Eagle92

One of the things my Ship did backin the day, was create a display in the local mall. Got about 5 new members if memory serves. brought in a boat on a trailer, had different displays set up, and had fun. Just make sure the mall is a lively one and not dying. Another crew, a bunch of troops, and one pack did that at the local mall, and it was not very sucessful b/c the mall is dying and few folks were there. BUT on the bright side, it was a good PR event as many older folks who use the mall as a walking track stopped by and talked about their days as a scout and/or leader.

If you take a seam ripper to the "pen pocket" portion of the left pocket, it opens up the pocket enough for sewing on rank patches. As for the POR patch on the "smokes pocket," if you take your time and hand sew it, it's doable. Tedious, yes, but doable. Hopefully I won't have to change my CSDL patch until next June when oldest becomes a Webelos, and middle son becomes a Tiger, but "I have a bad feeling about this."

I am curious as to how other councils are working with the American Heritage Girls. I know their is a letter of mutual understanding, but how is that working.

Sounds like some of the units in my council about 12 years back. In-school-Scouting units should have been replaced with Learning For Life units a very long time ago. It should have been done prior to me being a DE, and I know I had some "challenges" converting ISS units to L4L groups.

I love it.

not necessarily true. I know of 2 COs with a pack and a troop that do their own thing. Only time you see them is at the 2 camporees and district awards banquet ( only if their Eagles show up) or the district PWD. Never see them at training, never see them at RT, never see them otherwise.

I have a Scouting USA strip somewhere.

In reference to the 5 year and out, it may have been summer camp, or again may be my confusion with COPE trequirements. Saw the article OAK posted, and tried to post the link as well as the USCG PFD checklist card that they use to inspect their PFDs, and am having computer problems. I am very glad to see 0 fatalities in regards to PFDs. Also if I remember correctly, CO2 PFDs are not suppose to be used in the BSA.

WHY DIDN'T THEY MAKE GSUSA COED WHEN I WAS YOUNGER Seriously though, las time I saw a Campfire member was in the early 80s, and never since. And tho think they were the BSA's official 'sister" program in the USA. Good friend was involved in GSUSA as an male leader, and got fed up with being treated as a second class citizen.

Something in my mind keeps popping up 5 years max and discard. Now in my old age I may be confusing aquatic stuff with COPE stuff.

Skip the campfire and go straight to your favorite outdoor game: Capture the Flag, Civil War, Manhunt, etc.

An intersting aside on CLIFFHANGER. When I went to NCS for COPE, we were told not to believe CLIFFHANGER in reference to the Blue Water Climbing Gear used in the movie. We were told that Blue Water sued the production company b/c they did lose some business after that movie. Whether it's true or not, I don't know, maybe another scouting urban legend.

In refernce to PFDs and if memory serves,you are correct in that there is a "failure rate" with PFDs. But is extremely low, and if you look at the details of the incident, other factors are involved: i.e. alcohol, being knocked unconscious, etc. So I wouldn't worry about that too much. Sorry I cannot state a source, it was something I picked up in a water safety course over 10 years ago. Also some other info that may make you feel less concerned. Swimming MB and all the boating MBs have the following requirements, or very similar ones: 1.Discuss the prevention and treatment for health concerns that could occur while swimming, including hypothermia, dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, muscle cramps, hyperventilation, spinal injury, stings and bites, and cuts and scrapes. 2.Do the following: a.Identify the conditions that must exist before performing CPR on a person. Explain how to recognize such conditions b.Demonstrate proper technique for performing CPR using a training device approved by your counselor. Canoeing MB has this skill: 6.With a companion, wearing the proper PFD and appropriately dressed for the weather and water conditions, use a properly equipped canoe to demonstrate the following: f.Capsize the canoe and demonstrate how staying with a capsized canoe will support both paddlers. g.Swim, tow, or push a swamped canoe 50 feet to shallow water. In the shallow water, empty the swamped canoe and reenter it. h.In deep water, rescue a swamped canoe and its paddlers by emptying the swamped canoe and helping the paddlers safely reenter their boat without capsizing. And while the lake wasn't whitewater, if any one has that MB it has the following: 11.Explain and demonstrate: a.Self-rescue and procedures when capsized in moving water, including a wet exit if necessary b.Safe rescue of others in various whitewater situations situations using a throw rope. c.Portaging - when and how to do it. d.The whitewater buddy system using at least three persons and three craft. Now IMHO, this one requirement makes the Lifesaving MB more important than ANY, again stressing ANY, lifeguard certification. 9.Perform the following nonequipment rescues for a conscious practice subject 30 feet from shore. As a former lifeguard instructor, there are times when you need to make a rescue, and make it fast, when you do not have any equipment, or if the equipment breaks (and equipment breaking is very rare if the stuff is maintained). I do not like it that ARC, YMCA, and now BSA Lifeguard, do not teach how to make rescues without equipment. In a nutshell your son is safe in the water.

Upon reflection, I think they need to add " or a youth with a national lifeguard certification." I know of some adults who can pass the swim test, but couldn't handle a rescue, and I know many a youth who could handle the rescue since they were trained 'guards. Then again I'm an old fogey who remembers when BSA Lifeguard WAS the hardest program in the USA, and not just an imitation ARC program.

BP, The Brits had it so that a unit could be all male, coed, or all female. And yes I did see an all female troop while I was over there.

It depends upon your lodge. In my current lodge, the youth have a committee that review all applications, and it's for Boy Scouts only, so no Cubs or Venturers may apply. there is a separate campership fund by the council that is open to all, and a 3rd also run by the council that is open to Eagles, both youth and adult, only. Adults can access that for WB, Jambo, and national HA bases only. Youth can access that cmapership for anything. One lodge I was in gave the council the money to supply camperships. Also I know of a few chapters that have their own campership funds. May notbe legit per national, but seen it done.

Ditto what EMB said, ever since national went overseas for suppliers.

Oak, Thanks for the update. Guess I need to redo SA with the new info. That is IF the new info is up there. When I took it in Aug/Sept, SA was the same online course that I did 2 adn 4 years ago.

Eng, Sounds like you have my brother's ex. Long story short, he's been in and out of court several times on all kinds of garbage. Good news is that the judges have said it's all been garbage, and one even lowered the child support payments. Bad news is that lawyers are expensive, and he is still digging himself out of the hole. So I sympathize with you on that aspect. Wish ya the best on that. In reference to your son's swimming ability, a few questions. 1) Did he pass the swimmer's test prior to canoeing? If no then 1b) Was he in a canoe with a certified lifeguard? If the answer is yes to either of those, then he is OK to go canoeing. If no, then THAT is a problem b/c it violated Safety Afloat. In reference to drowning, PFDs do save lives. Most are Type II or III, and Type IIs can turn some an unconscious folks upright. But with buddy boats in the area, another part of SA, there should be no problems if someone did get knocked unconscious in a Type III as some one is nearby to make a rescue.

BnG next year?

Actually there is a nylon baker tent out there, don;t know it it's on the market or not. My camp was selected to test it out one season, about 1 or 2 years ago.

That's another part of the problem, once you let the stove genie out of the bag, it is too easy to keep it going. Let's face it in the time it takes to get your wood ready to cook on, you can be finished with your meal meal and working on the dishes. Now I do know of 1 troop that only uses stoves when fire bans are on. They were alos the only troop to get a fire started, boil a "string" of spaghettii, and tie it in a square knot without any help. One other patrol did that, a NSP who the judges felt sorry for and helped out. The NSP didn't get any points though.

As I posted originally, this should NOT have happened. Leaders need to be talked to ASAP to prevent this from happening to another scout AND so that the process of removing the abusive scout can go on. If your son was sent to the hospital, then the Scout Executive (SE) NEEDS TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY so that the entire process can dealt with legally. SEs know the legal process they must follow in reporting abuse to the legal authorities. From first hand experience, if your son will not talk about what happened to him, it will continue happening to others. Plus the abuse will affect him until he resolves it, and the best way to resolve the matter is to confront it head on NOW. Will it be painful to your son, yes. Will it be embarrassing to your son, yes. Will it be awkward to your son, yes. Again I know form first hand expereince. BUT will it make your son feel better faster, YES. Will give him a sense of closure faster, YES. Will it make him more comfortable and confident if something like this rears its ugly head in other avenues in life, YES. Good luck.

Don't forget Leave No Trace too.

Engineer, On a serious note, if two of your players had a fight during practice or a game, would you not get everyone involved together to sort it out? Would you also recommend that the offended party look to another activity? After all "the [player] would have to be very motivated to go back to any [team]. And for you to overcome your angst would be another big hurdle." Let's face it "There is no possible way that a responsible parent (single or not) could in good conscious allowed their son to participate in [a team sport] which they don't feel that the boy is protected in. That is amplified in [any sport] because of the amount of time that the boys spend [at practices every nite and on game days]. I think your advice does reflect your bias against BSA, as the advice you have given can be applied to any endevour. And it really doesn't solve the question WHY DID IT HAPPEN, but rather encourages flight and blame. On a very less serious note I agree 110% with the and the Dad's wondered if I was after their wives comment since I was a stay at home dad for 4 years. Only time I didn't get some funny looks on playdates was when I was in grad school for the second time.