Basementdweller

If I was his SM, I would slow him way down...... Of course the boys will probably do it for him.... We don't utilize the do nothing Positions of Responsibility.........No librarian, No webmaster, no historian..... Advancement is only one method in scouting... Just the way the summer camp our troop has traditionally attended functions..... First year scouts attend the first year program, the CD makes no exceptions. Second year scouts attend a half day first class program, again no exceptions. Swimming and Lifesaving are held in the morning which the second year scouts are in their program areas.... Outside of summer camp their is no merit badge councilors for swimming outside of troop specific ones....

Got an email over the weekend that says our council is casting all of it's votes in support of the resolution.....

Well Krampus, next summer don't go to a merit badge summer camp.... take the troop some where else and do anything but farm merit badges..... The parents will never buy it will they????

KDD step back relax....It will happen when it does....Your scout is what 11????? Generally our boys don't get to take swimming till their third trip to summer camp???? So they are 13 or so.

Another advantage I have Krampus.....I have a committee of life long troop members ....60-70 year old Eagles... They can be a cranky bunch, but they have my back and like the energy in the troop room......I wish they would ease up on my 13 year old spl a bit.......Tough crowd some nights. Those parent shenanigans won't dent their armor and they have seen it all........ While they don't camp with us, they have been known to come out for dinner saturday night if we aren't too far from town. ​a couple are fantastic story tellers around the campfire...... I just can't spin a tale like them, no matter how hard I try....

I view the bourbon and such I enjoy as solvent....Helps break up the grease from the chicken wings...... I am going to say that just about the entire troop has Seen me on my back porch with the neighbor enjoying a cigar and beverage......the joys of a tight knit community....Had one mom try to make a big deal about it.....the minister said he was mad he didn't get invited.....Mr. B was drinking and smoking on his back porch......My son saw it.....No I wasn't stupid drunk....crown black is too expensive for that...I also enjoy woodford reserve... I think the entire troop membership has spent a night with scout son in the man cave video gaming.....

hehehe Vegans......I won't eat anything with a face.... If god didn't intend us to eat our animal friends then why did he make them so tasty???? Followed by wasn't it Fruit that got us thrown out of eden????? If Eve had killed the serpent and served it to Adam instead of the fruit where would we be now??????

I think your reading it right... the only part that is grey is how the "help/services" were offered..... Was it in passing in a conversation......I am guilty of missing those offers......Or was it point blank.....as in.....I want to plan the Blue and gold banquet.......

Blw....you wouldn't happen to have a picture of that bridge would you???? Always looking to improve our ceremony gear...... I think it sounds like a fantastic troop project.

I get whats going on now KDD.... Lots of adults coming and going during the week.

So do you cook by Patrol??? you didn't mention it.

Just did exactly what your talking about...... I looked at the roster.....I know who was strong in various skills and then divided the boys into patrols..... I didn't ask for permission from the boys, commmittee....Just did it....we went from Troop method to Patrol method in one month.........Now we are still progressing.... If you ever want any patrol spirit to build you need to make them stay together...... The first two campouts were awkward.....but now they have gelled it is fine..... We tent by patrol.......the only time that changes is when we form an adhoc patrol for high adventure and it is the older guys.......It just doesn't make sense to have 2 patrols of 3 or 4 guys each Unpopular scout......So why is he unpopular??? Nightmares, Lazy??? messy tent mate, Too much stuff????? smells, uncool?????? Still seeing how it is going to shake out.....the boys seem to be rotating tent mates..... I would find out the reason and then have and SMC with the lad about it. None of my scouts seem interested in tenting alone.....When the hit the sack they generally chat and BS for an hour or so before they quiet down.... If a scout wants to tent alone.....let them providing you have enough gear..... Patiences.....change will take time.... Have the patrols made their patrol flag, yell and patch????? had any competitions yet??? I developed Patrol awards and it has really helped with Patrol spirit.....

That is all true....but at least I can sleep in the woods, in a tent and in the dark without a firearm. If you taking your scouts somewhere you feel absolutely have to have a firearm for your personal safety........I would question your judgement with my scouts personal safety....

After thinking about poor old Krampus's situation, I am not sure what I would do... So you have parents who study the guide to advancement, track their scouts every activity and plan summer camp to the nth degree.....Then expect their scouts advancement to be signed off the second he successfully completes something the first time..... At summer camp, The first year program completion is fact and the Scouts home unit is not permitted to evaluate the scouts..... If you do not credit the scout the second the parents thinks you should, they call the CC and then District or council to get satisfaction..... So what would you do if your unit had a bunch of Parents like that???? How does a unit change the culture????

After thinking about poor old Krampus's situation, I am not sure what I would do... So you have parents who study the guide to advancement, track their scouts every activity and plan summer camp to the nth degree.....Then expect their scouts advancement to be signed off the second he successfully completes something the first time..... At summer camp, The first year program completion is fact and the Scouts home unit is not permitted to evaluate the scouts..... If you do not credit the scout the second the parents thinks you should they call the CC and then District or council to get satisfaction..... So what would you do if your unit had a bunch of Parents like that???? How does a unit change the culture???? No wonder we have very low quality scouts now.

I would love to see how a unit like this runs.......I bet all of the parents hang in the back of the room like the sports parents do....... How sad to take something as pure as a group of similar aged boys looking for adventure and twisting it into an adult drive advancement feast

Council tells us volunteers the do a new background check with every app....now if that is true or not.......honestly I just don't see them wasting the money doing my background check for the 8th time..... No doubt some do and some don't. Consistency in the BSA

So why is your troop taking that many adults???? I understand your situation. But why are the other 5 going. I smell man scouting.

That is sad..... I don't even know what to say, I would go ahead and tighten up the requirements or make the boys met the requirements and let them call and leave. I just couldn't sign off to save my scouting job. They understand that advancement is only one method right???? Do they Eagle and leave?????

hmmm, so my troops three-five day local treks don't count for anything.....the older guys 13-14 year olds go 4 times a year.....With the 12 year olds going on an intro of 5 miles in and out in the fall of their crossover year. So while I have not been to philmont as an adult I have attended as a youth and have some pretty extensive backpacking experience. I am guessing the a crew from my troop would be just fine on this trek.

The website was acting up when it posted....there was some sort of a pole and then my screen went unable to display. Honestly I really enjoy summer camp with the troop.......The boys take care of themselves for the most part.....Occasionally need to go roust the SPL because he didn't set his alarm clock...... Typical day is breakfast, SM coffee meeting, then SM morning project, Lunch, SM swim, Nap.....Dinner, evening program....Slushies on the front porch of the trading post shower, bed and then repeat......Very high stress as you can see...... Summer camp they serve boy food, I will say by the end of the week I do feel like I need to detox......But I have never left camp for any reason. If you spend the week chasing your boys, your doing it wrong.......If Jr comes back with no merit badges, and mom is looking for someone to blame......It isn't me, It was his choice to blow off all of the meetings and hang out at the trading post. I might be one of the few that doesn't have a problem with a group of life or eagle scouts hanging out together in camp or partaking in the open periods at the rifle range, water front

Ya probably but at least I ain't paranoid

No I haven't taken a crew to philmont....... Let me see....adults arrange the transportation and schedule any side tours. From what I have witnessed the adults pick the trek. Adults manage the physicals and money.... Philmont provides a gear list and instruction when you arrive. Other than maybe arranging a couple of pretrek crew outings I just don't see what the youth have to do??????

Over the weekend someone posted a thread about adults ducking out of camp to go to the bar for a drink..... where did it go......It disappeared before I was able to respond.... I hope that I am not alone in this....... But when I am at summer camp or even a weekend camp........I have never felt the need or urge to leave for any reason, much less go to a bar for a beer. Someone is going to have to explain it to me, because in my book if you can't go for a week or weekend without one you are an alcoholic and need some help. Are we that soft that being in the woods is that huge of a sacrifice????? this goes alone with the scouters that are afraid to be in the woods with out a firearm with them............

Reviewing the content a couple of hours after it is being taught proves exactly what?????????????? NOTHING The boy needs to have the knowledge a month after camp so he can apply it on the troop camp out. I just don't understand why SM's and parents send their boys to these programs and then expect for them to have the tenderfoot and second class skills in at least marginally learned. While I understand your tasked with providing a program........I would make it very clear that the home Troop leadership is responsible for quality control and attending the first year program is not an automatic pass.