MikeS72

Scouters do not (should not) wear patrol patches, just as they do not (should not) wear rank patches. Those items are reserved for use by youth members. My guess is that some of the Scouters you have seen with patrol patches are still wearing patrol patches from Wood Badge. Technically those should come off after the course has ended, many Wood Badgers wear them all of the time. It is pretty easy to tell if that is what the patch is from, as it will be one of the standard WB 'critter' patches. That is different than the folks who wear 'spoof' patches, which IMHO should never be

Basically, if you cannot find a reference to it in the Guide to Awards and Insignia, probably should not be worn with the uniform. When it comes to uniforming, Scouts tend to do as they see; if all of the Scouters in a unit are properly uniformed, the Scouts will likely be properly uniformed. By the same token, if all of the Scouters wear only the shirt, and have insignia in the wrong places, the Scouts will follow suit.

Dad Joke 😁

I have done the first verse many times, second a few; don't think I have ever done 3 or 4.

From the WRFA section on scouting.org: Wilderness first aid, or “WFA”, is a generic term that commonly refers to any training course that focuses on prevention, assessment, and treatment for an ill or injured person in a remote environment where definitive care by a physician and/or rapid transport is not readily available. This is defined as being an hour or more away from advanced care. WFA courses are intended for anyone planning a remote high adventure, from lay responders to medical professionals. As a WRFA instructor, this definition is part of the opening segment of the 16

Not a complete replacement of Cyber Chip, but an alternative that can be done in place of Cyber Chip. If it is used in place of Cyber Chip, it cannot count as one of the elective adventures for rank advancement.

Ah, but was he faster, or just better at tripping someone than his buddy was??😁

I carry a Pocket Rocket 2 kit, that comes with the burner itself, a 3/4 liter anodized al pot, measuring cup, and pot lifter. I added a stabilizing base for the canister. Not only does it boil water really fast, but is designed to hold a 4 oz. fuel canister along with the stove, lifter and an igniter. A little more expensive that some ot the alternatives, but being solid and reliable is more important. As you stated earlier, don't want to have to keep replacing a stove, especially one that dies in the middle of a trek.

I have multiple tents, depending on what type of camping we are doing. When camping with the pack, or something like camporee with the troop, where size and weight are not an issue, I use a Coleman Flatwoods II tent. I like it because it is more than big enough for comfort, with a 10x10 footprint and a 6" center height. It is relatively easy to set up, I can do it by myself in about 10 - 15 minutes. For the size, it is not particularly heavy, at just under 15 lbs.

Been there, done that! I raised and lower the flag at my high school, some 50 years ago. this was on a military base, with all weather flags that flew regardless of rain, snow or sleet. On one occasion, it was very cold, windy, and sleeting. I sprinted out, ran the flag up the pole, and sprinted back inside. Not long afterward, I was called up to the office, only to find the Military Police there, wanting to know why the flag was flying upside down. One of my more embarrassing moments at that school. I was also sent out the way I was, no jacket on, to correct it.

The other thing to remember when retiring flags, particularly with younger scouts, is the hazard presented by melting and dripping synthetic fabrics.

There is a nice article in the Bryan on Scouting blog about this subject. https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2014/09/08/retiring-worn-out-american-flags/ There is also a link to a script very similar to one we used a few years ago at Cub Day Camp. http://usscouts.org/ceremony/flagret1.asp

Correct! Both of these young ladies are part of a Venture Crew, and were already very active in the council, both with their crew and at the council camp.

Tipisa 326 inducted its first female youth members back during the first weekend in February (with the CSE in attendance). This past weekend two of those new members were elected as the first female officers in the lodge.

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 wer

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

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

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

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 B

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