Basementdweller

isn't it spelled "Wussy"? Scoutfish have you got your training yet. hehheheheh

Again as an adult leader........I don't think POR patches are all that important. The only time they are important is school recruiting night. Too me they are just bobbles and badges for the mini Napoleon that resides in all of us.

More bad advice Our troop camps 8 times a year. Cheap is ridiculous. What is going to happen is the boys are going to get wet and cold on an outing and quit. Air mattresses.....and electric air pumps. you will sleep much better and warmer on a closed cell foam pad. how many times have you woke up on a flat air mattress Most scouts can get by with a 3 season tent. My manditory things are a large vestibule for storage of muddy wet gear and shoes. mostly mesh tent body to vent heat in the summer... for two scouts a three person tent minimum. Full fly coverage......all the way to the ground. the troop uses Eureka's timberlines..... personally I use Alps mountaineering purchased for 60% off from steepandcheap.com. Great tents at great price.

Just another medical conditions is all I backpack with mine......no problem. experimenting with lipo batterys currently. I can go for an entire week at resident camp without having to haul my battery to be charged. It really isn't that big a deal if you make the effort up front. Drop your perceptions and excuses just continue living cpap isn't the end of the world I am not one of your plus sized guys, medium size, but my grandfather died of congestive heart failure that was probably related to sleep apnea. I have resigned my self two wearing it the rest of my life. I have a few more pounds before I am going to be at the recommended weight to go to philmont......yes I am going and yes I am taking my cpap machine along.

I am a very educated and long term cpap user and camper. I don't like the tone of your post, dealt with....... Most users can go a weekend without being on it.....I have done that too but don't recommend it. there is no need for special provisions on the troop side. CPAP is my burden and I do not expect to force anyone to have to deal with it. There will be people who use it as a crutch, I say BS. I have hiked the Appalachian trail with mine and use solar panels to charge the battery's. A disturbing trend I am seeing at scout camps is extension cords running everywhere for cpap machines....... come on people be a little more creative and independent. I think running extension cords out to campsites is dangerous and unnecessary. here is a link to a pretty good thread on the subject http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=276370 I have offered before, if anyone needs help working out a system I have done for a number of scouters just let me know.

Hawk Many/most Eagles do not continue in scouting as a youth after they receive the Eagle. The program simply isn't geared to keep them......An outstanding troop will keep their interest, one with lots of high adventure, most troops will not. It has been my experience the eagle and quit, just that simple. I will say 1 in 15 will stay on more than a year. When I received my Eagle I hung around for a year or so then my interest faded, the other guys in my patrol, got jobs and cars and girl friends. It happens.

perdidochas...... my son may be the exception to the rule. He has been a tag along with various troops for 6 years. at 10 years old he was better able to take care of himself than some first class scouts I have seen. The Troop he has joined actually made him a guest and put him in a Patrol for camping purposes. So since he was a bear he was functionally in a troop. At 11 he is the patrol leader and a fantastic cook. I couldn't be prouder. The reason for him attending these events is my wife working weekends and nights making me a virtual single parent. So part of the agreement for me being the second adult was him tagging along. So in a nutshell his Webelos experience June 1 became webelos July attended resident camp September completed webelos badge September turned ten February Awarded AOL, yes a month early Crossed over and JOined the troop. All I can say is it depends on the scout.

After reading this mess of attacks, no wonder scouting is in trouble. Anyone who does not agree that we need to protect our wilderness areas has never been to one. The name of the program or idea is irrelevant. I don't buy all of the LNT nonsense, colored tents and closes, Please????? We need to do our best to manage usage and protect the little public land that is left. So drop the egos and attitude and get on board with the idea that WE need to do this. Scouting has a horrible reputation with land managers. We tear up campgrounds and shelters and are noisy after quite hours. I am going to bet that it is only 1 in 100 Troops that cause the problem. It only takes one poor unit to get us all labeled as poor stewarts of the outdoors. Last camporee saw a couple of troops Dig firepits in a public park after being told to use above ground fire pits only. Guess what, scouting can no longer use any of the parks for camping. There defense was they didn't own firepits and were not going to purchase any.... So their arrogance cost us access to inexpensive camping. Scoutfish.......if your worried about ATV's crashing into your tent.....are you camping in an approved campground?????. Bears and coyote's could care less what the color of your tent is.....they are more worried what it smells like.

I was a youth of the sixty and seventies and my father chose fraternal organizations over his family. I several threads I made note that the SM was more my dad than my biological father. He was and is a member of the masonic lodge, shriners, kiwanis, lions, rotary and his professional organizations. He was also member of some speaking club that the name eludes me now. He was little more than a provider and had next to zero impact on who I am today. It was my mother who put me in scouting and made sure I got to the meetings and such. Thx mom Probably why I try so hard with my kids.

sewing isn't that hard and a good skill for a scout to have. My scout will sew his own when the time comes.....which is soon.

I never thought about it much...... But how do the married adults tent on your crew outings????? Till quite recently our crew was all male and now we have a couple of young ladies and the female advisors which come with them. It just assumed I would tent with my wife who is the female crew advisor...... what do you do

I am hearing a lot of excuses here. Den Chiefs, program, webelos, wolf and bear years, sports, competing activities. But ultimately doesn't it fall to the Den Leader. Who is responsible for an interesting and exciting program? We have listed a lot of puzzle pieces, Now we just need to put them together into a solution.

I have seen it done. It is functional and practical. But the Scouters who I have seen do this are also not examples I want my son to follow. Example....... One scouter while I was talking to him to me to wait a second he needed to change roles. Ripped off his Cubmaster patch and put on a Den Leader patch. Stupid if you ask me. was he trying to be funny, don't know, but I was really put off by it. I have three shirts, one cub scouting, one boy scouting and one of the crew. All have the correct positions of responsibility on them.

Ok Doc for the cub program, I have asked for a Day Camp, fall family camp, a spring family camp and a district Pinewood derby. that is not too much Cub programing. Yep the program suffers because of the distric BS, not boy scouts.

I think the crux of the problem is the leadership is so transitory. Lets face it you have them for 4 years maybe........ They are just starting to get good when you loose them. BS leadership is around long enough to get leadership. current SM 10 years. CC 14 years treasure 22 years. COR 30 something years. Me paltry 6 years. of course add the youth years and I almost get 16 years.

Married youth crew couple.....I guess it becomes irrelevant. So can that married youth couple share a tent on an outing???? I am ok with it, but they will need to tent in the adult married couples area

I agree we hand the beads and belt loops out in the den meetings. I would avoid multiple pack meetings.

Sitting here talking to our SM. Yes I am hanging out with scout friends on New Years eve. He pointed out that scouting, Does not fit most of the current family values including the religious component. Most of the parents get involved in tigers simply because a flyer comes home with johnny, Most have no idea what scouting is. Once they are in and see some of the discussions about religion, drugs, sex they don't want to bother. It is easier to cheer for a sports player as to actually having a heartfelt conversation with your son about important subjects.

Kudu pointed out that we lose most of the Cubs. I was wondering why that is. I have heard a couple of my parents say that the wolf and bear years are nearly identical.....I agree. Webelos meeting can be like school, I have seen them run like that....... the boys are bored out of their minds. My meetings are very hands on.....we have been doing craftsman and handyman. I had the local medic squad come in and do readyman.....it was outstanding fake blood and all. 70% is terrible. We need to remember that we need to offer a program the boys and parents actually want......Maybe they don't want family scouting any more....... thoughts

Well, The crew is going to Philmont in 2012.....I need to lose weight to be in the guidelines To spend less money on Scouting, Yea I spend why too much out of my own pocket to send boys to camp and activities. Not going to buy the sob storys. Spend more quality time with the family outside of scouting. Worry less about district, council and national, give the youth I serve the best program possible

Seattle, I appreciate the point you are bringing, with the last post. I am going to bet, that a young lady who chooses abortion would not broad cast she is pregnant. For her it is a shameful mistake/accident. The girl who is telling everyone she is pregnant has already decided she is going to carry to term and try to raise it herself. Remove the CO's stand on abortion, The discussion on the Venture and boy scout oath and law would be interesting in relation to it. I imagine the argument will center around when life actually begins. I would hope my children would chose life. I enjoy a good discussion

my droid has kindle reader software. Not great but it works.

Who is YOU? Who is asking for and examining the test? I am reading here a lot of adults are instructing and then testing..... Is that what we are after? The adults in our troop have very little do do with advancement, other than doing a little observation/quality control from afar.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

I don't put my eagle on a staff and wave it around and expect to have instant credibility. I have attended most of the available training. If you would like to see my training record the pm me I will give you my myscouting log in name and see for yourself.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

hehehe don't get me started on woodbadge. Eagle sounds like our scouting experience is very similar, Northern Tier, Philmont, Jambo, brownsea, camp staff 3 years......