Krampus

Why do we have uniform guidelines if we don't follow them? What other things are well meaning, but wrong, that we are going to elect to ignore?

This is very true. Add to that everyone making their sport/club/event mandatory, and you have the makings of a mess. I disagree with the notion that all these various interests are making our kids well rounded. It makes the parents' ability to manage their kid's schedule better, but from my experience it is not the kids that manage anything. The kids simply hop in the car and mom shuttles them to the next event.

Keep to the code, Stosh.

Stosh consider yourself lucky. My daughter is in dance. Between shoes and costumes I am in deep. I could fund your troop for a year on what she costs me.

Is it safe to say there are prescribed ways of doing things (US Code) and accepted practices (various manuals on flag etiquette from the military) which have made their way in to civilian life which have become common practices?

No offense, Stosh, but soccer for select teams can run $2,000 and up where I live. It is big money. All the sports are now very expensive. Multiple sets of uniforms, gear, bags, jackets, etc. Then there are tournaments, travel, practice fees, etc. I was just having breakfast with my daughter and this topic came up. She said this whole conversation reminded her of that quote from the Incredibles. I had to hunt to find it. She helped.

I used to coach select soccer. The fact is most players will play through high school and not even make their college team. Most teams are not even as elite as they think they are. But you see school teams and organizations doing the same thing; demanding attendance. I guess it comes down to the parents. Personally we had our kids pick 3-4 activities that would allow time for each other's things. I guess my kids are boring. They aren't the best at anything they do but they get good grades, volunteer a lot and have learned some great skills through scouts or volunteering.

My son is completing his Eagle...hopefully soon. I was interested in any special ceremonies or ideas you may have seen or have done in your unit that made the ceremony unique and special. If you have scripts you'd share even better. Thanks.

As far as hammocks go we went with the BSA ones here (http://www.scoutstuff.org/hammock-ultralight-41767.html#.Vfxo_99Viko) For side sleepers: Guilty. Never thought I could sleep in one. Was so tired on the trail that sleeping on my back, under the stars was so relaxing I was out in 5 mins.

Section 7 of the code starts with: "The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag’s own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line." I think that means that it is first in line. I guess you could argue the flag was removed on its own and was its own procession. I guess it depends on how much time elapsed. I would advise my scouts to keep to the code and retire the US flag first. When we conduct a color guard for local veterans groups we always check with them on their flag pr

Sorry, can't help. We live in Texas. Finding two trees with which to hang a hammock is a half day chore on most camp outs. Finding 50 trees for 25 scouts and adults would take a week. We'd have to go to Arkansas to find that many trees. We have done it on the AT a few years ago. The boys loved it! The boys got cheap hammocks at Academy Sports, got a few carabiners to seal them in. Each had a tarp or two to hang above themselves. Light sleeping bags. Worked like a charm.

Personally I think there is a difference between respectful and what should be done. Can something wrong be respectful? Absolutely. However, the US flag always leaves the podium first. Other ways to show respect: Have the US flag the only one on the podium. A single flag for a solemn event. Stosh is correct in that the handbook and the US Code are clear on how to handle this situation.

I have to agree with Stosh. The US flag should always leave the podium first. My two cents.

If you want a nice view the Pisgah National Forest is west of Charlotte near Ashville. You can camp there. Of the 44+ peaks above 6,000 feet in the Appalachians, nearly half (22) are in the county surrounding the forest. Cold Mountain is near Camp Daniel Boone. Great overlook!!! If you take 81 back, in Abingdon, VA there's a good BBQ joint (even for a Texan like me) called Bonefire Smokehouse. West of the interstate about 2 miles. Great food and non-scouting adult beverages.

I just don't see the fuss. The scout followed the process. The adult is being silly in requiring an SMC first before the SMC for rank. Seems an extra step and the boy is trying to follow the procedures adults have put in place.

I guess I don't follow you, @@Twocubdad. You say the scout should approach the SM for an SMC. I thought that is what you advocated. He did and got pushed back for not having stuff signed or "approved". I guess I can't see why the SM wouldn't just give the scout an SMC. That would seem more scoutlike, as you put it. What am I missing?

Wish we could. I have several young guys (under 13) that would make great PLs and would benefit greatly from NYLT. Unfortunately our council has set an age limit of 13.

Unless I misread the follow up from the original post (below), seems the Scout did follow the process and ask the adult in charge for an SMC. Given that they have a coordinator for such things, does not sound like the SM is that approachable. Since we're going with the Scoutlike thing to do, how about the SM live up to some of those ideals and simply have the SMC rather than create a whole bunch of barriers. Given the comments below it sounds like the SM is making up a whole bunch of stuff as he goes along. Courteous? Friendly? If it is, I'm not seeing the logic.

Doesn't NYLT start at 13? At least in my area you have to be 13. Is it different elsewhere?

I am confused. In looking at the Palm requirements, the Scoutmaster Handbook and the GTA, none of these documents say that the requirements for any rank need to be signed off before an SMC can be granted. In fact, Section 4.2.3.5 of the GTA go the opposite direction, saying that: All these documents concur that an SMC should be granted at the request of the scout, and when the scout believes they have finished all the requirements for a rank. If anyone can find where the granting of an SMC requires "sign off" before hand I would like to see it.

That's the second person to leave in as many weeks.

Recycling is not disposing of the flag. I think the US Code covers the rest of it. For me once it is a flag it will always be a flag. When time to retire it, burn it. Recycling it is not an option in my book.

We were in a similar position a few years ago. I learned to include a POR for the scout just in case someone objected. Thankfully our parents and district folks understand the requirement. Brought it up to our district who was very helpful in making sure the requirement is properly interpreted by the district advancement committee.

I'd have to agree. You retire the flag properly. You don't recycle it. The grommets I don't consider part of the flag, merely a tool to post it like a pole or rope.

Here are a few interesting issues in one article. An adult gets Eagle. His project cut up US flags and re-used parts of them. I am sure there's plenty here to discuss.