2Eagle

I'm glad this keeps coming up. Baden Powell would have used cell phones at Mafeking if he had them. He was a real innovative guy and into the technology of his day to gain an advantage. I also like cell phones and radios because I can better track my boys with them. They are both invaluable at summer camp and outings where boys are scattered all over the place. I solve the "inappropriate use" problem by issuing a "Cell Phone Chit"...just like a Totin Chip or Firem Chip. It comes with rules and training and is a "contract" between me and the boy. I haven't had a single incident since I started issuing the CPC and it saves a ton of time and agony over who has hidden cell phones, etc. It's like many things. When it quits being "cool" to sneak around with one and show your buds then it quits being a big deal. If you want a copy of my cell phone chit send me an email.

I issue a cell phone chip...just like a Toten' Chip...it comes with rules. Violate the rules, lose a corner, lose all corners lose the phone FOREVER. I don't issue one to first year scouts until they can prove they won't get homesick. Works great. I don't care what the parents want. They can follow my rules, accompany their son on outings or go find another troop. Send me an email to coldan36@gmail.com if you want the template and I'll send it to you.

Sounds a bit like me when I was younger. I retired in 1999 as a Colonel after 26 years in the US Army so there is definitely an outlet, other than terrorist or murder suspect, for guys like us. I chose to be a "sheep dog" and protect the flock with guns. Somebody's got to do it. Maybe this kid can be encouraged to do the same.

It's tomahawk throwing...a real axe tears up the target. It's authorized...done at National Jamboree and many summer camps. Our troop carries at least 1 target everywhere we go and often 4 or more. Best targets are made of 2X12 or 2X10 pine, treated or non-treated, whichever can be got cheaper from culled lumber piles at the local lumber yards, 6 feet tall, 3 ea 2x12s side by each, piece of thin stuff like luan(sp) glued to the back with 2x4 braces on the back. Heavy but last longer. Held up by single 2x6...some times they fall over and you have to set them up again. Get cold steel hawks from knivesplus.com...can get extra handles there also. We mostly use the Frontier Hawk but have one Rifleman Hawk for the larger, stronger boys and one Trail Hawk for the very smallest boys. Cold Steel hawks are the best for throwing. We have tried them all. Run the range like a combination range and axe yard. Roped off. Permission to enter. Hawks passed using Totin' Chit protocals, etc with a range officer to run the range. We have never had a problem and I have never heard anyone say we are violating Totin' Chit rules and frankly wouldn't care if they did...and would tell them to go bother someone else. If it's good enough for the National Jamboree it must be authorized. We are going to throw hawks. It is great. The boys love it. It keeps them in camp. I have never met the boy from my Troop or others that I can't teach to stick a hawk in about 10 minutes of working with him including ones in wheelchairs and with physical and mental handicaps. Helps build self esteem and confidence...especially in impaired boys. What a joy it is to see the look on their face when they stick a hawk. Just ran a hawk range for fall camporee this weekend and we are running another for OA Fall Fellowship this coming weekend.

The new uniform is awesome. Our boys love it...which is frankly all that matters. Great to see that the rest of BSA is getting with the Troop 36 program.

Anarchist, Caught them there my self. The Tye is no too far away and its full of trout.

My advice...come to Virginia in June. Put in on the James River at Bent Creek. Float 9 miles to James River State Park. Wear life jackets. Most places even the shortest boy can stand up when canoe tips...not if. Rapids don't even rate as a Class 1. Beaches to stop for lunch and swimming. Great place to learn canoeing skills. Don't drink the water since cows along the bank use it as a latrine. Fish for trout along the way.

OldGreyEagle, I was shocked, shocked mind you, to read of the lab rat and 50 pounds of cheese. I think you have it confused with another food test. The way I heard it was that the rat was injected with 97 pounds of peanut butter and the scientists concluded that peanut butter causes death in labratory rats.

I can't let this pass...someone has to fight back against the continued wussification of Boy Scouts. Large honking sheath knives are essential because boys like them and they may be usefeul for some things. They are cool. When I was a kid in Scouts we carried large sheath knives...utility of use is and was immaterial. They are cool. I have never known of a youth or soldier, in my soldiering days, to get injured by falling on a sheath knife...one of the oft quoted excuses right up there with "you might put an eye out"...I've also never know a kid who put an eye out...of course probably will happen at the next outing...Our council and district does not allow sheath knives at council or district events but we allow them at troop events. Funny that only one boy ever carries one but a lot of adults do...must be that chidhood thing. This is something a whole lot of people need to get over.

I'll try to answer some of your questions.... We are starting a Crew primarily because the boys want to start one...mostly because they want to do some things with just the older boys and they realize they can do more stuff that they want to do, like hand gun shooting and hunting, that they can't do with even a Venture Patrol...They want hunting and shooting to be the activity focus for themselves and to foster youth hunting in the area. These boys "know the deal" they are all seasoned, active as Scouts in the Troop, some have been together since Tiger Cubs, members of the Venture Patrol, will remain active in the Troop, are active in OA (in OA they are or have been Chapter Chief, Vice Chief, Secretary, Lodge Treasurer, Lodge Newletter Chair, Lodge Web Page Chair, Elangomat Chair, Camping Promotions Chair, Conclave Chair, etc.), LLDC staff, NYLT Staff, Cub Scout Day Camp Staff, Boy Scout Summer Camp Staff, etc...and they think the green uniforms are cool...Good, active older Scouts who want to try something different...perfect fit for a Venture Crew from all I have read. A couple of boys want to join who are older brothers of boys in the Troop that were never in Boy Scouts. Probably keep it single gender since a co-ed Crew exists 5 miles down the road, the Crew Adviser is the mom of one of the boys in our Troop and we don't want to compete with her Crew for female members...and she has a different activity focus.

Could someone point me in the right direction concerning dual registration policies. I am a Scoutmaster and dual registered in the local pack as a Trainer and now want to spin off a Venture Crew from the Troop...MAY I (setting aside the sanity of doing so) also now register as the Crew Adviser or MUST I register in another position in the Crew, say Committee Chair. I have heard many conflicting answers, including from local professionals...What is the REAL policy and where can I find it written?????

Of all of the threads I have read oh these many years this is in the Top 10 of the most ridiculous...but I'm just an ORC...(Old Retired Colonel)

Trevorum, Much critical research has been done recently in light of the current unpleasantries. Some say that Mohammed had his first "visitation" from a spirit around 610 AD when he was about 40 years old. In his hometown of Mecca many gods were worshipped...some say as many as 300. His tribe may have worshipped Allah the moon god. He chose Allah to be the "one" god which is why one sees a crescent moon often associated with Muslims. These circumstances and a host of other theological touch points are significantly different than the methods Jehovah chose to reveal himself to mankind.

adc294, I am a Christian and I will try to answer some of the questions you posed at the beginning of this thread. The quaetions didn't seem to be answered an the topic drifted. I make no assumptions about your personal beliefs. Will billions and billions suffer for wrong choice...yes...though it is not God's desire for any to suffer. He has told us the way and sent his son to show the way and left evidence in every natural thing we see. So in His mind there will be no excuses accepted at the end. Will many be surprised...yes. has God been dictated to us...yes...it's called the Bible...everything you need to know is there. Will people who don't believe in the God of the Bible enjoy his blessings...simply put, no. Although you didn't mention this somone did...The God of Judaism and Christianity are the same...the difference is the believe in the Christ, the Messiah. Allah of the Muslims is not the same. Can I respect someone else's "choice"...yes...God gave us "choice" in our make up...He asks that His creations make the right one...and I'll pray that everone does.

I know it's tough to face and tougher to carry out but I believe in this case I would cut the kid and family loose. I would not put my butt on the line for this kid or accept further resposibility for his actions. You reach a point where the good of the rest of the kids and your own ability to run a safe, efective program has to be considered. Long ago I dropped the idealism that I could fix every problem through Scouting. It is useless to try to change anything in the family as well. You can't fix in an hour a week and one weekend a month what gets screwed up at home the rest of the time. In my day every boy was in Scouting in the neighborhood...if they weren't or dropped out they were considered weird. Like it or not times have changed and those days are not coming back. As you know, many times now, it is the Boy Scout that is considered weird...until they make Eagle anyway. I have found that the moma's boys don't make good Scouts...cut them loose. The Game Boy/Video Game fanatics don't make good Boy Scouts...cut them loose. The sports fanatics (gotta play every sport year round) don't make good Boy Scouts...cut them loose. You will have some victories. You will get through to some. You will change some...but not all. I want boys who want to be there, who put an effort into Scouting, who like the outdoors, who can develop the mental toughness to endure an active outdoor life, who learn to strive to succeed. Like it or not, and I don't, the fabric of our society has changed. Not every boy will be attracted to Scouting. Not every boy can endure Scouting. Not every boy has the internal fortitude to succeed in Scouting and certainly not every family "gets it" either. I learned long ago in the Army that soldering doesn't fit everyone that signs up...even though they volunteered. You can spend most of your time trying to fix the few, with marginal success, or you can spend most of your time with good to make them better with great success. I choose to put my personal time and effort into those that respond not to those who don't.