BlueandSilverBear

I went with the latest version of the uniform shirt (with my late-90's CSP and early-00's lodge flap from when I was a scout). It's comfortable and looks pretty sharp. I used my REI member coupon on a pair of the Sahara convertible pants in "army cot green."

West Point still has gymnastics as a core PE requirement for all cadets (although they call it "military movement") and they have the infamous Indoor Obstacle Course Test that is essentially a series of gymnastics events. I have to assume the inclusion in the Master-at-Arms badge came from that same school of thought.

In my troop growing up it was summarized like this: If making Eagle is important to you, try to get it done before you get your driver's license as we've seen a lot of scouts get distracted past that point and never finish. I don't think I ever saw an Eagle younger than 14. I always thought Eagle palms were dumb and only pursued by kids trying to one up each other. Want to keep earning merit badges? Cool, you get merit badges- you aren't some kind of "super Eagle."

No one has actually said anything about it, but it has disappeared from our calendar for the spring. I have a feeling we just aren't having one.

Thanks, everyone- this is all good feedback. Coming from a military background I want to have a squared away uniform, but with three different pants it sounds like it's almost anything goes. I'm still young-ish and fit, and the baggy looking pants kind of drive me crazy considering my scout days pre-dated all of these. I may just go with a pair of OD green Prana or Kuhl hiking pants.

Are these the current uniform pants? https://www.scoutshop.org/new-uniforms/leaders/scouts-bsa-men-s-uniform-switchback-pant-olive-28-52.html I'm formally registering as an adult leader and plan to have a uniform ready for when my Lion puts on the Cub Scout uniform.

Can start Lions at 5...

In the midst of the chaos, yesterday was a good reminder for me about why I love Scouting and all the good that it does. Our Lions held a holiday food drive and collected four bags of canned goods to support a local food panty, and the Girls Troop at our CO just had their 4th successful Eagle Board of Review at the same park while we had our Den meeting.

I just wish I had a feel for how quickly some of this will actually move. The federal courthouse in Delaware just reopened at the beginning of October and there is certainly going to be a flood of bankruptcy cases. I don't think we would have to cease operations during a restructuring, but there may not be access to as many resources from the Council during that time. I'm a Circle Ten guy too... I have so many great memories at all of our camps and losing them would break my heart. I'm thankful that I was able to take my Lion to Wisdom this fall- my grandfather camped there a Sco

I would love to actually see the data on the youth experience of dads who join with daughters. By default, moms who joined with sons have zero youth pack or troop BSA experience. Its a non-zero percentage for dads of daughters. I would also expect some selection bias as far as girls who join BSA programs, in that their families were already exposed to scouting through either a dad's or brother's involvement.

The plus side is that it also will bring some former-scout girl dads back into the fold. As an old Eagle with only daughters, I wouldn't have been involved prior to admitting girls. Now I'm a Lion Guide with a daughter who says "I like Scouts!" or "can we do that again?" after every activity.

It's been about 18 years since I was active... I made Eagle in spring 2002 and probably was about done by that fall. Girls, trucks, high school sports, and my friends moving away or dropping out... there were a lot of distractions for a 16 year old. Fast forward a few years and I love that I get to do all of the activities with my Cub. But I also consider Scouting to be the defining factor that built my independence and self-confidence to be able to basically be on my own in the military at 18. That is a HUGE part of why I want my daughters to be Scouts, and not stepping back to let them d

This is fascinating to me as it's the total opposite of what I saw as a Scout. Unless there was a big organized activity for a campout (climbing/rappelling at a Council camp, canoeing, backpacking into the campsite, etc.), the "Old Goat Patrol" generally hung out at the campsite, drank coffee, and BS-ed all day while the Scouts were on their on their own for whatever the PLC had planned for the weekend. My dad didn't get involved until he decided he wanted to come along on a high adventure backpacking trip one summer and had to be there for the training hikes/campouts. I always knew we

I'm in the same boat with a new Cub and I'm probably not going to be able to be super involved in OA for a while. We're back in my home Council and amazingly they still had my Ordeal records from 2001, so I couldn't resist renewing my membership in the Lodge. I figure my $20 annual Lodge dues are at least supporting the organization, and I'll try to pop in for the occasional service project or the annual dinner if I can. Our Pack is really connected with our chartered organization's boys' and girls' Troops, so I thought it would be another way to support and motivate the older scouts, too.

Haha that’s what the lady at the Scout Shop said, too! Honestly, I’ll be happy to jump in wherever I’m needed. I haven’t bought a uniform yet, but I rounded up a bunch of old patches at my parents’ house just in case. We’re in the same Council where I was a scout, so I’m planning on rocking my 1990s CSP and early-2000s Lodge flap. Next weekend we’re going to a one day mini-day camp at one of our Council camps. The same camp where I went to day camp, camped with my Troop, took and staffed our Council pre-NYLT course, and completed my Ordeal. The same camp where my grandfather went to