Stosh

The boys in my troop noticed that they needed 1 hour of service project requirement for FC. So PL called up the local State Park and asked for a project. They needed a trail cleared. So the patrol as a whole (mostly PL) got everything together and they went over to the park and cleared about 1/4 mile of trail. It took them about 6-7 hours. I'm thinking that could have easily been worked into an Eagle Project given a boy's proclivity to BS'ing the paperwork. So? Well none of the boys at that time had yet earned the rank of Scout. So where do these boys go by the time they reach Life and start looking for a "Real" project? By then they ought to be able to lay pavement for the Park's parking lot after building a new Nature Center. Stosh

Have fun! That always works for me. Stosh

Or get a small wagon and show-and-sell door-to-door. Customer gets their product immediately. Take orders if one doesn't have the product in the wagon, or have a way to contact a base of operation that does. Stosh

EVERY time a new scout joins the troop they get the anti-hazing, anti-bullying, if you don't feel safe, tell someone speech. That's not just for the new guy, it's for the whole troop including adults. Needless to say, I've never had a serious problem in the troop and the minor ones get nipped in the bud right from the get-go. Stosh

Yes, the original intent is far more beneficial to the boy than today's bureaucracy process. I have my boys involved in the 1960's EP on a regular basis so that when the bloated one comes along they can figure out how to do the fine print. To-date, I have never read a candidates proposal. I just sign it and off he goes. He's done enough of them that I don't worry about the paperwork one. I even let him repeat one he's already done if it was sufficient to warrant an Eagle Project level activity in the first place. Some of them are. I just make sure they pick one that meets the modern standards of showing leadership and jumping through hoops. Stosh

The opportunity to teach the boy that there's more to this world than just oneself and one's cronies. If he's going to be SPL he has to take care of everyone, not just a select few. I was referencing only the issue of patrol tent not respecting the wishes of some of the lesser positioned boys. Stosh

There's no reference to leadership in this statement and any service project done by the Eagle Candidate is okay. What people have made it out to be is a lot more than "just a service project". As a matter of fact, doing the project all by yourself is okay as long as it is beneficial to the organization. We're obviously making it a lot more complicated as time goes by. I have boys doing the "Eagle Project" described above all the time by Scouts as young as TF. By the time they are Life Scouts, they have a ton of them under their belt. As a boy-led program, that means the monthly service project is set up by a scout, that's 12 opportunities a year, and they don't have to fill out any paperwork, just do the work. Stosh

I wouldn't disagree one bit. I find that some of the scouts that face challenges do better at rising to the occasion than those that seem to have things come easy and they take advantage of that fact and never push the envelop. I would think the young man needed some help with the leading part, but he was outside his comfort zone and still persevered. I have no problem with that. In my last troop I had a 34 year old handicapped scout working on his Eagle Project. It was definitely hard for him, but he was very well liked, (good leadership trait) and showed slow and steady progress. One couldn't ask for anything more. I was removed as SM before he started his project, but his plan was solid, hopefully the next SM stayed the course with him. Stosh

Two of my EP's involved what I would call leadership. 1) Clean up and landscape around a new church addition. Had to coordinate with church officials, church work crews, scout work crews, waste disposal people, and landscaping company. There was no question leadership and management was involved on the part of this boy. 2) Clean up an abandoned veteran's park. Coordination between city personnel, tree removal services, scout crews, friends crews, luncheon people, waste disposal personnel, DNR, and a veteran's group that had a vested interest in providing after clean up landscaping. To me this kind of management/leadership of multiple groups/crews is what offers something more than just one person doing the heavy lifting and the others sprinkled around the outside. A lot of groups doing a lot of heavy lifting at the coordination of the scout? Yep, that's a leadership project. An Eagle Candidate that does all the work on a project himself is NOT showing leadership. He can be an excellent organizer and even a great problem solver, but leadership is what the project is supposed to show. Stosh

Love it when they go hypocritical.... Stosh

FARB's cut corners, authentic reenactors who are true to history don't. They reenact on the day anniversary of the event using equipment of the time. That's portraying history for the public as closest to reality as what is safe. Other than the occasional medical death, or getting shot by some idiot or not following safety standards, it is kinda safe. Stosh

Not on purpose, but they do anyway. The larger events now have triage tents on site and I have seen at major events out east, up to 12 on-site ambulances shuttling reenactors to the local hospitals. At the 150th First Bull Run event they finally had medically staffed circus sized tent that was blasting AC cooling people down and a second tent with fans and water for those trying to keep from going into the other tent, When one gets thousands of people out in the hot sun in +95 degree heat, it's not just the reenactors going down. At one event, a National Guard medical unit was called out and set up on-site to handle an especially hot day (145th Second Bull Run). The joke amongst reeactors is if you run out of black powder and need to take a hit (no longer going to fight, no ammo left) make sure you find a shady spot to "die". Seriously, though, I can see why so many of the men simply couldn't handle the elements and they were by far younger, used to being outdoors, and in better conditioning than most reenactors. Stosh

Totally AGREE! - There's a big difference between a service project and an Eagle Project. One being leadership. If one just creates a neighborhood map and assigns boys to cover them door to door for collection items, that's nothing more than good management techniques. I have had TF scouts in my troops do similar things as practice and preparation for their someday Eagle Project. This is why I would never want to sit in on an EBOR. I have found out that most councils really don't worry too much about it in the long run and that's where the rub comes in. They are approving these kinds of service projects as Eagle projects. So how is one to fight city hall in that case? On the other hand some of the more credible Eagle Projects they challenge or reject. Go figure! Obviously there is no national guideline criteria that is clear enough to deal with the problem. A few months back we had a boy collect up mosquito netting and fly them over to Africa and there were a lot of oooh's and aaah's and basically it's exactly what you're talking about, but 30 years ago when I first saw this done it was done by the elderly church ladies in the congregation I was serving not Brownies or Cub Scouts. Stosh

Like the SM assigning adult ASM here and there where needed, what's the difference with the SPL assigning youth ASPL's here and there where needed? (This was my first knee-jerk reaction to the comment about an ASM for each patrol. I was thinking an ASPL would be more appropriate in light of the boy-led emphasis.) In a very large troop, there's also the possibility of the troop officers numbering well over 8 boys as well. In that case I'd get another ASPL and break that group into two as well with an ASPL coordinating each one. BP felt the patrol should be 6-8 boys. I'm a firm believer in that as well. It's well within the leadership capabilities of most boys at this age. A really good leader might be able to take on one or two more, but with all these boys needing POR for advancement, why would anyone want to restrict the numbers? Same for TG's and Instructors. Every NSP needs their own TG/ASPL functioning as TG. Specialty Instructors could conceivably teach every other week in a 12 patrol troop and have plenty to rotate around. A boy could possibly have ASPL on his shirt, but at times he is PL for the troop officer patrol, Instructor for them as well, Could be pro-tem SPL as needed, TG for a NSP who's TG couldn't make it on the outing, backup QM when he's off looking for gear for a patrol QM, etc. I guess I would rather see my Eagle Scouts be a functional ASPL, helping (ASSISTING) the SPL in a number of different duties than have him answering/(ASSISTING) the SM as a JASM. In a large troop, one would think the SPL may in deed need more ASPL's than just one. If one's patrols are 300' apart, a second/third ASPL would be helpful to the SPL who can be wearing himself out tending to 3-4 patrols on an outing, especially if his only ASPL is taking care of the troop officer patrol 99% of the time. Hope this helps.... Remember there is no rule that says you can't have more than one ASPL any more than the SM getting more than one ASM. Stosh

Unfortunately they died by the thousands. Stosh

Powdered Gaterade is what I use. 100+ degree heat, wool Civil War uniform, and hours in the hot sun. Ice in the hat and Gaterade in the canteen kept me on my feet. Stosh

I have had only one person go down on me in the heat. The issue wasn't hydration it was heat. The fella kept drinking right along with everyone else until he went down. The medical tent at the event packed him in ice for about an hour. It had nothing to do with the amount of water. Best to hourly take a break in the shade and drink up a bit. Wet neckers and t-shirts help in the process of keeping the body cool, not just hydrated. Yep, just one more thing to worry about...

How are throwing knives any different than any other kind of knife? If someone wanted to make a case out the fact they don't have sheaths, that's one thing, but assuming a sport knife is a weapon is kinda dumb. Javelins aren't weapons and fencing epees aren't either. Stosh

Not all Scouts get to be Paper Eagles, some have to settle for the real deal. Well done! Stosh

I've seen a couple of troops that carry more "stuff" than that, but from the looks of the main vehicle, it looks like it's from WAY, WAY, WAAAY out of council. Does our local tour permits cover mileage measured in light-years? Stosh

LOST? Map and compass, just remember, map and compass.... you'll never get lost.... Okay, okay, correct map and compass, just remember, correct map and compass.... you'll never get lost... Okay did I get that right? Compass with the needle, not the math one... Got it? Where was I, I think I'm lost..... Stosh

A little more adult involvement in this situation that I would have preferred, but as long as the boy squared himself away, who's to complain? And the topper to it all, he squared himself away enough to get re-elected. Congrats to the boy! and congrats to the adults that allowed a second chance. Stosh