3EaglesDad

Well I guess I have been bragging all along...It''s just as great pinning that third one as it was the first..Except his two brothers where there to do the Eagle Pledge and Charge for him... 3ED

OGE Your words and pictures reminded me, why we do this Scout thing. The stories of your scouts with different "skills" finding a way to overcome, go around or just go through, to accomplish what they set out to do was very well received. The only problem I had was, listening to my scouts whine about how they had to climb a small hill to get to the dining hall. It just goes to show if you want something bad enough, you will find a way to do it. I commend you and your troop for showing what scout spirit is all about. To see a group of youth and adults who are willing to "DO" instead of whining about what they "DON'T" is very refreshing. 3ed

My family never travels anywhere without our "class A's". Learned the lesson the hard way, our DE was in D.C. during President Fords Ceremonies, if you had your uniform on it was a free ticket to everything. The Ford family informed the the powers that be, that the Scouts where "special" invited guest of the family. He didn't have his but some of his friends did and they went to many of the official functions, and where given preferred treatment, just because they where wearing the uniform. My sons have reached the point that they wear their uniform so much that they feel a little funny when they don't have it on. One son is on a little trip with his grandmother and he took his switchback pants because he likes to wear them more than most of his regular clothes. He's also 6-3 and a football player, nobody makes fun of his choice of clothes. Be proud of the uniform, more and more the people on the streets still respect it more than we know. 3ed

In this day and age, if I have a parent that is wanting to be involved in their sons lifes and be a volunteer, I will not be asking for their sexual orientation. First of all I don't need to know and second I don't ask anyone their sexual orientation. If they follow BSA rules and procedures they won't be a problem to the boys or to me. Kinda like the military "Don't ask Don't tell." If they do make me know, then I will have to handle the situation on a case by case basis. I will not turn any "Parent" down who is wanting to volunteer and help. Its hard enough finding parents who are willing to give up the idiot box and every other excuse for not raising their own kids. Now having said that, if I have an individual with no connection to Scouting, no son, no history, no family here. I will look at his application very closely and make sure that I have some very good local references for them. I would do this no matter what their "leanings" where. 3ed

OK Here I go, it all boils down to what is expected and promoted. In my council we hold 3-5 wood badge courses a year, we also are the only council allowed to hold a Philmont Course. How do we do it? We expect all leaders will take WB. We promote that you aren't really trained until you have gone to WB. You will see most everybody at a scout function has beads on. Everybody promotes WB to the new leaders. We start talking to the new Cub leaders as soon as they have a good sense of what they are doing. Some of these get it right away, some it takes a couple of years. You would be surpised how easy it is to get a cub leader to stay in after they have gone to WB. For the last several years we have had full courses with all 8 patrols, because of some last minute cancellations some of the patrols have had only 5-6 in them but we have had at least 45-48 on each course. We also have a waiting list of people wanting to staff. How is this possible? we promote the H**L out of WB. So what I am saying is if you build it they will come, or promote and promote so more and expect all leaders to be WB trained. It also helps that most District level leaders are WB trained, and a lot of them have staffed. 3ed

First a little back ground, #2 son Chapter Chief, #1 Chapter native american lead, Ceremony lead, both Eagles. Myself Chapter Associate Advisor, all three on the election team. Held election in our own troop(I know should have been done by another election team but these things happen), Youngest son eligible, APL for his patrol, very well liked by most of the troop, SM looking at him in a couple of years to being a strong SPL. One group of older "FLAPPERS" decided that no one younger than 14(the youngest of these flappers) should be elected. These older scouts convinced other boys to just not vote, only some of the very deserving boys made it in. My son was not one of them. Was i bitter? Yes, could I do anything about it? Yes, did I do anything about it? No, the election was held under the rules, and was certified by our SM. We will just have to look at next year, and make some needed attitude adjustments. 3ed

Day off from Philmont Training center, borrowed a friends Suburban for sight seeing in area, went to Eagles nest, coming back through state park. Looked in rear view mirror saw truck flashing lights. Thought this jerks wants to pass me sped up to reach wide point in road to let him go by. Then red an blue lights started flashing it was the Park Ranger. Pulled over he approached passenger side asked for license, Reg, and Insurance. Handed over license from out of state. Couldn't find registration, Insurance card was expired by over a year. Vehicle not in my name. In full Field Activity Uniform. Venture Youth with me in Uniform, let us off with a warning about slow down the State trooper ahead would write me a ticket for all things, He should know he trained him.... Very glad to be wearing the old Tan & Green... 3ed

Our District several years ago started a Trail to First Classs (TFC) program at cub day camp. The just crossed over youth came back to Day camp one more time, but as a TFC group, they had different shirts and program. The leader of this program is a long time Scouter and he has a staff of Scoutmasters and Venture youths that go over the "harder" TFC req.'s such as lashings and bug's and plants. We have a great Scout Skills program at DC along with a very good Nature program. We just kinda of double dip the TFC boys into the already established schedule for the cub campers, it also allows the TFC boys to do a couple of fun things such as BB's & Archery. Another advantage is the parents pay $45.00 for our TFC program for a week of concentrated focus on TFC req.'s and then when the youth goes to summer camp he can take a full load of the MB to advance. The parents then are paying for their son to have more fun at summer camp instead of sitting in a group not getting anything signed off or haveing to go over everything twice to get it signed off. This is a program our local service area is trying to get all districts to take up..your know the recruit and retention thing again.. 3ed