CaveEagle

I think the guy may have given up. It sounds like this problem may not have been isolated problem.

jeff!!

Are you our there??

CE

I heard back from Jeff yesterday, and he has still not been able to register with this forum.

He and I have both sent messages to this forums "contact us" address.

Why isn't someone even trying to help this guy???

"Helpfull", "Friendly"......??

CE

I have tried to refer a new cub scout parent to this forum, and he is having trouble getting his profile set up. I hope that someone out there can give him some idea what he is doing wrong.

my last message from Jeff was:

**************************************************

yes - i can read the forum just fine. heres my steps.

i enter my email and zip code (either on the right side ofthe screen or on the register link above the threads) the link is http://www.scouter.com/members/default.asp?action=...

i get a confirmation screen saying to check my email for a sort of code to enter in order to register.

i then go to my email (also checking trash and junk email folders) but never receive any sort of code or email fromthe site.

i have tried emails from hotmail, yahoo, as well as 3 personal domains i administer (thinking there may be an issue with sites not allowing those free accounts)

Well...

What a great lesson for your kid. His choice of words (and timing) has the focus on him. If he had kept his cool the brought the scout/adult leadership in the loop, maybe the instigators would be the ones in major trouble here.

I have seen similiar events unfold a few times. When my attention is drawn to a scout with profanity spewing from his mouth, I find it very hard to be understanding. To add to that, the scout with the "potty" mouth has just about ZERO credability after thay have lost their temper.

Then the SM & ASMs are expected to play detective and figure out who started it. ???????

My advice here is to cut your losses. Your kid needs to learn self control & judgement. We all have to deal with difficult people every day. If told 1/10th of deserving parties to "shut the *&%* up" I would be unemployed.

I hope your boy can keep his spirit up and get through this ok!

yis

CE

We just got back from a trip to Kandersteg Switzerland with 21 scouts & 6 adults. We all had Day-Packs from Alps Mountaineering and about half used their internal frame packs. We did tons of Hiking and climbing without any gear-related issues!

I got a great deal on the two internal-frame packs that I purchased for my son and I. We got their scout discount plus an additional holiday season dicount when I ordered them last November. I am very pleased with the quality and pricing.

I also really like doing business with a company that gives scouts special pricing.

CE

Our troop has made the trip to Wakpominee twice in the last 5 years. (from central Florida) I did not make the trip last summer, but my kid had a great time. I have heard nothing but great things from this camp.

I have been to Camp Tri-Mount with a previous troop in NY. B-

CE

In our old troop in NY, the neckerchief was mandatory as part of the field uniform. Our new troop in central FL has it optional. A few scouts wear the Red/Gold BSA item and a few of them will wear 'special' neckerciefs they've picked up at placed like Sea Base. Most don't wear any with the exception of COHs and BORs.

I think this works out pretty well. It is hard enough to get my 14 yr old to wear his uniform out in public. The Neckerchief seems to only aggrivate the problem for many boys. And has little practical application.

I had no problem wearing mine as a scout, but I do not wear one anymore. I am a pretty big guy, and the normal 'stock' size item looks pretty rediculous on me. We will be going to Kandersteg (Switzerland) this July, and I am told that everone must wear their 'necker' around all the time to identify your group. I am not sure how this is going to play out. I may make my own custom unit a little larger than the stock size.

The BSA used to make them larger. Anyone know why they are all 'cub' sized now?

CE

I ave a scrap book style method of keeping both my & my boys patches.

We place the patch next to any pictures or ribons that we have for the respective trip. This has been a really neat way to remember the events along with the patches. Even many of the "stock" BSA cub patches that aren't so impressive alone, have greater meaning with pictures of the activity.

CE

Have you been to Gettysburg yet?

It is probably a little over the 5hr drive from Albany.

You should plan at least 3-4 days if you plan to earns the "Gettysburg" Historic trails award offered by the York-Adams Council.

There are a few other threads on this here.

It's a great trip!!

CE

Both my boys are home schooled and are currently in scouts. (one 14 year old scout and a 7 yr old wolf cub) This is a very interesting situation.

How did the Dens get set up in a segregated structure?

I don't get why the home school dens are laging behind in the advancement category. My previous troop in NY had about 1/3 scouts that were home schooled. Most of these boys were very active, and great to work with.

It is generally true that home schooling offers greater flexibility for activities. Just don't make the mistake of thinking that they should just conform to the 'public school'schedule just because they don't "go to school" every day. Most of the HSers I have met are extreemely active with all sorts of activities. Many have co-ops that meet regularly to teach advanced classes.

I have seen quite a bit of bias towards home schooled kids. One of my old co-ASMs was openly critical of the whole concept. I finally enlightened him that my kids were in this category, and that I thought he was out of line. I get a little sick of hearing the "what about the socialization" comment. This is almost always the first this that I hear when my kids schooling comes up. ('sorry for the rant)

I would bet that you could find a way for this pack to stay together. Talk with all the Den Leaders and try to understand everyones needs.

'just my 2 cents......

CE

FYI: The Transatlantic Council has just started an alumni registry. I have met quite a few scouters, like myself, that were once a part of the TAC and did not have any way to connect with old friends or just share similiar experiences. Due to the natural flow through of the Military, the TAC exports more Scouts and Scouters than any other council! Sadly, this also creates a vacum of long term history, as people move through the system.

They don't have much on the site beyond a newsletter, but I am looking foreward to the many of you old TAC Scouts and Scouters posting their info out their.

PLease help the TAC get this thing off the ground!

http://tac-bsa.org/alumni/

CE

Troop 98

Bad Kreuznach, Germany

1981-87

It is the choice of the wearer as to the order, just make sure you get them right-side-up!

CE

Our Pack added a great trick to the end of this trial. The Neckerchief of the outgoing Cubmaster was tested in the same manner as the Weblos. Unfortunatley his Necker burned, and was invited to remain with the Pack as long as he could.

CE

My favorite Camporee as a boy, was a 1st aid competition.

There were multiple scenarios with sets, props and victems (some actors, some dummies). A moderator would prep the patrol with some information and tell them when to enter the challenge. Each patrol was graded on how they handled the situation. After completion, the judge would give the patrol pointers on how they could have done better, and instructions not to share any information with other patrols before the competition was over.

This was really cool ! and probably the most effective way I have seen to teach / reinforce 1st aid knowledge and skills.

CE

I could not agree more!

When the boys from my Weblo Den crossed over, it seemed like their effort/recognition ratio dropped like a rock. When, as new scouts, they attended their first court of honor, they got very little recognition. We had boys that were very active and they got their Tenderfoot and a Totin' Chit card at the COH.

I would love to see the skill awards brought back. As a troop, we decided to start awarding the younger scouts "activity segments" so that they could get some recognition for their progress. This seemed to work pretty well.

CE

The "shirt tail" issue just hit me from the blind side. I have always thought that they should aleays be tucked in (for men or women). I just got my better half convinced to get uniformed as a Den Leader. She went to the scout shop and came home with a tan womens' blouses that has a squared off seam around the bottom. When she asked me if she could get away with the shirt "out" I responded "no-way". She pointed out to me that the bottom of the shirt is cut (unlike the Mens/boys) straight, just like many of her other blouses that are designed to be worn "un-tucked". After looking closely, I was forced to agree. With the straight bottom, "the shirt is also more difficult to keep tucked in" (she pointed out). An earlier poster claimed a "sloppy" appearance for un-tucked shirts. Not in this case! You will never catch me running around un-tucked, but I think it to be OK for women with the flat-cut blouses.

Even the US Army has different "Class-A" uniform design for women. They have not just told them the wear a "mans" shirt and deal with it.

If the BSA created a womens' blouse that was cut in such a way so that they would be more likely to wear it, That's Great!

Well, unless someone in our pack freaks out, she will be going "un-tucked" from now on.

Has anyone seen a BSA illustration with an "un-tucked" womens blouse?

Anyone found any actual requirement for women to tuck ?

CE

My old Council, up in NY State, handed out "special" Green name tags and custom made "Square" Neckerchiefs. If you've never seen the Square neckerchief, It is folden into a triangle before being placed around the neck in the standared fashon. Besides being a little larger to fit around the muscular neck of the wearer, it ends up being quite a bit fuller like the BP pictures.

CE

Miki, The exact terminology 'Chartered Organization' is not on the certificate. The certificate granted in 1924 states: "This is to certify that THE WASHINGTON HEIGHTS METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH having made proper application through its duly authorized representative for RENEWAL OF THE CHARTER ORIGINALLY GRANTED JUNE 1914"

It would seem that the CO was definitly in place by the printing of this certificate (1924). It also seems to recognize this CO having been in place since 1914.

CE

I have never been one to harass scouts/scouters about specific patch placement or orientation. In fact the only time that I remember offering unsolicited advice on unifoming is when I found a scout with his Star rank patch on up-side down (probably deliberately).

What has really tripped my nerves on this issue is a couple of unit leaders that have taken to nit-picking boys for minor infractions such as the CSP not "touching" seam and the numbers etc. One of these adult leaders has been wearing his Eagle knot upside-down for at least the two years I have known him. It is not as easy to tell for some of the other knots such as the green "Boy Scout Leader" award, but the Insignia guide clearly states how to tell which side goes up! (sorry not sure which page).

I have resisted the urge to "call him out" on his mistake.

If a boy is trying to get it right, I would never nit-pik his efforts. And for any of you leaders that are "nit-pickers" please make sure that your own stuff is correct.

CE

I have a troop Charter Certificate from my Great Granfathers Troop (Troop 769 Manhattan, NY) that was originally chartered in Jun 1914. It is a BSA produced certificate, so I am pretty sure that COs were around from at least 1914.

CE

We are just getting settled into our new troop after a recent move. On my son's 3rd campout I was very surprised when he informed me he was instructed NOT to bring his handbook to the event. I was sure that he must have misunderstood the instruction. After investigation, I have verified that this was the case. "To many boys have lost / destroyed their books."

The troop does a pretty good job of keeping advancement data archived with troopmaster, so I am still a little confused about this.

I have often wondered why we have the boys "handbook" reference guide combined with his primary advancement records. After just joining a new unit, my son's handbook was the most up-to-date method of transferring his advancement records. If he had lost his book, it would have been a big problem.

I have seen the little advancement record "cards" at the Scout Shop, but that seems to likely to get lost. Maybe keeping a separate book for camping trips is the answer.

CE

Does anyone know if "outdated" MB books should be trashed? I have been told that they can still be used, and that if a scout starts a MB with an older book, than he can finnish with the original requirements.

I have not found anything in writing to back this up. So, I was just wondering if this was an actual rule or maybe up to the MB counselors discretion.

Either way, it would seem like a good idea for troops to maintain their library of MB books. (older or not) It is much easier to just pick up an updated requirements book every year or two. I am still using my '03 version. I have just inserted the '04-'05 updates that I found on the web.

CE

I would give it a B- rating. I just gave it a try on both of my boys new uniforms. It seemed to hold pretty well for a couple of washes. Now, the corners have started to peel on the CSP and especially the unit numbers.

If you try to sew a patch that has already been applied with "badge magic", It is very dificult and messy. The needle gets real sticky and slows the process down greatly.

I will probably continue to use this product for rank and temporary patches, but anything permanant will be sewn on by hand. My old method of using just a small bit of temporary fabric adhesive before sewing works best for me.

CE

I still have a couple of years before I will need to wory about this. I do, however, worry about the other young drivers that I see daily. A car full of teenagers was just killed within a mile of my house. It seems that parents can't wait to put there kids behind the wheel.

I started driving at 16, and I can honestly say that I was not mature enough to be driving unsupervised.

Has anyone out there concidered GPS monitering of your teenagers. I have seen systems for under $400 that will track speed/location of a vehicle. If my folks had this kind of data, I would have been a lot more carefull. Before anyone jumps on me about the "trust" or "privacy" issues, take a gander at your local obituaries. If you live in any decent sized town, it won't take you long to find casualties of young / unsupervised drivers.

CE

We asked our SM if our older son could serve as a Den Cheif for my Son's Tiger den. (mom is now the DL and the older son is often there anyway) The SM did not exactly say "No", but he kept refering to the other pack in our area that were looking for Den Chiefs. I got a pretty clear signal that he wanted to "assign" the older son to den of his choosing. Well, it's not that we don't want to encourage older son to serve outside of our pack/family, but it would be very difficult for us to commit to a Den's schedule that we have no control over.

During my tenure as a DL, I have had two Den Chiefs. The only one that worked well had a younger brother in our den. His mom was more that happy to bring him the the den meetings as well.

CE