mashmaster

39 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

If I were your son, I'd reply "Hopefully when you all send care packages for Johnny, there's enough for him to share with me, as I'll be there as well" .

That would be awesome 🙂

So our Charter Org Rep makes a big deal about our troops first ever scout going to World Jamboree to the entire troop email and asks them to send him care packages.   The troop has been around for a long time so he is making a big deal so it makes sense.  Of course my son who is in the troop and also going to World Jamboree isn't mentioned at all....  He tells me at dinner tonight "they don't even know I exist".  He transferred in a year ago and basically feels invisible.   COR knows he is also going....

I feel like sending mail to the COR and saying "Way to go jerk....."

1 hour ago, Eagledad said:

Yes, we live and learn. One ASM traded for a new car after summer camp because he could not get the smell out.......Coincidentally, we started renting vans the next year.

Barry

WOW....

When I was SM, I would require the SPL to ensure all take a shower the night before we left.  It seemed to work better coming from him than me.  

My son is making these to trade.  They will have a small silver (colored) cowboy hat on the ring.   not attached yet.

My son is going and he is freaking out about all the uniform requirements his troop leader is sending out.  I am confident the US contingent is the only one getting the super strict uniform rules.   Tho shalt be wear BSA uniform shorts and socks all times when leaving base camp.  Those two pair of pants/shorts after 14 days are going to be awful.  I convinced him to bring a few pairs of normal shorts and socks into his huge jambo bag.  

What are they telling the foreign contingents?

Also, my son is making handmade trinkets from Texas that he is bringing to trade.  He is excited and nervous.

Pictures from the logbook of that first cruise

1912- Sea Scouting in America was founded when Arthur A. Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts, had Sea Scouts using the schooner Pioneer and was appointed Chairman of the National Council Committee on Sea Scouting. That summer, Charles T. Longstreth organized a Sea Scout patrol on his yacht in Philadelphia. Both of these men prepared pamphlets on Sea Scouting and Carey’s Cruising for Sea Scouts was the first literature related to Sea Scouting.

7/9/1912 was the date of the cruise.

Sea Scouts, BSA was established in 1912 as the second program of the Boy Scouts of America to offer new adventures for older Scouts. The 1912 logbook of the Boy Scout Ship Pioneer, recognized as the first Sea Scout Ship, has the first documented evidence of the birthday of Sea Scouts. The Logbook states that the first cruise was on July 9, 1912. The Pioneer took on crew, set sail, anchored, and immediately conducted small boat drills. This easily could have a been a Sea Scout cruise in the 21st Century, demonstrating our core activities are timeless.

When I put together our Ship's first aid kit, it includes an epipen.  One of my youth in the program had a bunch of extras and donated it to the kit.  I haven't had to use it but it makes me feel a little better knowing it is there.

My son earned the "Super Achiever" patch a long time ago for every pin, patch, and even the super nova awards.  He enjoyed it, but it the long run it really doesn't matter other than having decorations in his room.

I think he mostly enjoyed being my assistant when I staffed summer and winter camps.  He liked being the "expert" for the little ones.

Go Sea Scouts!

28 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

Maybe this is what gender discrimination really looks like in the United States.

Barry

Possibly, both genders equally unhappy about having to wait for the time.  

This makes no sense at all.  All Boys and Girls have had to live with the time restrictions between rank.  Wouldn't it be gender discrimination to waive that?

It feels like she is being treated the same as all the boys in the program.

Regarding medicines, many troops like the one I was in had a code of conduct that the scout signed that stated that meds were controlled on campouts through a designated camp medic parent.  Also stated phones not allowed on the campouts.  They sign and agree to it.  Very few 11 year olds do a good job on  their medicine.  Also, many camps require all medicine to go through the camp medic (even over the counter meds in states like Colorado).

Is it within the SM's ability to go through the bags?   yes.  He/she is responsible for keeping the scouts safe and ensuring they are following the troops code of conduct.  

Was he right to go through the bags?  maybe?   Safety is the top priority and honestly all the facts aren't out here for any of us including you to make the call on that .

Should he have done it differently?  Probably.  He could have easily waited until the scouts returned to base camp and had each scout present his gear for inspection to the troop leaders and been there while that happenned.

Is this a permanent stain for the SM?  NO!   The scouts will not focus on it and worry about it as long as the parents let it go.  Cut the SM some slack, he gives a ton of his personal time to all the boys, gives up his vacation to go to camp, and works with the scouts year round without fail.  

Can parents exasperate the problem?   YES!  I have had to deal with parents on issue where they poisoned the youth about the leaders and troop.   Even secretly breaking the code of conduct rules.  The other boys notice and came to me frustrated about why the other people get to do things differently or break the rules.   Discussions with parents normally work but we have had to restrict a couple parents from meetings/campouts where they could manage to operate within the guidelines.   It is a last resort and usually they move to a different troop and repeat the process until they quit.   It saddens me but that is what it comes down to.

I have found that Wednesday is the hump day.  Tuesday is the worst for them.  Once they realize they get to go home soon their anxiety clears.

Having an older scout or even a scout leader regularly talk with him will help.   They look up to the older scouts and having them talk with them and tell them it will be ok helps a lot.  Adults carry much less influence.

31 minutes ago, eagle90 said:

Did you go through a private outfitter or through the scout base there?

Neither, We connected through a Sea Scout ship that loaned us canoes on a trailer.  We dropped our scouts and canoes at the start, drove to the end destination and lined up a ride with an outfitter to get us to the start location.  We worked with the local Ship ahead of time on the basic logistics and route.

We put in at Pruitt Landing and ended at Buffalo Point.   You can camp on the gravel bars along the river so we paddled about 15 miles per day.  Dry bags worked very well, the kids made poor decisions on food and not fully water proofing the food.  

We survived those decisions.

3 hours ago, mrkstvns said:

Sounds like a great time!  I wish my son's troop would do more of these "roll your own" type of adventure trips.  

How many days did it take you to paddle those 72 miles?

It was great.  lots of problem solving, horrible food and all.  

We were on the river for 5 days.

Just got back from a 72 mile canoe trip on the Buffalo River in Arkansas with our Sea Scouts.  It was quite the experience.  It was a long drive there and a long time paddling but it was quite the experience.  We even got buzzed by a Bald Eagle.

Best part was my son's Instagram post:  "We all had a great time except for some near death experiences but it was totally worth it!😅😎"

My son visited the scout museum but as most scouts that are at Life rank, has very little interest in getting another merit badge

RIP, my condolences to the victims, friends, and family.

We depart on a 74 mile canoe trip in Arkansas in 10 days, I am sure we will get a phone call or two.  We have been watching the water levels and talking to people that are local about the route.  We are on a very low flow part of a river but it stresses the importance again and a reminder of what we have already practiced.

4 hours ago, mrkstvns said:

Yes, that's what makes the most sense....but I've seen many scouts who show up for ILST when they become Patrol Leader for the first time, then always manage to have "conflicts" when subsequent ILST is conducted....despite their having accepted new positions of responsibility. Every ILST will be a little different because you have different boys involved in the activities, you'll hear different observations during the reflection moments, etc., etc.  Aside from any nitpicking about whether they should remove the trained strip, a youth can definitely grow his leadership skills by continuously revisiting topics and looking at things from a new perspective.

But dear lord after 3x through ILST, they are so sick of it.  we have had scouts refuse to take leadership roles because they didn't want to take ILST again.  once that is removed, many of them are the best leaders we have ever had.  Having them sit through classes like this over and over again is a great way to push kids out of scouting.  They want to scout and have fun and they will lead.  They go to school for a significant amount of time and they want scouting to be different from school.

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

If you were around for the "Improved Scouting Program" from 73 - 79 there was NO camping required.  (it was an option, but not required) You could get Eagle and NO camping, outdoor cooking, or swimming.  The only time you may have had to go outside was for Environmental Science.

Dark days I tell you....dark days

Wow

That is a bummer, they reduced camping and demonstrating knife safety requirements.  

2 hours ago, HelpfulTracks said:

A woggle is a woggle? I disagree, in fact the Wood Badge Woggle, Beads and Necker are one of the very few things that are recognized world wide. It is worn to symbolize completion of something. Just as 3 beads are for staff and 4 for course directors symbolizes a position held. 

With your logic a NESA slide is just a slide (not an indicator of being an Eagle and supporting NESA). Same for SPL patch, Commissioner arrowhead, Jamboree necker, Ranger Award medal, AOL knot, Founders dangle, Lodge flap, Silver Beaver award, and so on. Scouting restrict certain items for wear because they are earned or because they are honors. The WB Woggle is one of those items. 

I am sorry you have had such a bad experience with Wood Badgers, most I know give back far far more than the average Scouter, certainly more than an hour a week. But there are some bad apples out there. Just as there are in any group. I have certainly met Eagles that have disappointed, Arrowmen that lack in the area of Cheerful Service. In fact if I were to stop wearing certain items, as you have with the WB Necker, because of the actions of a few that also wore it, then I would not even wear the BSA uniform. 

We can choose to disassociate ourselves from a program because there are those that do not demonstrate the best qualities or we can choose to double down, wear the necker with pride and try to be the very best example of what that program represents. I choose the latter.

Woggles have been used in scouting outside of Wood Badge for long time.   Maybe the leather woggle has been adopted as a symbol of Wood Badge.  Scouts make them from paracord all the time.   

Those other items all have a very specific meaning and even writing that specifically says what they are.  

Some Wood Badgers are awesome, I just don't think the course changed them into better scouters.  I think those that do would have done it without the course.  Those that did it specifically for the regalia, will continue to only do in self interest.    Just my opinion.  and we are way off topic.

I appreciate your service to the youth and all the others on the forum as well.

16 hours ago, scoutldr said:

When my financial advisor found out I was a Scouter, he strongly suggested an Umbrella Liability Policy.  State Farm wrote one which I have bundled with all my other insurance.  Costs a coupla hundred bucks a year.  I don't trust the BSA or anyone else to cover my backside.

Yeah, I have one of those as well.