ReneScout

When we go on trips, the leaders make sure the kid will eat with, be with and sleep with his (no girls-- so far) parents, and even so be apart from the rest of the troop. If the kid wanted to be with a certain patrol, like, say, his big brother's, then the patrol has the simple right to refuse the service unless the kid shows some sort of usefulness. No amount of pressing from the parent could change the issue. The kid is the parent's responsibility-- not the troop's. Thankfully, though, we rarely have the problem.

White gas and fire put the troop leaders in great fear. (One of our more wild scouts thought it would be cool to light his stove with the fire. ... Or was it the other way around? Anyway, he's banned from fires and stoves now unless supervised.) Also, rains[storm] and no tarp is something we know all too well (even one of our ASMs!). >.

You know what they call this place? The 'virtual campfire'? Well, they also say "What goes on the fire stays on the fire."

From what I gather from district people, almost all that stuff belongs to two parties: the troops, and the council. Stuff for Camporee is pretty much kept by the ranger of the camp (from logs to signal blares to watches to the trebuchet ), with the rest brought by the troops who run the stations. Klondike is mainly all done by the troops, though, since that place is not a council camp. For stuff like MB fairs, the church where we have the event loans us all we still need after the instructors set up shop (easels, boards, etc). Roundtables and training use stuff brought by the people participating, like videos and And actually, this 'reliance' on the troops has never failed the district, and we've never "scrounged." We've never been short on supplies and equipment, though I suppose it's because we have well-stocked troops with ready leaders.

Thanks, good sirs. I feel welcomed as myself already. And yeah, Dean, I get what you mean about more in depth matters, but it's funny because that's one of the things I really dig in the BSA, and oftentimes I can strike up conversations with oldie SMs, DEs, and commissioners (though I tend to have them do most of the talking so I can learn, hehe). As one can tell, I love learning about the program, and that's actually one of the main reasons I am here! xD(This message has been edited by ReneScout)

Short sleeved shirts: 1 21st World Scout Jamboree uni, with Jambo patches and insignia. 1 'Everyday' uni featuring some Jambo stuff, though merged with current patches. 1 brand-new spare uni with no patches on it yet. No long sleeved shirts, but I do recall a retired one somewhere. May have donated it to the troop, though. Bottoms: 2 pairs of 'dress' shorts 1 pair of trousers 1 pair of (now old, hah) switchbacks Misc: Like, a dozen pairs of socks, from low to knee length. An old web belt. A leather tooled belt of the camp I staff at. Two blue BSA neckers, a 21st WSJ participant necker, a white with blue fringe WSJ necker, a bright yellow Sunrise Ceremony WSJ necker, and a cheapo polyester USA flag WSJ tour necker. Aaaaaaaaaand, I think that's about it, haha.

*waves* I'm a Life Scout from the Oregon Trail council in Oregon. Currently a JASM in my troop and an experienced outdoorsman and virtual BSA library, heh. I have a very full record, having been in the BSA for over six years, two more if your count Webelos. I went on my first 50 Miler (hiking!) at the age of 12, was at the 21st World Scout Jamboree in 2007, and will be serving my council's flagship camp as staff for the second time this year right after I go to Philmont as crew leader. I've also applied to be 3rd Asst. SM for the Nat Jam next year and am optimistic on that (with good reason, by the way ). I've been loitering around the forums here for a while and like the resources and discussion I see here, so I finally decided to join. I'm always interested in getting more and more knowledge of the Scouting system, cuz the more I know, the more I can pass on.

I can only speak for myself since I am only myself, but I might as well put my comment in. I'm currently a JASM for my troop. Last year, my troop was suffering from sufficient leaders and we were struggling with keeping things in line, scouts and programs alike. Our SM was new to the job and was there mainly to revitalize the troop again, something the old SM could not do because of other matters. In short, my troop needed support leaders. I had already served my troop in junior leadership positions, from patrol scribe to troop scribe, APL to SPL, and frankly, I was getting weary of it. I was always dynamic and made changes, especially when I was SPL, and introduced things otherwise alien to the troop, like uniform inspections and the Instructor position. So, before camporee and summer camp (which I would staff), I asked my SM if he would be interested in me serving as a JASM-- an offer he readily accepted. Note that I was not suddenly given the job, but rather accepted it. It was not because I was forced to do so (I actually drag my mom to all my Scouting events), but because my troop needed me. I also was admittedly not exactly the most effective go-to leader, using slower and more methodical approaches to issues, though I always got the job and more done. I was ready for a more advisory job. After summer camp, I was given the position. It was almost funny how nobody in the troop, not even the heavily-involved ASM/former SM, knew much of the position! However, I did get the job. And frankly, I'm loving it. I've eased into a mentoring capacity and serve as one of the main leaders in outdoor activities, which I am most proficient in. It could be said that outdoor events are my area in the troop, also keeping a handle in insuring that Scouting methods and protocol are kept, even advising the committee on how to make the troop better (remember, I'm dynamic). I do not feel like my position is one that is a retirement age for the senior scouts, I rather feel that I am in a better position than ever to help make the troop better. I don;t feel like a scout, but as an adult, and think my current position will certainly make me better as an ASM in the near future. And others tend to think more highly of me when they see my POR patch, cuz it's not one you see a lot in my area. I make friends out of commissioners and execs and feel listened to. I don't feel excluded from the Scouting system at all. I'm the multi-purpose minion, so to speak. While I am aware that not every Scout (or JASM) will be the same as myself, I do think I set a good example for the job. All in all, my view on the JASM is for the Scout to serve in any way he excels in best, whether it be assisting the TG or SPL, or being in charge of camping and hiking activities, like me. Treated as an adult, being a part of the adult patrol (if it exists) and operating in an advisory role. And if anything, the JASM would be in a great position to ensure the troop goes in a boy-led direction, since he has the most recent experiences and is still a boy himself (and is thus less disillusioned than the old geezers... just kidding).