Chisos

Just pick one up at the scout shop and put it on your uniform.  Doubt anyone will ask, and if they do, just tell them you earned it as a kid.

Some scouts will probably ask you what it is, tell them, and encourage them to earn one themselves (it's the only knot youth can wear too!)

I think the only real "rule" is that once they are registered with a troop, they can't go back and work on Cub Scout advancement.

If you're talking about the scenario of "crossover was in February, can they still participate in our pack's Pinewood Derby in March"--that's up to the pack leadership to decide.

Oh man!  I don't have one, but I had one once and now it's lost!  I seem to recall mine having red lettering.

Cima was my favorite summer camp as a kid.

(As an aside, has the sale of Cima gone though?  I knew it was on the market.  I had a "gentlemen's agreement" with a few of my old troop mates that if one of us won one of those huge Powerball jackpots we'd buy the place!)

Now that Feb 1 has passed...I just want to make sure I've got this right, with respect to election eligibilty

1. You have to meet the rank requirement for the type of unit holding the election.  For exmple, let's say Joe is Life in a Scouts BSA unit, but just joined a Ship and is Apprentice rank.   Assuming he has the camping nights, he could be a candidate for OA election via the Troop, but not via the Ship.

2.  Camping nights can be from Troops, Crews, or Ships, and combined.  For example, Billy is Life rank in a Troop and Pathfinder rank in a Crew.  He went to summer camp with the troop, but all his short term night are with the crew.   He could be a candidate for OA election in either one.

Right?  Or did I miss something?

36 minutes ago, mashmaster said:

Looks great, I am Texan but never heard of it.  I am going to try it

 

Texan but never heard of Pan de Campo?  Might have to take a corner off your "Texan Chip", haha!

Here's the South Texas way:

http://chuckwagonrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/11/king-ranch-pan-de-campo.html

4 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Did anyone catch the "updated requirements for 2019?" 

Has anyone heard they changed requirements yet again ( 2015, 2016, 2018.)? Interested because my oldest is 2 Eagle required MBs away, and a project. don't want any last minute changes affecting him. He's already been through enough with the old troop. Doesn't need any more garbage

Are these changes online/available somewhere?

Great report, thanks for posting it! 

Anyone try the 72 oz steak at the Big Texan? 

Also-might be me, but the photo links don't seem to work.

Probably the best thing to do would to be to check with your council to be sure.  According to the guide to advancement the application can be submitted after the 18th birthday, but I would be sure to be able to document that all other requirements, including signatures and the personal statement, were completed prior to that date.

26 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

And the deterioration accelerated when National changed the current election procedure in the 1990s. Whereas it was truly an honor to get elected  because only 1/2 of those eligble could be written on the ballot, the honor has been diminished now that everyone eligible can be written on the ballot.

I think this was a big part...now it's get 15 nights camping and 1st Class, and you're pretty much in.  Elections changed from "should I really vote for this guy?" to "is there any reason I shouldn't vote for this guy?"...

Yes, he can.  4 months as a Den Chief while 1st Class are used for the Star rank requirement, and 6 months as a den chief while Star meet the Life rank requirement.

What you can't do is count POR time while 1st Class for any rank other than Star.  So, you can't be 1st Class and a Den Chief for a year, then try to use that for both Star and Life.

Agree with @PACAN and @shortridge that once the rank is approved by the BOR it is earned.

That being said, the Troop Committee needs to figure out what happened here.  The lack of SMC should have been noted by the BOR; it would not have been signed off on in his book if it had not happened.  And as others have stated there should have been an opportunity for a SMC much sooner.

@Oldscout448  Like everything it's local.  Our unit is pretty much a 'one stop scout shop" for grades K-12.  CO has a pack and troop, and most adults have been or are leaders in both; boys in the troop have younger brothers in the pack, etc.

1 hour ago, shortridge said:

Also be aware that a unit-run camp does not count for OA eligibility.

Actually it maybe would count...

https://oa-bsa.org/resources/faq/resident-camping-requirement

Though there does seem to be some incorrect information floating around that would suggest that it wouldn't.

32 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

Agreed...  I had a few leaders take this months ago and a few others last week when I sounded the alarm.  Our council had also been emailing and begging people to take the training earlier.  Only about half of my 14 leaders completed the training going into this weekend.

 

I could have written the exact same thing...about half of my unit's leaders go theirs done.  A couple texted me last night that they couldn't log on to the site; I told them just get it  done this week.  But stressed it had to be done before recharter.

Thanks @Thunderbird!  Great catch on the "Bryan" articles.

So, when a merit badge is "replaced" by another one (think, Computers being replaced by Digital Technology, or Atomic Energy by Nuclear Science) can a scout earn both?

I  think the answer's yes but want to see if I missed something somewhere.

Asked and answered...

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2016/09/21/yes-summer-months-count-toward-advancement/

I'll echo what T2Eagle said.  While the summer camp we went to last year did have a priest come in on Sunday, not everywhere does that.  When I did Wood Badge, I had to make it back to town for the last Mass of the day (fortunately we have a 9pm Sunday available!)

7 minutes ago, 69RoadRunner said:

I haven't figured out why vinegar is required in the Sea Base specific First Aid kit.

Jellyfish stings.  The vinegar (acid) helps neutralize the jellyfish toxin.

Also, 1:1 vinegar : rubbing alcohol is a good ear rinse to prevent swimmer's ear.

There is a section on the med form that asks about admin of non-prescription meds.  But I agree, it's a good idea to make sure parents specifically tell you what they're ok with their kids having.

As for Aspirin, that's generally ok for the adults but should be avoided for kids due to the risk of Reye's Syndrome.

Looks like a great time.  We're thinking about putting in for 2020, probably either 2 Coral Reef Sailing or 1 Sea Exploring adventure.  (probably will have 14-18 participants).  @69RoadRunner I"m looking forward to hearing about Sea Exploring when y'all get back!  Sounds like @mashmaster had a great time...it'll be hard to decide which one we would prefer.

I'd include travel time if we were traveling as a group.  So, if we said, "Meet at the Scout Hut at 4pm to drive to the campout" then the start time is 4pm.  But if it was "meet at the campsite at 6pm" then that's the start time.

We provided cooking gear (patrol box with pots/pans/etc), stoves, and general camp gear such as lanterns, charcoal, etc.  Scouts provide their own tents, backpacks, etc.