Stan Riddle

Out Troop bought a 12x20 shelter, like those used for car covers. It uses aluminum poles, and the "Ball type" bungie cords. It's a little heavy for carrying, so would have to be trucked in, but is very effective. We also bought one 20 wall, and one 12 foot wall, to put toward the windward side. It makes a great shelter. We did this after camping with another Troop. We received 12" of rain one day, and while we were drip drying, the other Troop was dry as a bone. This shelter is also great to setting up tents when it's raining. We quickly throw this shelter together, then use it to set up tents underneath. I'm thinking cost was around $400.

I love the VEnturing shorts. The only problems is COST! I once bought a 68 Dodge pickup for about what those shorts cost!

Signs That You Might Be Taking Scouting Too Seriously --You buy that '89 Chevy Caprice because you really like that fleur-de-lis hood ornament. --You decide to lash together the new deck on the back of your house. --You plan to serve foil meals at your next dinner party. --You walk the streets in broad daylight with a coffee cup and flashlight hanging from your belt. --You raise your hand in the scout sign at a heated business meeting. --You were arrested by airport security because you wouldn't give up your official BSA pocketknife until the cop said, "thank you". --You didn't mind losing power to your house for three days. --Your son hides his copy of Boy's Life from you. --Your plans for remodeling the bathroom include digging the hole deeper. --You managed to find that 8th day in the week. --You disconnect the automatic dishwasher in favor of the "3 pot method". --You sneak a cup of "Bug Juice" after the troop turns in for the night. --Latrines at camp start becoming comfortable. --You felt you won a moral victory when BSA brought back knee high socks. --You think campaign hats are cool. --You gave your wife a mummy bag rated for -15 F for Christmas. --You can recite the 12 points of the Scout Law backwards, in order, in 3 seconds flat. --You plan to get rich by writing a best selling Dutch Oven cook book. --You took a chemistry course at the local college to help you develop a better fire starter. --The height of your social season is the district recognition dinner. --A trip to Philmont is a pilgrimage. --The sales operators at the BSA distribution center's 800 number recognize your voice. --Singing "Scout Vespers" makes you cry uncontrollably. --The Scouts in your troop chipped in to have you abducted by a professional cult de-programmer.

You're question is one that comes up often to new Scouters. There are many reasons that Cub don't camp as much as Boy Scouts. 1- many of them are too young for extended camping. 2- parents MUST BE involved in Cub camping, and many of them can;t make that committment. 3- Many are not physically capable of pitching tents, cutting firewood, and are probably limited on cooking skills. Cub Scouting is when the foundations for Boy Scouting are laid. That's not to say that Cub Scouts shouldn't camp, OR that they're not important. But they need to first learn team work, the patrol method, camping skills, self-reliance, and so on. This is where Cub Scouting is vital, not just for future Boy Scouts, but for personal growth on the Cub's part. As for OA, there are much better opportunities to hone your skills AND learn camping. Webelos Outdoor Leader Training, BLT, Wood Badge, council training Comm., and so on. Please take this as advice from a brother Scouter- make sure you're in this for the boys, and not yourself. Camping is not the #1 thing ALL kids want to do. They also like having fun, learning things, making friends, enjoying family time, and adventures of all kinds. The Cub program does a wonderful job at this.

I assure you it was meant to be light-hearted. When it comes right down to it, I don't do much marching, or protesting, or potical activity. Some things are just out of my hands. I'm too busy trying to be the best conservative, Christian, caucasian, parent, and Scouter that I can be. Everything else will surely take care of itself. Thanks for all your responses.

Bob, I work with a guy in our council who is an attorney, and one of the best Scouters I've had the pleasre of working with. His business cards say, "Scouter by profession - attorney by neccessity".

I agree that National, as well as locals, seem to push toward fast advancements. It is not only one or two year Scouts who show this - many Eagles do not retain skills learned. However, many Scouter also do not retain skills learned. I doubt many of us remembered how to tie a sheep shank after being out of Scouting for 15 years or so! I do believe, however, there are ways to accomplish resonable advancement goals, and help with skill retention. 1. Use your older Scouts to teach these skills. They'll have to practice so they are proficient again, and THAT'S GREAT! Let them do it. 2. Repetition. For example, I know very few Scouts who are proficient in compass work, so we review it regularly. Keep hammering skills. 3. On every outing, build in opportunities for Scouts to use their skills. As long as they won't get hurt, let them make their own mistakes. DON'T DO IT FOR THEM. That's probably one of the hardest things for us as leaders to do, but we must. 4. REPEAT STEPS 1-3 There are mechanisms in place that I have no control over, such as the trend for speedy advancement, and I have NEVER seen a "real Eagle" who was 13 years old. They may get the rank, but it's up to us as leaders to keep repeating the same skills over and over until it becomes second nature to them. To be honest, I'd rather give them advancement a little early and keep them in Scouting, than lose them, as long as they are given many opportunities to learn, do, and teach.

Each day, I'm driven to stare at the ground, and shake my head in confusion even more. I'm 40, and well remember when the things I do in life would have been honorable. I would have been considered an upstanding citizen, but now, it's just the opposite. I'm a Christian, Baptist, Southerner, Caucasian, conservative, heterosexual, and now, Scouter... Did I mention I'm employed by a tobacco company? I believe this qualifies to me as the most hated individual on earth.

I'm not a genetic scientist, but I've always had one question. If homosexuality is a genetic disorder, how is it passed along? Since homosexual sex will not create a new life, wouldn't the "gay" gene become less and less prominant? If this were true, wouldn't homosexuality become less and less prevalent, until the point where it was almost non-existant (except for mutating genes)? I said it before, and I'll say it agian. This issue is going to continue to divide people, and in the end, no one is going to win. If the gay community wants a program like Scouting, they should start their own, like some organizations and religous groups have done.

Ask your SM if the campaign hats are for sale at COUNCIL prices. You may find this to be somewhat lower that the retail price, and possibly a bargain. If you don't want it after the course is over, and you can get it at council price, order a 7 1/4, and let me know when you're finished with it:)(This message has been edited by Stan Riddle)

As a Christian and a Scouter, it's always been difficult for me to talk the fine line between proselytizing ( which is my duty as a Christian ), and being tolerant of other's religous beliefs ( which is my duty as a Scouter and an American ). In my own personal beliefs, my duty to God comes first. It seems to me that regardless of our personal religous convictions, as Scouters we all do share common adversaries, namely those who seek to indoctrinate young people into immoral, unhealthy, and disrespectful behaviors. I honestly believe that most Scouters who are in Scouting agree on most of these points. I think all our time would be better spent focusing on helping young people become the best they can be. If given the right opportunity, there's nothing wrong with sharing our beliefs with others, Scouts included. But I do not think it should be our agenda in Scouting. I also think our time on this board would be better spent in sharing how we accomplish our goals as Scouters, and less time pointing fingers at each other because of our differences.

My take is just a little different. I believe it is my responsibility to help boys be the best they can be. I have kids who are very good in both sports and Scouts. They know how to utilize their time. I have others who are good in sports, and "OK" in Scouts, some that Scouting is their activity ( not involved in sports )and I have a couple who have no motivation, and little family support. I believe my job is to teach, observe, guide, and support these young men. I know some will never make Eagle. Some will never make First Class. But I believe ALL will be richer or what they learned in Scouting. I've said this before - National and Council often look toward "Eagle Mills" as successful Troops. We all know that many "paper Eagles" get awarded each year. But I truly believe the mark of a successful Troop is how much the boys have grown - as citizens, as moral youth, and as contributing members of society. Not all boys will make Eagle, but all boys can be helped.

OGE, I understand your concerns. However, can girls also be affiliated with their GSA Troops? If so, wouldn't they be able to earn Girl Scouting awards, and the Boy Scouts not be able to? If this is the case, wouldn't it "level the playing field"? I thought earning Merit Badges and Eagle was because the boys could carry dual affiliation, so they wouldn't be earning them as Ventureres, but as Boy Scouts. They certainly can't earn them if they're over 18, Venturing or not.

Try this link.http://www.wood.army.mil/PUBS/5-125/5-125.htm

Lord, forgive me! That's "an ol' antelope"!

I agree that things have changed in Scouting, as well as in society, but Scout Spirit still lives in:1) a young Eagle named Nick, who decided to take it upon himself to help get our Troop back to the patrol method, 2) Tyler, who decided not to play baseball this year, because sports was getting him behind just a little bit in his quest for 2nd Class, 3) Samuel, who even at 11 thought he should open the door for a lady with a handful of bags, 4)Ted, who decided it was better to keep his committment to staff at summer camp ALL summer, that to go on vacation with his family - and an ol' Bobwhite who WILL NOT ALLOW society, the United Way, the liberals, gays, athiests, or anyone else to stop me from helping boys learn right from wrong, and how to be a man. And it still lives with you folks, who are concerned enough to both post and advise here. Thank you all, Stan Riddle

I don't think we've ever had any problems with camo. You're right, it's usually made from good material, and holds up well. IT's not "the Uniform", but I would think it would be OK for outdoor activities. Sometimes Scouts appear to walk a fine line between being an outdoors centered program, and being para-military. Could be another example of protecting our babies from big ol' mean army men, and hunters, and from getting a boo-boo out in the woods.

Scouter has some good links to lashing, as does the US SCouting Service project.

Need some advice. Twice in our council, I have registered for "Train the Trainer", and twice it's been cancelled for lack of applicants. I've ben told that it's a rquirement for training adult leaders. Does anyone know if this is a requirement, or just a recommendation? I have completed BLT and Wood Badge, and have done Troop level JLT's, which I believe were pretty successful.

I too believe that propanes are best left for vehicle camping. Too many experiences of propane bottles leaking out their gas, and of them freezing in cold weather. I have a used MSR Whisperlite that I love to carry. Peak 1"s are good, fairly portable, and easy to operate. 2nd Class teaches the boys to use such stoves. I don't think their prohibited, at least on a national level.

If I'm reading you right, you're looking for someway to promote wearing the uniform. I agree with the previous. Get some parents to demonstrate sewing on patches - then let the boys do it. They will be more likely to show off their "handiwork". Have a uniform inspection, and do it right. This will work especially well if you begin it by offering some small incentive, like the patrol with the highest score gets their meals cooked by the leaders on your next trip. Uniforms are especially important for Court of Honor, district meetings, and so on. I may be a little different, but I believe that the uniform reflects "Scout Spirit".

We have done a few LNT specific trips, especially w/ the younger boys, but I agree that Scouting has for many years now supported minimum impact camping. IMHO there's a difference between minimum impact and LNT. LNT goes to the maximum as far as packing out your poop, NO fires, eating over your ground cloth so crumbs don't hit the ground, wearing Tyvek suits so your skin cells don't flake off into the cave, etc. LNT teaches some very good principles, and we try to follow most of them. I believe that Scouting has followed much of it for many years now. About 30 years ago (when I was in the smaller unforms), I remember that every camping trip began with clear cutting a half acre or so of forest, trenching tents, and lashing together every stick you could get your hands on. That's how we got the reputation "The Hoods of the Woods". We've come a long way.

Don't take this personally, but I find it hard to believe that the Bureau of Land Management, with all of their resources cannot get in touch with National.

Thanks for the link. I think many of us owe our Scouting career to those leaders we had. I know I certainly do, and at least for a little while, one was my father.

Last year, I saw this, and I thought it was neat. I take three cotton balls, and smear them very well in Vaseline. I store these in a used 35mm film canister. When I need to start a fire, I tear the cotton ball aprt slightly, and light it. It will burn 2-3 minutes - more than enough time to get the tinder going. It's also real handy for blisters, chapped lips, ar chapped "anything else" YIS, Stan Riddle