Greeneagle5

Good ideas and posts ! I agree w/ the rec.s on considering smaller sized trailer(s) for smaller vehicles and 2 patrol sized outings. Our Heavy Hauler needs a turbo-charged diesel for a long trip, which isn't always available. I also suggest considering rear "drop-down" stabilizer jacks (built into frame), possibly a roof rack for bulky canoes/kayaks (Kentucky Lake weekends). 6' interior height and side door access are nice options when loading and unloading after a long trip. Wells Cargo .com did have pictures of a few Troop trailers in the past, not sure now. A Camporee or Summer Camp is a good place to "see & copy" good ideas on organizing, signage and customizing. We also have an open cargo single axle used for firewood, bikes, teepee poles, Christmas tree deliveries, etc. And Btw- Welcome to the forums ! G5(This message has been edited by Greeneagle5)

This was sent to me today.....I thought it was worth sharing ! G5 Scouting makes a Difference by Rebecca Hagelin April 8, 2005 The orange flames of the firelight reflected in his glimmering eyes and made his young face glow like a new moon. The other small campers sat around in nervous, rapt attention as the nine-year-old boy told his breathless ghost story. While marshmallows turned black in the campfire and we huddled to stay warm, I thought to myself, This is the good stuff. Fast-forward a few months to a church cafeteria whose tables and chairs had been replaced with a racetrack and 100 cheering boys gathered for the biggest competition of the year: the Pinewood Derby. Who would believe that the scores of handmade racecars all started as identical blocks of wood? Their colors, shapes and decor were as individual as the boy themselves, each of whom proudly held his racecar up for me to see. One is not invited to touch such priceless works of art, but the boy will gladly hold it right up to your face and show you every angle, so you dont miss a single detail. Ah, the days of Boy Scouting! Ive got hundreds of such scenes etched in my mind. But the years of camping, collecting food for the hungry, working on merit badges, trying to find the scarf as were running late for the meeting (again), and hearing the laughter around the campfire are not just sweet memories -- they are but a few of the thousands of experiences that help shape boys into responsible men. Just a few months from now, my two boys will receive the rank of Eagle Scout. It has been a marvelous journey, filled with loads of fun, plenty of hard work, hours of community service, and close friendships. Im so grateful that Scouting has been such an integral part of their lives. The Boy Scouts of America is perhaps the finest civic organization in the world, and the invaluable contributions that Scouting has made to our nation are staggering. Recently I came across a summary of how Scouting has affected the lives of thousands of boys and men, and even the course of history. Rather than paraphrase, Ill let you read it for yourself. And as you do, youll understand why the Boy Scouts of America is one of our nations greatest treasures. One Hundred Scouts Of any one hundred boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but in later life all of these will remember that they had been Scouts and will speak well of the program. Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge. Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no church. Through Scouting, these twelve and their families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all their lives. Six of the one hundred will enter the clergy of his chosen faith. Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting. Almost all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military and in varying degrees profit from their Scout training. At least one will use it to save another persons life and many will credit it with saving their own. Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least one will later say that he valued his Eagle above his college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts. Seventeen of the one hundred boys will later become Scout leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys. Only one in four boys in America will become Scouts, but it is interesting to know that of the leaders of this nation in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts. This story will never end. Like the Golden Pebble of service dropped into the human sea, it will continue to radiate in ever-widening circles, influencing the characters of men down through unending time. (This message has been edited by Greeneagle5)

Did a quick 12 mile recon of the trail today with my 10 year old daughter. It was great riding with lots of rocky ravines, creeks,bridges,lakes and of course, the dark, narrow tunnel (be sure to remove your sunglasses before entering, or lose them forever to the bike tire "crunch"). 2 Troops were on the trail yesterday working at 50 milers (more recon), one Troop from Scott AFB,Ill., another from Missouri. We'll do this in May w/ the Scouts....extra incentive for us old bikers: a good geocache is near the tunnel. G5

Thanks for the good and varied responses......I'm considering suggesting this "idea" for a fund-raiser to assist some Jamboree-bound "less fortunate" Scouts. Btw- Eamonn, is your bud a Mormon, married to twins ? LOL G5

I saw this used by a Troop while driving on a family vacation last Summer. Do you think it's BSA legit ? (Saw 3 on my hotel's front lawn one Sunday morning). Pink flamingo yard ornaments with little signs saying something to the effect of : "These birds are nesting here trying to raise money for (organization's name) For a small donation ($10), they will gladly fly to the business or residence of your choice". Contact phone listed. Birds were usually decorated w/ gaudy mardi-gras beads, and sunglasses, and possibly a small flag. They have realtor sign type ground spikes for easy placement. A small US Flag could be given for supporting the cause and as a personal thank you. G5

More info on 4/16/2005 at : www.cacheintrashout.com/ G5

Consider a unit meeting program next month on Geocaching and the April 16 international "Cache In Trash Out" program. Our Troop will camp and hike carrying a few trash bags and GPS units that Saturday, hopefully finding a few caches along the trail. An exciting skills activity, good service and fun in the woods !! We might even place a "new" cache with our own Troop "travel bug" "FireFly". More info : www.geocaching.com G5

Nutz, Any other ASM's in the troop that can help you persuade the SM to share responsibilities ? If not,I'd suggest a visit with the new DE, to discuss your concerns, which should be his concerns also. G5

Do you have a Unit Comissioner ? He might offer to sit down with you, the CC, and the SM to discuss the Troop program, where you want it to go, and how to map the trip out. Been there......a frustrating situation, talk, talk,and more talk may bring the SM around. And strongly encourage him to take BLT, ASAP. G5(This message has been edited by Greeneagle5)

Try this site for some good choices in low-cost, high energy backpacking meals (they're good tasting and easy , also) . This "not for profit" company is operated by a Venture Crew using the net procedes for High Adventure Trips. www.wildernesschef.com/ G5

Here is a link: www.bikelib.org/trails/tunnelhill.htm G5

Has anyone taken the "Rails to Trails" Tunnel Hill Trail in southern Illinois w/ a Scout group lately ? We're camping at Camp Ondessonk(near Vienna) for a weekend and it appears the trail passes within a few 100 yards. Sounds like a good older scout activity with possibilities of a few requirements towards a cycling MB. The tunnel and Breeden Trestle sound exciting. How about you hops_scout, any recommendations ? Thanks, G5(This message has been edited by Greeneagle5)

Carol, I also had the privilege and honor to personally know a WWII navy pilot who's squadron was memorialized in "Flyboys". In fact, I was able to present him an autographed copy to read last year shortly before he passed away. His stories of night launching off the flat-tops in mid-Pacific in total black-out conditions and complete radio silence to protect the fleet will be remembered for many years to come. Please Thank THEM... not me, G5(This message has been edited by Greeneagle5)

The Troop I'm involved in could be called a "textbook" example of an Eagle Mill. It is not Scout -run, tremendous emphasis always placed on MBs and advancements (never pass up a MB session even if it cancels a great 3 day weekend camping opportunity). 2 years ago the Troop had 12 Scouts attain Eagle. The new parents seem to love the "school-like" structured atmosphere, but recruiting has started to suffer, meeting attendance is dropping, and the Older Scout Corps disappears from Troop functions usually soon after their COHs. Not much fun for the older guys, adults included. The "old school" SM is firmly cemented in his position w/ strong COR support (the SM even appoints(knights?) "his" CC). The veteran SM runs the program and sets up the Troop calendar with limited input from youth leadership. Unfortunately for the boys, they miss out on a tremendous amount of Scouting opportunities, life experiences, and leadership responsibilities. G5

Many of you have read "Flags of our Fathers" by James Bradley whose father John Bradley was a Navy Corpsman serving with the Marines. Read on. If you have not read "Flags of our Fathers", I recommend it. (Sent to me from a retired veteran, my Dad) G5 > > > This from our LTA Skipper. . > > Each year I am hired to go to Washington, DC, with the eighth grade class > from Clinton, WI. where I grew up, to videotape their trip. I greatly > enjoy > visiting our nation's capitol, and each year I take some special memories > back with me. This fall's trip was especially memorable. > > On the last night of our trip, we stopped at the Iwo Jima memorial. This > memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world and depicts one of the > most famous photographs in history -- that of the six brave soldiers > raising > the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima, > Japan, during WW II. > > Over one hundred students and chaperones piled off the buses and headed > towards the memorial. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the > statue, and as I got closer he asked, "Where are you guys from?" > > I told him that we were from Wisconsin. "Hey, I'm a cheese head, too! > Come > gather around, Cheese heads, and I will tell you a story." > > (James Bradley just happened to be in Washington, DC, to speak at the > memorial the following day. He was there that night to say good night to > his dad, who has since passed away. He was just about to leave when he > saw > the buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his > permission to share what he said from my videotape. It is one thing to > tour > the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington, D.C., but it > is > quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night). > > When all had gathered around, he reverently began to speak. (Here are his > words that night). > > "My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin. My dad is on > that > statue, and I just wrote a book called "Flags of Our Fathers" which is #5 > on > the New York Times Best Seller list right now. It is the story of the six > boys you see behind me. > > "Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground > is > Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player. He enlisted in the > Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were > off > to play another type of game. A game called "War." But it didn't turn out > to be a game. > > Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't > say that to gross you out, I say that because there are generals who stand > in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to > know that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old. > > (He pointed to the statue) "You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon > from > New Hampshire. If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was > taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a > photograph. > ...a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection > because he was scared. He was 18 years old. Boys won the battle of Iwo > Jima. Boys. Not old men. > > "The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike > Strank. > Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys. They called him the > "old man" because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would > motivate his boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some > Japanese' or 'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to > little > boys. Instead he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to > your mothers.' > > "The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from > Arizona. Ira Hayes walked off Iwo Jima. He went into the White House > with > my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero.' He told reporters, > 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me > and only 27 of us walked off alive?' So you take your class at school, > 250 > of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together. > Then > all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off > alive. > That was Ira Hayes. He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes died > dead drunk, face down at the age of 32. ten years after this picture was > taken. > > "The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop, > Kentucky. A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the > age > of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it > went > to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his > mother's farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the > morning. The neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away. > > "The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John > Bradley from Antigo, Wisconsin, where I was raised. My dad lived until > 1994, but he would never give interviews. > > When Walter Cronkite's producers, or the New York Times would call, we > were > trained as little kids to say, No, I'm sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He > is > in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don't know > when he is coming back.' My dad never fished or even went to Canada. > Usually, he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell's > soup. > But we had to tell the press that he was out fishing. He didn't want to > talk to the press. > > "You see, my dad didn't see himself as a hero. Everyone thinks these guys > are heroes, 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew > better. He was a medic. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a care giver. In > Iwo Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died > in > Iwo Jima, they writhed and screamed in pain. > > "When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a > hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I > want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who > did > not come back. Did NOT come back.' > > "So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima, > and > three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima > in > the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving > out, so I will end here. Thank you for your time." > > Suddenly, the monument wasn't just a big old piece of metal with a flag > sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the > heartfelt > words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero. Maybe not a > hero for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless. > > We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us > to > live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice. Let us never forget from > the > Revolutionary War to the Gulf War and all the wars in-between that > sacrifice > was made for our freedom. Remember to pray praises for this great country > of ours and also pray for those still in murderous unrest around the > world. > > STOP and THANK GOD for being alive and being free at someone else's > sacrifice. > > REMINDER: Everyday you wake up free, IS a great day AND ALWAYS REMEMBER > THOSE SIX BOYS AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE MADE OUR FREEDOM > POSSIBLE....................

As I stated previously, I wasn't present during the BOR (out of town) so I'm relying on 2nd hand info. There have been other Scouts (not many) in this Troop with a small tattoo, extremely long hair and/or ear jewelry (one made Eagle Scout 2 years ago)so the appearance of a small ear ring at a Troop meeting isn't a "shock" , and totally "out of order". I feel that we "shot ourselves in the foot again" as a previous poster commented. I just hope the young man that left the Troop will give Scouting another chance, hopefully sooner than later. I'm also hoping a few caring adults within the Troop might thoroughly discuss these issues to try and prevent it from happening again in the near future . Recruiting is already tough, this unfortunate occurance with a new Scout makes it a whole new challenge, I'm now concerned about his patrolmates. I blame this disappointment on inadequate training and poor crisis management skills within our corps. G5

Ok,here goes........a young Scout went into a Tenderfoot BOR in appropriate Scout uniform. He did have a small ear ring that one reviewer disapproved of and requested that it be removed immediately (I assume because the adult felt the ring wasn't appropriate with the uniform). The Scout stood his ground, left the room and evidently the Troop along with his dad, an ASM. I'm not sure if the SM followed up on this situation, he is very "old school" in his views. I wasn't present, but feel like the "Uniform Police" might have gone"above and beyond" in this case. Finger rings, sunglasses, watches, and tasteful ear rings are allowed in the armed services but not BSA , hummmmmmm....? Comments and thoughts are appreciated..... G5

I'm not receiving the headlines page when I attempt access, just a message that tells me to "reload this page for Headlines". No Joy here, any other suggestions ? This has happened for several days now.... Thanks, G5

Dulles International will be slightly easier for an immediate transit of the metro area to I-95 S. towards Camp A.P. Hill, especially during commuting/rush hours. Reagan/National is directly on the Potomac R. about 2.5 miles from the Pentagon in Alexandria, Va. If your flight arrives there between 10 AM - 1PM or after 7:30 PM , traffic and /or rail should be OK. Have Fun !! Greeneagle5

Access speed is much improved this morning, it had been awful for 2 days ! On the OA forum, frustration from repetitive log-in failures made me ignore it permanently. G5

Congrats. Joni, It sounds like your Troop's program is making some solid strides towards youth challenge and leadership development ! Remember, the small corrective steps forward are always less frustrating (but can and will be very painful to some)than keeping quiet when you know changes need to be made to the program. We're still slowly climbing up that trail, with the summit still out of sight........... I'm pushing (and shoving w/ many e-mails)for the new CC to take some basic training and trying to promote some training for all the T. committee. Our SM(of 20+ years) runs the 3, 4 and 5 year Webelos Program with total support from the COR and many parents . In fact, the SM selects/ appoints the CC who simply acts as the Troop Secretary for the current program. The SM chairs all monthly planning meetings with very little input from the SPL/PLC. In fact, the SM doesn't attempt to attend the PLC's monthly meetings , period. Unfortunately, as long as the CO strongly supports the SM's program, there are few remedies for quick improvement, except to preach (and push) good training !! Recruiting has suffered in the last few years, which I attribute to the program being in a rut (few 'fresh' ideas from Scouts being heard). The Troop attends the same Summer Camp, same date, same campsite EVERY season........... BORING to Scouts after a few times.......... G5

With an aviation theme, you should consider contacting : http://www.youngeagles.org We had a multi-district camporee a few years ago at a regional airport , offering the Aviation MB. Young Eagle Flights were a tremendous hit with the Scouts. Every Scout desiring to fly was given the opportunity. G5

You might get some good ideas from the USMA Camporee Webpage : http://www.usma.edu/uscc/dca/clubs/scou/index.html West Point hosts approx. 125 + Troops every Spring for a very active and well planned weekend. Also, Geo-caching events and Team (patrol)Orienteering Challenge competitions are always exciting large group possibilities. G5(This message has been edited by Greeneagle5)

I recently was asked/appointed to be the Troop outdoor coordinator by our CC. I know some of you have excellent Troop Camping (prior to departure) checklists that you'd love to share with me........here's your opportunity....Thanks, G5

Cliff, I'd be interested in the Hawai'i info myself. I'm working on a 2006 HAT to the Big Island and Volcanoes NP for older Scouts and Venture Crew members. G5