scoutingagain

It's not spying if you tell the troop your scout is going to visit he's coming to observe the unit so that he might bring back some ideas to improve your program. And as noted above, I would be honored is a scout approached the unit I serve with such a request. There is no reason to make this some kind of clandestine activity. SA

"I can't afford 300 dollars for a book, but it's the perfect item to present a CEO who has financially supported scouting for many years. As long as the "basic" items are reasonably price, I'm not too concerned. " Except that if your trying to market scouting as an "every family" activity the Walmart, Garage Sale, and Flea Market shoppers are going to look at the catelog and come to the conclusion this is an organization for wealthy suburbanites, not me. Especially when they here things like participation in Jamborees and High Adventure camps cost thousands of $$. They should maybe market the high priced gift items separately and have a separate catelog for camping, outdoor gear and apparel priced more moderately. On the other hand maybe it is an organization for wealthy or at least upper middle class suburbanites. SA

"Your reactions? " Well certainly questions about how a scout is Reverent are appropriate. But any answer short of a direct statement from the scout that he is not Reverent, doesn't believe in a higher power of any kind, (not necessarily the Judeo/Christian God) and doesn't fulfill this aspect of the scout law should suffice. Seems to me if a member of the Board really started to grill a scout on this aspect, his scoutmaster or adult mentor who is allowed to sit in on the Review, might step in and say something simple like, "Asked and answered." SA

By the time a scout gets to his EBOR he should have completed an application, had it reviewed and signed by his SM and CC, sent to council for review and MBs checked etc. There are many good reasons to keep blue cards and the MB cards to document the badges in case the council records are incorrect or incomplete. But this should be addressed long before an EBOR is scheduled. I would hope no scout gets to his EBOR only to have a MB challenged at that point. I can't imagine why a scout would need a blue card or any other documentation of his prior advancement at that point if the unit and council are doing a reasonable job of managing Eagle advancement. The EBOR should be the final step in the process. Prior advancement and record of MBs earned should be addressed way before an EBOR is scheduled. One reason I ask our council for a copy of their advancement records for scouts we anticipate submitting an application is so we can address any recordkeeping issues before the application is submitted. If your unit does not do this, this is something an individual scout should be able to do on their own. As noted by others, do not assume your local council records are accurate and up-to-date. Check prior to submitting an application and resolve any issues prior to submitting the application. SA

" In fact, the only argument I've heard is that some kind of unspecified strife might result at inter-unit events like camporees. " I thought it was the end of the space/time/continuim as we know it. SA

"However, if the man were within the law, he has a right not to be harassed, regardless of how nervous it makes people." Is this the fine upstanding gun owner being discussed? Or is this a different gun owner? Wonder how many gun toting liberals showed up a Bush appearances? Hmm, maybe they were required to check their guns at the door when they turned in their loyalty cards to enter the meetings. PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A man arrested at the site of President Barack Obama's New Hampshire town hall Tuesday was carrying an unlicensed loaded gun, police said. Richard Terry Young, 62, was arrested inside Portsmouth High School at about 9:40 a.m., long before the president arrived in Portsmouth, Seacoastline.com reported. He faces misdemeanor charges, including trespass and a weapons charge. SA

As far as I can tell the Health Care debate comes down to "I got mine, the heck with anyone else." SA

I don't know that there are right or wrong answers. Here's what we have done in the past. 1. Do you put older more experienced scout with a younger scout? Yes. On the water safety is highest priority. Pair up to facillitate highest level of on the water safety and performance. 2. Because of 1 above, partrol groups are not necessarily kept together, mainly because we have mostly age based patrols.(Not that I like that, but that the way it is.) 3. No, Canoe partners do not necessarliy mean tent partners. When camping ashore we try to maintain patrols. SA

Virtually every Troop meeting, COH and other events open with all scouts and scouters reciting the Pledge, Scout Oath and Scout Law. No you are not behind the times but I have wonder where those other units are? Without the Oath and Law, Scouting becomes little more than a boys club and to paraphrase one of our other longtime posters, it may be something and may have some value, but it isn't scouting. SA

I concurr with OGE. The committee does not have the authority to set a unit's membership standards but the Chartering Organization does. If a CO chooses to limit it's adult leadership to only males, or only females, adults meeting the CDC height/weight recommendations, it is free to do. The CO may set it's own membership requirements as long as they don't conflict with National's membership requirements which only restricts adult membership from avowed athiests and gays. As far as a document citation goes, the BSA Policies and Procedures are those documents held by your council executive that you agree to abide by when you join and they are usually only be seen at his/her discretion usually in the council office. I'm sure our old friend Bob White could quote chapter and verse. SA

An older scout displaying the shreaded remains of a backpack opened by a bear to access said contraband. Or better yet having a bear walkthrough the campsite. SA

More irony. In the mean time on the other side of the world a teen hiker, who admits to being an "idiot" and unprepared is found after spending 12 days in the mountains of Australia and sells his story for $160,000. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sns-ap-as-australia-british-backpacker,0,3773939.story SA

Pretty big government power for the "Live Free or Die" State. Here's a chance for the ACLU to take on a pro-scouting case. SA

A couple of links to earlier articles on the event. http://www.patriotledger.com/homepage/x50634891/Halifax-hiker-found-safe-after-being-lost-for-3-nights http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/20090501/NEWS01/905010671 I'm not sure what he did wrong, that would warrant a "fine". The second article provides a perfectly rational decision to continue going up after the sprain. At the summit there is a weather observatory manned year round. There is also a cog railway that goes up there. If he was closer to the summit, continuing up and hithch a ride down seems like a reasonable decision. At least his family and authorities would have known where he was. My concern is the next time someone is hurt, will they or their family be hesitant to call for assistance, or will they try and mount their own rescue effort? SA

This is not just a wilderness issue. Yes some municipalities in our area are charging at fault drivers for accident response. Not all cases, but as noted, there does not seem to be a uniform standard. It varies by the whims of the local Police, Fire departments or Town governments. I suspect the concept of Rescue Insurance is probably a good idea and It's something BSA councils should look into providing for their units. Unless of course the BSA continues down the road of becoming another youth sports association. SA

As skeptic noted the problem is us. We have high expectations of government services, at all levels. We want good public schools, new transportation systems, state universities with modest tuition, low interest college loans, college grants, clean water, clean air, state-of-the-art military hardware, social security and medicaid, law enforcement, govt. emergency response capabilities, and the list goes on and on. Anyone who tells you we can maintain the current level of government services based on our current tax burden is a liar. Anyone who tells you we can have more government services without increasing taxes or cutting current services is a liar. Anyone who tells you we can cut taxes and maintain the current level of services is a liar. The problem is we keep electing people from both parties that don't tell the truth. Anyone who does doesn't have a prayer of being elected. Then we complain when it all hits the fan. SA

"With the help of her local church community..." Sort of sounds like faith based morality. SA

"It's a bloody BUZZWORD though. " Learning buzzwords and acronyms is part of required training needed in today's corporate environment. This is simply preparing today's scouts for future corporate leadership. Next, scouts will be required to submit their MB reports and other documentation electronically via handheld computers. That's what the "electronic device" pocket is for on the new uniform shirt. Units will be banned from banning all electronic devices. SA

Hopefully this will be of some assistance. I've listed some of the funding sources our Eagle Scouts have used to fund projects. Donations of materials from local businesses.(Local businesses seem to be a better source than larger national chains. You can usually get in to ask the owner/manager directly for assistance who doesn't need to check with someone in "corporate" to make a decision.) Over the years local businesses have donated thousands of dollars of materials to Eagle projects. We do our best to acknowledge those businesses at ECOHs, Unit COHs and in news articles about Eagle projects. Donations of materials from the benefiting organization. Our scouts have done a couple of project for the public schools. On at least one occaision the Principal had the school purchase some materials from the school's petty cash. A couple of yards of mulch for landscaping. In the cases above, scouts have called ahead, made appointments with the decision makers, explained the need and have asked what the businesses or principals can do to help. Takes some initiative. Nearly all our Eagle candidates have been older scouts, comfortable speaking with adults. Scouts have also run, pancake breakfasts/spaghetti dinners to earn funds to support an Eagle project. A few have used personal funds to finish off projects. If these cases it's amounted to a few 10's of dollars for something like a can of paint or a box of finish nails. In our council, to get a project approved at the district level, you pretty much have to be able to show you have the funding in place, or a fundraising plan to get the needed $$, to get approval to proceed. SA

"Oh wait, that's not really in the scout oath is it?" Yes it is. "Keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight." But that is the third of the three duties in the Oath, after Duty to God and Duty to Others. SA

As Sandspur noted, I think you may be over thinking "out of obedience to the BSA youth protection mandate" The rule is two deep leadership on outings, and no one-on-one contact. Two adult leaders are not locked at the hip everytime scouts are present. A single adult can take a group of scouts to a service where there are others present as part of the over all outing without violating YP requirements. This is no different than a single adult driving a group of scouts to any other location/event. SA

As Lisabob said. None. This is not big time college sports. The door to and from the unit should be open both ways. Different units fit the needs of different people. If some find a better fit elsewhere we should wish them well and let them know the door is always open if they want to return. SA

Sorry, don't intend to hi jack this thread but saw this; " Hike Naked Day (or Naked Hiking Day) on the Appalachian Trail was Sunday. " And had to wonder if that's why the Governor of SC was on the App Trail in such secrecy the last few days. LOL SA Return to your regular controversy.

"as far as I'm concerned those Iranian students and teachers and workers wearin' green neckerchiefs and armbands are our fellow Scouts. They're in my prayers each night." Yes. I find such bravery remarkable. Thousands of citzens take to the streets in direct defiance of their government to experess themselves knowing there is a possibility they could be shot at. As impressed as I am and I hope for the Iranian people, I'm afraid this step toward democracy in Iran will go as far as Tien Men Square did in China. It has pulled the veil of any pretense of democracy off the face of the Iranian govt though. At it's heart it's a brutal repressive regime and there is little hiding it. Not that we didn't know that before, but now there is clear evidence to their own people. It will be interesting to see what happens. SA

"Before giving the final workbook to the district/council it would seem to be a smart thing to take it to a copy place and get a backup copy of the whole thing made." Absolutely, I doubt our council office is the only one that has ever lost a workbook before. And ours wants a physical binder. Not a disc, thumbdrive, etc. SA