OneHour

Mom2Scout06 ... wait until you replace his troop neckerchief with an Eagle neckerchief! Wait until you realize that your son is heading off to college. Wait until you realize that he is no longer a little Tiger cub that you wished would grow up and out of being playful! Congrats!

... after yesterday ... nothing seems to be more important any more. So what if they don't run the troop the way that they suppose to. So what if they horse around a little. So what if it appears that they don't listen. So what if they want to listen to their iPods in the car on their way to camp. So what if they didn't plan well. So what if they forget their jackets or mess kits. So if they don't make good grades. So what if ... There is so little time left and then they all grow up! There is so little time to sweat the small stuffs! Last night, my wife and I hugged my three boys and told them how much we love them! http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2010/03/18/fort_bend_sun/news/sws_-_garrett_gamble_317.txt (This message has been edited by OneHour)

I just got back for a very moving tribute to a fallen hero, one of our neighbors, our friend, and hero who lost his life in Afghanistan last week, Marine Lance Cpl Garrett G. He was a cub scout in our Pack in 2000 when I was the Pack's ACM. His body was flown home from Dover to our local airport today at 2:00 pm. Personally escorting his body home is his best friend who is also a marine and one of our eagle scouts. After a small trickling of emails to a flurry of emails within the troops and packs, several of the leaders and I didn't expect much and many to show up since there were hardly any acknowledgement within our troop. I showed up to welcome our fallen hero home today this afternoon. I found to my amazement that there were over 60+ scouts and cub scouts from our troop, our brother troop, and our two brother packs. In addition, there were over several hundreds of people lined up to welcome home a fallen hero! The boys and their parents with hundreds people lined up the airport exit along the highway for a mile, everyone with a United States flag in his/her hand. Lead by roaring of 30 the motorbikes from the South East Texas Patriot Guard , our fallen hero and his family drove past our welcoming and honor lines. My oldest son shout out, "scouts' attention, scouts salute." The orders were passed on down the line by the senior scouts. It brought tears to my eyes (and many others). The scouts all stood in silence with deep respect on their faces, saluting the hearse as it drove past us. They stood tall and as proud as the line of police officers and firemen next to them. They held their salute until the last bike with American flag and a Texas flag left the airport. This is why I love scouting! This is unity! This is brotherhood! This is the right way to pay respect and honor a hero who gave up his life as well as honoring another who is still serving so that we can go on with our lives. This is why I want to teach and influence these young men ... to be a good citizen and leader! I have never been prouder as a scouter! Rest in peace, Garrett, and thank you and your family for your ultimate gift and sacrifice for us!(This message has been edited by OneHour)

Barry ... thanks!

I brought up the feeder pack concept and it was shot down by our committee and the other troop's committee. We had three troops. One folded. It is easier said than done. The current two troops are struggling. Our troop is growing bigger while the other troop is growing smaller. Our drop out rate is about 20% for 1st year scouts due to sports, moves, and lack of interest. We age out 10% of our scouts. Splitting troops in 43/43 would be great. It is not easy. The only two viable charter orgs already the two troops. Trust me, if there is an easy way, we would have taken it. It is a great problem to have, but not a great problem to solve.

I don't have mnemonic for the Scout Laws; however, when I was working on my BSA LG, this is how they taught Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat to us and I used it with our scouts. They and I actually remember them. It is always funny to see them go through the mnemonics: Safe Swim Defense: Quit - Qualified Supervision Pulling - Physical Fitness Sally's - Safe Area Left - Life Guard Leg - Lookout And - Ability Groups Being - Buddy System Disruptive- Discipline Safety Afloat Quit - Qualified Supervision Pulling - Physical Fitness Sally's - Safe Area PFD - Personal Floatation Devices Because - Buddy Systems She - Skill Proficiency Prefers - Planning Extra - Equipment Discipline- Discipline As for scout Law ... upteenth repetitions!

What goes into one ear, goes right back out the other side! So we communicate the "follow-up" with emails! I have a junior leaders distribution list that I use to communicate with them before PLC, Campouts, or other activities. We setup Google mail groups that allow families and scouts to register to in order to receive troop messages. I found several years ago ... parents do not always forward the email to their sons and on top of that, they don't check their emails as often as the troop needs them to. The boys, however, do and do it often! My sons (and their friends) live and breathe emails, Facebook, IM, Meebo, twitter, iPod, iPhone, iPad, blackberry, blueberry, .... Gone are the days of the call-trees! Standing 10 feet apart ... they text to each other! Go figure!

This is a spin-off of the thread from BrentAllen. Mike F. indicated that his troop caps the number of scouts. Does your troop do it? How? We are at 86 boys and next year ... there are 6 Webelos dens from 2 packs with about 40 boys, poising to join boy scout. There are only two troops in the near area ... one is 60 boys and our is 86. We can't handle much more. As a scoutmaster, I want boy-run and not boys run all over! 1Hour

Congrats, Brent! You are well on your way to become a large troop! I wish that we can turn back time and "cap" as Mike spoke of. You really can't! Who do you chose? We had 63 boys rechartered with 8 moved on to college. Two weeks ago, 23 new scouts joined. We are now back to 86 boys strong (or weak). Mike and Barry are correct. It is difficult have a truly boy-run troop. Two weeks ago, we have boys run all over the place troop! Mike, I'll spin-off a new thread, but how do y'all cap it off? By the way, splitting again not good. We already split 10 years ago and we do not have another establishment who will charter. Both troops are 60/80 boys strong! Anyway, enjoy the new blood and energy! 1Hour

I have so far viewed it as ... an invitation to join or rejoin scouting. That means it can be verbal, email, voicemail, phone, smoke signals, semaphore, texting, blackberrying, blueberrying, sign language, ... or any other means of communications. Outside of that ... whether the boy attends or not is not part of the requirement. Of course, I, as a scoutmaster, would love to see the potential scout there so that we can give our part of the message. This should not be a part of the requirement. It is additional requirement (to me). Several folks asked me, how would you know that the scout has done what he said that he had done? My answer ... a scout is trustworthy! Most of the times (so far) a new boys would show up. 1Hour

I proudly wore my scout uniform when my oldest got his Eagle. After all, I was a part of his adventure!

In our pack, scout recharters 1 time a year (in Jan). If the cub scout sold $350 worth of popcorn in the fall, then his recharter is free! At the very first time (Rally Night), they pay prorated fee until rechartering time in January. Our motto ... "money in hand is worth more than those in the promise!"

Let's see ... I have 7 new scouts who dropped off from the face of the Earth. I called to follow up. I emailed. I left messages. The only way that I found out that they decided not to continue with scouting is through my current scouts. "Oh, Johnny decided that he doesn't want to do scouting any more." I guess that the courteous thing to do is to let the inquiring mind knows what happened ... why the scout quits. I, personally, would like to change the program if it is the cause. Back to Eagle732 question, "is it customary for one SM to give the other SM a call..." I wouldn't. That could set off misunderstandings. Should SMs talk to each other to find a right home for a scout? You bet ya! Should a SM talk about the problems that the scout has to another SM? This is a grey area. It depends. If it is a medical issue, working in a healthcare environment, I would classify this as PHI issue (patient health information). If the parents feel that it will help the scout if the SM knows, then they are the ones to tell and not an outsider. On the flip side, if I were the receiving SM, I'd like to know so that I can prepare myself to help the scout. I just don't like medical surprises in the middle of nowhere! 1Hour

Let's see, we have: 8 scouts who are in local high schools' bands (2 high schools), including 1 drum major. 6 scouts who are in the orchestras 4 high school football players 3 high school track team 1 high school golf team 2 high school tennis team 5 high school baseball players 2 high school swimmers 5 local/ high school soccer team players 2 in ROTC about 70% of our high school scouts take at least 2 AP classes. This doesn't include their normal high school clubs and extra curricular activities such as YES, AFS, FFA, etc. The 6-8th graders are all over the place ranging from all of the above! Yup, they are truly active in HS! Yup, we are constantly battling the attendance issues. Yup, I have been asking the same question, "This ain't right. What else can we do?"

1. Boys who are excited and willing to lead the troop! 2. More parents to roll up their sleeves. 3. More ASM who are excited about the program as I do. Wait ... that's what all scoutmasters wish for! Happy holidays Skipper!

... oh no, I'm contented with 40-70 degrees! Here in Houston, people drive the same as or even worst than you right coast folks ... doing 70-80+ on wet streets! You don't know how often I get tailgated and high-beamed as though I'm on the autobahn ... and I'm not even on the left most fast lane! People here in Houston have what we technical folks called ID-10-T problem!

Hey Eamonn, Our Aussie Shepherd also saw snow for the first time on Friday as well ... in Houston! We got a whopping 1.5"! It lasted 8 hours but very little sticked. I, on the other hand, love cold weather! I can always put on more layers and be happy. Hot weather, I can only take off so much before I get arrested!

We started this about 9 years ago when I was a cubmaster. We used to call it "Lad and Dad Bake Off," but after the inaugural year, we changed it to the "Great Cake Bake Off" due to several families that do have single mother or the cub is being raised by grandparents. I was the Pack's 1st auctioneer, but I was quickly replaced by a professional auctioneer who donated his time to make it fun! He is still doing it for us. He is in his late 80's! We use this as one of our fundraisers. Each entry costs $10 processing fee. In turn, the scout gets $100 Pack money to bid on a cake of his choice or save it for the live auction. The scouts' cakes are put up for the silent auction. The scout can buy his cake back by spending all of his Pack bucks plus $1. The cakes are being judged by a panel of experts (local culenary school students). We give out 1-3 trophies by rank. Judging is done with a set of rubric criteria, including more points for obvious scout's own hand, creativity, edibility, etc. Adult leaders donate a cake from each den for the live auction. One the auctioneer starts to roll, the kids went wild! The boys would pool their moneys together. The price would go up to $400-$600 Pack bucks! It is great! One Den would be responsible for chairing the event, including making the Pack's bucks, arranging judges, accounting, etc. 1Hour

OGE ... I do ... I do ... (as I wave my hand wildly). I still attend my oldest son's Open House and P/T Conference and he's a senior. Until he moves to the only real Texas university (UT of course), I will continue to support him and his teachers. You don't know how it crawls up my nerve when I hear the likes of: "I would love to help, but I work full time..., but I work in the Texas Medical Center ..., but I have his brother(or sister) ..., but I ..." and it goes on. My reply is always, "Yes, I understand. I coach the local baskeball team, chess team, baseball team. I am a den leader for den 7 and I am a scoutmaster for Troop. Btw, I work full time from 6-5 at the Texas Medical Center and you were mentioning?" I usually get the quiet downward look. Beavah is correct. We don't say thank you enough. We tend to gripe and complain. May be that's why my wife sends the teachers Christmas bake goods every year. It's not to buy the favor, but to thank them in her special ways. Perhaps, that is why when I send the teachers an email I always close with... "Thank you, Mrs. ...., for all that you do for the students." 1Hour ps: I do the same for my ASMs!

10)... when you become an example of how not to run a pack. 9) ... when it becomes a chore instead of an excitement! 8) ... when you lose boys and families because of it. 7) ... when one has to give something to entice them to come to pack meeting. 6) ... when the award becomes meaningless to earn. 5) ... when the boys no longer look forward to earn them. 4) ... when the awards stop serving their purposes, ie., get the boys excited about going camping, get the boys to outdo each other in finding/performing that one funny skit, get the boys to find/perform that one funny song, get the boys to feel proud that they slept through and survived 40 degree weather, get the boys to sell the most popcorn, get the cubs in a den that correctly worn their uniform, etc... 3) ... when it costs more to be in scouting than baseball. 2) ... when it is no longer affordable for cubs who are less fortunate. and the number 1 reason to say when it is too much ... ... when it becomes a joke!

artjk ... you're correct; however, it's really the committee's job and the CC and SM/CM are part of the committee. I do believe that this is BSA formal process of succession. I know of a case where the SM and CC are husband and wife (and being the CO as well). Needless to say, no one else has a chance to say anything in the troop. I found the link: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/510-500.pdf When our Troop was looking for a replacement for our SM, they had a team and a list of candidates. They went down the list. I was told (which was not cool) that I was pretty much 3rd out of 4 candidates. It made me feel "great" to be asked (sort of not ...). So do make sure that the team is trustworthy! Feelings and prides can be hurt and the troop can lose good people if it is not conducted correctly. On the flip side, entitlement and automatic succession don't always work to the troop's advantage. Cheers, 1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

T259Eagle, easy there big fella. I am still scratching my head as to how Beav's response enraged you. His response seems to be pretty in line with his warning ... "Yah, I'm goin' to approach this from a different angle, eh?" ... and that has always been Beav's trait. From time to time, he will make you think and go ... hmmmmm ... unlike a few of the other posters where you would want to go uggggghhhh! Not knowing what Beav really meant, but as long as I have conversed with him or read many of his postings, he doesn't have a mean bone in his words (as far as I can tell). He will try to help. So not sure where the insults come in. As shortridge pointed out, you did ask for opinions. As for my 2 cents, I'd pick being Scoutmaster. One would make much more impact on a scout! But remember ... your son will lose out on his time with ya. For some reasons, we fathers tend to hold our sons at much higher standards than other boys! Your time will be divided among the boys and more with the challenging boys. So ... you won't be "his" Scoutmaster ... you'll be their Scoutmaster. When I was a Cubmaster, I felt that I forgot my sons. Now that I am the Scoutmaster, I feel that I am not being fair to my sons. They can't goof-off or get into trouble as other boys would. If you want to have fun with your son, be a den leader or ASM! "I fear that if I do not take the Cubmaster position that the Pack will dissolve." So ... a pack cannot be successful with only one leader ... the CM. You can help the Pack to become successful without being a CM! As a matter of fact, a pack is successful in part due to a strong Committe Chair and a strong committee. The CM, to me, is merely a showman and a leader to the den leaders. He/she pulls together the den leaders to ensure that they are successful. The CC is the glue of the Pack! The CC forms the committee. They go and find that perfect CM who is an entertainer and a good leader. Even better, a successful pack has an involved COR. So ... you can pull the pack together without being the Cubmaster. If you do everything, when you leave then the pack is back at square one again. More than likely you will leave after a year or two because of being burnt out, then you will not enjoy boy scout. Now, that will be a traversty for both of your sons. Been there, almost done that! Btw, your oldest will stay as long as you and/or your wife is involved in the Troop. My 2 cent. 1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

A scouter can only learn so much from Scouting University or District-held training. What is lacking from those types of training are the real-life applications. Just as in school, Physics, Algebra, Calculus, etc., are only theories until one sees it in action. Scouter.com provides me with several things ... a place to bounce off ideas, a place to learn from past mistakes, a place to test theories, a place to pick up the how-to that are not often mentioned in classroom environment, a place to banter about scouting (my wife will only take so much), a place to be a virtual leader (before you take on the position), a place to laugh, a place to cry, a place to relate, a place to wow, a place to be aghasted, a place where you can make new friends, a place where one finds that he/she is actually speaking to a real astronaut/physicist/IT guru/professor/armed force hero/saling man/engineer/bridge maker/eagle scout/(http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=27838&p=20) ... and a place to call home when it comes to scouting! Cheers! 1Hour

... let's see ... boycott, boyscout ... there is that common word "boy" in both. I don't know my old friend ... it might be ok since they are both for "boy"! But all seriousness aside, I might send a courteous, kind, friendly, cheerful request to the Postmaster General or in this case the USPS Executive Director of Stamp Services thriftily via email (as suggested by NC_Scouter) ... oh what the heck ... to my favorite congress person as well. The only problem there is that once I send an email to my congress person, I am spammed every week!

... Is there anyone at Natl or USPS can verify this? Is it true that there is no plan? I found through searching that USPS is contemplating! If that is true, then let's give them a rousing push, eh? We had a 50th ( http://www.flagsbay.com/flag/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/bsa-4c-1950-commemorative-50th-anniv.jpg ) and 75th and yet we are going to by-pass 100th? http://lonestarscouter.com/2009/08/16/no-special-postage-stamp-for-100-years-of-bsa/ I guess that the consolation is the fact that there will be 100th year coin minted to commemorate. I guess that it depends on the country. When I was a younger man (many moons ago), I always thought that it is awesome to be on one's country stamp. Oh well. 1Hour btw, how many active members that BSA boasts that it has? Imagine that even only active members write to our postmaster general requesting ... wouldn't it make a statement, but if all former scouts join in, Holy Toledo! But, by writing in, wouldn't that add to USPS revenue? Such dichotomy!(This message has been edited by OneHour)