Tampa Turtle

9 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

Probably depends on how many girls join.  If girls represent 20-30% of total scouts I think this changes.  One guess is that Boy Scouts of America moves to BSA (similar to Federal Express went to FedEx).  Boy Scouts would become .... no clue.

If girls represent 5% and our membership continues to decline we will become REI Scouts of America (or whatever brand(s) help bail us out).

I agree that I don't think any change will happen immediately but a few years down the road it will.

Scoutx (the x is for the shared chromosome.)

I am not having a tizzy over it just felt odd. Whatever.

BS4G policy (as stated) seems to not be what is happening in our unit. Has COH last night and sat in the audience with the parents (we had 15 newbies come over so it was a good night). Over heard several scouter-committee moms who are also GSUSA leaders say that they are planning to bring their daughters over (and some friends) next year to our Troop. (The exact words used were "I do not care what a few people say we are going to STORM this Troop." (Her emphasis, not mine) Also "If they say we need two female scout leaders we can do it on paper none of us have to go camping or anything."  Two said they were going to start the beginning of next school year and not wait until 2019 because what is the point.

The pastor of our CO on Scout Sunday announced how girls are coming to the Troop (surprise!) after an email from a Bishop that our denomination was going to support Girls in the Boy Scout units along with GSUSA (we have few Packs). 

I do not think there will be any serious discussion about parallel Troops.

What I especially do not like is when the news came out I tried to parrot the official line about "no"coed units" (I kept my opinions to myself in front of the boys) and now several came up to me and confronted me with what seems like is going to happen is not what "I" said. I do not like losing their trust over something that is outside my control.

I would be more upset but the unit is sliding into a parent-centric Eagle mill (We had a campout with 18 scouts and 16 adults and 6 siblings--give me a break) and have bigger fish to fry,

1 hour ago, gblotter said:

I will take the time to listen to the podcast after work. I'm sure it must be interesting material.

 

Yep - I get what you are saying about subtle steering. Often that is the most effective method, and most times I am not very good at it. I picture myself more like a benevolent drill sergeant.

With our group of sprinters, I realized we needed to regroup when converging on the intersection of five trails. I had no idea which of the five trails the lead group had taken. A flashback to backpacking terror made it an easy decision to request a regroup. As it turned out, they did take the right trail in the first place. Their decision to sprint was not premeditated or preapproved. With excess energy, they just took off without a word and without even a map. Under other circumstances, perhaps I would have been more open to their discovery.

I think I had the same sprinters on the same hike! The "wait at the fork for the group to catch up" was ignored. Eventually took more than an hour before we got in contact with them (an angry bull blocked their progress) and I was a little anxious. 

Very helpful. He is doing a lot of 'unofficial' stuff in the Troop--maybe he should just make up a title and I will buy him a patch. 

Son#2 who is 18 and still hanging around the Troop is active in OA (Brotherhood) and wants to know (as he is searching for a roll the last two years of High School) if there are any OA rules against him being the official Troop adviser?

42 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

Interesting follow up to this article.  The www.scouting.org website recently changes Boy Scouting from "Boys" 11 - 17 years old to "Youth" 11 - 17 years old.  It also sates 

"This is the traditional Scouting experience for youth in the fifth grade through high school. Service, community engagement and leadership development become increasingly important parts of the program as youth lead their own activities and work their way toward earning Scouting’s highest rank, Eagle Scout."

https://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/

Emphasis was added by me.  This aligns to the changes they made to the Cub Scouting description before offering girl dens.  

If you click on Join you can see the prior description that Boy Scouting is for "Boys" 11-17 years old.

I think there is a lot of smoke here that BSA4G will be nearly identical to the Cub Scout implementation.  Time will tell...

 

Well they are going to have to make those changes at some point. Interesting that they used the words 'coed' for venturing, etc but not Boy Scouts. I do not think, despite the 'Brand Value' the "Boy" is going to stay long in "Boy Scouting" much longer. Just looks weird.

Laugh laugh mockers. It's all a big game until the little red wagon of death puts you on the 4'-1" ladder to eternity. 

26 minutes ago, NJCubScouter said:

I think the first question is, did the council/district reviewer actually approve the proposal before work started on the project?  Could there be a version of the workbook somewhere that has the council/district signature on it?  Or an email indicating approval?  Or a verbal approval and the reviewer will sign the workbook now?  If any of that is true, I think this situation may be salvageable, and the reviewer and/or the district advancement chair should be consulted to find out how to go about doing that.

If, on the other hand, nobody on the council/district advancement committee has ever heard of this project, then the Scout may be stuck.  But I still think the district advancement chair should be asked if there is a way to repair this.

It would be a not-unreasonable request but wow what a risk (and am Eagle-killer for a deathbed Eagle attempt). A big problem would be if there was anything major wrong with the proposal or worse yet for a non-eligible beneficiary. We had a similar issue once with a 'horse farm for sensory students' (autistic kids would get horse therapy). Scout (who often avoided meetings and scouters on his race to Eagle) jumped ahead on his project (building a pole barn for said farm--good project) without any discussion with the Troop leaders. He did not get the District Eagle project approval and it ended up that the farm was a private business rather than a non-profit and it would not get approved anyway. Upon discovery he had to redo his project (I think a lame canned food drive that just met the letter of the law). But IF he had followed the procedures we would have taken the time to review and help and much pain would have been avoided.

Alas the pole barn was pulled down for work without permits by the City  as well.

1 hour ago, NJCubScouter said:

I don't know why they even bother saying that.  How do you know whether an applicant has that "ability," and what's really more to the point, whether they will exercise that "ability" and keep confidential information confidential?  The only way to really know for certain is after the person has leaked or misused confidential information.

I would like to know WHY that was included? Previous leakers?

@walk in the woods....Stegasaurus Husbandry? The neighbors complained about all the noise on friday night.

I had to work hard to pass the swim test too. Made me more sympathetic to the youth who struggle and it was good for the boys to see the old guys had challenges too. I too had some Scouting goals....I had to lose weight to participate (my doc holds that annual physical over my head every year  ) and doing 60 miles on the AT was a real physical challenge. I am  a slow bit consistent hiker (hence the 'Turtle' in the handle)  always bringing up the rear. It can be a humbling experience but I believe their is great virtue in humility and it pays off in authenticity when I am out with some of the boys.

Another goal for me was to make Scoutmaster training at Woodruff SR. I had to be persistent over a couple of years to get a slot the week I was there but it really benefited me as a Scouter. I am very proud of my training patch, probably as proud as some of my academic or career achievements. It reminds me that some of the "requirements" can be a personal challenge for some boys and it varies by individual --some it is organizational, mental, inter-relational, physical, or phobias.

Sorry for ramble @5thGenTexan...Scout On! 

WOW I work in government and the vague sloppiness of the the primary responsibilities speaks volumes about the Irving dis-organization. 

"WOKE!" MB will start in 2019 (will be fast tracked for Eagle required-rumored to replace Camping in that list). CisMale Scouts outside the state of California may only get Partials, however. \~/

32 minutes ago, blw2 said:

I'm not so sure I totally agree.  I think scouts is about a group of friends, usually 6-8 of them, getting together to do fun stuff together as a patrol.  In the process they practice leadership, learn skills, and all sorts of stuff.  Sure, the 'game' of scouts is outdoor oriented but isn't that only because the idea is that boys get so much good out of being outside?

Sure it wouldn't count towards nights camped, it probably shouldn't  be encouraged as a regular thing....but I'd liken it to a patrol getting together for a game of basketball at the scout hut. 

A special event, fun, leaders lead, .....

Sometimes the Patrols meet up for a movie, a house sleep over, or meet up to eat. I see that as a plus as long as some camping gets done too.

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

Definitely no weight challenged, would not be able to fit all of them into the group photo

I have been in enough Troop photos to know: short newbies to the front, fat old guys to the back. I like my first years to be belly shielding height. 

10 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

Correct

In looking at the approved and provided photo (graphic??), Family Scouting also does NOT include:

• Only children families
• Families with more than three children
• Children more than 3 years apart unless the youngest is an infant
• Single parents (male)
• Single parents (female)
• Families with children of the same gender
• Male parents shorter than the female parents
• Bald parents
• Frowning 

Inter-racial parents. 

Fat Parents

Fat Turtles

9 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

I feel left out only having two boys. I guess you can't be a gay couple either. 

Threat (Social Media) to high school near us in Tampa, arrest made. Son's school announced all classroom doors locked at all times now.

I am not going to debate the issue on this forum. As this is a Florida issue I have already made my opinions known to my state and federal representatives. I am surprised at how quick parents have organized in the last 24 hours; I imagine it is more intense further south. It is an election year for many.

12 minutes ago, Scoutmaster Teddy said:

Same thing happened to me as Scoutmaster. Another Troop in our Council never had an election even though Scouts were eligible. Apparently the Troop had no idea how to ask for an election. Council Office, Commissioner, other OA members - have you heard of it? Our election team last year told me that the Scouts had to have one more than one-half. Twelve Scouts voted - six "ayes" and six "nays." So, we voted again. I used my phone to read of copy of the OA's election guidance and set the election straight. Now we have new Lodge Bylaws that designate only trained OA members may conduct elections.

We just had an election and a (new?) OA video discusses that if you have no opinion do not turn in a ballot and if you think no one deserves it then by all means turn in a ballot. Then the Lodge representative mentioned the options again. So, at least in our Lodge (good 'ol Uh-To-Yeh-Hut-Tee) progress is being made. (Thanks Gene!)

30 minutes ago, FireStone said:

Is there good timing for bringing a gun to school?

If you are the cop  school resource officer. I am not so sure about arming teachers...some of my son's teachers seem nuts. Really.

15 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

We had parents of one of our scouts present at the Las Vegas shooting.  The father is a hunter and immediately recognized the sound of bullets going thru the air, so he and his wife ran immediately out of the area being targeted.  The mother comforted one of the victims who was shot through the neck.  It was incredibly traumatic event for both involved.

I remember as a youth when we only did Tornado and fire drills... now these kids perform lockdown drills.  It really puts the problems in your life in perspective. 

Nothing new does not equate with doing nothing. Fire Codes were strengthened after Our Lady of the Angels. 

13 minutes ago, Back Pack said:

My old high school just had a kid bring an unloaded gun to school today. It was just posted to the news 15 mins ago. 

Bad timing. 

45 minutes ago, David CO said:

It is very sad. Unfortunately, it is nothing new.  I think the Bath School Massacre (1927) is still considered by many to be the worst school attack in U.S. history.

Nothing new (I knew about that one BTW) but what would the historic pattern per 1,000 student population be? 

Oh how I mock them but there have been some campouts those logs feeling pretty hard...

(They are a nice looking group)

2 hours ago, cyphertext said:

Don't knock the "sit upon"....  Use one when dove hunting.  Has a cooler liner to keep my water and Gatorade cold while in the field!

This is what I meant.

2 hours ago, cyphertext said:

Don't knock the "sit upon"....  Use one when dove hunting.  Has a cooler liner to keep my water and Gatorade cold while in the field!

I made one (a scout is thrifty) it has a plywood seat, is orange, and says "home depot". The seat is bolted, sealed with silicon, and attached to one of those water proof screw lids. Good for canoe camping.