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My father-in-law, consummate farmer, always opened any conversation with talk of the weather. Upon becoming a snow-bird he would routinely call us after he heard the PA forecast so he could talk to us about it. One day (when the temperature dropped here b/c some tropical depression was rolling through there) he called and-knowing full-well the temperature thanks to the Weather Channel-asked, "How cold is it up there?" I replied, "Don't know. How windy is it down there?" I forget which Hurricane hit them shortly thereafter.

Y'all stop stealing our football weather! Just, ask, we're more than happy to share. Napping now to see if the Steelers (those still standing) can give the Ravens a warm winter welcome. In related news, Pitt's campus (among other colleges) have become late autumn havens for crows. Sidewalks glisten with new fallen guano ... https://www.utimes.pitt.edu/?p=41440

Naw. The dog would have to be registered with BSA and take the requisite youth protection training! As far as humans, that's not a bad idea if that person is a long-time trusted companion. However, 5thGen's situation is pretty novel to him, so figuring out who to "let in" on this is a challenge. Establishing that one even has an anxiety disorder takes more than just one incident of panic. (It's enough to get an honorable discharge from boot camp, but not enough to determine a long-term treatment plan, a friend of mine learned.) So, I bet he doesn't want to blow this out of proportion. He needs someone who can be around for the worst case if action needs to be discretely taken, but will benefit from being at the course if that experience at roundtable is just a flash in the pan. That said if he had a friend who wasn't a scouter but might be interested in seeing how things work, I certainly can imagine a compassionate course director.would be welcoming (and may have an FOS card to send home with the guest).

Welcome! And thanks in advance for all you'll do for the boys. Got questions? Don't worry. We'll make up answers. Some of them might just work!

It boils down to this ... you need a friend who understands your problem, who is willing to take BALOO with you, and is willing to escort you to a safe place (that could mean driving you home) the minute you start to feel weak knees. Odds are with that buddy by your side, you won't have a problem. But even if you do, you'll be taken care of. You should feel free to turn down anything else until you have more positive experiences ... one step at a time.

My unit growing up wasn't even local. It had an Indonesian exchange student for a year - first person I knew who didn't say the pledge of allegiance. The CO intentionally promoted missionaries and those of us who attended its youth program were unwitting students of cultural contextualization. I later learned that our SM and his sister invested heavily in that CO's mission portfolio.

Sure, let the fast-fading brick-and-mortar hawk BSA brands. The Targets/Wallmarts, etc ... Might be a good fit, except they would insist on price points that would all but lock in manufacture by their favorite Bengali peasant. Now here's a thought: Game Stop and The Exchange stores! Place those uniforms where boys want to go. Especially, these guys have a business model that includes buy-back of gently used merch.

Thanks everyone. I am working off of second-hand info from the TG, so I don't know the tone or context in which the boy said what he said. But since it's something the TG brought up at the PLC, I figure it's more serious than trying to get a rise out of his peers and not as serious as imminent quitting. I'll pick a couple two-scentence solutions and relay them along.

Wonder if this was the same guy who left his thoroughbred horses locked in their paddocks? More seriously, I don't judge folks over the internet. We can't tell from the video if this is a domesticated rabbit or if this guy does animal rescue work. In general, I agree with @Back Pack, but more broadly, we are stewards of nature. So that instinct to nurture more than our own species can catch anyone unawares. The goal is to do that well.

As an Arab American who feels that half of the country's problems stem from men unwilling to greet one another with a holy kiss, I'll comment no more.

Depends on the person. If they have a favorite trail, consider getting a map or hiking guide for it. A couple of bars of freeze-dried ice cream will send some boys through the roof. I've also seen fight break out over bulk packs of Ramen noodles!

@Hawkwin, dissenters didn't go away. They merely voted (I would say in a blind rage, in spite of their protestations to the contrary) and will continue to do so in ways that confound the narrative of an evolving America. The establishment removed the privilege position of licensed heterosexual monogamous unions. Those who felt that to be a significant watering down of their status withdrew support. It is one thing to be asked not to throw stones. It's another to be asked to kiss the ring. They may not slap the hand. But they will withdrawal and occupy themselves elsewhere. BSA's promotion of co-ed programs (like Explorers, STEM Scouts, and Venturing) simply have not sold to LDS. It was generous of them to try retrofitting them to their needs for these past 5 decades. Any BSA4G program will either have to suit the needs of their Young Women or be dismissed as one more dog-and-pony show that they'll have no part of. So, the question becomes, who is BSA's new market? And, are they buying?

Our PLC has been doing a huddle after every meeting. Works well for this SPL, who quickly goes over upcoming program and responsibilities and asks about problems. The troop guide came up a few from his new scout patrol. My general advice to guides is to focus on advancing the natural leaders in their groups and find something fun for the rest. He brought up what he thought were several barriers to that. One was a scout who said he's only there because his dad makes him. (This came as a surprise to me because he seemed like one of the more enthusiastic young men in the bunch.) I may or may not bring this up to the parent - whose older kids are growing up strong and good - to him and his wife's credit. But, if you heard this from your TG, how might you advise him and the SPL?

An articulate SPL can do incredible things in working a crowd of adults. But, not every boy is gifted in that area. The fact is, adults will put their boys in patrols at a distance from one another only when they see patrols working. Since this fall, our PLC has had a15-20 minute huddle after every meeting, either the SM or I drop in to field any questions (which are getting fewer, but tougher to answer). The committee is backing off as the boys are stepping up. It's still tough for some of them to see the organized chaos and keep a tight lip. But I am hearing things like "I never thought it could work like this." Regarding some of those tough-to-answer questions, if I have a moment a start a topic for each one.

So, flash cards .... but with batteries?

I don't know. A good meal involves a lot of leadership, responsibility, and values. I rember 13-year-old me staring down my last can of franks and beans, saying "Never again." My patrol began to live large (like I saw my SPL and his leadership corps doing) after that. I don't think it came up on my boards of review. But, getting my buddies to cook well for ourselves (and still having time to fly the army surplus box kite the SM loaned out) was as good a marker of leadership development as any.

The Atchafalaya swamp is between Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Not the easiest ride from there to the Big Easy.

Typically, with the HA bases, preferred slots are filled by the lottery winners. Then, the less preferred slots are offered to the units who participated in the lottery, who may or may not accept those slots because, well, they weren't their preference. Then, the remaining slots are announced publicly in an "extended lottery." I expect the expense of last year's Jamboree and the ambiguity of who will be accepted to the US contingent at World Jamboree are contributing to a lack of commitment to reserving spots in the HA bases. Needless to say, SBR in WV now directly "competes" with the other HA bases ... especially with offerings like Venturing Fest and other programs. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Oh, and for a lot of scouts and their families, the economy still is hitting them hard. A falling tide grounds all boats.

The venturing 4-deep-for-big-woods YPT is over-cautious. I did use such as opportunities to train more adults, but when I went over the requirements with my brother (a hikemaster at the Y of the Rockies), he said, "Why don't you just have three adults? One stays with the injured and the youth, and two go to get rescue!" Again, with mature youth and younger adults, that 4:5 or 4:6 ratio isn't that bad ... but finding the numbers for what effectively becomes a parent-child (or ideally, older sibling-younger sibling) outing is not trivial.

Like all authority, a light touch goes the longest way. The COR could try reading the riot act to imposing ASMs. That might work if his words are backed with years of experience and a solid understanding of how much the CO wants a by-the-book scouting program under its roof. Otherwise, we're left with the SM trying to find opportunities where the boys can operate at a distance from adults, and the CC running interference while the COR fields "complaints."

Families who paid in advance lock in their space for the numbers they pay for. Maintain a waiting list in case of cancellations. To make your treasurer's life easier: no refunds. Wait-list families can pay the families who cancelled directly. Or better yer, insist that it is incumbent on the family who reserved the space to transfer the other family collecting $ on their own. Not every community (or treasure) feels comfortable laying down such strict rules. So, you have to decide if it will work for you. (Needless to say, cost of the event is a factor.)

In conclusion, within 30 years, BSA asserts that without a troop, a patrol may lack supervision, coordination, institutional loyalty and service (empahsis @TAHAWK's). So, to be "the best it can be" by standards of today or 8 decades past, a patrol's better part of wisdom would be to seek all of those good things that a troop should provide. This is not a rallying cry for Troop Method (in the way we use it on this forum to describe adults who abuse their privileged position and undermine youth leadership development). Maintaining a bead on the rightful role of the troop is part an parcel of the patrol method -- as stated in a BSA guidebook on the topic.

If you know the neighborhood in which he serves, his troop may be listed in https://beascout.scouting.org/, But, that might turn up multiple troops, packs, and crews ... only one or two of which might have his name on the roster. I think searching his name in general is more likely to get you someone familiar with him. Folks are pretty tight-lipped about information these days.

Every scouter is different. One year Son #2 and I could not resist getting our SM a paper-doll book of the man's favorite president and 1st lady. The guy cherishes it in his shelf of collectibles. But, he would definitely be the type to appreciate a quality knife. I, on the other hand go through ropes and tarp like nobody's business. This year I lost a headlamp and have yet to find a suitable a wide-brimmed leather hat to replace the one that wore out last year. Most of my colleagues being female, however, I usually put wool socks, ski gloves, and balakava's on my wishlist. But, I'm also overjoyed if an alternative gift (e.g., to some charity helping the impoverished) is given in my name. One other suggestion: if the fellow is into backcountry hiking, a collection of jerky or a cache to a dehydrated foods might suit him. Do you know someone in this leader's troop? They might be able to point you in the right direction. oh, and welcome to the forums! Let us know what you land on, and feel free to come back if you have a question about scouting in general. We have opinions.