RememberSchiff

Interesting article following the Utah goblin toppling. Touches on lack of required training but not quality of training. No mention of tour permits or what training and more important what outdoor experience leaders have had prior to leading outings, extreme or otherwise. I agree about small (patrol size) groups for outings. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/57029187-90/scouts-scout-leaders-utah.html.csp?page=1

Well, if the government checked contractors at any Mitt Romney residence, they would be off to good start.

While we have lost privacy, the government has lost secrecy and trust. We were the watched but now we are becoming the watchers of the watchers. We want to know what the government knows or suspects about us just as we currently do with credit reporting agencies. So if NSA is monitoring my phone calls, I expect the government to find and prosecute those callers violating my Do Not Call List registration, no excuses. Ditto spam. My $0.02 (any transaction amount under a dollar is not tracked )

Well in the "eyes" of this observant scout, what "real" scout would have two of the same merit badge on his sash?

I require scouts to read their respective merit badge book cover to cover before their first merit badge meeting with me. This usually does not happen, so class is dismissed and we try again next week. Old school. But a recent class was different, at the first meeting one scout had literally read the the book cover to cover. "There's a problem. This book is wrong!" "Okay, what is the problem?" "The Eagle scout on the back cover is fake. He is the problem." "Why do you say that? "His sash has TWO CAMPING MERIT BADGES on it."

I STRONGLY disagree regarding it's accuracy. I got Utah.

Someday, I envision a scout wearing a cape containing 120+ merit badges with a Schiff Reservation patch in center, after all that is what the S means.

No an open Utah state park, Goblin Valley State Park http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/park/goblin-valley-state-park/about

Never made sense to me to have different versions; it was like having kids recite a different Pledge of Allegiance from the adults. I'm old but have had recent stints as a Cub Leader and all I can remember of the Promise is "to be square", but I think that was dropped over 40 years ago.

Great idea. A similar idea, maybe some clever scouts could write an app which shows scout camps along any trip route. Some OA chapters publish a pdf of scout camps. My $0.02

Kudu says "Chuck Those Chuck Boxes!" http://inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/cooking/lightweight.htm I stand corrected. Different strokes for different folks. .

"The local Boy Scout council  somewhat ironically named the Utah National Parks Council (http://www.utahscouts.org/ )  declined to comment beyond what national headquarters said." http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57016443-78/park-state-rock-goblin.html.csp

I have these bookmarks. I particularly like the first. Kudu probably has more. http://www.remarque.org/~rob/t21/ http://scoutmastercg.com/wp-content/uploads/smpdf/T12_Patrol_Box_Plans.pdf https://www.google.com/search?q=patrol+kitchen+box+BSA+Engineering+Service&client=firefox-a&hs=7i3&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=EBy9UYKeJYX20gH_54GQDQ&ved=0CD4QsAQ&biw=1378&bih=838

From Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-utah-rock-20131018,0,6795012.story A Boy Scouts of America spokesman said the organization was also reviewing the matter and would take appropriate action. "We are shocked and disappointed by this reprehensible behavior. For more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America has been a leader in conservation - from stewardship to sustainability," Boy Scouts spokesman Deron Smith said. "The isolated actions of these individuals are absolutely counter to our beliefs and what we teach," he said. Yeah right, that's the talk. National should have removed them from the BSA in time for the evening news last night. My $0.02,

Gawd I hope this news report is wrong about these turnips being in Scouting. "A group of Boy Scout leaders is potentially facing felony charges for destroying a rock formation millions of years old in Emery County. The trio of men was adventuring in Goblin Valley State Park when they decided to film themselves knocking over one of the formations, known as "goblins." They said later it appeared to them that it was ready to fall and might hurt someone." http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57012279-78/rock-goblin-valley-formation.html.csp So much for Leave No Trace

Maybe adding a "uniform method" in 1982 to the other 7 methods of Scouting was the screw-up. Back then, most of us we still wore our neckers untucked, outside the collar.

Getting shot no, mistakenly fired upon yes. No eye exams required for hunting licenses.

We collect in Feb or March depending on weather. The collection is harder with snow, but need is greater. Some years, our PLC planned it during Scout Week which worked well.

When does your unit participate in Scouting for Food?

For us, Fall weekend backpacking trips tend to be shorter, fun, intro/training activities - proper gear, water management, cooking, hiking, map reading,..Spring weekend backpacking trips tend to be longer and more challenging (terrain, mud season, bugs) as preparation for summer treks. My $0.02

salary or subsidy?

Inform and invite your COR (Charter Organization Representative) to attend. If most attending parents support the CM, the COR can overrule the CC.

Yes who is in charge is an issue around here. If I were to amend the Eagle Project/Application further, the first thing I would add: If your District has no active Eagle Review Board in place with names and contact information clearly stated on the Council website, the troop committee will serve as the sole review board by following the guidelines stated in the Eagle Workbook and Eagle Application. It is important that there be a consistent core of reviewers who interface with the Eagle Candidate. We have Districts about without Eagle Review Boards or even a District Advancement Chairman. These districts tend to use ad hoc review boards, e.g. "Tell you what, just bring your workbook to Round Table and we will round up some folk." Just awful. My $0.01

Twisted life lessons? Like being prepared, using a checklist, managing time, backup plans...Our scouts mail their own paperwork to Council, in some cases this was the first time they have used the US Mail.

Sign these people up as legit MBC or register yourself as sort of a proxy MBC - the scout contacts you and you outsource to someone else but still attend all meetings. Either way, the signature on the card has to be a legit MBC at time of signature. Yeah the merit badge system is broken but we scout on and deliver the promise of Scouting - teaching scouts to become men step by step.