InquisitiveScouter
-
Content Count
2353 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
97
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
Store
Posts posted by InquisitiveScouter
-
-
2 hours ago, 5thGenTexan said:
I am totally convinced if a Scout cooked a weenie on a coat hanger over a propane burner, all the cooking requirements would be signed off. Its all really frustrating.
@5thGenTexan, I resolved long ago that I am only responsible for my actions, and no one else's. You will always have liars, cheaters, and thieves out there. Just stick to your principles (Scout Oath and Law) and model that for your Scouts. And when you stray from them (as we will!!!), own it, admit it, make amends (if possible), ask forgiveness, and move on.
You will have an effect, just as the liars, cheaters, and thieves will.
-
1
-
-
Funny that this thread starts on 21 Feb 2023, and the definitions on line were changed after 23 Feb.
WE ARE HAVING AN EFFECT!!!
-
2
-
-
2 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:
Actually if you look up Webelos Overnighter in the Language of Scouting webpage, they changed to last week to say 1 night. Prior to that, it was one or two nights.
Welcome to 1984.
Current page (06 Mar 2023):
https://www.scouting.org/resources/los/#
ENTRY: overnighter A Cub Scout Pack organized one night campout held at a Council designated location. Also see “Webelos Scout overnighter.”
ENTRY: Webelos Scout overnighter A one night campout by Webelos Scouts and their parent or guardian.
Cached on 23 Feb 2023
http://web.archive.org/web/20230221012845/https://www.scouting.org/resources/los/
ENTRY: overnighter See “Webelos Scout overnighter.”
ENTRY: Webelos Scout overnighter A one- or two-night campout by Webelos Scouts and their parent or guardian.
Yes, Orwellian @Eagle94-A1
First site capture I can find: 05 Jun 2019
http://web.archive.org/web/20190605234607/https://www.scouting.org/resources/los/
NO ENTRY for "Overnighter"
ENTRY: Webelos Scout overnighter A one- or two-night campout by Webelos Scouts and their parent or guardian.
There are 86 captures on the site from 05 Jun 2019 to today. You can view them and see where the changes occurred yourself.
http://web.archive.org/web/20190601000000*/https://www.scouting.org/resources/los/
30 minutes ago, KublaiKen said:More gaslighting.
By @Eagle94-A1?? or by BSA??
-
Here's a video explaining how to apply the Cub Scout camping rules from G2SS...
-
2
-
-
1 minute ago, 5thGenTexan said:
In our Troop I can not for the life of me figure out how a Scout can complete the cooking First Class requirements for instance. We have no patrol structure and there is no planning for meals. Typically there is an adult that picks what they are going to eat and picks its up the day before they leave on a campout, but there is no shortage of "fun" once they arrive at camp. By "fun", I mean absolutely no structure during the weekend and just running in the woods. Same thing at meetings. We have a playground near our meeting place and it serves as a "babysitter" DURING meetings sometimes because its "fun" for the boys. Recently, I had an adult who is serving as ASM explain to me that the Scouts planning meetings in a PLC is not really fun and what they like to do, so they shouldnt really have to do that.
From my personal experience lately, I am about fed up with "fun". Around here it means the adults are lazy and don't want to do their job.
Yes, sounds like you have a Cub Scout camping club, not Scouting.
Until the adults get on board, it's not gonna happen.
And, unfortunately, it takes an adult driving the train initially to get the youth to do Scouting. Because, most kids are inherently lazy stemming from incompetence and fear of failure, they are unwilling to do the work. So they need to be led or pushed at the start.
Adults also need to set expectations and task early on...
"Want to go camping? Well, you need to make a menu... anyone??? No?? OK, then we aren't going camping."
OR... "Yes, you Jimmy?? OK, do you want to do it for rank advancement. No?? OK, fine... let's go camping!!!"
OR... "Yes, you Jimmy?? OK, do you want to do it for rank advancement?? Yes?? Great! Let's look at the rank requirements and talk about what you need to do to meet them. Then, let's go camping!!" [guide the Scout to... "Tell how the menu includes the foods from MyPlate or the current USDA nutritional model and how it meets nutritional needs for the planned activity or campout." and "...make a list showing a budget and the food amounts needed to feed three or more youth. Secure the ingredients."]
Make sure it is an OFFER of OPPORTUNITY for advancement, not a demand.
My favorite question from parents, "Why isn't my Scout advancing?" Answer: "Because he doesn't want to." or "Because he hasn't done the requirements to advance."
-
Golf, SCUBA, or, the most expensive... Citizenship in the Nation 😜 What's the national debt at now??
-
Thank you guys for having this discussion. I hope @RichardB sees this and concludes we have another confusing policy in place that needs clarification, if National actually wishes thoughtful leaders to follow it.
-
Just now, Alec27 said:
Copy That ! Makes a lot of sense. Keeps accountability for the Scout and like you said, that element of "follow-through". Thank you again for the wisdom, my friend.
Just make sure they know that is the expectation!!
-
6 minutes ago, sierracharliescouter said:
The way insurance policies often work, however, is there would likely need to be a substantive reason why the lack of a fundraising application was reasonably causative to the claim for denial. i.e., if your troop is selling meat sticks from company A, but didn't file a fundraising application, and had a claim related to the event, it would be very difficult to deny a claim if the Council would have otherwise approved the application, and even more difficult to deny if they had other troops that had approved applications for selling the same product in a similar way.
The fundamental flaw to this approach is it just sets up opportunities for units to ignore the rules. This is analogous to the old requirement for approved trip plans. It was ridiculous, and put an undue burden on both units and the council, just setting up for people to ignore the rules (which clearly happens all the time with fundraising). BSA needs to get on board with simplifying the volunteer experience, ASAP.
The number one reason we have trouble recruiting adults is the unreasonable time commitments and procedural blockades put on volunteers who want to help, but have trouble figuring out what they need to do, and overwhelmed by the requirements when they learn them. In California, in order for the parent of a new scout to join us on an outing where they have to be a registered scouter, they have to commit to 6 hours of training plus fingerprint background check. BSA registration plus fingerprinting is a minimum of $92.
Every year the program grows more complicated. It has become a full-on bureaucracy, which it's primary mission to justify it's own existence. It doesn't need to be this way, but BSA's own hiring practices lead to this end, because the focus on internal hiring prevents bringing in new ideas and experiences. People who only "know" the bureaucracy don't grasp the effect it has on those outside it's walls.
Here's another fine example: The BSA Safe Project Tool Use rules. The guide includes this statement:
So, the document grid says that Cubs can't use handsaws, yet we teach them how to use hand saws in Baloo the Builder. Why would we teach them a skill and then not let them use it? Does anyone at BSA actually understand their own program?? That is not the only inconsistency. Again, when you make rules that are internally inconsistent, people will feel much more comfortable breaking the rules. Part of my job for over 25 years has been safety supervision, and rule number one for safety rules is to not provide motivations for ignoring the rules.
-
@RichardB, any thoughts on Circle 10 questioning and clarifying this Cub Scout camping policy?
You've gone silent on this... wink, wink, nudge, nudge
-
To answer your question @Eagle94-A1,
No, haven't heard of this. But, doing a fundraiser without your council's approval does put the unit's insurance coverage in jeopardy, potentially.
Note the boldface at the bottom of the application that @RichardB linked to:
"The local council is responsible for upholding the Charter and By-laws and the Rules and Regulations of the BSA. To ensure compliance, all unit fund-raisers MUST OBTAIN WRITTEN APPROVAL from the local council NO LESS THAN 14 DAYS before the fund-raising activity"
Now, the primary reason for the council approval is your point B: they want to make sure you aren't dipping into their honey pot. Of course, they'll never admit this.
The secondary reason is to make sure you are doing an activity that is consistent with all BSA policies. Prohibited sales would include things like lottery tickets, fireworks (with live demos), Howitzer cannons (with even better live demos), Girl Scout cookies ( 😜 ), etc, etc, etc.
The tertiary reason is to alert council of the fundraiser, and to give them the opportunity to speak with adult leaders about it, if there are any concerns, such as the unit's Scouts soliciting people for donations (verboten)...
Never heard any voiced concerns over interfering in a United Way campaign. But the application does mention this "Does the fund-raising activity avoid competition with other units, your chartered organization, your local council, and the United Way?" I have had discussions with council over concerns with interfering with other units conducting a fundraiser at the same time.
More blather on this at:
https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/02/02/unit-fundraising-dos-and-donts/
-
No, there is no "Needs Approval" alert.
This is a good thing.
When a Scout enters something complete on Scoutbook, then the Scout needs to contact an adult to work on getting tested to have something approved. This keeps the monkey on the Scout's back.
When a Scout marks something as complete, it is for their own tracking, and it should, in no way, create a "demand signal" for adult leaders.
-
Zaphod Beeblebrox
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:
I see a few of those freeze-dried meals that might be worth a try... After all, if kids have run around enough to be hungry they might be more willing to try new things. Last I heard quinoa was boring, but being outside can shake things up. Thanks for the tip. I was wondering if I'd have to dry my own ingredients to make my own dried meals 🤔
That patrol soup looks great! I think the recipe is too big for our Trangia kitchen, but the pack has some big cast-iron pots ☺️
Just cut it in half/thirds/ etc, and try it at home first. Our family loves this soup!!
Eat with a GIANT hunk of bread 😛
-
And here is one of my favorites...
Prep the veggies and pre-measure the ingredients at home. Substitute extra firm tofu chunks for chicken, and find some vegan noodles. Yummy!!
-
1
-
-
Start easy, but expensive: Mountain and other vendors have dehydrated vegetarian/vegan offerings.
https://mountainhouse.com/blogs/camping/15-delicious-vegetarian-camping-food-ideas
https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Camping-Food/s?k=Vegan+Camping+Food
Find ones you like and try to recreate it at home to make it less expensive.
Also, you can try the Humanitarian Daily Rations. They are MRE's for displaced populations. We airdrop millions of them around the world for crises. You can order some online.
https://www.amazon.com/Wornick-Company-Military-Surplus-Humanitarian/dp/B09Y8SBLD8
https://www.mreinfo.com/other-us-rations/current-us-rations/humanitarian-daily-ration/
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, Alec27 said:
So far so good. SB is letting us enter the leadership roles and the day counter looks accurate. Fingers crossed when it comes time to populate into his eagle app, but so far so good. Thank you !!
You can go to Reports and generate an Eagle app right now to give it a look-see.
-
1 hour ago, rallybug said:
Crossroads of the West (uses same EIN as Great Salt Lake Council did) shows only one paid position for 2020, the SE, at $123,107 for reportable compensation from the organization, plus $71,592 in other compensation from the orgnaization and related organizations, so $194,699 in total.
They only have to report if total comp is $100K+
-
1
-
-
He is a "Unit Participant" because (most likely) he is "registered beyond the age of eligibility" This designation allows him to continue to participate in the Youth Program, and earn badges and ranks for as long as he wishes to. You should (should, that is) not have any difficulty entering Positions of Responsibility into Scoutbook while he is in this designation. If you do, please post here, and we will highlight this as an issue for the Scoutbook Development Team.
Do not register him as an ASM. (Or any other adult position!!) This will remove the ability to work on badges and ranks. The Scout himself (and family) makes the call as to whether to continue as a youth or an adult.
Call your Registrar if you have any questions on this Scout's status.
-
Hej! och välkomna ombord!
Glad to have you with us.
"I'm still not sure I understand what's going on there"... we don't understand it either. It's akin to the fact that we still don't use the metric system here in the States 😜
"There's no bad weather, only bad gear"... we say that here, too. (Wait, maybe I picked that up in Sweden...)
I had a wonderful opportunity as a young man to work the summer on a Scout Camp staff in Sweden. It was an NSF camp (https://www.nsf.scout.se/), and the Scouts were also doing their confirmation into the Lutheran Church. We stayed in a wonderful place called Höje Kursgård on the shores of Lake Vättern. Great times...
https://goo.gl/maps/ThxioCxAgjdTWxJn6
I remember that year, about two weeks after Midsommar, the temperature got up to 34C, and they went nuts... limited activity outside for the Scouts, with frequent rests in the shade for everyone. As a kid from Georgia, it was great... first time I could take off my sweater when I was there 😛😜😜
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! And again, welcome!
Is it time for fika yet???
-
A little more info, please?
1. What is your relationship with the Institution Head, CC, and SM? Do you believe they value your opinions and observations? Does this ASM/MC/UAC have a good deal of influence with the three above?
2. What system do you use to track advancements, and who has unfettered access? Who visibility into the system?
3. Do you have another person who could easily step into the role, or will there be difficulties if/when a transition is made?
-
3 minutes ago, PACAN said:
PM me. I might have the what you are looking for
Instructional Overview (September 2020) Online & Virtual Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops
Converted it to a pdf for you.
I am looking for the three video modules. You have those??
-
8 minutes ago, qwazse said:
forget about finding salt for the slugs
Love this... I'm gonna use it.
May I have permission to do so without citing the source or paying royalties? 😝
-
1
-
-
11 minutes ago, PACAN said:
Try this link: May need to copy/paste into your browser.
file:///E:/BSA%20Training/ILST_IntroSyllabus_9_11.pdf
@PACAN, thank you, but we have full access to the syllabus. That was not the point of my OP.
More to the story... we have an in-person ILST coming up. There are a few Scouts who will not be able to make the training, but need it. I was looking for the on-line courses to provide them an alternate possibility for training. BSA took them down some time ago. (I did not mentor the youth last year during our early 2022 ILST, so was unaware the course had been removed.)
Cub Scout Single Night Camping Only
in Open Discussion - Program
Posted
To facilitate the change over, they must physically step foot out of the established campground. So, a trip to the local gas station, convenience store, or even just stepping into the easement of the road would do it (not into the road of course... that would be more dangerous than the two back-to-back over-(meaning one)-nighters.
Letter of the law!!
In fact, maybe we could coin a new term... OVERMONIGHTER = over-meaning-one-nighter