MikeS72

I was a 20 year old ASM when that program began, and a 26 year old SM when it was abandoned. While the IPS did not require camping, cooking, swimming, etc., we did not change the way we conducted our outdoor program. We continued to camp, hike, backpack, just as we had always done. I cannot remember any of my scouts saying that they were no longer going to participate in those activities just because the book no longer required them. I am sure that there were a lot of troops that were adversely affected, or we would never have seen things brought back, but I am also sure that there were a lot of troops that continued to operate just the way they always had, just a few less things to sign off on the old tri-fold rank advancement cards.

Just make sure that none of your new scouts are named Boris or Natasha (or have a thing for 'squirrel and moose'!

Forgot to quote this, which would have put it in the context that this excerpt is what should be "normal", that the SM or ASM's should never sit on a board of review.

From the Guide to Advancement: 8.0.0.3 Composition of the Board of Review A board of review must consist of no fewer than three members and no more than six, all of whom must be at least 21 years of age. For further specifications, see “Particulars for Tenderfoot Through Life Ranks,” 8.0.2.0, and “Particulars for the Eagle Scout Rank,” 8.0.3.0. Unit leaders and assistants shall not serve on a board of review for a Scout in their own unit. Parents, guardians, or relatives shall not serve on a board for their child. The candidate or the candidate’s parent(s) or guardian(s), or relative(s) shall have no part in selecting any board of review members.

Those of us who have coached or officiated girls know this to be fact. The only time I had to issue a red card in a soccer match was to a girl on a U18 premier team. Whistle was blown for a foul before she even hit the ground, yet she jumped up and kicked the other player square in the chest. (as an aside, after the match the girls on her team thanked me for sending her off, as this seemed to be typical behavior for her)

I went from being a 17 year old JASM to an 18 year old ASM in 1971. At that time I was old enough to be drafted and go to Vietnam. I was old enough to vote in my first presidential election the following year. I was old enough to be invited to attend Woodbadge, when the age dropped from 21 to 18 the following year I was old enough at 20 to be invited to serve on Woodbadge staff. At 20 you are old enough to vote, to serve in the military, to do anything any other adult in the country can do (other than be president, but who wants that), but as of last year you do not count as part of 2 deep until you are 21. We have had 18 - 20 year old ASM's as long as I can remember, and they were no different than any other leader. To me, and most of the scouters I know, there is no realistic or logical reason for that to have changed.

Don't take it personally when at some point your SM tells you that you do not count toward two deep leadership. (One of the most pointless changes made in recent memory)

True. When I am teaching, I demo the 30:2 first, but then tell them that if for any reason they cannot do the breaths, go with compression only. Sometimes that is due to facial injuries, but other times it is due to looking at the victim and saying 'no way is my mouth going down there'.

Good to know. In addition to teaching First Aid/CPR/AED and Wilderness & Remote First Aid with BSA, I coordinate and teach classes as part of my job with the school system. Every class, when we get to the CPR portion, someone brings up 'I thought we weren't supposed to do breathing any more'. I will be sure to let them know now, that AHA is the same as Red Cross in preferring the 30:2 process, but in also recognizing that there are times when compression only is the only option.

As a long time Red Cross instructor, I would consider our program to be the 'gold standard'. I have also sat in on ECSI WRFA class, and the material in the Red Cross course is, I think, better suited to what we might encounter within BSA high adventure programs. A lot has to do with the instructor as well. I have seen Red Cross instructors who make me shudder, and ECSI instructors who are very good.

As a Red Cross instructor, I can tell you that American Heart Association does have differences with their CPR classes. For a number of years now, they have emphasized compression only CPR, while Red Cross still teaches the breathing/compression combo model. There is a short segment during Red Cross training showing compression only method, but the 30/2 compression to breaths is still the preferred method. As for ESRI, I am not sure who that is, here in Central Florida we either use Red Cross or ECSI, who are the primary providers authorized by BSA to offer WRFA courses. BSA will also accept a provider who is certified by the American Camp Association. The ACA does not show ESRI as an accredited provider.

Have a couple, one of my favorites. When skill awards first came out, I thought they made my scouts look like cubs. That and the belt they were designed to go on was tough enough to get through those skinny little loops on the old uniform pants. Agreed Still have mine, with nary a scratch on it! I still have, and occasionally wear the 60's version of the garrison cap. I have noticed a fair number of younger scouts wearing them district or council events recently. Every patrol had the official chef kit Bought one of those and almost immediately discarded it in favor of the military version that had the L shape and colored filters.

Love it! Maybe I can do the same with a six pack of Lombardi Trophies!

Don't see it much anymore, but it was a regular part of our meetings back in the day (way back, as in 1964 +) Now, it does seem there are few who are fully and correctly uniformed. I make sure that my own scout & I are fully and correctly uniformed at all times, as for the rest of the troop, I will point out something that needs correction (patches on the wrong sleeve, etc), but have reached the stage of life where I am more concerned with the scout inside the uniform, rather than the uniform itself.

I thought I responded earlier, internet demons must have eaten my reply. Once you have filled out an adult application with your new troop (and it gets turned in to the new council) you will likely get a new BSA ID number. While it makes little sense, those numbers are issued by the local council, not national. Once you get that new ID (any member of your troop key 3 can access the troop roster via my.scouting) the registrar in your new council can merge the accounts. This will allow all of your past training to show. As for adding the IOLS from another council, that is not something that you can do yourself. The first person to contact to take care of that would be the district training chair. I would think it would be a simple as showing your training card, and they can input it (once you have your new ID number - you want to be sure it is credited correctly). As an ADC I can input training for any scouter except myself.