SSScout

Interesting discussion. We just finished watching "Twelve Angry Men " on TCM. Bigotry versus facts vs perception vs experience vs democracy vs need to punish vs need for fairness vs real life vs expectation vs personal desire vs need for revenge vs integrity vs compassion. I don't remember any mention of religion, but "you know how those people are" was mentioned several times.

"The work is done by whoever shows up". "" What can you do?"" You can show up. Due to health issues (eye surgery among other things) I was not able to fully participate in CSDC this year. But I still helped to clear land at the new CSDC site having fun with the chainsaw. And I still head up the Scout RoundTable, which leads to being the enews email sender (240 email addresses) and will be doing my thing (Woodtools, Scout's own, Animal and Plant ID ) at IOLS and helping with Cub Leader Training and SMSpecific training. Somehow, I have become a magnet for used camp gear ( I now have three canoes and accompanying paddles and PDFs and several lanterns and stoves) and am trying to find a home for them where they will be used. And then there is the Home Troop....

Sounds great. And another Damascus! We have a Damascus in Maryland, not 1o miles from my home!

Oak Tree: Sorry for the confusion. "Local option" is the thing I was referring to. Yes, there are National Standards that the Local Unit have to abide by, but they don't have to allow anyone that BSA says is OK. What we have in this thread is finding out what, exactly, the National Standard is. And, yes, National, or the local Council, can pull the charter of the unit for whatever reason they want. Then, it is up to the CO to find out why. In my experience, this has included: Didn't pay the fees, check for the fees bounced, didn't recharter in time, didn't have everybody YP'd in time, couldn't find enough suitable folks to fill in charter, publicly noted that anyone could join the unit (that is ANYONE, without regard to race, faith, gender, sexual preference, country of origin , or citizenship) (this led to all kinds of bad press locally), 15 year old Webelos, fraudulent information on application(s), et al. And, vice versa, the CO can deny the unit charter they have held for (many, many) years because: They don't have the money, they don't like BSA's (perceived) recent attitude change, BSA hasn't changed ENOUGH, they want to use their own church youth program, they can't find any new leaders, the CO has closed down, etc. C'est la vie....

""I wish my camp had 1/2 that number."" Our CSDC had 150, down from the year before of 220. We attributed the drop to a new site, lots of Cubs going to the Council overnight camp, the insistence of Council raising the price, and the County School system insisting on making up the "snow days" by tacking on 5 extra school days , which led to ultimately making the first DAY of camp a TWILIGHT (evening) camp, with no reduction in price... It was still "a good time had by all" and no bad reviews to my knowledge...

Is it time to name an ad hoc virtual committee to design/arrange/plan for a virtual campfire celebration of the founding of this website (20 years? Only seems like 30... ) Our District Round Table motto appears to be (unofishully) "The work is done by whoever shows up", so maybe we can establish a temporary thread for celebratory mechanations....

Having had "a little" experience with BSA rejection, after reading thru the above, here is my take on the situation: For reasons unknown, the parent has been bared by National Council from any official connection to BSA. He may not be a registered volunteer , leader or Scouter. It is up to him to pursue the matter to find out exactly why. It may take a lawyer's letter or other legal action to pry the reason loose, if that is what the person really wants. He may have some inkling of the real reason, or he may not. He may want to try and clear things , if he believes the reasons are false or not interpreted appropriately. Or he may want to "let sleeping dogs lie". The Scout can still be a Scout, but this can lead to difficult situations. The parent can still attend activities as a parent. UNLESS>>> The CO thru the COR and IH can request more information, that is their right as the final approver of contact with the Scout unit as to Leaders, etc. They should, IMO, do so for closure and satisfaction. BSA ultimately, cannot tell a CO who they will or will not allow to be a unit member or leader (see recent actions by the National Committee). If the National BSA convinces the CO that their reasons for this ex-communication is valid and worthy of action, then the CO can also bare the person from contact with their Scouts. All this is not to say there is any guarantee that BSA will (1) reveal to anyone what the reasoning is or (2) admit to any , shall we say, incorrectness (?) in the issue, or (3) correct anything that they admit to being incorrect, the first point of the Scout Law not withstanding.

CoH on the left coast, Skype projected on the right coast... BBQ on both coasts. Mit Kraut....

Then, on the other end of the spectrum, we have the parent that appreciates what you do . I had a break from "Scout Skills" and was walking back to the Admin Pav to sit and cool off. I notice a boy and woman (his mother, I learned)in the middle of the field, obviously having a difficult discussion. I walk over and say "hello. Can I help?" The Cub, maybe 8 years old, looks up at me and says "This (*%$##@!! bitch wants me to go home! I ain't going no &^)*$$ place with this dirty (^%%$# ". I look at the woman, who smiles back at me and says " Yes, he has a problem. And we have to leave camp for today." I ask how I can help? It is obvious to me the boy suffers (and that is the word) from a condition I had only just read about. The boy kicks his mother in the leg, HARD, and curses again. I tell him he needs to treat his mom better and some day he will appreciate her, she might be a good friend to have around some time. He curses me, tells me to "&%##$ off " and sits down in the grass. I ask if she wants me to help her to her car? and she says yes. I pick up the boy like a bag of potatoes under my arm and we go to the car, cursing and flailing boy in tow. I help her strap the boy into his carseat (my work in the psychiatric hospital was useful again) and the boy settles down. He could unstrap himself, but he doesn't. She thanks me and they drive off. Needless to say, I write a long incident report for the record. They do not return to camp that week. Next year, I am Archery RO. The second day, after the safety talks of day one, the Cubs line up and have fun hitting the targets. One Cub is very accurate and consistant. I look at the roster and his name seems familiar. I ask the group of parent DenWalkers if his parent is among them, and sure enough, I recognize his mother. This is the boy from the year before. Now she has the time, she thanks me and I carefully ask if his medication has been adjusted? She smiles and says yes. Cub Scouting has been the outlet he needed, and (her words!) men like me were help to her. This boy will have the most bullseyes and be one of the most polite, attentive Cubs that year.

Amen, friend.

Neutral territory, if necessary, can be found. The Geographic Center of the contiguous USA is near Lebanon Kansas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_center_of_the_contiguous_United_States Nice spot for a campout.....

Sounds like a good camp. How many Cubs? Well, the only question I have for you is .... are YOU having fun?

Packsaddle has the idea. The new Cub Pack guidelines are only an outline. You are left with the filling in. Here's what I tried to do each Pack Meeting: Opening, (let each Den take a turn), CM's Agenda (short! Might include a Led Skit)), Den Reports (what did they do in the last weeks?), the Program (craft, guest visitor, game, Den competition, some combination, etc.), CM Minute (final announcements , give the Parents a piece of paper with the upcoming schedule on it, Something To Think About), and Closing (again, let the Dens take turns having this responsibility), cleanup & put away... I almost never had a snack time in the Pack meeting. The "cookout" meeting had food, obviously. Food can mean more clean up and corralling of Cubs. And don't forget to include your Unit Commissioner and DE in your planning and your local Scout Troop. They both will have ideas for Cub presentations and things of interest (Whittlin' Chip? Nothing better than a knowledgeable Den Chief Boy Scout teaching Knife Safety) . Our Unit Commish loves talking about Astronomy and telescopes, he brings stuff to "play" with and this leads to the Astronomy Belt Loop/pin. Definitely check out "Baloo's Bugle" http://usscouts.org/bbugle.asp (Sorry Mr. Kipling, we will miss you), and the old, abandoned BSA publication "Cub Scout Program Helps" http://www.scouting.org/HispanicInitiatives/Resources/ProgramHelps.aspx Good Scouting to you!

And boots?

Stosh: I know not a few adults who appear to be working on their "bulging" MB

Girl Scouts got roots?

If the boy is serious about the musical part of the instrument, he will get into it. I Counsel Bugling MB, and have met a couple of Scouts that can do "double duty": A woodwind and a brass instrument. They see the music better than a "single" duty fellow. That said, he needs to "buzz" more. A lot more. The embouchure for the clarinet will do him no good in a brass mouthpiece. He has to "buzz" and buzz and buzz, to develop those facial muscles mentioned above. And the mention of a quality mouthpiece can not be stressed too much. If he is serious, get him a trumpet Bach12C, it's expensive, in nickel silver, but it makes a world of difference in tone and comfort. The cheap original mouthpiece is , as has been said, trash in comparison. Take the Bach 12C and TIE it on the bugle so it can't fall off. The range of the bugle is limited, a good player can do 5 notes, a competent one can get 6. Treble clef was not my original thing, I started with trombone (bass clef) and learned bugle with the bugle my uncle gave me from his days in Scouts, so it is at least 85 years old at this point, and still sounds good on a parade ground. Get him some Dizzy Gillespie recordings, and let him hear some GOOD "bugling". When the tourist in New York stopped the old man and asked him how to get to Carnegie Hall, his reply was "Practice, practice, PRACTICE!!" So too here. Your Scout can serve as bugler two ways: As has been mentioned, he can do yeoman service with his clarinet, and learn the calls "by ear". And, as he gets his lip, he can switch over. With effort, ( and understanding from the family!) he should get some proficiency in two or three months. The Bugling MB is not that onerous, but it does take effort and practice. I point out that the requirements list 8 (?) calls to play, but it does not say "from memory". It is allowable to read the chart. The memory comes with repetition, yes? And tell him that if he is good at it, he will be in demand for ceremonies at camp, at official Scout things, and he can even earn some money at it. It is entre to many events.... And when he can rip off "First Call" for his Troop to call them to a competition, it will be all worth it. Good Scouting to you!

Anyone recognize this? Unknown Scout badge from perhaps an Asian country?

Coffee cups and photos are all very good and always appreciated. My all time favorite was/is the letter my boss received from the camp director (fellow named Mazucca , or Machucca, I forget). I had filled out a form earlier, and the camp staff sent the letter to my boss at work. The letter thanked my boss for allowing her employee (me ) to accompany the Scouts to the life changing adventure of Scout camp, helping to ensure the good development of the best possible "citizens of tomorrow". He (the director) went on by complimenting my boss on having such an exemplary person in her employ who would be willing to spend his vacation time in such endeavor. Weeks later, I received a memo from the boss acknowledging the camp director's letter. She said she had never before received such a compliment about one of her staff and it would be added to my file and taken into consideration when my next evaluation came up. Keep up the good work, etc. Could you do something similar?

It's only 3 days http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel/jamboree-at-the-summit/

If they can do it, why can't we, if necessary ? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/derna-boy-scouts-step-in-to-help-run-city-after-isis-is-driven-out-of-libyan-stronghold-10344233.html So what is it we do in Scouting, if not Prepare for Emergencies? Do we not train our Scouts to "Be Prepared?" CPR, First Aid, swimming, Life Saving, Map and Compass (get lost?) , staying calm when things get unnatural..... foul weather gear, lightning training, which way to go if you see a tornado, listen before you act ("Scout Sign!"), fire safety, Knife & Ax Safety, health and hygiene, how to cook in extremis, how to "make do" when things ain't right ,,,, Summer camp year before last, they came up one "buddy" tag short on the waterfront. EVERYBODY in camp had to be counted, and report to the dining hall. They were about to start a sweep of the lake when the two boys whose tags stuck together came back from their "buddy hike" around the camp. Phew! Every Scout should play the "what if" game, occasionally. What if the lights go out? What if the road is blocked by high water? What if our neighborhood is threatened by....Zombies? I remember when our Fire Department was fully volunteer ( I was but a Cub). The whole FD was volunteer staffed and financed. Pancake suppers bought the engines. The dispatch was county run, but when the alarm siren went off, people came from every point of the compass. Businesses were immediately closed. Tractors were left in the fields. Garages were left open. Now, the FD is staffed by tax paid professionals AND volunteers . Both are trained to the same standard. But what does that mean to us Scouts? How could we be a resource in an emergency? What skills and abilities do we have that could be of use? There are VCrews that train as Junior EMTs and actually help staff crash wagons. How would a Scout unit get together "in an emergency"? Any one remember Phone Trees? Do they still work? Is there a plan? Would a Scout Troop actually be useful as messengers, traffic directors, food and water handouters, supply keepers, ? Or would your boys view it as a "game" , a thing to get thru and get back to my schmart phone app?

Girl Scout Troop comes forward to testify about mistreatment at Cecil County animal shelter but didn't expect this... http://www.rawstory.com/2015/06/adults-taunt-girl-scouts-with-racist-insults-for-speaking-out-against-animal-abuse-at-maryland-public-meeting/ We're not done yet....

Expect to be challenged in your preconceptions about what Scouting is. Expect to learn some, get reminded some and share your experience some. Expect a couple of "aha!" moments. Expect to laugh and sing some, and find out that it is possible (!) to camp without kids. Bring extra rope, duct tape, a funny hat, aluminum foil, a note book (non electric) and your filled out vision statement. Expect a little rain (not much. Don't you think good weather is boring? ;-) ). Expect to see corny skits, meaningful SMMinutes, and at least one other person's vision for our youth. Expect to have some of your expectations not met. Expect to come away refreshed, confused, energized, recommitted to the Scouting Ideal, and ready to rewrite ALL your tickets because, your Patrol Guide's encouragement not withstanding , none of them are "good enough". but they will be , trust me. Good Scouting to you!

Christineka: Ultimately, from this distance, all I can recommend is go to the boys SM or ASMs and ask them how their Scouts fulfill the requirements as you read them , and it sounds like you have read them correctly. You can even show the Scout Leaders the books etc. and ask 'em about it. 15 nights and an election, officiated by the local OA Chapter, to qualify for the OA. 20 nights for the Camping MB. There they are, in black and white, your local Scout store should have the Camping MB book and also the OA manual. Ask your DE who your local OA chapter advisor is. Better yet, let your Scoutson do it! And you can encourage your boy to continue to be "Trustworthy", and follow the rules. He will appreciate your appreciation! OA boring? Only if the boys allow it. OA is , by definition, boy run. Like Boy Scouts, only more so. Yeah, the adults have to drive and sign the checks, but it should be up to the boys to plan their camps, service projects, and ceremonies to reinforce the ideals and raison d'etre of the BSA and OA. Movie and pizza night? Hike to the caverns? Hang out with the buds? Yep, up to them. OA is, by definition an "honor" to be admitted to, and is, by definition, a service organization . It is not a rank to be earned, or a skill to be mastered. : It is a way to perform Service to the local Troops, to the Camps, to any local worthy institution, and find satisfaction (and fun, believe it or not) from such. If the Scouts in OA don't see it that way, well, there are other problems. Stretching of the requirements? How far does a Scout SM stretch things and why should he/she?

There are "requirements" and requirements. OA cannot be "earned" like First Class. I have not seen the "elected" part of this here. Christineka 's post mentioned boys "doing" OA, but questioning the overnight camping requirement. I would too, given what she mentioned. The SM and ASMs cannot, correctly, pass a boy in his OA requirements. That ,if done right (and we here have heard of incorrect episodes , yes?) , takes time, experience and an earned reputation. A Scout cannot , if done correctly, "go for" OA.