SiouxRanger

Not RS, but the statue. I do hope that is clear. (RS is a gift to this community.) And not the caliber of the statue rendition. It is a quality job. But the idea that a mythic rendition of the female involvement in, contribution to, Scouting is appropriate-that "mythic" has anything to add. It doesn't. The "myths" are living. I know and respect them. AND FOR THAT MATTER, (rant alert, my first ever rant) I grew up in a family where the women were beyond capable. Mom had a Bachelor's degree from a land grant university-in Mathematics (statistics), second in her high school cl

Appalling.

I personally know both them, and knew them at Philmont when they were Philmont Rangers. Note: Once one is a Philmont Ranger, one is ALWAYS a Philmont Ranger. One is never a former Philmont Ranger. Kathy Leach and Nancy Wells are among the finest individuals I have ever met.

It should be a statue of Kathy Leach and Nancy Wells wearing backpacks holding a map and compass. And none other. Anything less will not be accepted as appropriate.

Any number on how many scouts attending the current Jamboree?

I'll just add, nearing 68, that when things GO BAD they go bad INSTANTANEOUSLY. Even a second's interval to think is a luxury. (Lightning strike at Clear Creek, Philmont, 1975. Had about a minute while racing up a trail to the stricken campsite.) No time to think, analyze. Just react. And one reacts based on their training. (Training enhances Judgment.) ET, one does not have time to "phone home." That is why scouting is so important. I am convinced that in the few instances I have found myself in crisis situations I managed to make the right decisions based

I hope I did not mean "put over head, and TWIST." I just meant to take the circle formed by the pant legs with waist unit and put one'e head through that hole.

Well, depending on your time frame of reference and the methodology then approved, wrapping a pair of pants around one's neck, and then anchoring it with a sturdy belt around a leg, has the possibility of going tragically wrong. Not sure I can envision all the ways, but all of those materials are unyielding, and an errant gulp of water, choking, losing focus and panicking, I can see how a scout could get into real trouble nearly instantly. Please do check the current Life Saving Merit Badge Pamphlet for the approved method. And as a gratuitous plug, please encourage your scouts to e

Pin buckles work. Ring buckles, when lubricated by water-well, they don't seem to work reliably when NOT lubricated by water. Finding a pin buckle is the best bet. I'm a lawyer. In the law being able to provide good descriptions is prized-everywhere else, that ability is considered a disease. It was a memorable experience and I was very anxious.

I have done that-maybe in 1964 (ouch!). My memory of the drill is clear (of yesterday's lunch-not so much.) The purpose of the drill is to demonstrate resourcefulness by converting a pair of pants with a belt through belt loops into a Mae West type life-preserver. It is really a remarkable thing as it works wonderfully. We had to jump into the pool wearing our pants with a belt. Belt with holes for the pin to go through-NOT a friction buckle. Remove our pants (swim suit underneath). Tie the ends of the pant legs together with a square knot as close to the very cuffs a

Thanks for your wise and gentle counsel. You've always had a steady hand on the wheel.

We failed-YOU PAY! Does anyone believe this stuff?

In our troop, a number of unit leaders show up direct from work and have not had time to change to a uniform. Our SM ALWAYS carried a uniform in his truck (Be Prepared) and would change in the parking lot into his shirt. Almost all leaders and BOR members recognized the importance of being in uniform at a formal event. Some leaders-generally members of the committee-were present so infrequently that they've "lost the thread" on being in uniform for formal events. So, "catch more flies with honey." Spend a few informal minutes with every adult who is likely to be a BOR member.

I just can't quite grasp where this all going. Or why?

At camporees, where patrols are rotating from activity to activity as a patrol, the person running the activity might have the patrol give its yell during introductions before starting the activity. For the sake of spirit-building. Generally, the patrol will give its yell at each activity during the day. At summer camp, when camp is formed up before meals at the dining hall, each troop will be asked to give a troop yell. Maybe at breakfast and lunch, but certainly at the evening meal. The Camp Director or Assistant Camp Director generally is the Master of Ceremonies for such gathering

Any recommendations regarding tracking troop finances? Scout accounts, payments for activities, etc., troop checks written and deposits made? Donations, and fundraisers? Thanks. (Not concerned with any other aspects of the software.

I want to thank all who have posted about resources regarding Native American perception of and issues with non Native American "cultural appropriation" of Native American culture. I am overwhelmed with other matters at the moment, and I feel that this is a rather large area of inquiry, and as I want to understand it and not do it a disservice with a cursory analysis, I will attend to it in detail when I can devote the time I think it will take. The resources posted will be of immense help to me and others interested in understanding this topic.

Sounds like the 12 year old who owns the basketball demanding an extra point or two to win or will take his ball home. An SE who shut down the OA would enjoy substantial financial backlash. Just last week, at a council level committee meeting, it was pointed out that unit participation at the council's summer camp from virtually every unit in a certain district was nearly zero-about 3 to 4%. The reason? That district used to be a council, but was merged out of existence. And the merger was resented. They lost their beloved camps. More than 45 years ago. A long shadow.

I am so terribly late to this discussion. As a child, we surfaced collected Native American stone artifacts from local farm fields. (With permission.) My father instructed us on the significance of the peoples who had gone before. We never collected bone artifacts, only stone ones. (All in the plow zone.) And so, I learned to understand and respect that unknown to me society of Native Americans. What effort it took to survive in the Midwest, and even more so in the High Plains. I have monumental respect for the Native American societies. And their survival knowledge. A

BSA is in the entertainment business, pure and simple. Sort of like Disney. No fun, no one pays attention and no one comes back. Certainly as far the scouts are concerned. Excitement, challenges, new ideas, new experiences. Time spent with friends. Growth as a person. But all occurs in the tiniest of increments. But "fun." It has to be. "EDGE" Method has a significant "do" element. That is the overlay. The underlay is the Scouting program the adults facilitate: real life skills (life-saving at times), principles of living decently and responsibly, moral principles (Sco

And there are those folks, also. And we thank them. Even a mere $100 covers the shortfall of a campout or two.

So, time and again, I remind folks, "So we've found another jerk/slug/etc." The world is full of them. Just move on. It is very aggravating that some folks abuse the process, perhaps feign ignorance of the significance of their actions, or are just plain stupid. Our troop had a senior adult leader who'd attend the fundraising dinner, bring his 3 parents/inlaws, he and his wife and 5 kids and pay $24 for a family ticket. (10 folks eating for $24). Seriously? Yep. Absolutely no sense that his in-laws were not really the intended beneficiaries of the "family ticket" concept. Same guy wou

Seems strange to have a good product simply to remove it and cut off a convenient training vehicle, available anytime. Why is so much National does simply inexplicable?

ILST = Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops.

When I see the word “vet” I think of a process, “vetting.” Such as a checklist of sources to consult, documents to gather (where would a mere COR obtain pertinent records?), a review the application and other pertinent records, questions to ask, perhaps other unit leaders to be consulted if issues arise. Then, make a record, for the applicant’s file, so as to be able to document the steps taken and the care shown in making the decision to accept an applicant as a unit leader, or at least as a registered adult. And if an adverse decision is made, is the applicant entitled to a hearing of some