InquisitiveScouter

No one said anything of the sort... You read too much into what people write. Take their words at face value. If you think they are implying something, or being vague, ask a direct question to get a direct answer. Your method is combative and attributes words and ideas to people that they simply did not state. It does not win friends, nor influence people 😜

Also, here is a former- Southern Region Area 2 map with all the Summer Camps around you. Zoom in to see the triangles nearest you. Then shop around for a camp to take the whole family to for a Provisional Week. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/designdevelop/maps/SR-Area-2-March2019.pdf

Wow, just looked through Camp Alexanders Guide for last year....no leader discounts... Compare to Ten Mile River in New York...see page 14 of the pdf...(numbered page 6 in the footer)...we took 32 Scouts to camp last year...all 7 adults were free. (Additional adults $230 for the week) https://tenmileriver.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/04/2021-TMR-Complete-Leaders-Guide.pdf

Those prices sound fairly standard... Some suggestions: 1. Check that camp's Adult Leaders Guide. There is often a free adult per xx Scouts provision. If they have that, lobby hard with the Troop to use that to reduce your expenses. If they push back, then, 2. Go to camp locally with your kids as part of a Provisional Troop (is that the Maverick program you were talking about??), with you "volunteering" as the Provisional Troop Leadership. If both you and your spouse go the same week, then the camp can offer that week for girls provisional, so it's an advantage for the camp. Camps should give the Provisional Adults the week for free. If they don't, I'd talk with the Camp Director and see what they can do. If there is a sibling discount locally, that'd be even better. I know you'd rather be with your Troop, but finances may drive you to this... 3. Consider a family Scout camp. You and your family find your own place to camp, and you and your spouse act as merit badge counselors. You are a patrol of four. Have your kids make the menus, and do the cooking, and both could earn most of Cooking Merit Badge in the week. Not even near the ideal, but they'll get a whole lot out of it. And you will learn a ton!!

Doesn't say Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, or Merchant Marine, for those who follow letter of the law 😜

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SqC_m3yUDU

Any number of ways...with an established form of ID... driver's license, passport, or other state or federal issued ID. No established ID? OK, now it's time for fingerprints...

There you go trying to inject common sense and practicality into things again! Will you never learn? Maddening isn't it??

Sounds like things are on a good track... except for one thing... The Committee and adults should not have put you in the position of having to figure out what to do with the girl troop/patrol. They are supposed to be entirely separate, and choose and run their own program. But, as you have found, the reality can be quite different.

Fingerprints can change due to physical injury (burns) or intentional disfigurement, as well. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/US/crooks-erase-past-erasing-fingerprints/story?id=11236512

Yes, you will see more biometrics use in the future, I'm sure of it.

Ahhh...because they are checking for that fingerprint being matched to criminal records for other names, aliases, false identities, etc.

In PA, it isn't just the fingerprints...they must fingerprint you and run those through the FBI database. Costs about $25, and must be done every five years, until you reach 10 years of PA residency. At that point, you may file an Affidavit stating such, and that you have not committed certain offenses (these offenses would appear on your PA State Police Criminal Check, which is also required.) https://www.dhs.pa.gov/KeepKidsSafe/Resources/Documents/Disclosure Statement for Volunteers.pdf

Welcome! Here's a plan for your next meeting: Opening - Scout Oath and Law -SPL Patrol Meetings - Run by PLs, their choice on activities (have ASPL, SM and ASMs assist and instruct if needed) Game - SPL Scoutmasters Minute Closing - Scoutmaster's Benediction- delegate this to your ASPL So, really, all you have to do is open and find a good game to play. https://troopresources.scouting.org/patrol-activities/ Have fun and learn!

Sounds like similar growing pains we went through in Pennsylvania.

So, BSA Adult Application should be revised to, "Do you use illegal substances, have a dependence on or abuse alcohol or have substance abuse disorder?" Or some other legalese text, but if, and only if, there was statistical evidence that this significantly contributed to child abuse cases. Otherwise, this should be covered by the BSA Scouter Code of Conduct: "7. I confirm that I have fully disclosed and will disclose in the future any of the following: Any criminal suspicion, charges, or convictions of a crime or offense involving abuse, violence, sexual misconduct, or any misconduct involving minors or juveniles • Any investigation or court order involving domestic violence, child abuse, or similar matter Any criminal charges or convictions for offenses involving controlled substances, driving while intoxicated, firearms, or dangerous weapons 8. I will not possess, distribute, transport, consume, or use any of the following items prohibited by law or in violation of any Scouting rules, regulations, and policies: • Alcoholic beverages or controlled substances, including marijuana • Concealed or unconcealed firearms, fireworks, or explosives • Pornography or materials containing words or images inconsistent with Scouting values 9. If I am taking prescription medications with the potential of impairing my functioning or judgment, I will not engage in activities that would put youth at risk, including driving or operating equipment."

We were at our camp for a district event, and one of our Scouts found a bag of marijuana on the ground in a high traffic area. We gave it to the Ranger and reported it to the SE. I asked the SE if he wanted me to contact authorities. He said, "No, they would handle it." Ranger had friends in LE, and he said he would give it to them for destruction. Ranger also said they would not have police respond, as nothing would result from an investigation, and the local LE was overburdened anyway. Sounded fishy to me, so I asked my lawyer. He said, as long as I did not know it was anyone in our unit, I had no positive duty to report. That would be up to property owners/event supervisors/hosts (i.e., council). When we returned home, I wrote an email to all parents letting them know about the issue, and let them know they could contact me or the SE with questions. (If they contacted me, then I would tell what happened again, and refer them to SE.) Ranger indicated they find makeshift paraphernalia at summer camp quite often. I have run across same at other camps while exploring hiking paths. Sad... But that is a "high" note...pun intended 😜

I'm not a clinician, but I see there is a difference between abuse and dependence. https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-alcohol-abuse-and-dependence https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/alcohol-abuse-vs-alcohol-dependence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44358/ The BSA Adult Application screens for "abuse" not "dependence". Question 6b on the right side. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/524-501.pdf Sounds like you might advocate to change the verbiage from "abuse" to "dependence", but I think, unless you are a clinician who deals with this distinction, you might be using the wrong terms and have a misunderstanding. If you are a health care provider who deals with this, then please, enlighten us further...

The VIPER is coming!!!

I do not cut corners. If you violate the rules, there is stern correction and a warning. Second offense, you lose your knife and access to tools for the duration of the camping trip. Third offense is a loss of Totin Rights until you can demonstrate verbal knowledge of safety practices and rules, and demonstrate practical safe use handling and care again, of all tools (basically, repeating requirements for Totin Chip.) We've had multiple first offenses (mostly from younger Scouts who forget the rules or haven't handled the tools much), rare second offenses, and no third offenses in all my days. Corrective action, education, and discipline to restore into the fold....it works, and young people respond to it. Never any public displays of this. Always done kindly and discretely...and yet, word somehow goes through the Troop like wildfire 😜 Telephone, telegraph, tell-a-Scout...

Remember, these were people who had these attitudes, made these decisions, and took these actions. They are hidden from us, mostly, and most will never face consequences from us for what they did. And people like them populate every institution we create: families, churches, schools, governments... From one Eagle Scout to another, please display your certificate and medal proudly. They are a mark of your achievement and dedication to an ideal, and who you should strive to be. If it helps, make a color copy of it and mark through "Boy Scouts of America" as a personal act of defiance and judgment. Display that! Illegitimi non carborundum!

It would say, "Well, done! Strive to follow the truth you have learned in all your days, and do what you know in your heart to be right. You will carry a burden of pain until you are done with this life. If you seek to bear it alone, it will grow. Find those who lift you up, and help you along your way. You must do this daily. Have faith that, in the life to come, perfect Justice will be done on those who have harmed you."

Loved your post, but don't quite get what you mean with this. Elaborate, please?

We are not your average unit. We try very hard to have women in the program. After about five years of cultivating this culture, we have only two moms who camp with us (ever). One is great in the outdoors and really gets the program...when Scouts run to her with problems, she asks the most important question an adult can …"Did you ask your patrol leader?" The other is not so great in the outdoors. After about three days at Summer Camp, she left. Hot meals prepared for you, daily hot showers available, and flush toilets (yes, even in the campsite), were not enough. She really did not like sleeping in a wall tent in the woods. Even though she had a fully enclosing bug net, the mosquitos, spiders, snakes, chipmunks, field mice, skunks and raccoons were too much. Although we never had an encounter with a bear, she was very anxious about it. She thought we were crazy to want to be out there with all that. She felt really bad about feeling really bad. Since we had enough adult coverage, we gave her the option to return. She was very relieved. She still does some weekend trips, but will often only be there for one night. I personally have asked many moms to come with us. Most just laugh it off. "That's not for me." When I delve deeper, in general, those who refuse usually have one of two reasons: 1) there are other younger siblings at home to take care of, or 2) the austerity of camping is daunting to them...they want flush toilets, hot showers, and four walls and a roof over their head. It took years of having my wife camp with me and the kids before she felt comfortable going with our daughter and her Venturing crew. But she got there... Here's an enlightening article... https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/what-causes-parcopresis-shy-bowel-syndrome

Officially licensed, even 😜 https://tradingpost.classb.com/official-licensed-cat-herder-patrol-patch/