Slouchhat

HAIX mountain boots, my footwear of choice.

Hello, last Saturday we visited a local museum of natural history. http://bp2.blogger.com/_-ufCAEBarME/R_fPx_l6oJI/AAAAAAAAASE/DnOwXsTbQSQ/s1600-h/Museum_Savanne.jpg http://bp2.blogger.com/_-ufCAEBarME/R_fPq_l6oII/AAAAAAAAAR8/A1TwC12JQX4/s1600-h/Museum_Sonnensystem.jpg http://bp3.blogger.com/_-ufCAEBarME/R_fPlPl6oHI/AAAAAAAAAR0/8uAegZGbYyE/s1600-h/Museum_Mitmachecke.jpg http://bp2.blogger.com/_-ufCAEBarME/R_fPd_l6oGI/AAAAAAAAARs/7L0f1RavSR0/s1600-h/Museum_Computer.jpg http://bp1.blogger.com/_-ufCAEBarME/R_fPUvl6oFI/AAAAAAAAARk/kN8lwgtapkg/s1600-h/Museum_Nilpferd.jpg We, my Lady SM and I, have been thinking about making museum visits regular events for the troop. Does your troop visit museums regularly as part of the program or is this more a "weather's bad, let's hit a museum today"-decision? best regards, Volker

Absolutely. That's why we buy our stuff here: www.kleiderkammer.info We get a discount and the material is field-tested.

If the rules say no, they say no. But what's better: prohibiting something and thus making it especially interesting or telling them that the dose makes the poison?

Agreed, there are many fine beers produced in the US. I remember the Bricktown Brewery in OK City quite well. I don't think that it is harmful idf a child sees Dad (or his Scoutmaster) drink a beer now and then, if the adult handles his dose of alcohol responsibly. After all, some day we will have to teach the kids that having a drink is okay, but drinking and driving isn't and getting blind-drunk isn't either. best regards, Volker

Not that I'd ever bring alcohol (except as part of the First Aid kit) to a scouting event, but being from a country where beer has a cultural meaning, I can tell you that you have no reason to be overly afraid of the effects of American beer on the average person. It reminds me of the difference between American beer and sex in a canoe...nonexistent, both is very close to water. Still, if the rule says no alcoholic beverages, then you either follow the rule and be fine or get the rule changed. best regards, Volker

Well, if I were still active-duty and it was my job to train a gang of kids, I'd be wearing my uniform, be it dress or cammies. Although I like BDUs for their practicality and ruggedness, I don't think that camo clothing (military or hunting camo) is good for scouts. It may be readily available at next to nothing, but since the scouts are not military nor para-military, we should try to avoid leaving this impression. If you want to use BDUs or ACUs as an outdoor/activities uniform for your troop, I think it would be a better idea to buy dark blue, brown, kgaki or coyote tan uniforms which have all the positive features of the cammies but everybody will see that they are not a camo uniform. best regards, Volker

Hi Okie! Back in 1994, I used to live in Jones, just up the road from Chocktaw and we hunted down in McAllister. How's Okieland these days? best regards, Volker

Hi, over here we call 22 Feb. "Thinking Day". Many scouts go to work or to school/university wearing their uniform or at least the neckerchief. Many troops start charitable projects on that day. Do you celebrate Thinking Day, too? best regards, Volker

Nothing's wrong with wearing the official uniform if your organisation has one. We are an independent scout troop so what I described is our official uniform. But I agree that the official uniform is the only uniform to wear and so it should be practical in the boonies. best regards, Volker

Our troop uses khaki ripstop BDU trousers for the kids along with khaki ripstop shirts. I'm currently working with a manufacturer on a khaki windproof smock for the kids which can be upgraded with a gore-tex shell or fleece jacket underneath. Untill that's finished, everybody uses what he has. The scouts use the Smokey the Bear hats, Wolf Cubs and Beavers wear khaki ball caps. I estimate that the troop will be fully and completely uniformed this summer. After all, it's a financial issue for the parents. The SM and ASM wear the same clothes, only in ripstop coyote. best regards, Volker

Today a shipment of Campaign Hats came in from the hatmaker for distribution to the kids tomorrow evening at the troopnight. My two children who are Beaver and Wold Cub in our troop cried: "Mountie hats!" There you have it. best regards, Volker PS: I'm excited to see that although you all belong to the same organisation, basically everybody seems to be doing things his own way. To be honest, I like that.

Lisabob, so if I understand you correctly, most troops don't wear a real uniform anyway as they are just wearing bits and pieces of the official uniform. There is confusion whether "optional" means "full uniform" or "no uniform at all". In my book "bits and pieces" is just like "no uniform at all". However, a troop where everybody is wearing, let's say, brown BDUs, is wearing a uniform as everybody is wearing the same type and colour of garment. best regards, Volker

@FScouter: I've heard of the Patrol Method, but could you please explain the term "Uniform Method" to me? If a troop is dressed in Wal-Mart tan shirts and green pants, it very well is a uniform. It is not the BSA label which makes a uniform, but the standardized wear of the same type of clothing within one troop. That way even a pink bathing suit worn by all members of a troop could be their uniform. Plus if BSA leaves the uniform as optional, a self-styled uniform from Wal-Mart doesn't distance a troop more from BSA than a troop which chooses not to wear a uniform at all. best regards, Volker

So since the BSA uniform is optional, a troop could go ahead and buy shirts, pants, etc. from, let's say, Wal-Mart, and uniform themselves this way. Why not? Strike a deal with your local Army-Navy shop and buy a complete kit at the price of one BSA shirt. best regards, Volker