SWScouter

The slide I use most often now, is an OA slide I bought as a youth in the mid 70's at Camp Parsons up in Washington state. It has the old Indian Chief OA logo. I really like it and it stays on really well unlike the standard BSA slides. I really wish the OA would issue a decent slide now.

SWScouter

I can't answer directly about a lodge or chapter advisor position but I imagine it would be the same as what I did for my Cub Roundtable Staff position. I filled out a registration form, marked it as multiple, entered the position in the council/district position box (upper right) and gave the form to the DE.

SWScouter

Grumpy,

I took woodbadge last Aug. at R-C Scout Ranch. I assume that's where you'll be taking yours next spring too. The course I was in has a web site with the info EagleInKY mentions. You can take a look at http://www.w4-10-04.org

You should look forward to having a wonderful time, learning a lot, and reinvigorating your scouting attitude.

SWScouter

the strip now read Innis Arden (the club and the area name).

Innis Arden, now that jogs some memories. I remember going there for a few invitational swim meets when I was growing up. I swam for Olympic View which was in Normandy Park, South of Seattle. "Pork chops, pork chops, greasy, greasy, we can beat your team easy, easy!"

Now back to your regularly scheduled topic...

SWScouter

For me, the short cut Ctrl+Home works great on any web page. Ctrl+End works well to get to the bottom of the page too. I do that a lot here, Ctrl+End, Page Up gets me to the last couple of posts.

Happy Thanksgiving

SWScouter

Someone help me out here, what is the other method of Cub Scouting?

Well, I think I better help myself. The seven methods of Cub Scouting are:

1. The Ideals

2. The Den

3. Advancement

4. Family Involvement

5. Activities (yes this is the missing method)

6. Home and Neighborhood Centered

7. The Uniform

SWScouter

I wonder if they have a football team, I would think the name would be the Fighting Scouts

Personally, I think the Wild Pig Stickers would be good.

SWScouter

Actually, since this is a Cub Scout forum, I think it would be best to list the methods for Cub Scouting, not Boy Scouting:

Ideals

Dens

Advancement

Uniform

Neighborhood & Community

Family

and, oh my, I'm having a brain fade. Someone help me out here, what is the other method of Cub Scouting?

For the scout to receive the knot he would have to apply for it from the BSA. That would mean the unit telling the council which religious award was earned.

Currently, I am the religious emblems coordinator for the pack I serve. I have never informed the council of the awards. I do inform the diocese of the awards. Actually, that's how they're ordered. I just go to the council scout shop and buy the knots; I have never been questioned about them.

Currently, I have only dealt with REs of the Roman Catholic faith. I would have to find out how to order any other REs though I don't consider that an issue.

Every year, the interfaith committee here has a service recognizing all people that received a RE in the councils (BSA, GSUSA, etc). Each person that has is sent an invitation. All the boys I've submitted REs for has received an invitation so the word is getting out through the diocese.

Maybe how the knots are handled varies council by council.

SWScouter

The Religious Award knot is the BSA uniform representation of the religious awards that are a part of the BSA religious award program. While the BSA does not determine the requirements or present the awards they do setermine which awards will be a part of the religious award program.

Those participating awards are identified on the religious award brochure published by the BSA. The knot can be worn to represent any of the medals explained in that brochure.

But can it (the knot) be worn for other religious awards earned as a youth? Here's two scenarios where I thought it was okay and obviously, the award is not part of the BSA religious award program. First, a girl earns the religious awards of her faith as a Girl Scout. If she then joins venturing, can't she wear the knot on her venturing uniform? Next, she becomes an adult and volunteers as a Scouter. Can't she now wear the knot on her uniform? It was my understanding that in both cases she could. Now I am not sure.

SWScouter(This message has been edited by SWScouter)

When I started as a Scouter in 2002, the catalog listed the jac-shirt for something like $99. The next year, when I thought about getting one, the price increased to $152 where it is now. Wow, what an increase!

I have been looking on ebay for one, thanks HopewellT8SM for the reminder. I ended up buying one off ebay this weekend. Hopefully it will be in as good of shape as it looked in the pictures.

SWScouter

This will make me one post closer to a senior forum member. Right now I'm just a forum member. From what I can tell, It takes 100 posts to become senior.

Thank You and Keep-on keeping-on.

Shouldn't that be, "Keep on truckin!"

Back when I was a scout, my Mother sewed three snaps onto my OA flap patch. I'm not sure why she did. All I know now is that my OA patch stayed dirty when my shirt got washed. Now I have a dirty 30+ year old OA patch with three snaps.

SWScouter

I'm not too concerned so much about undermining my position in the Pack. Being so new, I don't have much to lose.

Play on that. The first year I was a Scouter I played dumb when I noticed things not conforming with the program or seemed to be against BSA policy. For example, when my son was I tiger I noticed the boys receiving their Bobcat badge were turned upside down when the badge was pinned on. The next year, as the den leader for my son's then Wolf den, I asked what the deal was with the Bobcat ceremony. I listened to the speel about how it is tradition because the badge is supposed to be upside down until a good turn is performed, blah, blah, blah. After all that, I commented, that's interesting, because right here on page x of the Cub Scout Leaders Guide, it states that no boy should be turned upside down during any Bobcat ceremony. At that point there was a lot, and I mean a lot of guffaws and such. No boy has been turned upside down in the pack since.

I used that technique several times throughout my first year as a Cub Scout leader. Basically asking, why is that? Then saying that's interesting because here it says this. When I did this I would normally have the supporting BSA documentation. More often than not, changes were made. At any rate, it got people thinking about what is going on with the pack.

Of course, once you're not so "new," that technique really can't be used much if at all.

I hope that helps.

SWScouter

Around a year ago, the Pack leaders were reviewing the pack's bylaws. There was a section on uniforms. One part was basically an excuse for not wearing the full uniform stating that, and I paraphrase, "the expensive and unflattering pants." That may actually be the exact phrase but I'm not sure. Now, I am at a loss why something like that was ever put in the bylaws. I was able to get it removed though. I do think it is a good example of the problems out there concerning uniforming.

SWScouter

I second ScoutNut's suggestion that you do the awards for your den. Just do it. When the den goes up, thank the CM for the floor and get going. Don't give him time to "forget" that you're going to do the presentation.

SWScouter

the Computers merit badge has not been changed since 1993!! In a field where technology is changing while I write this, that MB should have been updated long ago. From the MB Book: " In the near future we may see modems at a speed of 56K"!

First a smart alec response, Do you see modems faster than 56K? Remember, DSL and such don't use modems and "Cable modem" really is a misnomer.

I'll preface the following with a little personal background to establish my expertise. I earned a BS in Computer Science in 1982 and an MS in 1998. I have been professionally developing computer systems since earning my BS.

Now, my response to updating the Computers merit badge. First, I think the requirements are very good and hold there value over time. There are only two requirements I would update and those are 5b and 6. 5b just needs minor rewording to bring it up to date and I would add some terms to 6.

Now, the Computers MB pamphlet on the other hand, really does need updating. That is, though, a completely different issue than updating the MB requirements.

The requirements for Computers MB can be seen at http://usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/mb036.html

Regards,

SWScouter

...why we fold the flag in a triangle...

All fixed-- hops (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

It's been several years since I had to travel on business. The end of October a trip to England was in the offing. I had to rush and get a passport (why isn't it called a portpass?). So I spent last Monday through Thursday near London in a town called Bracknell and flew back Friday.

I spent a couple of days in London 18 years ago and just rushed through the typical tourist sights. This trip though, there really was only one place I wanted to visit, Gilwell Park. I had a map there and new the hours it is open and unfortunately, never had an afternoon off to go. I'm still disappointed; I only had a few hours to visit Windsor Castle. That just doesn't compare does it.

I used to be an Eagle...

SWScouter

Kemosabe,

I don't know when you were a Boy Scout, but I was from 1971-76 or so. I had a red jac-shirt then. Actually, I still have it, complete with the OA Indian Chief back patch. I'd really like to get a new one but haven't built up the courage to spend $152 for one...

SWScouter

FScouter,

That's not quite right. Before the change, a nine year old that finished fifth grade could have joined Boy Scouts whether or not he had earned AOL or was even a Cub Scout.

SWScouter

Yep, really old...

Thanks for the info NJ.

I would like to see the whole BSA program bumped up to what it use to be age wise. Don't let boys join Cub Scouts until the second grade or age seven and do not let the boys join Boy Scouts until age 12 or the completion of the sixth grade.

Hey acco40, when did boys have to be 12 to join Boy Scouts? I joined at 11 in 1971; man you must be really old.

SWScouter

Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge.

The above is a direct quote of Arrow of Light requirement 1 from the most recent version of the Webelos Handbook.

The changes to the Boy Scout joining requirements, i.e., that the Boy must be at least 10 years old can be found in a recent issue of Scouter magazine. I apologize that I don't have it here with me to properly cite.

SWScouter(This message has been edited by SWScouter)(This message has been edited by SWScouter)