Eagle92

I agree you need to work as patrols not as a troop. Pls should be able to teach basics to their patrols, with instructors doing adavcne skills. KISS is goos, I'm a beleive of the old Show, Tell, Do method. Don't use its anacronym.

Those blue verteran unit emblems go onto the unit flag. They are nice, but here's the catch: has the unit been around uninterupted for 90 years? See the unit must have no lapse in rechartering, b/c if it does then tenure starts all over. I have a unit that I started lapse for a few months, there was no DE and the dis com and commish staff were few and overwhelmed, so when they did recharter, they had to start from scratch with tenure.

Actually I have a s/s shirt from the mid-late 70s thta had a collar. I beleive the addition of the collar to s/s is from 1972 when the necker became optional, as well as how you wore it. I know that earlier editions of the BSHB state that the necker is worn over a tucked under collar.

I am having problems with MyScouting at the moment, esp. the Groups tab as us everyone else. I will keep trying.

I agree. With $13.10 per t-shirt, remember each rank gets their own, that is $91.70 for S-T-2-1-St-L-E T-shirts. Now grant it is possible to skip teh T and 2 shirts and go straight to First Class, seen that happen one time, that is still $65.50.

Boyce, I believe the LS shirts had a collar. that way adults could wear a tie.

BP, What I find ironic is that a lot of the overdoing of insiginia, i.e. ability to wear the 2 temp insignia ( TC Paw and Temp Patch, Progress towards ranks and temp patch, belt loops and sports pins, etc.) comes form the cub scouts. EDITED, I would think the Sea Scouts are the trial group as they have a "plain Jane" uniform.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

BP, If memory serves, that is where he tried to get Vigil stuff from. National contacted the lodge adviser about him . EDITED: National called b/c there was no record of him being a Vigil.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

Yep we were like that too. Until someone tried to get Vigil stuff from national. It was a mess. I got involved b/c the guy also said he was a dancer and wanted to help the dance team. But he didn't know the first thing about dance.

UC, Google or ebay 18th World Scout jamboree stamp. Scout on it is weaing a Smokey bear and jambo necker only. No t-shirt.

Historically the necker was worn over the tucked-under collar ( if your shirt had a collar), and was much larger. Also the original neckers were square. I want to say in 1972 with "urban scouting," the necker became smaller, the option to wear it under the open collar came about, as well as the option to not wear one at all. ( don't like that one.) Luckily national supply is starting to make the the proper size again. Try these links http://www.pinetreeweb.com/neckerchief.htm This link say's 33" square, but I think it should be 36" square http://www.ehow.com/how_5131931_make-boy-scout-neckerchief.html History http://www.google.com/search?q=boy+scout+neckerchief+history&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=16n&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=u7J6TJ7-JISKlwfa0JztCw&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11&sqi=2&ved=0CEAQ5wIwCg

One other option for your son, although he needs to be 18 to do it: European Camp Staff Program. Basically you work at a camp in the country of your choice for a minimum of 6 weeks. Free food, free shelter, and 1/2 your travel expenses up to $400 reimbursed once you come home. Initial cost is approx $150 with the application, and if you are accepted that pays for your insurance. OA at one time did have a scholarship to pay the $150 app fee. Thaks for the FYI on Ocean Adventure.

My lodge now wants sometype of proof: membership card, some type of photo or mention in a lodge newsletter, ability to describe your Ordeal in detail, SOMETHING! We had an incident where someon not only tried to say they were an OA member, but a Vigil to boot. not a fun expereince

I heard that they canceled Ocean Adventure for the moment. I had a friend who did N Tier and had a blast. As for Philmont, I know a few of the guys who talked national into having OATC. It is awesome from what they and others have told me. Prep is all on the individual. don;'t know any other particulars. Also OA is doing something for the Summit next year. You may want to check that out.

UC, From what I was told, national will state that if youth show up to a meeting without their uniform, you cannot tell them to go home. Grant you I don't know who would do that, the "common sense" apporach mentioned when this came up was to have the youth show up from whatever practice with the uniform on a coat change to change into.

Trainer, There is some speculation that national may do away with uniform as we know it for rank based t-shirts, have you heard anything about it? I know Baltimore is playing around with an "alternate field uniform' by Under Armour http://www.baltimorebsa.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=35982&orgkey=749 Also I heard that national will be coming out soon with a policy that units cannot enforce a uniforming policy that prevents a scouts from attending a meeting if he isn't in the uniform. Again have you heard anything about this?

Adam, Went to MyScouting.org and the link is now gone.

Maybe 2 hours? PSB is 45 minutes outside Greenville, NC on the Pamlico river across the river from Washington, NC.

Bac, Yes he plopped $4K down to get his wife, kids, and himself the J.E. West knot. And he did it specifically for the knots. This is also the guy who when he got inducted into the OA, stated he will be Vigil, and said his name would be XYZ. Nice guy, but I think he was in for th wrongreasons.

Kudu, Watch it now with the canoe camping comments Seriously though I've done canoe trips that were as tough, and even tougher than some backpacking trails. Portages, rapids, weather, medical emergencies, a variety of reasons for why they were tougher. I will say this though: proper outdoor training by EVERY scout on an expedition will save a life or two. glad I packed my survival kit on one expedition.

lots of good advice, and Stosh's rules reminded me of my troops rules, save we were fold and rollers, not stuffers. But we didn't have any problems. One rule of thumb we had as a troop was that whatever "man" tent you had, divide it by two for scout and gear. So a 2 man tent was for 1 scout and gear; a 4 man tent was 2 scouts and gear.

Vig, The J.E.West Knot is one of those that can be abused. I've seen it where one person bought one for his entire family: Wolf Cub, Explorer daughter, wife, and himself. I saw it where one small council gave each Eagle one one year because A) the donor did not want any recognition and B) the council wanted to be #1 in J.E. West recipients in the region. But I have also seen it where it was used to recognize the services of longstanding SMs, specifically a 25 and a 40 year SM. I've seen used to recognize outstanding youth, and used to honor the memory of deceased members and leaders. Like anything it can be abused.(This message has been edited by eagle92)

I know BALOO syllabus has a good list of items for a pack to have. I also know that he old BSHB also had a list for patrol and troop frist aid kits. May want to start there. Also Emergency Prep MBP has a list if memory serves. Also you can look at the premade kits and use that as a guide. One main thing I would have is either A) a First Aid MBP or B) a wilderness FA book (BSA sells one that is just right for a small group FA kit.)

Ok I watched the teaser at this link about inner city kids and camp. http://www.harlemscouts.org/ from my experiences as a staffer working a camp geared strictly to at risk youth and having sheriffs' deputies from different parishes attend,kids want excitement and adventure in the outdoors. We had out problems, we sent kids home, heck we sent an entire contingent home, but overall the kids want it. let me tell you one story about how bad one kid wanted to be in the outdoors. His group was the one sent home. problem was he was the only good one in the group, actually doing things he was suppose to and helping out the staff. He was upset that he was getting sent home for no fault of his own, and some of our younger staff members decided to "hide him in plain site" and have him work in scoutcraft. Long story short we wound up having to drive him home after the group leaders left without him, talk to his dad who was really angry about him being sent home that it wasn't his fault and that the staff wants him to join them next year. needless to say dad was flabergasted, especially since the we gave him registration forms, info on the summer camp Explorer post, and a staff application for camp.

I was one of those scouts. SM had a conference with myself and mom about what we could do to help ourselves, ie fundraiser. I was fortunate in that I was able to do one fundraiser, and it paid for my troop expenses for the year IF i did x amoutn of time. it worked. A little sweat equity never hurt anyone.