Eagle94-A1

BSA use to sell skorts for female Scouters. They were not popular at all, and hated counting them when doing end of year inventories. So glad when they got rid of them. Only lady I saw who wanted a skirt or dress was my wife. And that was only because she HATES the tan and green uniform, and didn't like the old Yellow and Blue one. When she saw the 1950s/60 Den Mother's dress, she fell in love. Otherwise she wants her Venturing green and grey.

The problem is that National said they would release info in 2018, and I know I and other locally expected the info at RTSs like they did the new CS program. But then National allows council to start allowing girls January 15th if they want to AND packs meet criteria. Council next to us is an early adopter, and I know of at least one girl who is not fully outfitted with her uniform. This announcement and the criteria came out in apparently an invitation only email to a webinar on the topic, and that was just before Christmas. Not only is there a lack of confusion on those of us in the field who are hearing all kinds of different things ( I was told June 1st, what you mean January 15th?), but it seems as if national has no clue as to what it is doing. I don't know why I am shocked by this. I knew national would screw up the roll out. I didn't think it would be this bad.

I have found the Scouts know who is better to do the job than us old fogeys. My son was 10 when he was a PL. Ok it was a New Scout Patrol with other 10 and 11 year olds with an older Scout as Guide, but he was in charge, and in all honesty the Guide didn't do much. At the end of his term of office, he was nominated for, and elected by the troop. Senior Patrol Leader. He was 11 years, 2 months old when elected. You trained your Scouts. You need to trust your Scouts. NOW LET THEM LEAD! to paraphrase Green Bar Bill.

I would love for BSA to publish the actual stats of those members and volunteers lucky enough to take the survey, and not just the info from non-member surveys. If anyone could point me towards the actual member results I'd appreciate it. I keep finding the non-member results. And as someone else stated, BSA has a history of ignoring those of us in the field. After all, 94% of those surveyed thought BSA needed to keep the 3 months for Eagle Palms, and they ignored the near unanimous result, and decided on 'Insta Palms"

Sadly, I've seen so many units do their own thing and ignore BSA policies, that I can believe a unit doing anything. Heck my own troop said they will ignore BSA upcoming policy on separate girls troops, and fully integrate girls with their own patrol. They would be a girls only paper troop. In fact one of the reasons we are now accepting girls is because of rogue units IMHO. SWMBO jokingly said once that she will cremate me and put my ashes in knee socks. I said "YES and bury me at these three camp...." I got 2 pairs in the safety deposit box. Currently 2 camps are within 2 hours drive, and she knows exactly where to bury me. 3rd camp is a wee bit aways,and I hope she remembers where I want to go.

50+ years Scouting veteran, with 40+ years in the troop, with 20 of those as SM. He was buried in uniform, and anyone connected with the troop or district was there in uniform.

Silver Beaver, and other awards, can be worn as "formal wear" at such occasions as Blue and Golds Banquets, Courts of Honor, District and Council Awards Banquets, etc. Sadly, saw them worn at a funeral recently.

I can help. Flag was something that you had to purchase separately. Cubs wore it above the pocket like that. Boy Scouts wore it on the sleeve. There were only two slides: Cub Scout and Webelos. Wolves and Bears wore one that looked very similar to today's Wolf slide, except the background was blue and not red. Distinctive slides came in some time in the 1990s, early 2000s.

Must be 21 years of age or older to be Den Leader. A female 13 and completed 8th grade, but not yet 21 can be a Venturer and a Den Chief.

Actually I'm talking about the Dark Horse Comics and Old Republic books. Yes I know the Rat turned the EU into 'Legends," but Lucasfilm had an entire department whose sole purpose was to make sure EVERYTHING, except for stuff done before they existed i.e. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, fit into all the other novels, comics, and videogames. So stuff that Zahn wrote was connected to Anderson's work. Heck the two even collaborated for a short story. Jedi marriage was in the media written before TPM came out and the celibacy thing came about. Prior to the Rat's take over, only Lucas could get away with ignoring the EU. And he did so with the prequels.

What really ticked me off about the Jedi celibacy thing is that Lucasfilm approved all kinds of Expanded Universe materials that had married Jedi and their children. Heck even Luke Skywalker marries Mara Jade, and they have Ben Skywalker.

That's true. After all, "Arrow Of Light Scouts" use the Webelos Handbook, TriColors, Neckercheif and Hat, etc. And of course will will soon have Girl "Boy Scouts"

I think PINEWOOD Derby Car would make it obvious.

Obviously the author has no idea about the Boy Scouts of America, nor it's history. Boy Scouts served as Den Chiefs, running the dens initially. Then Den Mothers, now Den Leaders took over.

I wear a vintage BA22 patch that I got off ebay. Long story short, I was the last BA22 class my council did, and while they had enough BA22 strips for the uniform, the patch showing completion was discontinued. So the council issued Canadian B-P portrait patches instead. I don't know who earned it, but I know the challenges they wen through to get it.

Ditto on Chess. That is what got my oldest involved with the troop. Other games include Skipbo, Spoons, "Boy Scout," and Dungeons and Dragons. Our D&D game took a LONG time with 19 players, most of whom never played before. But growing up, we played D&D with that many, and it was a little faster.

I wish Sir Ian Fleming would have had a say. I bet he would have picked his buddy from his Naval Intelligence days, Jon Pertwee, aka the Third Doctor, aka "the Dandy," to play Bond. THAT would have been real interesting. At least SOE veteran Christopher Lee got a part in one of the films. I wonder if Pertwee would have given technical advice if he was Bond like Lee did for LotR?

Actually there use to be books on the topic. William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt wrote the 3rd ed. Scoutmaster Handbook, vols 1 & 2. I have his abridged 5th edition which I've been rereading. Wish I would not have lent out my 3rd edition as I never got it back. I'ld also recommend his Patrol Leader's handbook too. There are other books out there too. I'm told Roland Phillips wrote an excellent manual on the patrol methods in the 1910s or 20s that GBB based his work on. And of course BP's writings. But you are correct in that there is no one, simple answer. And that is because we are dealing with people. Everyone is different. Each one has their own views and biases. And that is part of the problem. Until everyone is on the same page, and that can take years, you will have problems.

"Patience, a Jedi must have patience." Very true. Again must think long term and for the entire troop. and not just your sons. All of us wants what is best for OUR kids. But as a Scouter, you must think long term. I know my oldest son has not had the same experience as I had in Scouting. In a lot of aspects, I had it better in that I was in a Scout run troop. I was not dealing with adults interfering, nor having to worry about Scouts not meeting expectations and doing what they were suppose to do. We had our challenges, but they were able to be overcome since it was mostly Scout based, and very rarely adult based. In other aspects his experience is better than mine. He has learned to deal with difficult situations, especially dealing with 'superiors." I have talked to him over the years about the challenges in the troop. He does not like them, and he wants to work to change the troop. We've talked about transferring and starting a new troop. He wants to fix the one he is in. The last 6 months as SPL has exhausted him, because he has dealt with all the problems I've mentioned. Sadly, BSA's current training is worse than a blister on a Scout's foot IMHO. SM Specific is online, how can you get the Patrol experience by yourself on a computer? You can't! Can you ask questions and get advice via an online training module? No! As for ITOLS, you cannot get the Patrol experience in just a weekend. Yes you can mimic it, but you cannot get the experience. Heck even in the old course I took way back when, you could not get a true patrol experience. But at least it was better. You were a patrol for an entire month instead of just a weekend. The key is MENTORING! The new SM will need a lot of it, especially with no experience. "Everything you just said in that...is wrong." Seriously you are now going beyond what a MC does. Regarding Patrol funds, best thing to do is talk to your sons about it. Get them to buy into it, and get them to work it through their patrols. The annual plan should have been made back in August or September, unless the troop is like mine and does it on a calendar year, not program, aka school year. If the plan is made, YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN CHANGING IT! As for the APC, yes the Scouts should be running it and planning it. As for time, I've been involved in some that has taken that long! part of that was working through 15+ different school calendars. Part of it was a cookout was involved. That and swimming were the incentives to get the plan over and done with in one session instead of multiple like it took one year. Very much so, a big chunk. And again as a committee member, you do not have the duty to go after these changes. That is for the SM to do. MCs job is support the troop, not run it. Thatis the Scouts' jobs. On another note, one thing you can do is talk about how Scouting is suppose to be done with your sons and their friends. When I talked to Scouts, it gives them hope and they have pushed for some of the improvements. Good luck.

Ok, I'll probably see IX too since I like to brag that I've seen ANH opening weekend, and the rest opening day. Still wish I saw TPM at my secure undisclosed location instead of back home, despite the daiquiris (which made the movie better ). David Prowse, aka Darth Vader, was at the theater that nite! HMMM maybe I could convince the theater to get a liquor license before IX comes out?

I met one "Eagle" who received it on appeal. The EBOR did not grant him Eagle because they found that the unit leaders, who also happened to be his parents and grandfather, pencil-whipped his Eagle. Long story short, he appealed to National and received it because 'you do not punish the Scout for the errrors of the adults involved" or words to that effect. District advancement committee resigned in protest.

Because you have been a Boy Scouter for so little time, 'Be Prepared" to meet resistance and being told you are wanting to do it wrong. I know one of our Scouters grew up in an age based patrol troop. He kept telling me that mixed aged patrols are wrong and NSPs are the only way to do things. I had to remind him that for the first 79 years of BSA's existence, mixed aged patrols were the norm. Only time you found NSPs prior to 1989 was with LDS units, and those units asked to experiment with them. One thing that helped us was giving the AT treks. While only for First Class or higher Scouts who did the prep trip, or the first AT trek, it gave the Scouts confidence in their abilities to take charge. It also showed one PM doubter, the one who told me he wished the Scouts would fail at camporee so they they know the need to listen to adults, what scouts are truly capable of when you "Train 'em. Trust 'em. LET THEM LEAD!" Another thing that will help is having a SM and CC who are 100% behind the PM, and will run interference with Helicopters. saw that work with the troop growing up. Sadly my current troop has had adult issues since oldest joined.

One thing I was reminded about. I remember as a Sea Scout, the galley had an alcohol stove. And I'm told alcohol stoves are still in use on ships still.

One reason why I liked the Expanded Universe books, it didn't put you to sleep. Spent many a night up till 3AM or later reading them. There was one article that critiqued the movie, wish I had it. But the last sentence said it best, and I will paraphrase Just as Disney removed the Expanded Universe from canon, many fans will be removing the sequels from canon.

Lots of questions for me. Don't like the plot holes. Loved the cameo by my favorite Jedi Master. Was surprised they kept hat a secret. And I love how they went old school and used a puppet instead of CGI. As for the gender politics, I go to the movies to escape that kind of stuff. Get enough of it at work. Yes I know, it's a lost cause. Personally, I am more of a fan of the Expanded Universe, what the Rat calls Legends now. Some stories were AWESOME. Some OK, some ridiculous. Glad Disney got Timothy Zahn and his Grand Admiral Thrawn back into the SWU. But that's probably to make more $ since Thrawn is awesome I'm just glad the Star Wars Christmas Special, Ewoks cartoon, Droids cartoon, and the Battle for Endor made for TV movie are still canon according to the Rat.