RememberSchiff

Horseshoe for Horsemanship, even better. Thanks for the correction. Tooth for Dentistry, I like it. Maybe attach a sound chip on the back of the merit badge with the sound of a dentist drill Brrrrph, brrripp. Hmmm, maybe BSA should add some mini LED's to some mb's. Electronics comes to mind. Traffic Safety too. I too earned the old Marksmanship merit badge - a very cool looking badge. Maybe bring that back for Rifle Shooting and have an exploded clay for Shotgun? I like the hammer and anvil idea for Metalwork. A Shop Manual for Auto Mechanics - yawn. How about a two-tone '57 Chevy with hood open? Doesn't the BSA have connections with NASCAR now, maybe they can suggest a cooler design? Engine sound chip would be cool here. Another $0.01,

Opposite climate and location extreme, solo Eagle Scout hiker in the heat of summer in Grand Canyon, tragic results http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072703242.html Backpacker From Va. Dies in Grand Canyon Washington Post Tuesday, July 28, 2009 Bryce Gillies, a seasoned hiker and McLean High School graduate, had just returned from an overseas development project when he set out by himself this month on a backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon. Gillies, who attended college in Arizona, was drawn to the canyon there because he "loved its magnificence," his father, Randy Gillies, said Monday night. After a month spent building a clinic in Africa, Gillies began the backpacking trip July 18, his 20th birthday. Three days later, he was reported overdue, the National Park Service said. Searchers, led by Park Ranger Anne Petersen, found his body Saturday. Officials had not released a cause of death, but his father said it appeared to be dehydration. Apparently, his father said, a small navigational error was compounded by extreme temperatures. The Park Service said Gillies's car was found at the Bill Hall trail head, half way between the canyon's Tuweep section and a developed area on the park's north rim. After a wide-ranging search turned up personal items, rescuers focused on the Bonita Creek area. Gillies was found about one-half mile from where the creek joins the Colorado River, the Park Service said. Bryce Gillies had carried enough water for the route he planned, his father said. But he said the apparent navigational error kept his son from reaching Thunder River, where he intended to replenish his supply. Randy Gillies said he was told that Bryce tried to save himself by descending toward the floor of the canyon, to reach the water flowing there. As he headed down, the father said, his son descended 20- to 35-foot rock faces without a rope. At that point he found himself at the top of a 100-foot drop that he couldn't negotiate unaided. "Bryce made a heroic effort to rescue himself," the father said. But the predicament might have been insurmountable. At the high temperatures that had set in, the father said, dehydration can occur in as "little as a couple of hours." Randy Gillies thanked searchers for their efforts, and he emphasized the importance of filing a backcountry permit, which he called imperative for any wilderness venture. The father lives in McLean with Gillies's mother, Warna. A brother, Neal, also survives. According to the father, Gillies graduated in 2007 from McLean High and then entered Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, near the canyon. Gillies, an Eagle Scout, had taken college calculus at George Mason University in high school and was a physics major in college. He had a four-year president's scholarship at the university, which he chose in part for the area's beauty. At Northern Arizona, Gillies, an outdoor enthusiast who had hiked the Appalachian Trail, learned to kayak and to rock climb. He had spent June in Ghana as a project leader with Engineers Without Borders to build a medical clinic, and his father said he looked on such work as a possible career.

Justmescout, I think that troop policy is to prevent the male adult leaders from bringing their mothers or their mothers from bringing them. My advice, think about your outdoors skills and interests and what benefit those could bring to the troop, if you want to be a helicopter parent on trips then end of story. Don't underestimate the value of your enthusiasm to a scouting program. Take some of the basic online training courses. Maybe you'll consider becoming an assistant scoutmaster, merit badge counselor, wilderness first aid expert, or trek coordinator for the troop - somebody that should/needs to go camping with troop. Then talk to the District scouters first and maybe together approach your troop's Charter Organization Rep. Work the problem from the outside and then top down as you will get nowhere in the existing 'This is the way we've always done it' Good Ole Boys Club. Plan B, find another troop. Last I checked there was no glass ceiling outdoors - ceiling unlimited, welcome to Scouting. My $0.02,

Those are good questions. As a parent, I would just observe at the first meeting or two, let my son ask his own questions but mostly I want him to mingle. If my son was still interested in the troop, then I would ask questions drawn from my observations. I would also attend a troop committee meeting. Remember scout programs will differ from troop to troop, none may be 100% what you are looking for AND their program could change with a turnover/aging-out of membership. Not every troop will make a good first impression - attendance may be poor because you visited during flu season! Observe if scouts are excited to be there or eager to leave. Observe who is in charge? Who is giving the orders? Who is leading the meeting and how? Who is giving the announcements? Scouts, Scoutmaster, Troop Committee, or Helicopter Parents. This is important because every troop will say it is boy run but few are. Observe if all scouts are engaged and having fun. Are the scouts friendly and inviting my scout to participate? Observe if the adult leaders are observing or not. You will be entrusting your son in their care. At the Troop Committee meeting, I would ask about troop finances particularly fund-raising. Some troops require all scouts to participate in fund-raising, others allow an opt-out with cash contribution. What are the yearly costs for a family? Ask about attendance requirements and see if that will work with your son's schedule. Ask who plans the program year and ask for a copy of the program calendar. Talk to parents and scouts. Then talk to Scoutmaster. Ask about his/her background and interest in Scouting, what does he consider to be important in scouting, how are emergencies handled, how bullying is handled, ... Avoid troops that boast about the number of Eagles they have, about being a (whatever) Quality unit (meaningless), or say they never cancel an event due to weather. My $0.02

http://www.wmur.com/news/20120862/detail.html Eagle Scout Fights Fine After Rescue 18-Year-Old May Lose Driver's License POSTED: 5:30 pm EDT July 20, 2009 BOSTON -- An Eagle Scout fined by New Hampshire Fish and Game after he was rescued from the White Mountains is fighting back after he was billed for the search. "I don't have the option to pay, and I don't feel like I was negligent," Scott Mason said. Mason, of Halifax, said that he was shocked when he got the letter. He was rescued in April from Mount Washington and is still recovering from nerve damage he suffered to his feet. "Fish and Game sent me a bill for $25,000. That's been very stressful. I have no way to pay. I'm only 18," Mason said. The letter said Mason, an Eagle Scout, was negligent by setting out on an aggressive hike and that he must pay in 30 days or lose his Massachusetts driver's license. He said that he would have been made it out fine if the weather hadn't turned. "I can't control flash flooding," he said. "And if there wasn't flash flooding I would have made it out of there safely." Mason said the findings are based on an incident report complied from one interview he did moments after he was rescued. "It's based on one debriefing that was less than an hour when I was tired and injured," he said. After sending $1,000 to rescuers in appreciation, Mason said he is disappointed New Hampshire Fish and Game did not look at his story closer before sending the bill. "I just wished they had come to me and talked to me so we could work together," he said. He said that he plans to fight the charge. New Hampshire state law allows the Fish and Game Department to charge hikers for a search. The agency said Mason acted negligently and that he was unprepared for the winter hiking conditions. The case was reviewed by the New Hampshire attorney general's office before the bill was sent.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/plympton/news/x631635939/Eagle-Scout-fined-for-Mount-Washington-rescue Eagle Scout fined for Mount Washington rescue Mon Jul 20, 2009 HALIFAX - New Hampshire Fish and Game is fining Scott Mason for the expense of a four-day and three-night search and rescue operation that ended with his rescue off the side of Mount Washington in April. Mason, 18, an Eagle Scout, was hiking the tallest mountain in New England in early April when he injured himself and tried to find a shorter route down the mountain. It took volunteers, professionals and a helicopter from the Maine Department of Conservation four days to find him. According to family and Scout leaders, Mason is an experienced hiker. Joe LaGambina, treasurer of Halifax Scout Troop 39, said he is a skilled outdoorsman, saying in April, This is not something thats foreign to him. Mason was a troop leader and has merit badges for hiking, camping, wilderness survival and first aid, according to Halifax Scout master Tom Goldrick. The amount of the fine is $25,238. Mason had no comment when contacted last Friday regarding the fine. The decision to issue the fine was based on evidence collected by the New Hampshire Fish and Game law enforcement division. They found Mason was negligent in his actions following his injury, and before the injury by planning a 17-mile hike across four peaks in New Hampshires Presidential Range during the spring thaw. The department looked at everything associated with Scott Mason and what happened during the totality of the incident, Maj. Timothy Acerno, assistant chief of law enforcement for New Hampshire Fish and Game, said. The first question that comes to mind for many people is, how can an Eagle Scout be negligent if he survived four days and has experience hiking? Acerno said that question is answered by the departments findings. In our opinion he had an aggressive hiking itinerary, Acerno said. Mason was hiking the Presidential Travers, over mounts Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Adams, a 19-mile group of trails that can take hikers up to four days to complete during the winter. It can be completed in one day by expert hikers. He wasnt hiking in summer conditions or winter conditions, these spring-like conditions are very different. Theres snow, but you cant walk on top of it like you can in the winter. Even though our rescuers were wearing snowshoes, they were up to armpits sometimes. They found tracks in the snow then lost them on bare ground. The conditions were very difficult, Acerno said. Mason had crampons, snow shoes and an ice pick with him, but did not bring overnight gear since he was planning a day hike. He discussed his itinerary with a supervisor at the Pinkham Notch Lodge before setting out. His mother, Jory Mason, called the lodge when she did not hear from her son that night. Acerno said Scott Masons negligence began with his itinerary. After he injured himself, Acerno said Mason made the decision to get off the trail to find a faster way back to the lodge. He was not staying on the trail, Acerno said. Our volunteers ran the trails of his itinerary but he began bushwhacking and navigating through places he should not have during the spring. He took an undesirable route, crossed streams that are swollen in the spring, and tried to make his way out rather than turning around on the trail and hiking out that way. We looked at everything and in the departments opinion he was negligent in totality. The cost of the rescue operation included the cost to the Fish and Game in coordinating the rescue among a variety of organizations, including Mountain Rescue Service, Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, Pemigewasset Valley Search and Rescue and the Appalachian Mountain Club. A Maine Forest Service and Vermont National Guard helicopter conducted aerial searches. The department asked the state to institute the fines last year as a way to help fund such searches. Searches were funded solely by a fee added to recreational vehicle and boat registrations. The cost of searches has increased over the years and the department needed a way to continue paying for searches. Last June, the state legislature passed a law to allow the department to fine negligent hikers the cost of their rescue. The state conducts approximately 140 searches annually. Fines could be issued in approximately 40 of those operations. Acerno said fines are normally due within 30 days of notice, or a payment schedule can be negotiated. If the person fails or refuses to pay, the department may pursue payment by legal action, or a compromise could be reached. If they refuse we could take them to court. Mason could appeal the fine in the New Hampshire courts, Acerno said.

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=237308#id_237314 Above thread "Teen Hiker Missing on Mount Washington" referenced the following from Manchester Union Leader, Tue April 28,2009 PINKHAM'S GRANT The search has resumed this morning for the Halifax, Mass., teen who has not been seen since he set out on a 17-mile day hike Saturday over the Presidential Range. Sunny skies and mild temperatures are on tap, which, officials say are beneficial for Scott Mason's ability to survive, but makes for rough going by search teams, which now have to use rope traverses to get across streams swollen and raging by the snow melt. (Some of these rescuers were injured. Who paid their medical expenses?) Fish and Game Lt. Bob Bryant said this morning that a lone set of prints, which could belong to Mason, have been found and followed and the search this morning is concentrating in the Great Gulf Wilderness, a vast 5,552-acre area on the east slopes of Mount Washington. Along with the melting snow, some areas in which search teams are looking have deep soft snow and depending if those spots were wind-loaded over the winter, the snow depths are in excess of 20 feet. A Vermont National Guard helicopter is expected to join the search this morning. (Ran into high winds, it gets windy there. The highest surface wind speed recorded on Earth was 231 mph at Mt. Washington) Mild temperatures on the high slopes of Mount Washington worked against searchers yesterday. More than two dozen searchers spread out across the highest peaks of the Presidential Range yesterday, sweeping ravines and ridge lines for Mason. "Our biggest concern now is that with the snow melting, the streams are just raging," Gralenski said last evening. "The temperatures are a double-edged sword -- the warm weather is causing the snow to melt, making the brook crossings impassable." Several teams were waiting other searchers with ropes to set up a technical traverse of the water as the sun was going down. The search teams, which include Mountain Rescue, Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the U.S. Forest Service, have to also contend with waist-deep snow in some places. Mason's father, Mike, said his son attained his Eagle Scout badge about six months ago, undertaking a project that secured 3,000 pounds of food for the Massachusetts food bank. He said that his wife, Jory, had been recovering from recent surgery and that he "took the eye off the ball" as his son was preparing for the hike. Scott Mason, a junior at Sacred Heart High School in Kingston, Mass., had visited Colby-Sawyer College and stopped to make the Mount Washington hike following that visit. Scott Mason's planned route would have taken him from Pinkham Notch to the 6,288-foot summit of Mount Washington and north over the peaks of Mounts Jefferson, Adams and Madison, before returning to the AMC base camp via the Madison Gulf trail the same day. "That's a very ambitious hike," Gralenski said. "Regardless of his age, it was a lot to bite to bite off. A 17-year-old can only have so much hiking experience." By early afternoon, teams made up of four searchers each were out on headwall of Tuckerman Ravine, the upper and lower points of the Great Gulf Wilderness and Caps Ridge off Mount Jefferson. Searchers followed any solo foot prints they came across throughout the afternoon, but the weekend saw some 2,500 people climbing up to Tuckerman Ravine, a popular skiing destination in the spring. Gralenski said it appeared that Mason was equipped with snowshoes and an ice ax, but that he left his sleeping bag at the base camp. Mike Mason said he found packaging from a blanket sold at the AMC store, which was encouraging. "He's been in the woods a fair amount," he said. "I just hope he walks out of the woods. I think he can do it. He knows how to survive, and it appears he has a blanket." There was no initial air search of the area, Gralenski said. The New Hampshire Army National Guard, which usually assists with search and rescue missions, was out training in Michigan, he said. The New Hampshire State Police helicopter was grounded for service. Jory Mason made calls to the office of Massachusetts Gov. Duval Patrick to plead for that state to dispatch a helicopter in the search for her son. Just before 6 p.m., a helicopter from the Maine Forestry Service flew in for the first look of the area from the air. ( He was found by ground rescuers and taken to Mount Washington Observatory, Home of the World's Worst Weather, where he transported down New England' tallest mountain by snow cat. More than two dozen highly trained mountain rescuers searching three days some of whom sustained injuries in rope traverses, two out of state helicopters participated in the search, note the Governor of his home state Massachusetts denied his family's request for a Mass State Police copter to join the search. ) shortridge asked "Are you really saying that anything that's not car camping is high adventure?" No I was predicting outsourcing to outfitters for high adventure for reasons of safety, liability coverage, etc., and that scout leaders would continue with car camping. Maybe the distinction will be determined by the new Health Form - if Part B is required along with weight chart compliance for the activity then the activity is high adventure. But this is just my prediction of the future whether I like it or not.(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Good thought and emotion provoking topic. This incident was discussed at my WFA recert which included some of his rescuers, as you can imagine the discussion opened on 'what is the BSA teaching scouts and he is an Eagle scout, supposedly the best of the best...' (another topic) and then moved to discuss the injuries his rescuers received due to the winter weather conditions which were correctly forecast - another thing this scout did not consider in his hike plan. What was he thinking anyway to suddenly go on a 17 mile "day hike" alone in the Whites in the winter? Negligent yes, but another problem is the impact on others. When I was an EMT responding to a car accidents, I was stunned to find the drunk driver was frequently the least harmed in the accident he/she caused - 'killed by a drunk driver' is usually short for 'Killed by a drunk driver who escaped major injury'. Life is unfair. I think about 30 years ago, two similar Einsteins though from MIT, ill-equipped went on hike/ice-climbing trip to the Whites near where this scout was fumbling around. They too became snowbound and suffered severe cold-related injuries - feet amputation resulted. One of their rescuers, an experienced young NH ranger, died. Why did a good man need to die? So scout be thankful you came out alive with relatively minor injuries perhaps due more to your youth and dumb luck than scout training. Also be thankful that your rescuers came despite the weather and the injuries they received. The bill of $25K is a fraction of the true rescue cost which may be reduced as you were a minor. I hope not. You might consider a repayment deal by joining the NH National Guard where you too might risk your life rescuing others. You may learn responsibility and gain maturity in the NH Guard that you missed on the path to Eagle. Another thought, I too like to hike alone. I know the map, I know the weather, I know my gear, I know my abilities, others know my itinerary. I don't know if I will be rescued, I don't go into the woods with that expectation. I am alone and I do think about how to get myself home safely as I hike. I think Charles Lindbergh had similar thoughts flying across the Atlantic. Many believe rescue is a given right due to their taxes or cellphone possession...I don't. I like the idea of a surcharge on fishing/hunting licenses to fund search and rescue, but there should be a fine for irresponsible behavior. I am puzzled that no NH helicopters were available during this time of year. State Police copter was down for maintenance and the NH Guard was out-of-state for training. This was NOT a BSA activity, but considering recent canoe trip rescues. Does the BSA insurance or Council cover rescue costs? Previously, I mentioned my belief that we are headed towards contracting licensed outfitters for high adventure (non car camping) outings and presumably their liability insurance would cover rescue...maybe. Good topic. My $0.02,(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

What a remarkable life this remarkable man had. Perhaps his interest in journalism began on a scout trip to the Republican convention in 1928. He would later earn Eagle. I was fortunate to meet him years ago. In high school, I bought this awesome record set - 'I Can Hear it Now - the Sixties' which he narrated. He had a great awareness of the world - past, present, and future. In his friendly presence, you just listened to every word whether he was talking about history, civil rights, politics, journalism, sailing, the space program ... and always with his characteristic grandfather-like, honest delivery. The few times when he was at a loss for words, it was only because words were not enough. He was a Boy Scout. And that's the way it is on July 17,2009.(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

I made the comment that the new God & Country religious emblems reminded me of the Simon electronic game. I offer these additional opinions to further entertain or annoy Good looking - Eagle...definitely - Electricity MB is the coolest looking mb ever - Oceanography - Astronomy - Geology - Small boat sailing - Soil & Water, Fish & Wildlife, Forestry, and Nature remain classics - Photography, well because I had an old Argus like that - Pulp and Paper, reminds us all to take toilet paper with us into the woods. - Leave No Trace Not so good looking - Webelos - Cooking mb, can we go back to the black pot? - Aviation mb, sort of a Rorschach test. Do you see einen Helicopter or eine island? What was wrong with the Saber jet? Please allow variant P-51, F-18, PA-18 Super Cub... - Archery needs an archer and/or target - Snow Sports, excuse me where is the SNOW! See Water Sports for a clue. - Wilderness Survival looks like 3 graves under a fallen tree. - Horsemanship looks like a flea can we go back to the horse head? - Golf & Cinematography, only mb's with a fleur de lis. Maybe there is an inside joke about that? - Archeology, was is that? How about Indiana Jones? - Music, where did this come from, the Greeks? Get a guitar on it. - Nuclear Science, get over the Radioactive Boy Scout and go back to the Atomic Energy (atom) artwork. - All the Venture ribbons look like salt water taffy wrappers. Maybe BSA should license custom embroiders to stitch approved variants of certain badges like Aviation. I would pay the premium. My $0.01,(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Rest in Peace Sean. May 16, 1991 - July 10, 2008 http://www.seanwhitleymemorialfund.org/pics.html

Part of Adult Association is learning who to avoid. Our SM will give recommendations up front, but fellow scouts who previously went to counselors for this merit badge know which counselors are "awesome", "easy", "hard", and "terrible", and "ok" usually carry the most weight for a scout seeking merit badge (go figure). This becomes another lesson in making good decisions for the scout not the SM. Hopefully by the 21st lesson, the scout will be quite good at making those decisions. This is explained to the scout when he asks for his blue card from our SM. 'Advancement (Education) is your responsibility, you get out what you put in so invest your time and energies wisely'. Our SM asks the scout why he believes the counselor selected is a good choice and what the scout can do if the counselor is not. We have troop alumni return to meetings and tell our SM how important this later was in selecting colleges, college courses, and job hunting. Occasionally, we have scouts come back after the first couple of counselor meetings or non-meetings if the counselor is a no-show and ask for a different counselor. The SM then has a conference with the scout to sort things out, sometimes a new counselor is selected and note sent to District Advancement Chair. The gate swings both ways.

Eagle 732, yes I agree. Scouts choice. My $0.02, (This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Good point about the odor of synthetics, you don't want to wear your old disco shirt. You want the anti-microbial polyester. It has different product-names. As I understand, it uses a silver nanotech treatment to the yarn (similar to some of our water hydration packs and purification filters). This technology has been commonly available for three or more years now. Most of the inexpensive Champion C9 shirts at Target have this as do many Russell Athletic, Adidas, Augusta, ...polyester wicking shirts. Also, I recall silk screening is tricky with polyester. You don't want to clog the ventillating weave or alter the polyester by over-heating, but maybe those problems have been fixed now. I think most pro team shirts uses a dye sublimation process, not silk-screening to transfer artwork to their jerseys. My troop choose a small embroidered text instead for our shirts; it still looks great. "Hot seal" is another method like the "C9" on a Champion t-shirt but it disappears after a summer's worth of washing. My $0.02

"I'd rather have 5 kids out of a 100 that want to wear the correct and complete uniform than 90..." Reminds me of the priest who was asked would he rather have a pew full of saints or a church full sinners on Sunday. He said 'Sinners, the saints don't need me'. We are serving fewer youth at a greater cost each year. Another $0.02

Could be, I thought he had stepped up to take a job that neither he nor anyone else wanted for the past ten years. Reminds me of our "acting" district FOS chairman ...

http://tinyurl.com/oyj5ol Eagle Scouts career as doctor aids camp Swine flu cases handled promptly with Sexsons help. By Sharise M. Darby The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Saturday, July 04, 2009 Two parts of William R. Sexsons life collided two weeks ago when the physician was confronted with cases of swine flu at a Boy Scout camp. When three Scouts came down with the H1N1 virus last month during a visit to a Georgia camp, Sexson contributed to their care. Sexson, Emory Universitys associate dean of clinical affairs at Grady Memorial Hospital, where he also works as a neonatologist, has maintained a connection with Scouting since his days as a Cub Scout in 1954. As part of that connection, he is an on-call physician for local Boy Scout camps throughout the year. Sexson, who rose to Eagle Scout, answered the call when one of the campers exhibited flulike symptoms on his troops bus ride from Florida. That Scout was immediately taken to a hospital. Meanwhile, his troop was isolated at the campsite, where two more Scouts who had immediate contact with the boy had contracted the H1N1 virus. Sexson spent more than 20 hours with the infected campers as a part of his duties as a volunteer with the Atlanta Area Council of Boy Scouts. We were able to contain everything and have the situation come out just fine, said Jenna Knight, a public relations professional with the Atlanta council. That is all due to the guidance of volunteers like Dr. Sexson. For Sexson, committing his time to the Atlanta council, one of the largest Boy Scout chapters in the country, comes naturally. His roles are many. He currently serves on the committee for Troop 18 in Atlanta, and for 10 years he has also been the acting health and safety chairman for the council. At any given day we have 1,500 Scouts at our camps, he said. My job is to make sure that their time at summer camp is as safe and healthy as it can be. Sexson said the time he gives to the Boy Scouts makes him happy. He believes nothing will ever diminish or replace his dedication to the Scouts. Doing things like this for your community and for the next generation of kids that are going to be the leaders of our country in another 10 years is something that we just need to do, Sexson said. This is a lifelong commitment.

At a recent COH, our UC got up to talk ad nauseum about the Quality Unit patch. Ten minutes later ...'Now the old patch must be EeeeMeadIDIOTleee removed and this new Centennial Quality put on.' The adults just groaned. Shortly after I got ambushed -"Ya know the BeeSSSuvEh has the most labor intensive, over expensive, over fussed about uniform of any youth group in the UUUSSSuvEh...oh another thing the quality stinks." Lucky for me the cake and coffee made a timely entrance. My scouts 1. Strongly dislike the new shirt. Only one wears it and that is because his mother makes him. No complaints about the new pants. 2. Strongly dislike the adults fussing and bickering about uniforms. - Arguments about shoulder tabs ('Green, red, who cares, why bother with them anyway') - Uniform police at spring camporee. After our SPL got an earful from adults outside our unit, he went back to PLC - no camporee attendance next year as he/they believed the uniform police would only get worse during the 100th. They have their own fun outings planned. - Three of our scouts dropped out of Jambo as an after-deposit proclamation was made that Only New Centennial Uniforms were allowed. That leaves just one of our scouts signed up for Jambo. 3. Have developed their own Class B - baseball cap, troop wicking t-shirt and that's it. No concern about rank or office patches as they all know who is who. PLC voted their Class B as the troop uniform for summer, though Class A for COH. Uniform method. So for the summer, they are wearing their own simple, stylish, inexpensive Class B uniform that they all like. If anything, their commitment to scouting as evident from our membership retention and summer camp sign-up is stronger. They look like scouts because they act like scouts so there is no identity issue. Now what is starting to sell me is they wear their class B outside of scouting as regular clothes. Scouting is no longer invisible in my community. Two new scouts joined in June, I can't remember when that last happened. I am wondering if they will wear their Class B's back to school, now that would be great! I like their Scout Spirit, a Spirit of Independence. Happy July 4th to all. P.S. There was no Uniform Method back in my day as a scout. This 8th method was added with the 7th edition of Scoutmaster Handbook in '81. My $0.02,

As DL, I have worn troop neckerchiefs, macaroni necklaces, and Hawaiian leis.

Eamonn, as you know BP was over 50 when he took a group of young men to Brownsea Island. Old-timer? I am confused about "the Poster" which is probably generation specific. Are we talking about Norman Rockwell "The Scoutmaster" poster or the one BP drew (age 58, I believe you are one with his back turned) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%27Are_you_in_this%27_poster.jpg or some other scout poster? I think today's youth are more pragmatic in choosing their heroes - only those they know who are there for them make the final cut. So we parents and scout leaders may stand a better chance than ever before. Like the old days http://www.rare-posters.com/2056.html Remember in the old days, when scouts were the "e-mail" to distribute government posters. You an old-timer? I'll borrow from Coca-Cola - "Classic". Peace.

Agree with le Voyageur. I would add the position cover ocean beaches where applicable. There have been other river rescues this spring: - June 14 Brandywine River in Chadds Ford, PA, 15 scouts rescued by firefighters - May 17 James River,VA which was discussed previously here http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=240048&p=1 Some outdoor groups require incident reports where there was injury/death/rescue involved. The outdoor leader is required to list experience and training. An outdoor leader may find he/she is no longer an outdoor leader (in the two rescues above I wonder if the adult scout leaders faced consequences by either CO or Council). The problem is making this information readily available to trip planners. AMC publishes recent incidents in Appalachia magazine. This forum is one of many planning resources for me. But realistically, I think we will soon be required to hire professional guides and outfitters for all high adventure activities for these reasons: 1. Safety 2. National would love to off-load liability. 3. National will soon restrict who can participate with the new health form. 4. BSA outdoor trek training is inadequate (I really sugar-coated that). 5. Some scout leaders lack expertise and experience. Maybe a recognized problem from the "attracting qualified leaders" reference in strategic plans. Hard to tout "leadership training" for recruiting when incidents like these create a negative public impression of BSA leadership. This would likely not apply to BSA high adventure camps like Philmont where that expertise exists. If this happens then the Council Register River Guide becomes the Register Guide who qualifies area guides as acceptable for tour permit sign-off. My $0.02 (This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

I think this is it http://www.ldsbsa.org/pdf/2009%20Philmont/Medical_Level_B.pdf

A leader sees a need and steps up. A leader worries about getting the job done not getting "laughed at". Being a leader is not about winning popularity polls. Leadership is now, not a resume of the past. Step up, lead your troop by example, train our replacement, help your troop. Other paths will soon appear. Your choice.

Okay shovel is down. I am surprised the Boy Scout MB Counselor form says nothing about this. Not to be dense, but if one is a First Aid MB counselor is one also accepted as a Venture First Aid consultant or does one submit another MB counselor form marked Venture First Aid consultant? Thanks for your responses.

Thanks for the info. Have not seen any online forms for "consultants" but I will dig some more.