SSScout

I see that , as unit BoRs for the lesser ranks are done POSSIBLY according to BSA National guidelines, but are sometimes done however the unit Scouters think they should be done (enough discussion about that on these forums, eh?) , EBoRs are, by contrast, accomplished in very formal, regular, absolutely BSA regulation everyone the same style.... not. Here in Murlen, our District Eagle Coordinators (three in our District) schedule three regular, monthly EBoR sessions. Each Troop calls ahead to the DEC of their choice to schedule the EBoR for their candidate. Each Ecandidate is expected to be (1) escorted to the EBoR by their SM or ASM, and a parent or two, (2) come fully, correctly uniformed (socks might not be checked, but neat clean shoes. Uni trou might be newly bought or borrowed). (3) At the session, the accompanying SM and parent(s) are "volunteered" to serve on one of the other EBoRs held that night (yes, usually more than one. If none scheduled, the DECs have that night off!). None may serve on the EBoR for their Scout. (4)Each EBoR is chaired by someone on the District Advancement Committee. (5) The EBoR is given all the Ecandidates records and reviews them, MBrecord, project, intro letters, and all. Yes, this is the final check, after Council. Yes, I have seen some discrepancies found and corrected right there. (5) The SM comes in and introduces the Ecandidate to the EBoR and then leaves the room. (6) It happens. (7) If he is passed, everyone on the EBoR sign the paperwork . When Scoutson had his, it lasted about 25 minutes. He said it was "interesting" and he had been "challenged" by some of the discussion. The board members came up to me and Good Wife after and complimented us on our son. Good Wife served on one, said she had not been in something like that before, but she enjoyed it. We were given a list of sample questions and some pre-board instruction. We had 4 adults on my board , one other Scouter besides me. The Scout we "drew" in my board had one problem with a MB that had a date that did not match the rest of his record , but we were able to explain that with some discussion with his SM. It was not critical to his passing and had been a "partial" from summer camp that was completed months later. He was, as I remember, a very personable young man. I'd vote for him for governor in twenty years....

"If it looks like an active Scout and sounds like an active Scout and (smells?) like an active Scout, it (he/she) must be an active Scout." How can we see, hear (smell!) a Scout if they are not actively "present"? It is all well and good that the presumptive Scout (there's that word again. I've seen it a lot lately, must be on my mind) is seen as a "Good Scout" by his/her activity in their school, faith, athletic endeavors, but if they are not HERE, how can their Scout "activity" be judged? Either by SM or Committee? And, yes, I think a truly "active" Scout may indeed have a distinctive "smell"! I know my Scoutson did when he returned from some of his "active" Scouting!

Perhaps the least appreciated, greatest nature movie ever. Might rival "To Light A Fire" for discussion leading.... The Bear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayzkiNGntd0 Order the DVD and share with your Scouts.

Waaaay back when I was raising Troop funds by selling KKdonuts (I remember it as being kinda fun, working with my buddy Terry C. and Paul S.), I honestly don't remember any DD shops, anywhere. Could be , but I don't remember. Any history out there, should we google that? Understand, now, this is back when I was still working on my Stegasaurus Husbandry Merit Badge....

Maple and Bacon flavored Donut? How more camp can you get than that? I once dated a girl (way back in, oh, maybe 1970's) who was a management intern for Tastee Kake (a true Balmer tradition). She once picked my brain for ideas for a "breakfast" confection, something that could be picked up for less than a buck, but would be nutritious, not only sweet. Scrambled egg omelet Danish? Bacon, sausage Danish wrap? Any of those sound familiar? Homer would be proud. The revival of a past, forgotten tradition. Selling fresh donuts on a sunday morning, door to door (YP issues?) Pavlov, get your napkin out....

Well, GSUSA sells coookies, why not get BSA to have a MOU with Dunkin? Now there's a relationship !

Anything the Scout does will need money. Same for Band, same for Soccer, same for Key Club, MYF, anything. The parents that complain about paying for the uniform, camp gear, boots, summer camp MUST realize that they will pay or the boy (girl?) will pay with part time jobs or entrepreneurial lemonade stands. How much is Traveling Baseball? What exactly is desired? For the Unit to work together (boys, parents) to finance summer camp , or any activity, is a wonderful thing. VERY Scoutlike, and not pursued often enough. Spaghetti dinners, carwashes, even (shudder) popcorn. Involve the Scouts. Don't just say "this is what we will do". Umpteen years ago, my Troop raised money for camping and trips by , now seen in hindsight, a marvelous activity, which I have mentioned before on these pages. Saturday morning , sometimes on a sunday morning, at 7am , we would gather at the sponsoring church. Some Scout parents had gone down to the local Krispy Kreme factory and returned with several HUNDRED dozen glazed, gooey, aromatic donuts. When the station wagons returned to the church parking lot, we divyied the donuts up with Scouts (in pairs) in dads (and moms) cars. Each had a route, a neighborhood to cruise. Maybe 20 or 30 dozen to a car. Knock on a door, in uniform: " Would you like to buy some fresh donuts to support our Scout Troop?" A sleepy mother might answer the door: "TOM! IT'S THE SCOUTS! GET MY WALLET!". or "Where were you last weekend? We were expecting you". Folks would buy 3 and 4 dozen to freeze. Money was made. Camps were visited.

Tahawk: I thought "Friendly " was #4 ?

Momleader: Glad we could be the sympathetic ear. Now, what to do with this not unreasonable list of desires? Have you shared with your Camp Director? DE? After Good Wife was CD for 5 years and I was (Official Title!) the First Assistant Everything Else, we learned that very often an indirect approach was good: Unless the Scout is a real danger to himself or others, if possible, we first spoke to the parent's friend to speak to them. If we needed to speak to the parent, we (CD, DE, myself, another adult staffer) sometimes had to "ambush" the parent , and spoke to them with a partner (witness) along. If possible, without the Scout at first, but always with the Scout eventually. If the Scout protested and denied, we had our witness to back us up. If the parent refused to accept that their Angel Scout could possibly be at fault, we had the witness to the event. We would be direct, short and sweet, no bush around beating. We never made any threat of consequence we were not ready to fulfill (call for the parent to pick up, bar from camp, not allow to swim, not allow to do archery, etc.) . AND we always had the support and agreement of the DE. Without that, you will not succeed in your discipline corrections. Of course, all this presupposes there is no diagnosed ADHD issues. That also needs to be addressed and discussed with the parent(s) in a different but similar manner. Might be too late for this year, But perhaps you can share (all feedback is a gift) , have a communication with the other CSDC Directors in your Council, other neighboring Districts? I hope your CSDC can learn for next years adventure!

First, NJCubScouter speaks my mind. 1) Scout Son must pursue this. You must support him, but he must pursue. 2) A Scout is Courteous. Scout must make it easy, to the point of being impossible not to, for the PTB (SM?) to do their job. Scout must be ready, prepared, and have all ducks in row at all times. 3) A Scout is Cheerful. Scout must smilingly present and accept and present again, as often as necessary, what SM requests. 4) A Scout Thrifty. (couldn't find a really appropriate one here). Document everything privately. Save emails. Keep a diary, if you haven't already. Save calendars and entries for meetings, etc. Collect names of possible witnesses to events. Decide who, if anyone, might be willing to write a letter or appear with you to speak to the other PTB (District Adv. Chair, Council Adv. Chair, etc.) if it becomes necessary to go the next level. 5) Have you spoken to others in the Troop hierarchy? Have others approached the SM to see what's up? Make sure it isn't just Scout, you and him. 6) Be patient. Prayer does lubricate things. The Lord will provide. Again, make sure you are making it as easy as possible for the SM to Do The Right Thing. It will happen.

This isn't ROCKet science, or is it? Lets skip over the obvious, delve deep beyond the surface and toss some ideas out to see what splashes we can elicit from the big pool of world opinion..... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_skipping Is there a danger of filling up the reservoirs of the world and advancing, needlessly, the erosion of our river banks ? Is there a future dearth of appropriately shaped missiles? Do we need to ration the tendency of our yooooth to fling? Oh the humanity.... Or mineralology....

If you Google this unfortunate episode, you will find many explications. Most repeat the original Wash Post info (go to the original source ) , and then give it their own particular twist on things. The folks that read any particular webfeed will be of that relative type of person, usually, but not always (thankfully, "we" are not very homogenous still) If you want a more varied sample of the human response to a particular event, go to other webpages and look on with a smile as those with lots of extra time on their hands and keyboard (like us??) give vent.

"Aye, they be more like guidelines...." Bylaws are often the results of previously poorly handled interpersonal relations. If the Scout does not follow the Scout Promise and Law successfully and does not understand the results of his choices of action, perhaps a more definitely defined set of results would be helpful? If the Scout does XX then YY will result... If he doesn't do ZZ then QQ will not happen. These things often sound reasonable and obvious "to the most casual observer" (as my physics professor used to say), but sometimes it helps to spell it out . Sometimes the Bylaws are not needed for the whole Troop, but a behavior contract for a particular Scout may be warranted. See your local Unit Committee and DE for more information. I favor the Scout Promise and Law as the definition of Good Scout Behavior and Inter Personal Relations. That and the Golden Rule (translatable into just about every faith on Earth).

"My father was a wanderer, and so it's in my blood, ,,,,," http://www.mdvolks.org/freestate/Lyrics%20to%20Our%20Theme%20Song.pdf

Larger story, pictures, still sad. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/two-boy-scout-camp-employees-say-there-were-fired-for-rescuing-an-injured-bald-eagle/2016/07/11/5542b3b6-4481-11e6-8856-f26de2537a9d_story.html

Why do we always concentrate on differences? Why can't we think about our similarities? "a rising tide lifts all boats" "whatever floats your boat" "You can't get to heaven in a red rowboat". "Away All Boats". One is long and skinny, and if you stand up in it, you tip over. The other is wider, more stable, heavier to carry. One used by Voyageurs, the other by John Wesley Powell. Paddles vs oars. Biremes vs triremes vs waka tapu waua. Good to know J-stroke and sculling and feathering. "Now reach, ye lubbers! Put yer backs into it!"

"Please put your Pokémon away" at the Holocaust Museum... at the Arlington National Cemetery... http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/12/485759308/holocaust-museum-arlington-national-cemetery-plead-no-pokemon

Wouldn't be the first time some BSA folks got bad press for acting in haste. I would be interested in where these young Scouters call home. NCAC camp,

This is obviously an electric radio spectrum scavenger hunt. Who "hides" the pokeys? How would one find one? Are there clues? Why wouldn't they "hide" them next to a Hooters, to encourage one to come in and have lunch? Or next to an Apple store , so as to make it easy to upgrade your Ipad? Pokey lil' pony? Pokey Mon, sounds Scottish. A slow Scot. How would the Pokeys get hid next to the Smithsonian, or The Titanic Memorial or the Unknown Scout Memorial so as to improve the cultural education of the Seeker? It does sound like a means to gather sellable info. "follow the money", eh?

These Scouters have left their mark and will live on in the lives of the Scouts they touched.

There is a need for reminding folks of the "Basics", and the need to remind folks who really, really, really want to help that they can help. One fellow attending our IOLS admitted that 1) his son had just joined Scouts (Webelos) and he (the dad) really wanted to encourage him, 2) he had never been a Scout or done anything resembling camping 3) his hiking boots were new last week 4) the tent ("Can you help me set this thing up? I just got it at a yard sale last month") was a nice old style Eureka with the poles on the outside, but IT HAD NO RAIN FLY! ("Oh? Is that necessary? I thought you were suppose to enjoy the stars thru that screening".). We loaned him a tarp for the cover. 5) he had never learned to tie shoes, so the boots were a challenge which we helped with. (slip ons always) or Velcro closers), string and rope were a new concept to him (!). 6) He was the most involved man there. Questions, hands trying everything. I am sorry to say he was from a distant district, so I don't know how he faired afterward.

Geocache? Orienteering? Stampbox? Letterbox? Scavenger hunt? Poker Hike/Run? Autocross for Bikes? Fantasy vs reality? Real world vs cartoon? Batteries vs feet? Perhaps this is another symptom of the downfall of the empire. More entertainment, more gladiators and the serfs won't notice the lack of bread.....

And this relates to our "other" ultimate leadership training called WOODBADGE how? And when was the last time a Scout Leader needed a 3 1/2 star hotel (!) for accommodation when training? There will be "room" for over 380 participants? That's a lot of tent platforms. And nylon That's a lot of "resources" that could be used to sponsor some inner city kids to attend the White Water Rafting Summit camp . Yeah, it's nice that the Philmont Training courses may be heading east, but it doesn't sound like it. What sort of accommodations do the Philmont attendees have? I've not heard from anyone who has attended. It is nice Irving is thinking of utilizing New Hope Center year round. Oh, maybe it is going to be the new Greenbriar Hotel....

If you build it, and promote it, and publicize it and make it convenient, they will come. IOLS is an INTRODUCTION to Outdoor Leader Skills. It is intended as the bare minimum, the example of how a Scout might (might!) earn First Class, only that. The idea of offering more advanced training for Scouters to encourage them to train THEIR boys is laudable and done in some Councils. Powder Horn comes to mind. The idea of a Troop developing their own "High Adventure Trip " is a goal way beyond many volunteer leaders, but still a goal. My Yearly Meeting (Quaker speak for Diocese thing) sponsors a summer camp program that would challenge any Scout. Third graders go out of camp on backpacking trips, they hike and carry their gear , accompanied by older counselors. This coming week is the "Ten Day Trip" for teens graduating out of the program: 4 days on the Shenandoah canoeing, four days on the AT hiking/camping, and one day service project and one "solo" night, out alone. It is a challenge my Scoutson compared favorably with Philmont (no Mt. Baldy). The kids train at the hands of their counselors, who take Rock Climbing cert course, NOLS courses, and such. It is a lot. If you would find the IOLS course less than an Intro, then I'm not sure what to do.

He sounds like a very nice young man. I wish him and you smooth trails and sunny skies. To get Irish: "May the road rise up to meet ye, the wind be ever at yer back, the sun over yer shoulder and the rain fall gently on yer fields, and may ye be in yer grave for an hour afore the deevil knows yer dead."