Eagle92

Hopefully the DE and volunteer in charge won't say, "we don't care, that's how it's always been worn here, and we aint changing it" or words to that affect. Yep one of my coworkers and the JLTC SM basically told em that when I asked them about it, and told them it's incorrectly worn.

BP, Curious, what type of training did the LA County ones go through? Is that the program, sorry forget it's name but beleive it's based out of Hawaii, that deals with shark attacks, rescues with serious surf, etc.? One of the guards I worked with in college was from there and had that cert, which no one ever heard of before. From what she described, yep it is harder than BSA. As for your lifeguarding skills, I'ld bet you a box oven cobbler of your choice that if things hit the fan, you would go into automode and make the rescue with little to no complications. I've seen that happen before .

My old troop had a balance of activities, mostly having inexpensive weekend trips, with the occasional special weekend trip, usually over a 3 day weekend. We also worked with other troops in the district to provide HA activities.

Yep I got a lot of grief, both at the event itself, and about 12 years later when discussing this on myscouting.org. Long story short I was drafted to do the uniform inspections at camporee, which is an event the patrols get points for and is usually what breaks any ties, b/c A) I was the DE and had no favorite units and B) I worked PT for supply while in college so I had a good bit of knowledge (aside: after being a DE I went back to Supply FT). Anyway I got lots of grief at the event for telling people that they were wearing things incorrectly which would affect their patrol's score. Both youth and adults were upset, but most got over it when I showed them the sections of the IG that showed them the correct info. I got lots of grief 10 year later b/c I also had a sewing kit, which included scissors, and I told folks that I would give them a chance to correct their uniform if they wanted too. Some folks said that was too much, some folks said I was unfair for not giving them points for incorrect uniforming, etc.

BP, While I agree with you on the current BSA Lifeguard training, I can tell you that the old training WAS the hardest program out of ARC and YMCA, b/c it also emphasized boating skills. I hate to say it, but there are folks who FAILED BSA Lifeguard, for some minor reasons, that I would trust my life to than some of the lifeguards that I have helped train and certify (don't ask, I was overruled in the decisions).

For whatever reason, a lot of folks think the NYLT, and it's predecessor JLTC patches go in the jambo spot in my neck of the woods. When I was a uniform inspection judge at a district camporee, I had to inform a lot of scouts, and adults as well, that it was being worn in the incorrect spot. Had some complaints, but when you show them the Insignia Guide, they really can be ticked off at you since you are now giving them the correct information.

I know most places would go with a program year, i.e. School year. But I thought I heard somewhere that SCOUTNET now has something to do with keeping track of requirements and verifying tenure and training.

Yep RichardB will not lead you wrong. Not only does he work for national, he is also an ASM with a troop. So he is in the field with the rest of us on the weekends

Considering that certified lifeguards are not required for Safe Swim Defense, Lifesaving MB was all that was needed at one time, I don't know how they can require a lifeguard for afloat trip. ( And I noticed they are now called "RESPONSE PERSONNEL") From the G2SS under Safe Swim Defense Response Personnel (Lifeguards) Every swimming activity must be closely and continuously monitored by a trained rescue team on the alert for and ready to respond during emergencies. Professionally trained lifeguards satisfy this need when provided by a regulated facility or tour operator. When lifeguards are not provided by others, the adult supervisor must assign at least two rescue personnel, with additional numbers to maintain a ratio of one rescuer to every 10 participants. The supervisor must provide instruction and rescue equipment and assign areas of responsibility as outlined in Aquatics Supervision, No. 34346. The qualified supervisor, the designated response personnel, and the lookout work together as a safety team. An emergency action plan should be formulated and shared with participants as appropriate. Now what I want to know is, when did they start requiring life jackets in clear water over 12 feet, and murky water over 8 feet?

We got several folks who have basic first aid training, and a few paramedics. Pack doesn't own a first aid kit as old CM was a fireman/paramedic, always on call, and kept his bag in the car at all times. So we are in the process of getting one together. I know that I've offered an AHA Heartsaver CPR, AED, and First Aid course and had no takers from anyone in the district, so I am jealous you got as many leaders as you did.

Don't see that and I'd ask the person denying that to show you where it is required. Now it does say BSA groups shall use Safety Afloat for all boating activities. Adult leaders supervising activities afloat must have completed Safety Afloat training within the previous two years. i no longer see the recommendation for a BSA Lifeguard in G2SS for SA, probbaly becasue BSA Lifeguard has done away with boating altogether and now mirrors ARC, but it does say It is strongly recommended that all units have at least one adult or older youth member currently trained in BSA Aquatics Supervision: Paddle Craft Safety to assist in the planning and conduct of all activities afloat. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss02.aspx#i SOOOO if they are still giving you a hard time, a call to you DE may be in order.

Been a while since I was with a troop, but here it goes. 1. Does your Troop actively recruit 2nd year Webelos Cub Scouts? Yes 2. If it does what methods are used and what is the approximate success percentage per method? Can't give you percentages, but here are the methods. A) Den Chiefs when possible. B) Cool activity planned for their visit. Best ones have included SWAT and Search and rescue teams. Also did a science museum visit, specifically a planetarium C) Annual Wilderness Survival Campout. Divide them into the existing patrols, teach them how to do lashings and build shelters. Lots of utensil-less cooking. 3. On average how many Cub Packs does your Troop recruit? Varied. Initially it was where ever we had a DC. Eventually the troop moved to a CO that had a Pack, and we recruited exclusively form them. Also took alot of transfers as well. We had a good reputation as a 'Hiking and Camping Troop" 4. If the Troop does not recruit where do find your new Boy Scouts? At one point we did a lot of "word of mouth recruiting" getting friends, relatives, and transfers. Any additional information will be very helpful. Most kids want adventure keep the outing in scouting. let the scouts do the talking, not the adults.

Depending upon how involved you were as a youth, and whether your lodge has a history could make a difference in verifying your status. For some things, it's easy to verify if the lodge posts stuff on the 'net. my old lodge has lists for lodge officers, Vigils, Honor Neckerchief, and other awards, so if you got one of those, it's easy. Some lodges have an online history, and you may be found in a pic online. I found a pic of our current SE when he was a youth member of the lodge back in the day online. So the internet route may help. OA handbook form the time with records may help, but it is also possible to forge. Also some lodges may ask you a series of questions. But again those can also be faked. had that happen in my current lodge with someone faking.

Sounds like it may be necessary to schedule a boy and girl to sleep together in the same tent to avoid hanky panky. I know that the German Scouts, which is coed, sleep in tents shaped in tents that look like teepees and by patrol. SO everyone is all together.

If the scout and leader are parent and son, I would say that the starting point is your home location and note that one family will meet you at XYZ point. I know when I do TOUR PLANS for my pack, I put I put "every family on their own" in regards to transportation. What I find interesting is that there is a move locally to NOT have one central location to depart from to avoid caravans. Don;t know if this is council or volunteer directed, but that is someone's directive based upon the no caravans policy.

Base, Please let's not go there. It aint fun seeing folks you know that that has happened to.

IMHO the problem lies with the fact that it is a paper unit. They are not recruiting folks, they are not active, they just exist.

The ties of Brotherhood are lasting,and you will be welcome. Just pay your dues and be active. As for lodge flaps, that depends on how your lodge does things. Some lodges allow them to be purchased at the scout office, others only at lodge events. And some lodges have restrictions on their flaps, i.e. 1 per lifetime, one for X number of hours doing cheerful service, one per OA event, etc.

Googling folks names plus "and scouts" will work wonders to track folks down. That's how I found out a DFS got promoted to SE then demoted to FD. Don't know why that happened, but I can guess. Too bad he is still employed by the BSA.

'Fish, I don't remember if it was here, or on the MYSCOUTING.ORG site, but this topic did come up for folks who are duel enrolled, i.e. SM in one troop and WDL in another, or CM in one unit, WDL in a 2nd, SM in a 3rd unit, and Crew Advisor in a 4th, and AA in a 5th ( in this guy's case 4 units are 9 month units, the 5th is summer camp staff, he's more of an addict to scouting than I am ). If memory serves, the consensus was that the person would have to choose which knot to apply his tenure to.

If your lodge does patch auctions, donate them to the lodge to raise money for camperships. Of if you know folks who attended the event, give them the patches.

Cub Scouter Award is geared to A) those not in DL or CM positions, i.e. committee, ADLs, etc, and B) those DLs who have already earned DL or Cm award and keep on going. Tenure cannot overlap, so someone to earn all the awards would be active for 9 years with no overlap: 1 year as a TCDL 1 year as a CSDL 1 year as a WDL 2 years as a CM OR 1 year ACM, 1 year CM 2 years as a Trainer 2 years "... as a registered adult leader in Cub Scouting in a pack." So someone who spend 5 years in the program as in the three DL positions could earn the 3 DL awards and Cub Scouter Award.

But.. the last staw and the "NO WAY" came from the SM when she expected the scouts to carry her port-a-potty in & out of the jamborie for her.. Alas, the ladies of my Ship made us set up a GP tent and carry the "head" from one of the boats for their use when we went camping. Skipper had to agree with it since his daughter, a mate, was one of the most vocal about it. Oh well.

EV, Yep interactions are different and there can be challenges. Saw that with my coed Ship back in the day. So one of the things I talked about when I was in the UK was how does coed scouting work there from the youth's perspective. Challenges I've encountered and heard about don't take place overthere. However I do like their option of all male, all female (ran into one of each) and coed units.

It's now a collector's item? I bet that since Summit isn't officially open, they will have the triple crown award for a few more years.