Eagle94-A1

Sad thing is, you got folks who will look at part of the document, without reading the entire thing. And it is confusing. We did orienteering courses at day camp, and the cubs loved it. When we did geocaching with the Webelos in December, we also threw in "old school geocaching:" orienteering. Again the Webelos loved. it. Maybe I should call the orienteering course a 'map and compass" course?

In regards to Knights and Cubs, I guess we could go all the way back to our Founder, who in 1907 Was only LtGen SIR (emphasis Robert Stephen Smyth Baden Powell, CB (Companion in the Most Honorable Order of the Bath). By the time Cub Scouts was first established in 1916, BP was promoted to a KCB ( Knight Commander in the Most Honorable Order of the Bath), and had the KCVO (Knight Commander in the Royal Victorian Order) and was a KStJ ( Knight of Justice in the Most Veneralable Order of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem) So our founder was a k

So, I'm reviewing stuff, and on this site http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss03.aspxit says that 12 years olds can do Outpost Camping. 1) Why separate Boy Scouts into 11 and 12 year olds? 1a) What about the 10 year old Boy Scouts? 2) What the heck is "Outpost Camping" On this site, http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34416_Insert_Web.pdf, it states that Bears can cook in the outdoors, but they can't build a fire or used fueled devices like stoves. So.. 3) How they heck are they suppose to cook? And if survival training is part of CASTAWAY...

We have a Second Class in our troop who after 3 years in the troop, FINALLY got Tenderfoot and Second Class. He only got interested in advancement due to Philmont. He just wants to camp. Funny thing is, he probably has enough MBs and time in PORs to be at least Star, and possibly Life IF he would just done the SM Conference over the years.

Goose, There is a very heavy push with LDS units, at least with the ones I've seen. Also a lot more adult oriented, i.e. the adults run things instead of the youth. part of it is the way the program is run. 11 years olds meet separately from the rest of the troop, are limited to the number of camp outs they can do, and have an assigned adult leader working with them. Some sat it's Webelos III, and I think the LDS units are the model for NSPs. Also because Scouting is THE official LDS youth program, positions in the troop correspond to positions in the church, so members of the PLC are

A few comments. 1) As mentioned, BSA doesn't have a ban on sheath knives, let alone swords. In fact the Bryan on Scouting Blog used a sword as an April Fools joke a few years back. 2) Some councils do impose a 'no sheath knife rule." Sometimes its due to legal jurisdictions banning such knives, sometimes for other reasons. 3) Legal jurisdictions vary, and some do ban certain types of knives, and swords. 4) I want a copy of the ceremony! Just can't use any of the swords I have access to. All are sharpened, except Narsil, and it's broken into a bunch a shards. I'm hoping to get it fixed

I believe there were only 25 Sea Scout Quartermasters last year. Having been a Sea Scout (only got to Ordinary), I can tell you that Eagle Scout is a heck of alot easier than Quartermaster.

A few comments on the Finns. 1) I may have gotten the ages wrong. It's been 21 years. But essentially the Cub and Older Scout programs are coed. 2) Reason why they separate for Scout age youth is two fold: a) is to keep the traditional Scout and Guide titles and rank structure b) all boys and all girl units do better than coed at that age. Unless things have changed, the Finnish association's emblem is a Cross with the FDL and Trefoil emblems at the points. Stosh, 18 months of kayaking! OUTSTANDING! As for social dynamics, there is some of that. I know I was talking to mi

Need to add to my post about female leaders being detrimental to Boy Scout troops. Thinking about it, those leaders involved with Boy Scout troops usually had involvement with Girl Scouts as a youth. While I don't know much about Girl Scouts, I do know they focus a lot on badges. And those units with heavy female involvement tend to focus more on badges, and less on outing. Sad when 4 weekend campout and summer camp is all that is required for a troop be qualify for Bronze JTE.

The Finns I worked with described their organization as such: Cub Scout ( 7-11?) = coed Boy Scouts= All Male (12- 15?) Girl Guides or Scout (can't remember)= All Female Rovers(?) (15+?) = coed I know the SA's pre-2007 policy was popular when I was over there. I ran into an all male Scout troop, and a friend started an all female Scout troop since the Guide troop wasn't meeting her and others expectations. I don't think BSA will ever mandate all units going coed anytime soon. Some COs will not go for it.

'Skip, Unless things have changed in the UK since I was there in '95, the Girl Guides had a MUCH (emphasis) more active outdoor program than the Girl Scouts on this side of the pond. I would say the Girl Guides had an active outdoor program like our old Cub Scout program. Thankfully our Cub Scout program has been revamped to have more outdoor activities. If only we can get the old fogeys who believe "Cubs don't need to camp" out of positions on council camping committees. On this side of the pond, unless you get a leader who likes the outdoors, the Girl Scouts rarely go camping. They mos

One summer, we had two Navy corpsmen on TDY to summer camp as medical staff. One day they took the HMMWV to the back side of camp for a little "fun." Not only did they tear up large tracks of land, they also flipped over the HMMWV. I didn't think you could flip a HMMWV over.

I too lament the lack of interest in the OA. Back in the day, it was indeed an honor to get in, heck to even be eligible. I was excited to be on the ballot, and couldn't wait to get in. While my excitement died down since when I got in, the OA chapter didn't do anything, years later, I did get very involved with the OA. So some of it has to do with how active the chapter and/or lodge is. But talking to my son prior to and after my troop's OA election in December, one in which he was on the ballot, he could care less if he got in or not.

a few thoughts. 1) I too emphasized the patrol method when I do SM Specific. IMHO, the patrol method is the foundation of Scouting along with the outdoors. No patrol= No Scouting. 2) The current BSA Table of Organization for a troop, has only been around since 1989, about 27 years. Prior to that it was mixed aged patrols with some type of Older Scout patrol, some time in the 1920s to 1989, or approximately 69 years. And prior to that, it was pure mixed aged patrols. While some have had success with NSPs, I and others have not. So I have no problem with troops that continue using mixe

Update on the weekend. 6 Scouts and 2 leaders came. They didn't run any events, but at least they camped and did some stuff in the campsite with the Webelos. Baby steps. Current CM and CO's SM go way back, and I mean WWWWWAAAAAAAYYYYYY back. CM worked with SM before the birth the of SM's son, and CM was there for the SM's son's birth. And vice versa. SM actually recruited the CM when CM's son was a Tiger. So after the troop left today, CM and I had a chat. Apparenlty the SM feels betrayed by the pack, hence the lack of involvement. SM feels that I am to blame for my oldest son and 3 of his

With the troop I'm in, the direct contact leaders don't care where the folks go, as long as they remain in Scouting. We've had folks visit from other units, we've had folks transferring from out of council visit us, and of course the feeder pack's Cubs. We want people to be in a troop that they are comfortable with. I admit we are not the best troop around, but we are not the worst either. We are a young troop that is slowly growing its own youth leaders. I think maybe part of the "turf war" is that the CO's troop is losing Scouts. I knew Scouts were leaving the troop due to the change in

I admit, I hate doing YPT. After doing it for registration multiple times, doing it again multiple times to work the various camps, even if YPT was current, because we needed to get the camp version, with extra stuff, even if I taught the camp version with the extra stuff and did it as training chair, I need to keep on doing it. I wish in my case, it was only once every 2 years.

At one time, we had a shared committee. The old SM also doubled as WDL. Troop invited Webelos to camp. Grant you the committee focused more on the troop than the pack, but over time the pack developed it's own committee. Long story short the change in SMs changed a lot of things. Sad thing is this: SM wasa DL and CM of the pack. ASMs were DLs, and several of the commtitee members were ADLs, DLs and one was a CM. Troop I'm with and their pack have a good relationship. Joint committee, although they do not do much, they still do something. Former CM is an ASM and haas an incoming Tiger.

Yes twice with the same troop. About 3 years ago, we had a troop offer den chiefs for our pack. CO's SM gets very upset when he finds out and made a comment about the other troop trying to steal their Cubs, and that he will give us DCs. Long story short, the DCs lasted less than 3 months, were hit and miss on attendance, and when they were there, were more of a problem. One DL sent his DC home in the middle of the meeting! Once the Webelos crossed over, they quit coming. Back in July my troop was doing a water weekend at a lake, so the Webelos could work on Aquanaut or whatever it's

The BORs I've sat on with this troop have been for Tenderfoot and Second Class, usually at the same time. I couldn't sit in on Oldest's First Class BOR, so I don't know if it changes for the second and succeeding BORs. I'll ask.

Yes. Venturers and Venturing Leaders need both the standard YPT that Cub and Boy Scout leaders take, as well as the Venturing YPT. And the Venturers over 18 needing adult app and YPT started a few years back with the original membership standards change.( 2013 or 2014).

Good advice all. One thing my troop does, and I kinda like, is use a meeting room with a sofa in it. That seems to settle down the Scouts and keep them from getting nervous. Just remind them not to lay down on the sofa like they are watching a movie

Good question. I'd try talking to the Cub leaders first. Have a sit down, around the fire, or dinner table discussion. If that doesn't work, and IF you have an active CO, go to the COR or IH. and Krampus offers a great idea. I'd also look at some history and try to find out why others are going elsewhere. At the moment, the troop I am with is losing 50-75% of the Cubs crossing over from the feeder pack. We are making up by getting new Scouts from my pack and another pack and troop that folded. SO the SM and ASMs are not too concerned at the moment. And we know why: a pack folded just a

Unfortunately the CO has no involvement with the units other than a place to meet and store gear. In fact I heard one of the CO's members refer to the Scouts as a "outside group." Shows when the CO at the last minute forced the troop to cancel an Eagle Court of Honor that had been scheduled for several months because "their" youth group needed the space. Thankfully the OA stepped in and was able to secure their meeting space for the Eagle Scout's COH. And it's not from lack of trying on the Pack's part. They have been invited to Blue and Golds, camp outs, Cross Overs, etc. And this year the pa

That is what we had and didn't work