SSScout

I attended WB as a ASM, but did lots of stuff at CSDC, so my first ticket ideas had to do with CS (Den Chief promotion, DL training, CSDC activities, etc.) but they said since I was not a CSperson, I could NOT do CS stuff! What to do? My Guide spoke to the Course Director and they came up with a clever (in hindsight) idea. I should become a Commissioner! They can do ANYTHING Scouty! And so within 2 weeks, I became a Unit Commissioner. Took the official training two months later, and the rest is Beads! So keep that in mind. Your tickets MUST have something to do with your part of Scouting.....

Assuming you do the email thing.... 1) Announce the ongoing, updated schedule of topics in each DIstrictRTNews.... Include the District/Council News in each issue, with a few fun things gleaned from other sources (knot tying from Sweden, neckerchief tying, places to go like train shows, flag displays, park programs, etc.) 2) Send this out AT LEAST once a week, updated with new things. Include worthy Eagle projects, STEM classes, training opportunities, etc. Send out whenever the e-editor feels like it. Update and make them fun to read. Include worthy quotes ("When I was 14, my father was so dumb, I was almost embarrassed to be seen with him. But when I turned 21, I was amazed how smart the old man had become in only 7 years"=Mark Twain=), from BP, Emerson, FDR, the Bible, the Koran and others. Give your Scouters thought provoking stuff, SMMinute stuff. 3) Send it to who? Collect the most up to date emails for ANY Scout leader: SM, ASM, CC, CM, DL, CM, ACM, and ask for any other interested Scout adult. Don't be shy about asking if THEY want to be included. Ask your DE and RD and SE for names and emails. When I became RTC, I added over a hundred emails to my list in the first month and culled at least 30 out of date ones.... 4) Topics: Ask the folks.... Use the ones that YOU would like to see. I invited a podiatrist to address us about foot care, sock and boot choice and folks still talk about it almost a year later. It will be repeated. Topics/themes used and developed: High Adventure choices, Parks and Museums in our area, Winter Camping, "Open Discussion" ("our experts solve your problems". Sure we will....), Camp Cooking (home Troop does a demo campfire cooking in the parking lot), Religious Awards, Holiday Party (develop a Powerpoint of pics from Camporees, WebWoods, Troop trips, etc. ), Movie night (Scout movie choices, show vignettes, trailers)..... 5) Have announcements FIRST and SHORT. RTC (the MC, natch?) needs to take charge and (Courteously, Kindly) SHORTEN the amount of announcements. 6) Do not have a written agenda. It must be adjustable, so write it on a white/black board at the front of the room, and as speakers give info/ numbers/websites, post them up there too. Encourage Scouters to TAKE NOTES. Leave everything up for folks to copy after the meeting. 7 ) Have a LARGE table out in the hall for the offering of handouts and extra maps, brochures, etc. Keep last months and put'em out this month, too. 8) What topics? ASK them! USE the suggestions. 9) Have a Plan B. When your speaker has a death in the family , be ready to show "Troop 759 of Harlem" or demonstrate fun knots and let the Scouters show their expertise too. 10) If the venue will permit, serve snacks. Folks will contribute to pay for them. My favorite trainer did this: When he asks a leading question, and someone breaks thru their reticence to answer, he throws them a candy bar. I do not do this every time, but hey, it keeps interest up. 11) Run the BSRT like a Troop meeting. Opening, program, involvement, RTCommisher gives a "minute", Scout promise, close and goodnight. No need to have a formal flag presentation and retrieval, but still make the opening and closing DEFINITE, not just "hello" "goodbye". 12) Activity planning is usually done in committee, not so much IN RT. Scheduling, yes. Planning, no. 13) I like the idea of the FB page, wish I had a fellow willing to take that on. Youtube ? Not unless it is something REALLY significant, not ordinary meeting... 14) Try and remember the WORST, most BORING meeting at work, and learn therefrom. Have fun. Look up "Red Green" on youtube and study the Possum Lodge Meeting plan. "We're all in this together. I'm pulling for you". YiS

""The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water. "" = John W. Gardner =

Welcome to the world of wood badge! Become the critter. Make contact with your Patrol as soon as you get the info. Take on whatever duty and/or responsibility you are led to for your Patrol. Read thru everything twice. Bring a funny hat. Bring extra rope. Bring extra duct tape. Bring extra batteries (for your flashlight?). Try to remember that corny skit . Wool socks. Spif up your uni. Smile and wave as you go by.

I say make your own awards. At the 2005 Jamboree, things got so dreary at the amphitheater, they started throwing out Dixie cups of Ice cream to placate the mob. Some of us started poking holes in the cup covers (those round things) and tying string to them. Presto! A patch to hang from your pocket! The next day I saw several while walking around the grounds.... Mine is in the bag o'Jambostuff in my closet....

Thank you for the reminder. I once forgetfully left a backpack on the subway. I had been with my family , on a trip to see the museums downtown and was on our way home . Got off the train went down to our car ,and drove home. About three hours later, we got a phone call from a man who asked if I was SSScout? I said yes, he said , well, I have an orange backpack with your name and phone number in it! I had not even missed it! We arranged to meet him and collect the bag, with all the stuff still in it. I bought him a coke and shook his hand. He looked very "Scouty" to me, as I remember....

We Quakers have a "thing" we call a "Query", which is a question or series of questions intended to make one think about a particular topic or idea, especially as it pertains to one's spiritual life and how that affects one's living. I view this essay exercise in the same vein. It is meant to lead the young man to consider, perhaps for the first time, some ideas about his life and living. If any question might be asked about this essay, the only one I can conceive of might be "did you write this yourself?" and then make no further response to him except "thank you".

Yep, buy your own instrument. Save the original mouth piece for something else (I don't know what) and put out for a Bach 12C Trumpet mouthpiece. Expensive, but it is much more comfortable and has a noticeably better tone, even from a young beginner. Tie it to the bugle, so it doesn't get lost! Vaseline on the tuning slide. Wipe off and wash out periodically, dry thoroughly. Note the difference in gauge of metal on American made versus Chinese made instruments. Buy the heavier (American) if you can find one!

Columnist suggests new Merit Badges for the modern Scout, including "Sarcasm Skill"..... http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...e7b_story.html

What you need is a willing instructor/Merit Badge Counselor. I offer the Bugling MB at local Merit Badge Days/fairs and always get a couple of boys. Sometimes they are even "prepared". I ask the day organizers to tell the boy(s) to contact me to get the prerequisites and to bring their own instruments. It takes a fair amount of practice to do all the required bugle calls in one session. What is funny is when the boy arrives and says he thought I would provide the instrument! I willingly sign "partials" and give them my card to arrange a later day to complete the badge. I am surprised (maybe I shouldn't be) at the range of talent. Some Herb Alperts, some who can't read music and play by ear, some who say they want to earn it but don't really want to do the practice. I tell them there are lots of opportunities to play, if they are good and make themselves available. I have played at camps, Wood Badge courses, various dedications and other Scout functions. I was asked to play at the dedication of a flag plaza at a new Muslim Mosque, asked by a Wood Badge brother, and I'm not Muslim! Even got my picture in the paper. It was very interesting, they have a very successful Scout program there. Like everything else in Scouting, all you can do is provide opportunities and step back.

""~~My bottom line: There are no secrets in scouting"" Confidential, sure, but not secret.... Once upon a time, I applied to serve as Staff at a Jamboree. After some time, when I hadn't heard anything, I enquired and they said "what application?" I repeated the process, eventually received an email that stated I was " not qualified". I called and emailed (over weeks) until I found someone in Irving willing to talk to me and tell me exactly how I was "not qualified" . He grudgingly told me all applications were reviewed by the applicants home council and the reviewer in mine had put a negative opinion on mine. How so? He wouldn't tell me, it was considered "confidential". Well, how can I answer this? He said I couldn't. When I pointed out that I had already served as staff in previous Jamborees, Council Wood Badge courses, and in many Scout positions over the past umpteen years and didn't an Eagle Scout deserve a real answer, he said he was sorry, that was all he could tell me. I asked if I could ask my friends here to write letters of recommendation to "correct" National's opinion of me, he said I could but he could not say what affect, if any , that would have. Why not just let it go, after the Jamboree, all the records will be destroyed and there will be no record of this. I said, sure , but anyone reading THAT review would think what of me, in the mean time? I told this story to many folks in Scouting, in my business, in my faith and family. NO one I spoke to could understand the review or BSA's unwillingness to reconsider or let me answer and rebut the negative judgements. I ultimately garnered over 20 glowing letters extolling my virtues as Scouter, faith leader, employee, and family man. I was humbled by this show of support, everyone gave me copies of what they sent to Irving. I was still not accepted as Staff that year. But NEXT time, guess what? I was told they had changed their review process. And I went to that Jamboree. My good wife was of the opinion that after this sort of treatment, perhaps I should drop Scouting and concentrate o other things. I pointed out that we had changed some things and that yeah, I still had a good rep here in local Scouting and isn't that what it really is all about?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/this-alexandria-boy-scout-cant-get-any-more-merit-badges-he-already-has-them-all/2014/11/25/e426b66c-74bd-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html Alexandria Boy Scout earns every Merit Badge, beats out his dad who had 83....

Save your money. Invest in real estate.

And Lenhoksin... http://www.ncacbsa.org/members/group_content_view.asp?group=119323&id=282479 and http://www.scoutcampsusa.com/lenhoksin/lenhoksin.html

Just a question: Does Johnny Walker sponsor any AA clubs?

OP: Why not? It just depends on your perspective. By being a ASM, perhaps your role as a UC will have more credibility. That is, if the Troop you work with welcomes constructive criticism, and it is given and accepted in a Scout Spirit .

T2Eagle: Anything to report?

She trips and falls, picks herself up and THEN catches up to the pack, passes them, and wins. Truly remarkable. Perhaps the other kids were being charitable? Sure didn't seem like it...

Hey, JKM, you still out there? Howz the CCh and you getting along?

Well, it's about time. There, now, do you feel better after finally admitting to yourself the need to "join"? and a happy Scouty Thanksgiving to you, too.

"It depends" Kids tend to live up to the standards their parents and teachers set for them. If the teacher is a TV show, or a sports hero, and the parents set no other standard, well, yeah, that's what the kid will try to match. If the "glamor" of the sport (hundreds of people cheering in the stands, victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, muscle matching muscle, etc.) is so attractive, then how is Scouting going to compete (!there's that word) with that? Your average Scout Troop doesn't have the "panache" of a football squad UNLESS the Troop has a culture of teamwork (Patrol Method?) and working for a goal (service project? Canoe trip on the river?) and learning skills to take pride in (pioneering tower? Fire building? Campfire cooking?) and public recognition and approbation (Court of Honor? Parades? Ceremonial stuff?). "....no other Gods before me..." well, maybe that needs to be kept in context. Loyalty, patriotism, money, etc. etc. all have a piece of that discussion. What exactly does the God of our fathers require of us? What qualifies as idolatry? Let's take that discussion over to the Faith and Chaplaincy forum...

Cal: Thanks for the clarification. I was going by what I read in several websites. Makes sense. As for "all hands", absolutely all should be invited, but that would still depend on the permission of the Scout's parents and faith. With full disclosure, you might have some who, for various reasons, would choose not to attend such an event. I remember our Troop attending a "patriotic" speech at a Synagogue. We ended up sitting thru a Jewish service! First time I saw a "backward" hymnal! After the service (cantor and all), we heard from General Hersey, (he wasn't that important to me THEN). And we had something to talk about later. I'm not sure we even had any Jewish Scouts in our Troop, but I don't remember anyone not attending....

When it comes to "flag etiquette", it is understood that the only flag that is held before or above the US flag is the Chaplain's flag or "church pennant". I always wonder why a church would give the US flag a place of honor equal to the church flag. But then, why would we think God is concerned with flags? It's a RC church, with a RC flag, during (I assume) a RC sanctioned ceremony. Will the priest say a few words? Carry the church flag in with the other flags, place it to the flag's right most position on the podium.

If they haven't already done this at CSDC, cut some 5' lengths of 3/8" sash cord (whip or melt the ends) paint one half a dark color for contrast, and practice some knots. Bowline, anyway. Give them the "Bicolored, double ended rope" to take home (never buy a single ended rope, it is inherently defective and will give you nothing but trouble. ALWAYS buy a double ended rope!). And I like the bugle idea!

Troop planned a camp out with a Space theme. They made rockets and launched them. I provided a telescope to view Jupiter and such with (weather permitting). Prior meetings were spent talking about astronomy, passed out Astronomy MB requirement sheets and star maps and schedule of sky events coming up (google is your friend). The week before the campout, I received an email from a Scout's mom saying he could not attend the next Troop meeting due to his sports team, and could I send her the requirements etc. I emailed back that the info packet was available at two previous Troop meetings, would be available at THIS meeting, and at the overnight. The Scout, if he was interested in the MB should call/email me direct, I would be glad to speak with him. That was two weeks ago, I have heard nichts. I do not know which Scout he would be, no one spoke to me except two, who had spoken to me previously, and they will eventually earn the Astronomy MB. The SM is eager to pass anyone who came on the overnight with the MB. My attitude is, the Scout should at least ASK to earn it., and the requirements do mention observations made and charts drawn. Jupiter would have been above the horizon about midnight. A group of us went out into the field and discussed Orion, Polaris, Ursa Major (Mizar is really a multiple star) and Minor and Cassieopia, among other things. It was good. It then misted up, and about 11:30p we gave it up and went back to the campsite. Much chili-mac and peach cobbler was consumed. The boys had a good time around the campfire, funny skits were composed and performed. Survival shelters were built and slept in.