SSScout

Oh, ma goo'ness... http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=2013%20national%20jamboree%20patch&clk_rvr_id=375452032840&adpos=1t2&MT_ID=70&crlp=13281054852_2416792&tt_encode=raw&keyword=2013+national+jamboree+patch&geo_id=9232&adgroup_id=4028198172 all on ebay, and none of which look like what they sent me to "welcome me". This is what they sent me: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lfcjambo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2013-NSJ-Patch-on-Venturing-Uniform-FB-2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lfcjambo.org/&h=517&w=460&sz=70&tbnid=9lmI7tTMBVCuKM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=75&prev=/search%3Fq%3D2013%2Bnational%2Bjamboree%2Bpatch%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=2013+national+jamboree+patch&usg=__jrdl7lXTFGUcf428UyCmEwgBP_U=&docid=dlFZGbrrVUfB5M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pewqUPDsJ4bW6wHT34CoCA&ved=0CG8Q9QEwCg&dur=1128 Wow.

It looks comparatively smaller than the 3" diameter round patch of the past. And the embroidery is somehow different, I can't really say how; it just is a really small stitch, very smooth and sharp edged. And rather dark, it reminds me of the silohuette of the BSA postal stamp. New Jamboree, new image.

Don't know my own "submit" strength.

Mega dittoes to all the above. I will add one suggestion. Schedule a "transfer of command" ceremony, maybe at the next CoH or even a regular Troopmeeting. Such an event solemnizes and makes official the idea that HE is now the REAL Scoutmaster and HIM is the ustabe Scoutmaster. The boys will then know who to go to, for sure. No question about it. This can be as simple as a CC announcement and a shaking of hands and "congratulations and good luck" or as complicated as a laying on of hands, a blessing from the pastor, SM promises while grasping the Troop flag pole, a wife pinning on the patch, etc. But it should include the old SM spmehow being acknowledged for his service and the new SM being acknowledged as the new one (!). This makes it public and not a private and (somehow) reversable affair.

Used to be the sign off on rank requirements was on a seperate little card, much like the "Blue Card" for meritbadges, except it was tan (?buff?). 'Course back then, the Merit Badge was signed off on a seperate card too, without any "partial" passing. The MBCounselor either signed as passing or didn't. The book was a book, not a 'record ' book.

"Family " camping vs "Scout" camping vs "Personal" camping. As a Scout leader, I take training so I can do it Safely and in an organized manner. The training helps me to see and realize problems and possible dangers before they might occur. That's why the PTB make up the Guidelines and Rules. The precautions are well thought out and will be found to be good ones. With that training under my belt (maybe that's why they have extra buckle holes), I often find myself helping others: noting the need for a "designated" parent/lifeguard at the backyard pool party (no one thought of it), or the friend that wants to plink cans in his BIG back field with a BBgun (everyone shoot from the same place and wait their turn, and LOOK for others coming near). And when the kids learn the safe way to do things, much heart ache and pain can be avoided. You make the kid aware of the responsibility he /she has taken on with the activity and there is a new attitude, a new idea has taken hold of the boy/girl. They come away with a new maturity, discipline and pride of "doing it right". But for someone to actively try and make a Cub activity look like it's not a Cub activity, no, uh-huh, can't do that. It either is or it isn't. And even if it isn't, the activity can only benefit from a Scout trained presence. Make sure that parent goes and takes the Shooting Sports Training. May well open his/her eyes.

My daughter (who is now 28 and a married lady) became "Peanut" as a toddler and has remained "Peanut" ever since. When my Scoutson (now a bodacious 18 year old Eagle) first joined, he was renamed by the SPL "Hitler" because of our german heritage name and insistance that it be pronounced correctly. When I heard this at a Troop meeting, I spoke to his dad and we had a conversation with the SPL about respect and maturity and "courtesy and kind" issues. He saw the light and all such "nick"naming stopped. Turned out the SPL thought that since his football team coach did the same, that made it right. There were other nicknames used for other Scouts around the Troop, but none like that anymore. The given, real name became the norm. Names are important. How we refer to each other is important. The renaming of others can reinforce prejudice, lead to psychological problems, cause friends to become enemies, and lead to needless other problems. Such renaming and refferal is also an indication of one's opinion of the other. My equal? Inferior? Not worth my trouble? Friend? Helper? Threat? Call some child "stupid" often enough and might he not begin to believe it? If you want a confrontational culture, namecalling can be a good way to create it. If you want a cooperative culture, proper name useage and respect of name can be a good way to lead to that. I suspect the coach had an education too, courtesy of the SPL's dad.

Now THERE'S an idea.... One promise... "I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God, and to obey the Law of the Pack/Troop/Crew." And the various Laws are...?

Google: Basic First Aid: The Red Cross, http://www.redcross.org/takeaclass/ Boy Scout Council: http://ktc-bsa.org/wfa.htm Wilderness First Aid : http://www.soloschools.com/index.cfm?event=courses.show&ctid=1#### Hard to learn CPR without a "dummy"....

This is the same problem that all public access organizations have. I often tell the org to pretend they are the person looking for them and try to find them. What's in the phone book? Are you "Boy Scouts" or are you "Muddy Cedar Swamp Council"? Which one is the citizen going to look for? Or online... What happens if the citizen googles... what? Cross reference is a good thing. So .... Do not look at the process as someone RECEIVING the information. Put yourself in the role of the person PROVIDING the information. Our Council provides (along with the charter contract) a paper copy of the latest charter list, and then a DETAILED booklet that details the Why and the How, and answers just about every question ("do Tiger Partners need to provide the Social Security Number?") you can imagine, and then literally goes from step one ("create a myscouting" account), on to the providing of the required signatures on the updated paper charter roster. The next thing that is VERY useful, is a trained and knowledgeable Commisher for the Scouter to call and provide the shoulder to cry on and acknowledge the teeth gnashing. Oh, and answer questions. And encourage deadline meeting. Realize that the rechartering process is a goodthing, if only because it insists that the CO realize that they do sponsor a Scout unit. Who was that masked man? Why that's the Lone Institution Head.....(music over and out)

Koolaidman, welcome to the ecrackerbarrel. Do you have a Scout in the mix, or no? Depending on the Troop, you may or maynot be pleased with the transition. Some Troops are more "structured" than others, but then if you've been reading here awhile, you know that.Oh, wait, you said "new" Troop. Does that mean really new, as in a new charter, or just new as in I'm just joining it? If a new charter, then you and your fellow Scouters and Scouts have the wonderful opportunity to establish traditions and precedents. Make them good ones. If you are a new member in an established Troop, then sit back and understand the present culture and traditions and get accepted by the folks there before you start saying "hey, wait, this isn't what I thought Scoouting was supposed to be". In any event, thank you for stepping up to help our kids grow up right. Good Scouting to you!

Can't remember my brother's birthday, but I remember: "In 1861, the only fading goldrush. The only law a gun, The only cover wildbush....." And the name of the show was? And where was it supposed to be? But where was it staged?

So I was watching "Liberty's Kids" as I ate my breakfast this morning (gotta look up Charles Lee)and after the Medicare Gap Insurance ad (this is a targeted audience?) lo and behold, I am watching a bunch of kids playing a tug of war across a mud pit, and they are wearing Cub Scout t-shirts! And then I notice the voice over, about having fun and over 100 badges to learn stuff while earning them with your buddies and (splash!) and tell your mom and dad and call this number or go to www.beascout.com. All over in about 20 seconds I guess. Wow! This was on the "Cookie Jar" hours on a CBS affiliate. Anybody else been there, done that? Whaddya think?

Very often it is the boys that need the encouragement and assurance that ,yes, they really can make that decision. One of my favorite memories is sitting in on a PLC planning session and hearing the newly minted SPL ask the SM, "I REALLY can decide that??" and being assured that , yep, it won't happen if you don't want it to happen. Oh, sure, the adults still have to sign the contracts for reserving the campsites, and buy the gasoline and do the driving, but it really should be the boys doing the rest. And finding out what happens if it doesn't get done.

Trim, trim, trim. 1. Humans are more important than Equipment. The Scouts are our customers. Without them, there is no need for the Scouter. Motivated, skilled, knowledgeable Scouters benefit Scouts more than equipment. 2. Quality is better than Quantity. Motivated, skilled, knowledgeable, and trained Scouters run a more effective program. 3. Scouters do not appear overnight. Experience, skills, knowledge and training takes time, as does developing trust. Rushing yields inferior results. Therefore: 4. Train your Scouters before they are needed. If you are not trained until you are needed, you are too late. Be Prepared. 5. Scouting requires assistance. Scouting needs a variety of skills, talents, and resources on the team. Recognize, appreciate, and grow the circle of volunteers, but: 6. A Scouter's goal is to be needed the LEAST. What a boy can do, a Scouter should NEVER do. Allow your boys to be Scouts.

I remember a PBS show about math that made the point that you could sell 100 pencils for 25cents each. or sell one pencil for 25dollars. The income would be the same, but the profit margin was better with the 25dollar pencil. The difference was the perceived need by the purchaser versus mechandising and salesmanship. Is there a parallel here?

With Scouts and parents (and anyone else, for that matter). Say what you mean and mean what you say. Be consistant . Be firm and do not "adjust" or "vacilate". Do not debate, but as appropriate, negotiate. Personality disorders not withstanding, it always amazes me the number of children I meet that control the family, rather than the parents. I met a eight year old boy at CSDC that met the description of the ODD, and his mom was in tow. The Denwalkers finally said they could not deal with his unfortunate choice of behavior, it was not fair to the other boys. The boy would not go, he would not stay, he would not participate, he would not STOP participating. He badmouthed everything and everybody. I come up and introduce myself to the mom and ask if I can help. She says they have to go home, and yes , she could use my help. In the sight of the mom and with her permission, I bodily picked up the boy, tuck him under my arm, and carry him back to their car and strap him into his car seat. He was cursing(!) and struggling and kicking the whole way, and the whole way I was reminding him of his need to love and obey his mom and the folks holding the CSDC. Did he enjoy the camp? NO! it's a crummy camp. Did he want to go home? NO! As crummy as the camp was, it was more fun than home. The mom thanked me and left. I wished her well. Flash forward to this years CSDC (the next year). I hear the name, and realize that the boy who I am watching calmly step up to the archery firing line and calmly follow the directions of the Range Master is the same boy. He quickly makes TWO bullseyes that day. His mom recognizes me and we talk about his progress and the Pack's cooperation to help make it work.

That I became a bugler is due in no small part to Captain Gallant of the French Foreign Legion and Boots and Saddles. I learned the french call to the colors and tatoo from the former (opened and closed the show), and many a call from the latter. I was once asked to play for the raising of the US flag the first official time at a new campground. I practiced for the week before to regain my lip, and even my good wife thought I sounded good. On the appointed day, I was there in full uni, bugle polished up, flag ready to raise, and I froze. After 30 years, I could not remember the start of CttCs! I played the french CttCs, it tripped off my lips easily. No one ever mentioned the difference to me, I guess it just sounded right, somehow..... Thank you, Buster Crabbe and Cuffee. Rod serling smoked big cigars and was only about 4'10" tall. Met him at a book signing, once.

Grammar. I also like the "revised" version. Sometimes we need to be reminded of "obvious truths", in concise, bitsize chunks, but they should still be linquistically correct, and make sense. Scouter Truths 1. Humans are more important than Equipment. The Scouts are our customers. Without them, there is no need for the Scouter. Motivated, skilled, knowledgeable Scouters benefit Scouts more than equipment. 2. Quality is better than Quantity. A few motivated, skilled, knowledgeable, and trained Scouters can run a more effective program than a large group of less qualified and less committed volunteers. 3. Scouters cannot be developed quickly. Developing skills and knowledge and acquiring training necessary to run a quality program takes time, as does developing necessary trust. Rushing yields inferior results. 4. Scouters must train before being needed. If you are not trained until you are needed, you are too late. Be Prepared. 5. Scouting requires assistance. Scouting needs a variety of skills, talents, and resources on the team. Recognize, appreciate, and grow the circle of volunteers. AND::: 6. A Scouter's goal is to be needed the LEAST. What a boy can do, a Scouter should NEVER do.

BSA24: The use of logic is a really underused (and badly taught ) skill. I heartily agree that that study, which I had not heard of before, is certainly faulty. I would propose that the longevity of the Scout is not 'caused' by the earning of FC, but rather the reverse. IF a Scout has the attitude to remain in Scouting , then he will earn FC easily and early. If the Troop has a good, fun, challenging program, then the Scout will be inclined to continue in Scouting, and will eventually see the benefit and earn the ranks. Earning the rank is NOT the REASON for, it is the RESULT of a Scout program.

"...additional supplemental or advanced training event at the council, area, region, or national level." To my mind, this means ANY additional training sponsored by the Council or National or Region in addition to the training required for your position. Lots of suggestions have been made. You have two peolple to satisfy: yourself, and the fellow that signs off on the award application. If YOU think you have fulfilled the requirement and the second is not happy, ask him/her what is lacking. There is your answer. Perhaps you have already taken the training and are not aware it meets that requirement. Go find out. Congratulations in advance! Good Scouting to you. (This message has been edited by SSScout)

""Now, we have to force first class on scouts within there first year. I think this is too much. "" I think it is 'too much' too, but not the way you phrase it, I think. "Forcing" First Class in the first year is the "too much" I think about. There should never be a forcing of the ranks. If the Troop program offers the opportunities for the skills to be learned and demonstrated, it will not matter if the FC is earned in a year, or two or three. It will happen when it happens. We had one Scout in our Troop who was Loyal, and Helpful, and Trustworthy, but could not make every activity, but when he was there, he was THERE, if you see what I mean. He was active in his church and school and went off to Scout Summer camp , but somehow did not get all his 'acts' together for his Scout ranks. Just could not seem to get the skill demonstration and the leader sign off in the same place at the same time. He'd do something here, something there, but couldn't get it all finalized. Just after his 16th birthday, he got together with some ASMs on a campout, and got everything finally signed off in his tattered well used book. At the next CoH, he was awarded his Tenderfoot, Second class, and First Class. He then went off to work staff at Scout camp. At the following CoH (six months later), he was awarded his Star Scout award. He was active as the SPL, and PL, helped the younger Scouts along. He eventually became a PD at a Scout Camp, the one he had been attending. Didn't matter if he "got FC" in a year, I think ultimately that he DID "get it".

Floof. There's a good discriptive... All clothing is used for "belonging" and for "segregating" and "them vs us" and such. Everybody wears a uniform, especially teenagers, altho they may not want to admit to it. College students are (were?) famous for designing uniforms to set themselves apart from others. Consider this example: Bright yellow cordoroy pants or skirt, festooned with colorful designs and words to note one's college major and club memberships, thus was the Purdue "senior cords" worn . And held up for pride, jealousy and ridicule. Google for an example: Purdue Senior Cords, picture.

My apologies if my reference to the irreverent cartoon show Quiky Mart manager was somehow offensive. The s'leven stores hereabouts might well be managed by an Apu, or Hassan, or Serge, or Jose, or Chou. It is the wonder of the American Way that anyone can build a life here by serving the immediate desires of the passing throng. I seem to remember a family by the name of Marriott that did just that.

NJCS: You mean to say ALL those organizations hold a "Congressional Charter"? I am sure they are all worthy of that appellation, but we are back to the original question, I guess, as to what it means to be Congressionally Chartered, and whether the original language recorded in the Charter is "binding" on the organization. Ala Kudu, I would ask, has the BSA lost sight of it's original vision and purpose?