Jameson76

Lame - 

BSA National has know impending costs for months.  They have know impending membership numbers for months.  

A Scout is Trustworthy, unless your are BSA National apparently

On 9/12/2019 at 9:14 PM, Momleader said:

3. So if your kids are pretty much done why are you still doing it?

When I was in my 20's and working on a second degree I worked with my home troop, was an Eagle Scout there, was my home church, so parents saw the connection.  Did not get any awkward questions.

My son is now a Senior in College and 4 years removed from the troop I have been working with 10+ years.  He worked at our council camp, so even those Scouts that did not know him from the troop days, met him there, etc.  We are a smaller community in a large urban area, so I have actual Scouts that live on my street.  I suspect as a few more years roll by, that connection will get more faint.  Then I'll just be the old Scout guy who hangs around.

Dad was Eagle and a long-term council Scouter, my brother is an Eagle, long-term council Scouter, so I guess I have Scout street cred.  That being said, with all the press about past issues, we need to have the elevator speech about why we still are involved at the ready.

34 minutes ago, T2Eagle said:

, nowhere does the system tell me which powers a delegate receives and which they might not be able to exercise. 

Typically Astral Imprisonment, hypnosis, memory manipulation, psychic persuasion.  If they have been to WB and have 5 beads then they are granted powers over the time pace continuum, with approval of the Council Commissioner

In all seriousness this seems like a systemic issue??  Have you looped in the council service center to assist?

They are spinning the big money wheel in Dallas to decide,  gotta make up for the 20% impending drop in revenue (LDS departure) while protecting the National Scout Professionals salaries.

Easy way is to donate to the CO (assuming the are a 501c3) FBO (for the benefit of) the troop for a period etc.  Depending on how much may be good to get a board to oversee.

We have built one for the troop (not the backpacking one) and started with the Philmont recommendations.  Then we have added many items; band aids, additional wipes, etc.  Mainly things for small injuries.  Also added more of the large band aids.  Good to keep some antiseptic cremes, ant-acids, on hand.  While some do not, we do keep ibuprofen, some benadryl, and other pain relievers in the kit.  Also there are some splints, chemical ice packs, some other more severe care items.

This is in a large kit.  We were fortunate to have a parent donate an AED, that is kept in the kit.  The top of the one we have has a smaller section that opens and we keep small wound care items there.  Due to the AED (concerned about the heat and the battery) we keep the kit at a leaders house, bring it to meetings and then outings.

For backpacking we carry the standard PSR load out.

On 9/7/2019 at 2:53 PM, Scoutmom1989 said:

What kool aid

As others have noted,  reminder that while WB does pass along some management techniques, it is not the end all be all of the BSA nor does it make anyone who completes their ticket an expert at running a unit.  The training is more management and less specific to actually running a unit.  The nuts and bolts come from position specific training.

The kool aid comment is the reminder to take the course for what it is, and recognize it for what it is not.

For actual training on how to run a unit I would suggest position specific training, also reviewing some of the older (for now Scouts BSA) SM handbooks, and some of the older Fieldbooks that show woodcraft and outdoor items.  Remember that successful units have fun.  There is the mission of the Boy Scout - The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.  It is hard to prepare young people for all of that if you do not in fact have young people in your unit.  Main effort should be to have an engaging program as the first priority, then the mission etc comes as a by product.

Local council is gonna want it's cut....

Remember that drinking the kool-aid is a choice

As an interest point, what (if any other than an interested parent) is your role with the troop?

Though it does not always tend to work this way, The Scoutmaster is selected and recruited by the troop committee and approved by the chartered organization representative.  If there is an issue (perceived or real) that is the place to begin.  Challenge is many times the committee and COR are not directly involved in the troop operations.  But that is a place to start with your concerns.

I would not recommend the talking to other parents, generating some groundswell of support for your positions, sort of going the back door route.  If you have concerns, speak with the committee and be open about them.

5 hours ago, TMSM said:

Didn't know dodgeball was prohibited. I'll add this to my list of things we thumb our nose at.

As will we, and post photos of us doing so.  We clearly state that Scouts are not to target the other scouts, they are to aim for the area beside the scout and if said scout elects to move into that area, then so be it.

There's always British Bulldogs.....

Well...I guess that's one way to raise a million dollars

This is comedy gold from the FAQ section:

Ways you and your unit can raise the funds to cover the $12 Insurance Fee

-Participate in the annual popcorn sale and have each Scout sell an additional three (3) containers of popcorn.
 

Not sure what the question is...but the answer always seems to be SELL POPCORN 

12 hours ago, T2Eagle said:

I most often have this conversation in the context of becoming an Eagle Scout:

"You should become an Eagle Scout because you want be an Eagle Scout, not because you think it will get you into college, not because you think it will ever get you a job, not because you think it will ever "pay off" in any way, but only because YOU want to be an Eagle Scout.  I have had been involved in the hiring of hundreds of people over my career, I never hired anyone because they were Eagle Scouts, and no one has ever hired me for that reason.  Being an Eagle Scout will not get you a job, will not get you a scholarship, will probably not ever get you anything.  But 30 or 40 years from now you'll be happy you're an Eagle Scout if you become one because it's important to you."

I try to have a similar conversation with parents, I think the scouts pay me greater heed.  

Sort of agree.

IIMHO it is correct that JUST being an Eagle Scout will not get you into college, a job, or will "pay off" down the road.  However, if you actually ARE an Eagle Scout, the soft skills and lessons learned on the journey will put you ahead of the crowd, and will benefit you down the road.

It is amazing how many people do not really understand how to actually get something done.  Being in a storm and determining best path forward, salvaging a meal when somebody has forgotten something, having to make decisions quickly while your patrol looks on, trying to organize a group and complete a hike, watching the looks in the Scout you are working with finally gets up on the water skis; all of that imparts upon an Eagle scout the ability to get stuff done.

On 9/1/2019 at 11:13 AM, Eagle94-A1 said:

Maybe I am a pessimist, but why would they listen to the Scouts and Venturers on anything, when they do not even listen to the Scouters who volunteer their time and treasure to the program? Don't believe me, well there is the "Instapalm" survey of 2015 in which 94% were  either against (18%) or strongly against (76%) the idea, and they did it anyway.

You know, if they really really were interested, possibly "they" (whomever they may be) that are in fact making decisions, policy, and program decisions could actually go out and see Scouts in the wild.  I have asked this question to Council Board Members, Scout Executive of the Council, Council Camping and Program chairpersons; when was the most recent time you were on an outing?  Typically their answer falls into two areas 1) I was at Jamboree, the Council Event, came to Summer camp for the day OR 2) I was a leader XX years ago.  

My follow-up is when was the last time you been in the parking lot as a troop assembles, driven to the outing, wandered about the outing as the youth setup and started camp, sat with the adults, cooked a meal, mentored a youth on properly cooking bacon (Protip - you have to peel the strips off the big hunk-o-bacon for it to fry up), participated in the weekend program, maybe administered some first aid, counseled two youth who may have had a disagreement, maybe sit on a BOR one evening, pack up camp, loaded the trailer up, waited at the church for the parents.  That is where Scouting happens.  If the powers that be were truly interested, there are lots of troops out there, camping every weekend.  GO AND SEE, talk with Scouts and Leaders.

Surveys tend to tell you want you want to hear.  Real change or understanding involves actual involvement with the program.

We went very simple

All are 3 x 5 flags, these are on 8' standard 1" dowels (available at Home Depot).  We stained these

• US flag was made in USA and sourced locally at the hardware store
• Troop flag is the new one from wherever they come from
• State flag is a synthetic, not sure country of origin

5 minutes ago, mrkstvns said:

Here's one writer's venture into the rabbit hole of conjecture...
https://daily.jstor.org/boy-scouts-and-the-phenomenon-of-boyification/ 

 

Wow - that is some Educational Ivory Tower wide ranging ramblings.  Interesting the writer makes a number of broad statements, but little or no actual foundation.

Some interesting revisionist history, they fall into the trap of viewing historical events in the lens of current thinking.

11 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

I'm curious of how many scouts use hammocks. Most of the hammock users in our troop were adults. Scouts tried them out for an hour, but never got motivated to use them. 

Barry

We are about 90% Scouts in hammocks and 50% leaders

7 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

The only reason I bring it up is that I believe the majority of visitors to Philmont are first-time backpackers and they should learn the accepted habits of wilderness camping to take back to their troop. Shelter, water, food.

Barry

When we go on hikes, even short ones, we stress the rule of 3's for being out and dictating what your priorities may be.

Note these are generalities, this makes it simple to remember:

1. You can survive 3 weeks without food
2. You can survive 3 days without water
3. Your may survive 3 hours without shelter in the rain

Key being shelter is vital.  Our SPL on a Webelos visitation campout was explaining the importance of a jacket and the emergency blanket as the troop went on a hike.  The Scouts repeated (in unison) " You can survive 3 weeks without food, 3 days without water, 3 hours without shelter in the rain...take proper shelter or die". 

Some of the Cub parents thought it was a bit over the top, my response was that we want all of the Scouts to clearly understand what needs to be the priority when out in the woods.  I asked them what they hoped their son would do if in 10 years he was on a hike with friends on a fall afternoon and a sudden rainshower hits the group, soaking them, the temperature was dropping, and they were several miles from the trailhead; what would you hope they did?  One of the Scouts overheard and said seek shelter, build a fire as much as possible and calmly assess the next step.

I said nothing else.

1 hour ago, Double Eagle said:

.  And please don't suggest Philmont allow hammocks. 

1 hour ago, Eagledad said:

Why not?

Barry

As others noted, bear tacos is one reason (though pretty unlikely).  Main reasons are tree damage, spreading sites out to the trees, also there are wandering deer etc that could get hung up on the hammocks.  Potentially a better shelter in a tent.

Last thing may be it would be a might chilly.  You would still need pads, potentially heavier sleep gear, rainfly, etc.  Not sure you would save a great amount of weight

1 hour ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

"Family Scouting" creep is a major concern for me. Some folks do not care about boundaries. 

That too is my concern.  The inevitable slide.  So you are camped out in a back country site.  Your crew of 16 - 17 year olds, say day 7 or 8.  There is a crew of Mustangs in the next camp.  Maybe it's their only night out, so they are more boisterous.  Also it can lessen the feeling of being out and away.

At the surface, seems benign, it would not take much to have a less than favorable impact.   Maybe there are ways to promote outdoors and not be out in the crown jewel of Boy Scouts backcountry.

Hey...there's always Summit and they desperately need folks to go there.  Make it Family Scouting paradise and leave the rest of us alone.  Not sure how many families you need attending to pay down an over $125 million balloon bond payment....

13 minutes ago, Pale Horse said:

This has zero impact on Treks.

Not 100% sure about that. 

There were many pics posted by PTC with the kids and families out and about in the back county.  (see one example below).  Not much a stretch to see this could impact the remoteness and "adventure" experienced by the 12 days crews when they come across a group of kids or families on the trail.  Sort of like when families come up mid-week to summer camp, can changes the dynamics of the experience.  I wonder what the long-term impact of more families, family scouting, the family glamping, will be to the Philmont experience for the 20,000 Scouts and Leaders that come to New Mexico looking for the (literally) mountain top backpacking and crew experience as part of their Scouting journey.

A group of Mustangs from the Philmont Training Center hike toward Crater Lake's main cabin after spending the night in the backcountry.

Once you write stuff down, you have to start abiding by it.  Use the documents from BSA on structure, etc.  Everything else should be situational.  Don't reinvent the wheel.

We have a 100 +/- Scout troop.  No troop rules, by laws, etc.  We do give out information on how we do stuff.  Maybe 1 page??  Only written rule not covered by BSA is no cell phones on the outings, summer camp. 

Not sure if this would work in all councils / districts / towns / CO's;  but I know we could raise more money than we knew what to do with selling something like this...

15 hours ago, NJCubScouter said:

On a related note, I think that by the end of what is now almost SIX YEARS of Cub Scouting, the parents (particularly those who were not Scouts themselves) tend to think that their sons have "done Scouting" and have gotten all the benefit they can out of it (of course, we know they're wrong, but they don't.)  On the other hand, they view the benefits of sports as just beginning at that age.

That pretty much sums up a great issue...SIX YEARS OF CUB SCOUTS.  The  Cubs used to be sort of the waiting room for Scouts, as that was the really good stuff.  Now it can be a 6 year slog to Scouts, parents may determine to do something new.  Also after SIX YEARS OF CUB SCOUTS many parents (can you say family scouting) expect Troops to be the same, or in many cases worry that it will be more of the same

1 hour ago, NJCubScouter said:

I think that's the answer.  A lot of parents have stars in their eyes.  They look forward to their child getting a free ride on a sports scholarship, turning pro and supporting them in their old age.  The fact that the chances of this happening for any given youth are very, very small does not seem to deter many of them.

Good reading

https://www.nuvo.net/voices/guestvoices/your-kid-and-my-kid-are-not-playing-in-the/article_768c0500-0f5b-5b63-961d-b2be73b3d7f3.html