DuctTape

I recall as a scout our patrol was packing up all our gear to head out for a camping trip. the food was all bought and was sitting next to the tents, cooksets, etc... when we got to camp, we setup our tents (in the dark) and started a small fire to make cocoa and eat hot dogs. The cocoa and dogs were nowhere to be found. We ate some gorp which we all packed anyway. the next AM, the breakfast foods were also missing, as was lunch, dinner, etc... We ate our gorp. when we got back home, the bags of food were sitting right where we left them in the church basement. Years later, my SM told me one o

Neither. Enjoy the darkness which is the outdoors, or the campfire (if allowed). If a temporary light is needed, the smallest should be used such as a flashlight or headlamp. We go to the outdoors to enjoy and experience what it has to offer, the more we invade it with indoor things, the less we get to experience it.

I agree with this. My issue was and continues to be BSA's need to focus on "duty to God" and "Reverent" as though these are more important than the other parts of the oath and law. We do not have a "Declaration of Physical Fitness" for example whereby we declare ourselves to be promoters of fitness and kick out those who do not live by or share this virtue. If we focus scouting on the Outings and let boys be boys and learn to do things for themselves, both BSA and the Boys will be better off. Sometimes the adults just need to get out of the way of Scouting and stop interrupting the boys i

I have the complete opposite opinion. Packs should not be part of the troop. The name feeder pack, is the problem, not the solution. When troops believe that the packs belong to them, their is a preconceived notion that the boys must go to that troop regardless if the troop provides a program aligned with the boys interests. In general packs are neighborhood based, kids from the same school etc... this works well for the cub program. But the BSA has troops which may be more high adventure based, or council summer camp types, or more individual patrol activities or district camporees, etc... Tr

I think the issue some have while using the term paper eagle and the like is a reference to the belief that the scouts did not indeed earn the award, but instead other non-trustworthy adults checked off the boxes instead of providing a good program to allow the scouts to actually earn the award. Of course scouts are not to blame for the failure of the adults, but this does not mean they earned the award either. I see the term used to describe the failure of adults and unfortunately the BSA itself not only allows it, but apparently perpetuates it. JoeBob is correct that the term would not

Considering that "Scout accounts" arent supposed ti exist at least as far as any money raised by fundraising going to a specific scout. Thus the $ raised by such scout who participated in a Council sale would go to the council. The scout doesnt get any of it, prizes excepted.

Science, tech and math are and have always been part of scouting, but within the framework of the scouting methods. Camping, merit badges, etc... The onset of scouting was not to replicate school, nor was it to even provide additional school opportunities. It was to provide something uniquely different from the classroom. while I support the concept of STEM, and associated groups focusing on it, I do not think think it belongs as a subset of the BSA any more than it already exists within the merit badge programs or the use of the STEM in scouting. Scouting is not school. Recently there h

Instead of putting together a resource for the troop, why not involve the scouts in its creation? Ask them if they would like it, and then let them loose coming up with recipes they already use, researching others. Testing them on campouts, etc...

Why use charcoal at all? As a kid, then a scout, adult, scouter I have made countless meals over the open fires, including foil dinners. A bag of charcoal is not necessary. The problem with the example is the real lesson learned is that of a giant troop cooking pit run by adults for the purpose of feeding boys. Missed the whole point of the patrol method. Yes, that is the lesson that was learned. Giant troop cooking pits run by adults.

Depends on the boys. As a scout, I did what Stosh suggests (although it was candy). Sold a ton!

Sure public land is always an option. However will lay out a few reasons why a council owned wilderness camp might be desirable. Often public campsites in the wilderness areas are a first come first served system, which is great. If a council was to promote the idea of the wildnerness summer camp and be successful, this would significantly increase the usage in the public areas and it would be difficult for scout patrols and private citizens to find campsites as they could be overloaded. If the council owned a large tract of "wilderness" and created designated patrol sites scattered thro

GM, et al I can appreciate the needs for some accommodations. I don't think anyone is advocating for the complete removal of all scouting situations where cars, electricity, indoor plumbing, etc... are available. I can only speak for myself, my issue is the apparent lack of any of the wilderness type opportunities for the boys. This needs not be an either/or proposition. Instead I advocate for both. Yes, I lean more towards the wilderness mountain man/boy type, and I press for it. But that is only because I see the program is so far out of balance and little/no opportunities exist for the boys

It is ironic so many council are finding the need to shut down camps due to financial reasons when the most expensive part of a camp is the infrastructure. eliminate the dining hall and the extra resort style accomodations and activity areas and make the camp a "high adventure" wilderness type area. I wonder if there is any council in the US which operates a camp as a "wilderness area" with designated campsites only accessible by foot and/or canoe. Zero amenities except a fire ring and a thunderbox at the well dispersed campsites. The only expensive infrastructure would be a "ranger cabin

A also do not think it is the panacea either. I don't think there is one. However of all the things you listed, how many of them are boy-led issues. Is the group of boys who happen to be scouts going to go decorate the headstones without the push and prompt by an adult with an agenda? If the problem is the "brand", is that the boys issue or the adults worried about the BSA from a business perspective? Publicizing the actions of boys' good turns or using them as fronts for any agenda are adult decisions for the purpose of the "organization", not for the boys in it.

The value scouting brings to the table hasn't changed. A boys sense of adventure, playing in the woods, exploring, building "forts", being with buddies, cooking hotdogs over an open fire they built, etc... The adults are getting in the way. I agree the BSA needs to market itself better. Not by trying to be something which it is not, but by going back to what it was. The BSA isn't leadership development, it is not character development, it isn't religious training, it is embracing the boys sense of adventure and letting the boys do those things boys like to do in the out of doors.

Scoutcraft and Woodcraft were the standard operating procedure for the trips. Scout skills weren't just demonstration activities to watch while camping next to the troop trailer with all the stuff from home, The scout skills which are delineated in the advancement requirements were actually used on a regular basis. Use lashings to make a useful camp gadget wasn't a one-and-done requirement. It was done on every trip because it was truly a useful gadget and the scout only needed to carry a small amount of twine/rope. Once the boys start camping away from the cars and carrying less stuff, they b

The policy is fine. It just needs to be followed. If National HQ is worried about their "brand", they would follow their own policies which mitigate loss of quality. Instead, while they promote excellence in words, actions show they care more about volume of awards and not quality. It is the Walmart philosophy of business. It is a quality vs quantity. HQ needs to ask themselves whether they want the Eagles Scout and the BSA brand to be the Walmart or Saks. I know some will say it is important to encourage as many boys as possible to participate. I agree, but advancement and awards should be b

Keep a journal for each boy. All the funny stories and memories will be useful when writing a speech to give at say his Eagle COH.

I concur with KDD. I will also add to try to not make it into a "class". Scouting isn't school.

While I can appreciate the sentiments about wanting the boys to have fun at summer camp and learn with/from their peers without the judgy adults around as well as avoid the school like classes, this is different from merit badges. The boys can and should do all of those things, however these activities are not equivalent to calling up,learning from, and being tested by an adult merit badge instructor. By all means use summer camp as a place for boys to have fun and learn from each other in a non-school setting. when they return they can call up a merit badge counselor (adult) and proceed to ac

I completely disagree. I find camps are the easiest places to get merit badges, but not one of the better places to earn them. There are exceptions of course. Counselors are not supposed to "let some requirements slide". Counselors that do this should be removed. One may not add nor subtract... If the requirement was to "perform", or "demonstrate" etc... listening to someone describe it is not the same. Not only does this mean the scout did not earn the badge, but they were denied the opportunity to explore and learn. Sorry for being so blunt, but it is these types of counselors wh

I agree with much which has been said. In my mind I sum up the patrol method as "the troop is a collection of patrols" as opposed to "the troop is broken down into patrols".

The Central Park penguins are mentioned here as are other examples: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0722_040722_gayanimal.html

IMO It is too bad the BSA (National, Council, district, CO, scouts,and scouters, etc...) don't simply accept "Faith in Action" as opposed to "Declaration of Faith". Actions vs words. All faiths have principles and tenets by which one is to live, There are similarities among many and certainly differences. There is no need to discuss them, argue about them, highlight the similarities and/or differences within the confines of the BSA program. There is no need to require individuals to make a declaration or sign a card, or do something required by another individual regarding faith. The Scout Oat

I thought of another thing I would change. Thanks AZMike for reminding me. I would add pre-requisite merit badges as some of the requirements. for example, Wilderness Survival should have Camping MB as a requirement. If done right, this is an advanced merit badge and (along with my other ideas) should not be done in a group setting at summer camp with a 16 year old signing off on it. Other MB's should also have similar pre-requisites. Also in response to the response to my earlier post, while some MBs might be able to be done in groups, the vast reality is those which are done like this a