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Twocubdad

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Everything posted by Twocubdad

  1. So what data is national looking at besides the Eagle application and the Scoutnet records? Do they conduct some sort of independent investigation? Do they conduct interview with folks the locals don't have access to? Right. The appeal process is a different thing. Routinely approving applications shouldn't be a big deal. Our council registrar verifies advancement data on the app against the Scoutnet records BEFORE the board of review. The BOR verifies everything else. National adds nothing to the process. It's just the dog wizzing on a bush. The dog doesn't have to pee, he ju
  2. I'm just tired of the constant turmoil.
  3. Here we go.... http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/23/us/girls-in-california-are-latest-to-seek-to-become-boy-scouts.html?emc=edit_th_20151123&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=33315132&_r=1
  4. Our summer camp has done more and more to support the SPLs, although it's still not a patrol-driven camp. For some time the SPLs have been invited to the Sunday night leaders meeting along with the SMs. I suppose it's up to each troop who communicates the info back to the troop. For the past couple years, the SPLs all have breakfast together for a daily camp briefing. Camporees are another matter. Just what you describe, above -- adults running things, adult cracker barrels, adults largely running the activity stations...... Another reason we don't do camporees.
  5. In other words, whatever you want to do is fine.
  6. This ties in with my comments a couple pages ago about council camps stepping up their local HA activities in support of troops which don't have the trained leadership to pull it off. I wrote that council camps should look something like a guide service, especially in the off season, providing climbing, shooting, aquatics and other specialty activities to units which can pull them off on their own. A couple years ago our council had a series of "town hall" meetings with various volunteers to discuss the problem that both FOS and popcorn sales are declining. I mentioned my resentment of t
  7. That's the post of the month! Remember that ad from South Africa Scouts a month or so ago? The one with the boy rescuing the girl from the surf, but at the end the video changes and it turns out the boy is now a grown man, rescuing his daughter using skills he learned as a Scouts? http://aplus.com/a/scouts-south-africa-cpr-ad-drowning Same concept, except with a bunch of college-aged guys sitting around a campfire, joking, laughing, having a good time when a little kid in a Scout uniform walks up and asks, "permission to enter camp?" The older guys all straighten up, quit laughing a
  8. MIB, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. We all will miss your mom but are better for having her insight and perspective. Her passion for Scouting was very evident as was her pride in you. We could certainly tell how proud she was of you, your involvement in Scouting and your willingness to step into leadership roles at a relative young age. She will be missed.
  9. Don't sweat it, joe. This isn't bad. Several years ago we had a guy here who flipped out at anyone referring to "our troop" or, heaven forbid, "my troop." Dogma was the troop belongs to the boys and the only acceptable reference was to "the troop which I serve."
  10. Cook sets are the one item where we feel like the BSA brand nesting pots and pans are preferable. The big advantage is they are sized for a patrol of 8 rather than a family of four. TexasSport makes a similar set, but it's designed for four.
  11. Our council teaches IOLS and WOLS together, giving credit for both. I don't know if they add an extra module for the Webelos stuff or not. I always thought it was silly to require two very similar courses within a year or so. This is one area where the training folks listened to the folks on the ground. No one has answered your question about taking Webelos out in November. There are no national rules concerning this. I've never heard of council rules related to this either. It's up to you to know your local weather and the abilities and gear of your Scouts. Here, in the foothills of
  12. So how many such classes does your son go to before he figures out the problem is with the classes? The only MB classes our troop offers are for a very few required MBs (like personal management), but those are held on multiple Saturdays (requiring extra effort), taught by a team of counselors who know their stuff and teach way more than is required. The problem is when you throw one instructor at a class of 20 Scouts and tell them they have four hours to complete the badge.
  13. T2E -- in London, breakfast and dinner were served cafeteria style. I think they may be talking about lunch. On the way out from breakfast, we pick our lunch from a selection of pre-made sandwiches, chips (rather, "crisps" there), fruit, snack and different drinks. It was a basic bag lunch, but you did have a choice of the "flavors" you selected. I came to like the prawn flavored crisps.
  14. My campouts as a youth were generally limited to hanging out with my patrol mates, tending a pot of chili or soup all day and staying up most of the night pondering the universe. My first time rock climbing, horseback riding, shooting a rifle, exploring a mine or trying lumberjack sports came at Philmont. The first canoe trek I took was with our OA chapter (which functioned like a HA Venture crew) was at age 15 or 16. Troops simply didn't have the equipment or expertise to pull off these activities. I've always called this the Mountain Dew Effect. Caffine aside, kids seem to think Scouting is
  15. This is a self-correcting problem. Plan a big crossover ceremony early next year. 'Til then, smile. Be gracious. Say, "well bless your heart" a lot.
  16. In 1993 Congress specifies "Citizens not in uniform...." but in 2008 says "All other persons present...." So in light of conflicting, ambiguous, inconsequential or poorly crafted law or policy, we get to decide which law to follow? Up to a point (and noting there is absolutely no penalty for violating the Flag Code) I agree with that.
  17. Regarding the hand salute branch of the thread: I can't imagine that if a kid were running across the campsite in nothing but a pair of whitey-tighties, that when he heard "To the Colors" being played he snapped to attention, faced the music and instinctively offered a Scout salute, that there is any veteran in the country who wouldn't look upon that scene with pride and a smile. I certainly can't imagine jumping the kid about his uniform (privacy and youth protection policies would be up for discussion, however.) The thing I see missing from this discussion (all -- what are we up to
  18. I realize that communications such as posting to online forums are stripped of connotation and non-verbals and therefore often misunderstood, but when some writes something snarky and puts a little smiley face at the end, it should usually be taken as an indication of sarcasm, humor or facetiousness. Come on people, lighten up!
  19. As long as they're speaking as individuals, there's no issue. But I wouldn't try to present myself as representing "the Scouts." The general public doesn't understand the difference between your unit, the council or BSA. But I don't see any problem with folks going to the town and discussing how the parking issue impacts the use of the park by your Cub Scouts.
  20. We do the Iron Chef thing about once a year. It's always a hit. A couple of winners which have gone down in troop lore are watermelon soup (watermelon, mushed up with powdered sugar) and meat medley which was all the hamburger, bacon, chicken and steak cooked together. What's not to like. As to the rule making thing -- have you read the Guide to Advancement? Guide to Safe Scouting? Insignia Guide? Heck, the Boy Scout Handbook? Hundreds of pages of adult-dictated rules. I've never bought into philosophy of a strictly Scout-led program. There is a fine line between Scout led and Scout
  21. In he spirit of this being a volunteer organization, between the line of the Insignia Guide if find a general exception allowing the wearing of insignia, pins, patches of special meaning and importance to the wearer. I challenge anyone to prove to me that I do not find this exception between the lines. Consequently, when a Scout shows up at some non-OA function proudly wearing his brand-new, blindingly white OA sash, I keep my dang mouth shut. When the troop's only kid to earn all four levels of the religious emblem shows up with four purple square knots over his left pocket, I keep my da
  22. Krampus, No, he didn't approach the SM (not that it was his fault, he presumably followed troop procedures). What you're missing is -- so far as we know -- the Scout and Scoutmaster have yet to speak. I don't know why. And absolutely, either one of them could initiate that conversation. Which is all I'm suggesting. Instead of us going all policy wonk, griff'smom, who seems to have the Scouts ear or at least that of his mom, should suggest to the Scout he talk to his SM. Who cares about the definition of leadership or what the G2A says? Ask your Scoutmaster. I can't imagine he would
  23. The existence and use of a SMC/BOR coordinator is a matter of troop procedure which should be addressed with the committee and advancement chairmen -- and probably the SM. I don't necessarily assume that to be a barrier to advancement or the SM's doing. And I certainly won't make the wild leap that the SM is unapproachable. Our troop has a similar structure for BORs -- the Scout contacts the BOR coordinator who puts together the BOR from the committee members who have had the training, usually for the next troop meeting and almost always by the second week. That doesn't make our BOR mem
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