Well, it ends

[Basementdweller]

So the fiasco ends, I have a meeting with my TG and Ticket councilor tomorrow night.

 

SM and I were drinking some coffee after last nights meeting in the lounge and chatting........He asked me about my beads.......I laughed and told him it was dead and over, I had less than a month before my 18 months were up. I didn't care about it any more. He got a frustrated look on his face and didn't say anything.

 

I received a call from the TG just a bit ago.

 

It seems my SM called the new District Chair who musta dealt with it in a serious way.

 

So I am obligated to meet with the TG because of the actions of my pal the SM.

 

Life is funny that way.........

[desertrat77]

Basement, that's good news, keep us posted.

 

And to harken back to a previous discussion about your beading ceremony, please consider doing it at the pack meeting. The cubs will get a kick out of the kudu horn, being helpers during the neckerchief donning, and sharing well wishes.

[Eagle92]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

And I second 'Rat's suggestion

[Basementdweller]

Beading ceremony......

 

I think your putting the cart before the horse here......I haven't met with the ticket councilor......he could say my ticket is a POS and I need to work on it some more........In which case it is definitely over.....

 

But thank you for the good thoughts...... Far as staffing goes, HECK NO. I tasted the Flavor aid and it was bad. I will continue to staff the IOLS course because I enjoy the other staff members. Rewarding, not so much.....

[Lisabob]

I think it is unlikely that your ticket counselor will do that (but I suppose, possible).

 

My experience is that ticket counselors are supposed to be more like mentors or sounding boards, and less like standard setters. Supposing that your original ticket was approved back when you did the course, and supposing that you can reasonably show you did what you said you would, I doubt you have much to be concerned about.

 

As for your sentiments: it is a testimony to your relationship with your SM that a) he apparently desired to push the matter and b) you are willing to see it through.

 

 

[Get Outdoors]

I hope it all works out for the best but if it doesn't....

 

It's not about the beads, neckerchief, some animal or coffee cup. It's about you made the effort to become a leader for you to better serve boys!

 

 

[Basementdweller]

Oh the ticket items are very well documented so no worries there.

 

 

The SM is like an older brother and he does have my best interest in mind..........I have a lot of respect for him.

 

[OwntheNight]

Glad to hear you at least have a meeting scheduled, and that your SM has your back.

 

So of course, if your tickets are approved and you get your beads, can we expect the same snarky attitude about WB on this forum?

 

Because that's what good debate is about, right?

 

I joke because I do appreciate your candor and perspective you bring to us in your responses. You are involved in scouting for all the right reasons, THE BOYS!

 

Good Luck, and I raise my Nalgene to you and give a hearty "How,How"

[Basementdweller]

Wow that was anti climactic.....

 

He kinda leafed thru my books I spent hours making... Talked a little bit about each item....

 

He asked "Do you think you finished your ticket?" Yep.

 

 

I signed a paper he signed the same thing.....Asked who I the beads should be sent toooo......I know the SM wants to give them to me so I had them sent to him.....

 

No apology, No explanation

 

Took 10 minutes tops.....

 

So why was it so hard?

 

Heck he arrive after I ordered my sandwich and left before it was delivered to the table.......Never even took his coat off.

 

 

So how do I feel about woodbadge after completing my ticket? Ambivalent at best, cheated at worst.

 

 

For those who have completed woodbadge what was supposed to happen??????

 

 

owns.......completing the process in no way changes my experience.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith]

The final review is really personal reviews.....yes you need to do what you said but things come up and things get in the way so its all about you doing the best you can do.

 

Did you meet the goal as well as you could and tried as hard as you could to get final result you wanted....was it the final result you wanted?

 

Some it comes down to honesty of the participants but if the ticket councilors can tell you really didnt put in an effort or try they shouldnt sign it off.

 

One of my ticket items I struggled with and finally got and the course director for my course came and talked to me and said that I need to make a final push and if after that Ive tried everything then I could still be signed off. I did get that one done with the final push but I had to go around my troop to do it.

 

You need to feel a pride in your own accomplishments....if you dont feel you did well enough to be proud of then you didnt finish.

 

The councilor is there to help you during the processwhen youre done your done their jobs done.

 

[Lisabob]

I had a very similar experience with the ticket counselor. I remember wanting him to see all that I had done & tell him about it. I expected a bunch of critical questions. I was thinking "thesis defense" or "performance review." Instead, (like you described) he leafed through my documentation, asked if I felt I'd done what I set out to do, and shook my hand (I think). Last I saw of him.

 

The beading was also not terribly important/meaningful ceremony. And I hardly ever wear my beads.

 

What I decided later was that the process of working the ticket is really a self-directed process, and you get out of it what you put into it. So I didn't feel cheated, because I put A LOT into it, and in the end the only way to be cheated would have been if I'd cheated myself.

 

 

 

 

[Basementdweller]

Lisa.....I wasn't speaking about my ticket when I said I felt cheated........I put a ton of work into my ticket.

 

I felt cheated by my woodbadge experience.........

[desertrat77]

Basement, talk about an experience ending "not with a bang, but a whimper." Not on your part, but the ticket review dude.

 

But what the heck, you are officially done with WB. You've got my respect. You persevered and that means alot.

 

As a non-WBer, I've followed your WB path closely here at the forum...would welcome any additional thoughts about the program you might have.

[Crew21_Adv]

Fellow WB'rs,

 

Congrats Basement!!

 

Next time I look over someone's ticket completion, now I'll make them suffer! Haha, just joking.

 

I'm looking for an accomplishment, beyond just being a parent or just being a leader (extra body standing there). If they served 5 youth, I am happy. If they served 500 youth, I am really happy!

Just my opinion.....

 

But back to Basement, seriously, a Huge Congratulations and keep earning your beads every Scouting day!

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[Basementdweller]

desert...... I read your post last night before bed and thought I would sleep on a response.

 

 

Well I did.

 

 

I don't know what to tell you about my experience or the woodbadge program.

 

 

 

 

In reflection the experience has a hollow feeling. I still view it as a waste of 6 days.

 

 

 

 

The anger at what should have been a unforgettable or as many write life changing experience has faded a bit. But honestly it was little more than a seminar that could have and should have been put on at the local holiday inn.

 

It was not the mountain top experience that many on this board speak of......I have come to the conclusion that those who have the mountaintop experience are very shallow people who have never experienced adversity or difficulty......

 

 

 

 

 

I have read that other scouters said they met great scouting resources, Not possible for me, my closest patrol member is 60 miles from me.

 

Fellowship, kinda hard when the patrol breaks up at patrol time and sons are with dads who are on staff and IOLS staff member leave to hang with their IOLS course director.

 

Instruction, Inaccurate information was give in several presentations. I love sitting in a 110 degree dining hall watching power point presentations and movies I had previously viewed.

 

 

Maybe my expectations were set too high???? Maybe my course was bad??? May be my patrol was to self centered???? I don't know.

 

 

Advice for prospective woodbadge participants.......

 

Am I or my scouts better for my attending, NO. I was already self aware and had a view of the big picture. My ticket items were things that I would have done anyhow.

 

If you have no scouting or military background take it.

 

If you are a Man Scout, take it......I took powder horn, it was man scouters at it's finest.

 

 

 

I am a simple man. I am here for my son and his brothers in the Troop and Pack and I will continue to serve them until I am no longer physically able. Beads will not help nor deter me in that goal and the enjoyment I receive from new skill learned or experience shared.