ghermanno

We are the CIT so pity us.. We work in camp the food is hideous... Meatballs, what a movie...

Personnaly, I have more than two uniforms (but only two I fit in). One is Distict/Council uniform. On that one I wear the appropriate council patch, Trained patch, three Cub knots, two Boy Scout knots, and the DAM knot. I also wear my OA flap on the pocket and have a velcroed position patch. This is for those who do not know me. On my Unit shirt, I wear the council patch, Trained patch, the unit numbers, position patch, and OA patch. The Unit guys know what I am about. You can wear all, some, or none of your knots. The only required patches are council, unit (if in unit), and position patch. I would highly reccomend the "Trained" patch if you are trained fopr the position to keep District/Council personnel from asking you to attend training for the position. Just my $0.02. Rick

Beavah, Personally I think the EBOR should be a District/Council item. My thoughts are that the Eagle candidate is not there to prove his Scouting skills but to prove his Management skills. I personally think that using members of the business community such as Managers and CEO types would be better than a mom & pop type. I honestly think it should be more like an interview as we are supposed to be preparing the Scout to LEAD in the real world. The Scout has already proved his Scout skills (for 1st Class) and is now proving his Leadership. He should be able to answer questions about his project (man-hours, cost, permits, usefulness, how it could be done better if done in the future, ) and his leadership of it to the board to show he is ready to LEAD. Eagle is NOT a popularity contest but a demonstration of leadership choices and decisions. Just my $0.02 Rick

I am sorry DKurtenbach, I must heartily dissagree with you. A "Roundtable" is not just a "check-up". When done properly, the experienced Scouters can help the new Scouters. It is not supposed to be a "presentation/lecture" (which unfortunately a lot of them have turned into.) I moved my Roundtable from a church to a Village Inn resturant last month because the people supposed to open the door were over a half hour late (not unusual). Had one of the GREATEST Roundatbles I have seen in a while. People felt more comfortable and chatted about things comming up and what to do. It was a REAL Roundtable. My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

Scoutfish, Kudo's to your Troop and your Scout. Guess someone did something right somewhere. :-) You did not say what the CD or PD said or did about this problem. Did they do anything? Your best recourse, is to inform the CAC, DAC, DE, and SE. Let them know that you will also inform your Troop Sponsor who should be informed that his group is NOT getting what they paid for. This will inspire more corrections than any SM complaining. As for the Blue Card, if it is signed by the SM (or approved rep) and signed by the councilor (not allways the camp trainer) then it is a done deal. Unfortunately I have seen that done in Merit Badge Universities/Camps as well. Again Kudo's to you, your Troop, and the Scout. My $0.02 Rick

David, First, there's no rule against a parent(relative) being a MBC for a relative. Second, you are not registered as a Troop MBC, you are a District MBC that happens to be associated with the Troop as well. Enjoy Scouting with your family. Rick

About two months ago my Council gave every District volunteer a memo to sign stating that (s)he would do the following for the District. ...Donate $xxxx to FOS or Donate $xx to FOS and supply names of people that will donate $xxxx to FOS. ... This was for the "Volunteer" positions. I told my DE "No Thanks". If I donate to FOS it is my donation not the Councils determination of how much I should give to volunteer. They keep asking where my application is for this year... :-) My $0.02 Rick

Roadkill Patrol, Here we, the Troop, give the swim test annually before our first water outing. We also tell the boys that the swim test is for the TROOP and that Summer Camp, MBCs, or any swimming event outside the TROOP can and probably will require them to do it again. It has nothing to do with trusting other Scouters but it has a LOT to do with ensuring boys safety. Our boys do NOT have a problem with it. Just my $0.02 Rick edited for typo(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

Not sure how you want to handle it. Over a decade ago I had the same problem. After the first use of the bleach, they wanted to use my filter (old pump style). I treated it same as car camping and we have a GREAT dessert. You can use the pump but you have to fill my water bottle first. Fair trade as I am carrying the filter and still carrying my water. A "No thanks" would result in them drinking the "bleach water". Not dangerous but not tasty either. As I teach other Scouters "It is O.K. for a Scout to be uncomfortable, or hungry because (s)he decided not to pack/bring items needed. It is not O.K. for a Scout or Scouter to suffer needlesly." You decide where the line is. A Scout that is cold is different than one suffering from hypthermia. A Scout that is hungry because (s)he did not bring enough to eat is different than one that lost his/her food to an accident or whatever. I have seen too many parents/Scouters try sooo hared to make sure the Scout was comfortable and not inconvinienced that the Scout learns NOTHING. Common sense prevails. Just my $0.02 Rick

Hmmm.... Do they emit light or suck-in dark???? (A skit I once heard)

Just wanted to say "Happy Mothers Day" to all the Female Scouter "Moms" out there. Thank you for your service to the Youth. Rick

I think the "coolest" thing I ever bought was a battery operated christmas (Yultide Greetings for the politically correct) lights back in 94/95. I was in Panama with another ASM and our families had returned to the states. We went camping in the Jungle and NOTHING went right. The wood we had was soo dry it sucked water from our hands but would not stay lit (even with magnesium). We were getting majorly bummed and then I out the lights on a bush and we cheered up. I gave those lights to him and he brought and used them in the "Sand Box" a few times to cheer up other military. He has passed on but the memory remains. Rick

Wow, Guess I should quit now before the "FAT" police come and get me. My approximately 30 years as an adult Scouter, service to District/Troop/OA can be filled much better by someone who is THIN and does NOT show up. Thanks for the reccomendation. Your in Scouting, Rick

Pappadaddy & moosetracker, Yes, the BSA RT guide is used (along with the Resource manuals). The themes are repeated every three years. Most Troops that I have talked to do NOT use the themes or the Resouce manuals and have trouble planning a meeting. Just my observations & $0.02 Rick

Cito, I wish I had your problem. My problem is that I can set up good speakers, good demos, good training and sit with mostly four or five people counting the three on staff. Some have heartburn with ANYTHING that involves District or Council (they refuse to support either) but I see it as supporting other Scouters not the District/Council. Another problem is that I can NOT get the District to allow/find another location for the RT. It is at a LDS church and we have between zero and one LDS scouter attending. I can NOT have coffee available at the meeting. My feelings are that if the LDS does not want to attend, I thank them for services rendered and look for another spot but my SE is a LDS Scouter and no one even wants to think of moving and upsetting about 70% of the District. Good luck. Try using the themes and getting professional speakers for general/specific topics. (Rei rep for backpack types/fit, some summer camp "Mountainmen" to teach Dutch oven cooking, the OA to teach "ideal" campsite, teach TLT to the SPL/PL's while SM & SA are in other areas learning other things,... Good luck. I am almost at the quitting stage. Been at it about a year and a half. My $0.02 Rick

Hmmm, lets see CC MC CM CA WL DL DLC CSDC/PD RTC/CS DAC UC TRAINER On the Boy Scout side: SA SM CC MC RTC/BS DAC DISTRICT OUTDOORS/CAMPING CHAIR TRAINER UC I am still a SA/Trainer/Distric committe member/RTC(BS)

Brewmeister, The "right" way: If your son was actually working on the Merit Badge, vice the Tenderfoot requirements, I would read the requirements to him and ask him as a Scout if he actually DID the requirements. If he answers honestly that he didn't, let him know that he can take the badge later. Then go to Council and inform the Council Advancement Chair, your DE/SE, and the District Advancement Chair about the Councilor. He represents the Council and District as a MBC and they are responsible for him being certified. The "easy" way: Ignore it. Let it happen a few dozen more times and watch a boy become Eagle without ever having to conmplete a Merit Badge. Everyone learns to take the easy way out and the Boys lose out. My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

Seattle Pioneer, I do NOT have a problem with reimbursing personnel for driving when carrying extra scouts or gear. My big problem is more in line with the Troop giving the information last minute or after the event. I can't budget that. Guess the "fair" part would be for me to skip ALL outings but that would not be fair to me or my grandson. I was willing to drive on this outing and take two extra passengers without charge but I would still have to pay the gas of the other vehicles. I would like the Troop to schedule some fund raisers (maybe pancake breakfast or spagetti dinners) to help offset the cost of gas for trips. As I stated before, in the last month, it has been over $80 just for gas for two trips (just the grandson going). That was not budgeted in my budget. Guess we will have to see. My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

Recently I became re-involved at the Troop level. My grandson came to live with the wife and I so I helped him join Boy Scouts. The Troop does not do fund raisers except for Popcorn and my grandson was too late for that. At a cost of $30 - $50 per outing per person, I have cut back to just him going. I am a SA in the Troop but the Troop drops the charges on the parents/Scouts sometimes AFTER the event. Some of us can NOT afford the extra expense. My $0.02 Rick

Hello Deaf Scouter, The one you reference is the 2001 printing online. Have you asked your District Advancement Chair or the Council Advancement Chair? They are responsible for providing MBC list to Troops and Districts (they also approve ALL MBCs). The list of available Merit Badges is found here: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/mblibrary.aspx My $0.02 Rick p.s. Thanks for reminding me, I have a MBC class comming and needed a new listing. Rick(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

I found one here. It is the 2000 printing. You can find more looking on the web. http://www.bacarrowhead.org/training/TroopCommitteeGuidebook.pdf Everyone should "recruit" MBC's. The DAC/CAC must approve ALL MBC's (even if they only want to work with one Troop). Enjoy. My $0.02 Rick

This is a "touchy" subject. I believe that Scouting shuld teach a youth how to properly use/care/protect the outdoors. That being said, I know too many parents that would allow the Scout to shoot something so long as he doesn't touch it after the fact. How could we, the Scouters, ensure that "little Johnny" will ensure that the animal is killed with minimal pain inflicted and not wasted or left to die in the wilderness? BSA would not allow it as they would see the Scouts shooting at anything that moves (including other Scouts) and do not want the liability for that. I have seen what happens when someone plays "games" with firearms. A Marine accidentally shot his friend while playing "Cowboys & Indians" with M16's. Not pretty. I think, unfortunately for thos of us that love the outdoors & hunting, that we must allow the "parents" to train the youth or send them to "hunting courses". My style of hunting nowadays is with a telescopic lens and digital camera. My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

Former Scouters, retired SM's, CM's, SA's, CA's,... Tehy may be "burned out" or "tired" of the Troop/Pack (or politics) but may be willing to share thier experience on the District/Council side. Another option would be business leaders (Bank Pres., CEO's,..) they make GREAT Eagle Board members. Another place is the Military. Most bases have some senior personnel that would like to help the community but want to do it low key. My $0.02 Rick

Momof2cubs said: "Try being a woman and a BSA volunteer..." Sorry Mom, don't like operations. Will stay a male. I don't play that game. I appreciate ALL who volunteer and will train if needed and learn where I can (even from females!!) as I KNOW I do NOT know everything. Smile All :-) Rick

I have no problems with Woodbadge in Spanish. My only question would be the staement: "...Spanish Wood Badge Course at the Bechtel Summit in West Virginia" I realize the area needs the advertisment and use of others to get money but it sure would be more beneficial, imho, to have it in places like TX, NM, AZ, & CA. Cuts down on travel (a Scout is Thrifty), allows more participation (a Scout is Helpful), allows more US Scouters the opportunity to be sponsors for the international guest (a Scout is Curtious)... I just hope that it works enough that NATIONAL will consider using Council Camps and supporting Council Camps in the future. Just my $0.02 Rick