. There is a fee, which I find reasonable for what is offered. He remits his share BACK to the org that he works with. We have publicized it in local Scout Troop, District and Council Campfire sites, and in our local newspaper and in our church. One of the rationales for this is our House of Worship is FINALLY to buy/install an AED. Now to the frustrating parts... 1) we have been greatly underwhelmed by the sign ups. We shall see how many they have from the internet sign up.... 2) One Scout enquiry was to ask about "the CPR Merit Badge Class, and what rank requirement it met". I had to respond that it was NOT a "Merit Badge Class" (they might have thought it was First Aid?), that it was instruction in the skill, and as to what, if any, rank requirement it fulfilled to ask his Scout Master. 3) Since I work at a Retirement Community, I am required to take just this sort of training. I can say that since my Paleolistic days as a Scout, up to my present state, I have learned no fewer than five techniques to deal with loss of breathing/heart attacks, each an improvement on the prior. I can claim only two times when this training has been of value, one very good, one not so. I tell people it's like wearing your motorcycle helmet or your auto seat belt.... you may only need this training once, but which once?

Very nice. Would that translate to " Neckerchief on a Bike"? Goodluck for the visibility and recognition ! Such an Eagle project idea !

"It depends".... Nat Jamboree, 2013, they issued nice offishul duffles as part of the deal. Staff (Chaplain), I brought a foot locker, but discovered it would not fit in the tent with the cot they issued/assigned. We Adapted ... As SM, to summer camp, I brought one to help organize my stuff and stuff and stuff,,, The Scouts were not required , some had duffles, some had small locker/boxes.... If the dimensions are known, to slip it under the cot, that is good. If there is room at the end(s) of the cot and still stay in th tent, that is good. Where will it be? In the halcyon days of my yooth, everything was in the backpack or we didn't need it. Then too, we didn't have TRAILERS full of stuff....

SA/BSA did the right thing, PAUSE and THINK... The time for panic is later. The time for concern is now. Someone is shot thru the head and Total Archery Challenge CONTINUES ? ? As a past CSDC Archery Range Officer, I have stories, but thankfully nothing like this. Avoidance of accidents is the goal, but sometimes "things happen". People don't want to walk all the way around 6foot tall stakes and yellow tape . People want to get CLOSER to get a good photo of Sammy Scout.... I trained my staff to PAY ATTENTION, and they did. The Cubs listened and PAID ATTENTION. Was I strict? You betcha. Overly so? You betcha.... I remember a Jamboree where a too tall tent pole met a too short electric wire over an area where camp should never have been assigned....

Ya got three kinds a Scouts. Those that want Merit Badges and those that want to EARN Merit Badges, and those that just wanna go camping and hiking. We will not discuss those that are not Scouts, but in the "civilian"" group, you can find the same approximate type of kids. Merit Badge Books are great middle school introductions to the subject, we all know that. The bane of the MBCounselor's existence is the WORKSHEET. Whoever developed those is not someone who wants MBs to be EARNED so much as Wikipedia'd . Cut and paste. Fortunately, many MBs can't be work booked.... Knots and lashings have to be DONE. Bugles have to be played. You ever get the impression when you ask that leading question (Socratic Method?) that the Scouts are sort of waiting to discern what answer YOU want to hear? The ebooks are a great leap into the great compooter world to come (has arrived?) . Stock preprinted books for a price, or get a iPad or Kindle thingy, or print it out yourself? "That's alot of paper and expensive ink !!" Yes but.... Lithium batteries, or $15. book? ummm ebook can be edited with a keystroke. Shades of the Ministry of Truth..... Permanent paper book can't be changed . My 1960ish MBbook is a historic artifact, reflective of the society. My Hilcourt 1956 Fieldbook shows a shirtless Scout correctly felling a 20" diameter Poplar (I think) with a nice axe. I tell my Woodtools class at IOLS that we don't have enough trees for our Scouts to practice correct, safe felling , hence today's Fieldbook doesn't have such a picture. But come the nexr Carrington Event.... Oh, don't get me wrong, if the iPad reader is handy for the Scout to read (!) the MBbook, and learn thereby, go for it. All 138 MBs in one handy Lithium Manganese battery packed Apple core, great. Maybe the signal will be better on THAT rock face....