Hal_Crawford

I have to agree with Oaktree about the Sea Scout Oath. A couple of years ago the local Sea Scout Ship sent 4 scouts to present the colors at the district roundtable. The color guard consisted of two guys who looked about 12 years old and two girls who looked like fully grown women. I had to suppress a laugh when they got to the part about "women and children first" because frankly, they looked like they were the women and children. BTW: I think the one oath idea is a lousy one. Boy Scouts are and should be different from Cub Scouts.

BSA24 raises a good point. I am sick and tired of those smokers shoving their agenda--and smoke--down our throats. They all expect us to accept their life-style and treat it as if it was normal. They all want special privileges. Disgusting. Fred8033: 4XL uniforms are for council and professional scouters only.

NLDScout: The language in your post has no place in scouting.

SA's actions were totally unacceptable and constitute a safety issue in that it sets a dangerous leadership example for scouts. Apology was definitely necessary but does not un-ring the bell. SA is a danger to others. OP may not have used best approach to deal with the issue but does not change the above nor excuse the SA's actions. SPL and patrol leader need better tools to manage scouts on hike. In our unit the youth leader (SPL/PL/Crew Chief) asks the question "is anyone not ready?" Hike does not continue if anyone--scout or adult--says they are not ready. Once the those that were not ready say they are the leader asks the question again. At this point, assuming there are no new objections, the hike continues. It works.

To my father who served as a combat engineer in the ETO and Korea. To my grandfather who was a surgeon in WWI treating the wounded from Belleau Wood and Chateau Thierry. They are with their comrades now. God bless them all.

Outstanding. Perhaps all members of congress--or members of the UN for that matter--should wear balloon hats while debating the serious issues of our day. Couldn't hurt; might help.

I think it is a great idea to force all students into careers in engineering or sciences, even if they have no talent or passion for it. Without these sub-par engineers and scientists who is going to design the next Takoma Narrows Bridge (Google the video if this isn't familiar to you), decide that it is fine to fill a space capsule with pure oxygen or decide that thalidomide is a perfectly safe treatment for morning sickness. I have a cousin who flunked out of three fine engineering schools only to join the navy and discover that he had a gift for foreign languages. The needs for various fields fluctuate. From Sputnik through Apollo there was a big push for engineers then they were suddenly a glut on the market. I dropped out of engineering and majored in Drama--design and technology. My college roommate majored in engineering eventually working on the Shuttle program. Over the years he has earned more than I when he worked but he has had more and longer periods of unemployment. On the whole I think we have probably been about even as far as income and I am a whole lot happier. I would have been a crappy engineer. My son dropped out of college and works in tech support. He earns a decent living telling some of the smartest scientists in the country how their computers, Blackberries and iPads work. He is good at what he does largely because he communicates well; something that he learned in part by hanging out with theatre people from a very young age and also through Scouting. My uncle, a surgeon, used to advise young people who wanted to be doctors to major in English. "We have plenty of fine clinicians and scientists but few of them have the writing skills to publish the advances they have made or the techniques they have discovered. Learn to write, then study medicine". Liberal arts and science together. Who'da thunk? To each his or her own talents and abilities. We need engineers and scientists but we also need artists, musicians, linguists and historians.

I recently had difficulties signing up for ARC CPR class. Since then ARC has closed a number of offices in the area. Small piece of good news is that CPR/AED certification is now good for 2 years.

I was a unit commissioner for a while at the same time I was serving as an assistant scoutmaster. I was not aware that it was not allowed and I guess the DC wasn't either as they knew that I would continue with my troop when they recruited me. I quickly found that the time requirements of the two roles were incompatible so I chose to continue with unit scouting. What I do remember is that you should not wear unit numbers on your uniform when serving as a commissioner. I splurged for a second shirt with the appropriate patches and loops.

We have no special plans to commemorate 9/11. We will be on our annual planning camp out and I expect that there will be some mention of the events at the morning religious service. Our troop meets just a few miles from the Pentagon. 9/11 has been very close to us for the last 10 years. Sunday won't be particularly different. Hal

That is an outstanding story. A reminder to us scouters not to overlook the scout who has little or no interest in earning Eagle. He might outshine everyone in living the Law, the Oath and the Motto. This lad did.

Scoutfish: Your post reminded me of when I volunteered with a Hotline when I was in college. We often got calls from young girls who thought they were pregnant. Often it was for reasons like the one you mentioned, a boy felt her breast or they kissed with their mouths open. This was before sex ed was common and certainly not taught before the junior or senior year of high school. One day I got a call from a girl with a really young voice, "I think I'm pregnant." Sure that it was one of those calls I asked--and I hope I didn't sound smug--"why do you think you're pregnant?" "My boyfriend and I have been having sex for about a year, I haven't had a period in four months and I am having trouble zipping up my jeans." I suddenly felt clueless and totally unprepared for what I was doing.

I agree that the cost is infinitesimal but tell that to the politicians that promised to cut the waste in Washington and are hacking away at every program they see--particularly if it doesn't fit into their political ideology. There isn't a budget in Washington that is safe from the those that would rather give up food inspection and air traffic control rather than consider a tax increase for anyone. They constantly rail about waste in government and then order more flags. It's the hypocrisy that annoys me more than the cost.

I am surprised that no one has questioned how much is spent to pay someone--or probably several someones--to raise and lower flags day in and day out so that congressmen have largely symbolic gifts to distribute to their constituents, donors etc. At a time when we as a people are talking about cutting defense, social security and medicare this seems to be a complete waste of taxpayer dollars.

The news also said he had no jacket, water or food. Three more mistakes--water being a huge one. Glad the scout is OK but his story isn't a good example of Be Prepared. His survival was more a matter of luck than training. The best outcome of this would be if he uses his story to teach younger scouts in his troop how not to make those mistakes.

I feel for the boy, for you and for your troop--this won't be pretty, it won't end well and no one will be the better for it. Good luck.

In First Aid they teach to act within your level of training. I think that the 5 individuals who interrogated the scout acted outside their level of training. Doing so they created a great deal of risk for the scout and the troop. Assuming a suspected youth protection issue the leaders role would be to report the issue to council. They have neither the training nor expertise to conduct an investigation. Eamonn is spot on with his comments, particularly about the potential consequences. Assume that the boy might be gay or bisexual or uncertain. Assume that the boy's parents might have attitudes similar to Scoutmom's. Yes "Mom", your son could be gay and would probably never dare tell you. This child would have no one to speak to and seeing that he is about to be outed could feel that he has no better option but to take his own life. Nobody wants that kind of outcome.

"Would that be an ethical question or a political question?" Wouldn't it be great if ethics served as the foundation for politics? Might be the death of political parties.

"There's been a real shift since 9/11" Scouts bringing cell phones to camp means the terrorists have won.

Runaway. Arrested for being a pick pocket--case dismissed. Known gang member. Caught breaking and entering--not prosecuted. Know associated of a violent murderer. Show of hands, who would accept Oliver Twist in their troop? Based on the above most of us wouldn't but if we read the rest of the book that could change the story.

In our troop we do campsite inspections and scouts have the option of rolled or closed flaps. We recommend closed because of the frequency of sudden thunderstorms. If they leave flaps open we mark them up or down on what we see. If they're closed then we don't look inside and only judge on the common area of the site... chuck box, table etc. One time I came into by son's patrol site and found that his flaps were rolled. Tent was relatively neat except that there was a bird starting to build a nest on his pillow! Now that was unexpected.

I am getting a real chuckle out of all the folks complaining about paying "$30+" for a shirt. Short sleeve shirts are $39.99 and long sleeve are $44.99. Thirty plus doesn't really describe something that basically goes for $40-45.

Simple solution for the future. Ask all parents who go to camp who are not already registered scouters to register as committee members. Its not really a big deal. Any parent engaged enough to spend time at camp will probably not mind filling out a form and paying a membership fee. Many troops cover adult membership fees out of unit funds.

I regret not earning Eagle. I regret not earning First Class. Not my fault; family moved oversea cutting short my scout career. As an adult I have helped over a dozen deserving scouts earn their Eagle and that is better than having the award myself. That said, I have read a couple of articles about elderly men receiving Eagle. One involved a man who completed all the requirements but left to serve in WW2 before receiving the award. In his case it was really a matter of a seriously delayed COH. Another was an African American man who completed all the requirements except for one merit badge. He couldn't complete Swimming MB because swimming pools in DC were "Whites Only" when he was a scout and he lacked the resources to go elsewhere to learn to swim. BSA apparently felt this was a valid reason for an exception and granted the award. I don't think the man in the OP has as compelling a reason for an exception but he can give it a shot if he wants to.

Working as a helper on a construction job I had to clean up two bathroom sinks that had been used to wash paint brushes. Lots of paint slop--really strong solvent--no ventilation. Went home with my head spinning after the first bathroom. Got a splitting headache from the second. It is a miracle that I still have two brain cells to rub together.