TAHAWK

The Patrol Method is mostly not allowed by adults in Scouting. Most, for example, appoint the theoretical leaders and themselves directly lead the Scouts. That state of things is hardly a shock given that BSA has failed for decades to explain its "most important method" in any single list, chapter, article, training session, or entire training course. (Wood Badge is said to teach the method solely by "demonstrating" it -- without explanation or guidance and solely by showing the staff, by analogy the adults, in near total control throughout almost all aspects of the course.) Indeed, the troop receives the overwhelming emphasis in current BSA literature. To point out one example that ought to be shocking, there is a total lack of any mention of patrol program-planning when a Scout, according to BSA elsewhere and to this date, is supposed to primarily experience Scouting int he context of the patrol to which he belongs, not the troop to which the patrol belongs. Many here could give examples. And all this in spite of the fact that there are certainly professional Scouters who understand and support the Patrol Method, having experienced it as Scouts and, in some cases, by using it as Scoutmasters.

As has been true for many years. Use of the uniform is encouraged or strongly encouraged. Like advancement, it is a method - a tool - not a goal or objective. A good person and citizen is that still in uniform or out, Scout or Eagle, and that is the place we want to end up. 2015 Guide to Advancement (and for years before that) 8.0.0.2 Boards of Review Must Be Granted When Requirements Are Met Except in disputed circumstances as noted in "Initiating Eagle Scout Board of Review Under Disputed Circumstances," 8.0.3.2, the Scout or his parents or guardians shall not be responsible for requesting that a board take place. 8.0.0.4 Wearing the Uniform—or Neat in AppearanceIt is preferred a Scout be in full field uniform for any board of review. He should wear as much of it as he owns, and it should be as correct as possible, with the badges worn properly. It may be the uniform as the members of his troop, team, crew, or ship wear it. If wearing all or part of the uniform is impractical for whatever reason, the candidate should be clean and neat in his appearance and dressed appropriately, according to his means, for the milestone marked by the occasion. Regardless of unit, district, or council expectations or rules, boards of review shall not reject candidates solely for reasons related to uniforming or attire, as long as they are dressed to the above description. Candidates shall not be required to purchase uniforming or clothing such as coats and ties to participate in a board of review.

"Wild" and "native" first.

And that has been done to training - more good ideas added with a reduction in the time allocated for the course. The "goals" in the syllabii are wholly unrealistic given the time available. One goal for one of the sessions is that the participants should be familiar with thirty-one pages of the Handbook. There are nine other goals for this 75 minute session - all good things to know. To Woods Tools has been added the goal: "Explain the role of adult leaders in ensuring a safe environment for Scouting." One of nine goals in this 60 minute session. All taught in interactive discussion using EDGE. BSA pretends this material can be covered in the time allocated and the councils pretend that it has been covered. The staff knows otherwise.

Make your own. Might cost $1.00. Need a sewing machine and operator. One of the Dads. With what is going on around us and all the cool topics, it is striking that eight pages are devoted to a detail. In the interest of dealing with the obvious boredom: I think the buttons are too small on the shirts. We should go back to all-dark khaki uniforms. WWII is over and that color fabric is now available, Much more stylish - "Coyote Brown" Too many things to sew on. Replace many with things that snap on the epaulets - rank and office to start since they change regularly. Return to patrol "colors" pinned on shoulder. One less thing to sew on. Lose the plastic backing on the patches - makes sewing harder than it needs to be. Official "Boonie" hat for $14.99. Keep the sun off the neck and ears with something you can roll up, stick in a pocket, and wash.

For making char cloth, I have replaced my ancient, blackened tobacco tin (Prince Albert in a can!) with a stainless steel salt shaker from the biggest of all big-box stores. Holds about a liquid cup. The top bayonet locks on. A disk of sheet metal with a single hole (lined up with a hole in the regular lid) fits under the pierced lid to restrict air supply to the oxidation process. A toothpick nicely blocks the lined-up holes when the deed is done. (But I didn't throw the old tin away.)

At least one pro who has held top positions, like leading the training team, is an Eagle whose Eagle dad was his Scoutmaster, was a Scoutmaster himself, and has three Eagle sons in Scouting. Sorta' like a paid volunteer. I have hopes for him. It's OK to have hope, yes?

My first Scout Executive was a star. He raised money from business leaders, was "Mr. Scouting" to the public, was a very popular leader of his staff. and helped staff adult ans leader training (never as a course director - as a volunteer staffer). One Saturday night in the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area we were gathered around the campfire and heard "Hello the Camp. Can I join you." It was himself -- with three pounds of marshmallows. He had some funny stories to contribute and joined the singing with gusto. Stayed the night and hiked out with us the next day. Turns out that every month he joined a troop or Post outdoor activity, and he missed very few camporees. Also appeared at many courts of honor, and not just for Eagles. A few years later when OA duties made me a semi-regular at HQ, I mentioned the incident to him. He told me being with units when they were involved in unit program was part of his job as he saw it. There were literally tears at his standing room-only retirement dinner. My first Scout Executive in my second life in Scouting in Ohio went to the Council main camp twice a year (annual inspection and Executive Committee steak fry) and, as far as I could determine, after asking around extensively, never ever attended district or unit activities. He was not a star and was fired by Council after his "rabbi" at Region retired. I think the observations about the value of seeing what is really going on in the real world of Scouting are pure gold.

A friend, commander of a Armored Cavalry Regiment, went to Philmont in very light Nike boots that had no rand (rubber bumper around the edge between sole and upper) and allowed the little toe to hang over a bit. Very fit guy - VERY.. On Day 5 he was having both the toenails on his little toes drilled to release the blood under the nails of his pulverized toes. Rocky trails. YMMV - literally. Next time he went back with well-broken in leather boots. I used Meindl leather/fabric boots that weighed 1.5 lbs more than his. No problems. But, then, I have never had a blister on a foot - just fingers.

Only issues with dryer lint: Is it cotton? Polyester just melts/ Don't compress it; it is hard to get to fluff up as compared to the Gold Standard, pj'd cotton per resqman's comment/ Cosmetic pads of 100% cotton are also good. Scot's Pines often generate lumps of more-or-less dried sap = solid turpentine (especially where the Pine Bark beetle is doing it's evil work). Credit cards. Rubber chickens

One purpose of wearing a Trained patch - of all "recognition," when we used to call it that - is to encourage others to qualify for the recognition.

Source: Boy Scout of America, https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/11/24/when-can-adult-leaders-wear-the-bsas-trained-patch/

A big cancelled check. In most councils, most training is by districts. District Training Chair reports to District Program Chair, who reports to District Chair, who reports to Council President. So Council Training Chair is a dotted-line guy for all that. Wood Badge has it's own Wood Badge Coordinator.

District Executive. Average tenure, less than a year. Knows mostly about: $$ raised for council; advancement; paperwork done on time. Stand outside the meeting. Listen. Your should, the vast majority of the time, hear Scouts, not adults. Ask to meet the "leaders" of the troop. If you are introduced only to adults, they don't have a clue. They should, as a rock-bottom minimum, ask if you want to meet the Scouts who are leaders. Find out at the prospective troop if the patrols regularly meet apart from the troop. Find out at the prospective troop if the patrols have their own activities besides meetings - campouts, hikes, service projects. Find out if the troop camps out (tents) at least six weekends a year plus Summer Camp. Find out who plans the annual program. It is supposed to be the Scout Patrol Leaders and Senior Patrol Leader, as a committee.

We had a District Advancement Chair who looked at Advancement Reports. But Handbooks? The official record is the paper or Internet Advancement Report so far as I know, subject to change when I wasn't looking. "4.0.0.2 Reporting Advancement All Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, and Sea Scout ranks, and all Venturing advancement awards must be reported to local councils.* The best and most accurate method is through the BSA’s Internet portal for reporting advancement (see “Internet Advancement Reporting,†6.0.0.0, for more detail on reporting). At the council’s discretion, the paper form, Advancement Report, No. 34403, may also be submitted. ... Units should report advancement monthly. This assures member records are complete. Missing reports are a serious issue, for example, when it comes to documenting advancement for boards of review, the Eagle Scout rank, and membership transfers or reinstatements. To reflect an accurate count in the Journey to Excellence performance recognition program, it is also important that all advancement for a calendar year be recorded during that year." B.S.A., Guide to Advancement (2017) [emphasis added] The Guide to Advancement does not mention recording of passing a requirement in the Handbook as a step in advancement. It's a tool, not a requirement or an official record.

"Outdoors and hunting store Gander Mountain found a new owner after filing for bankruptcy in March, and what remains of the brand will become part of the Camping World chain of RV dealerships and camping supply stores. It’s a messy, painful process and the list of which Gander Mountain locations will remain open continues to change, based on the latest list released by the company’s new owners. Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis originally estimated that he would keep open between 17 and 70 stores, and the tally as of right now is 63 stores, with more leases reportedly under negotiation. Some stores on the original re-opening list have been removed, notably the Palm Beach, FL location, where Lemonis says that the city will not allow Camping World to sell RVs." Under the current list, the store near us will close. The product line went sharply cheapo a few years ago - not the prices. They went up and the quality went down.

"The new Girl Scouts My Promise, My Faith pin invites girls in grades K-12 to experience a faith journey through exploration of the Girl Scout Law and teachings from their faith. Girls can earn this national pin each year." "Girls of all grade levels can now earn the My Promise, My Faith pin developed by Girl Scouts of the USA in 2011. This pin, which girls can earn once a year, complements existing religious recognitions and allows all girls to further strengthen the connection between their faith and Girl Scouts. A girl earns the My Promise, My Faith pin by carefully examining the Girl Scout Law and directly tying it to tenets of her faith. Requirements for this pin are included in The Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting for all levels, but a summary of the award requirements are below:" "Although it is a secular organization, GSUSA has several religious awards troop members can earn, and in 2011 it developed an additional award, a pin titled "My Promise, My Faith," which girls can earn "by carefully examining the Girl Scout Law and directly tying it to tenets of her faith." On April 28, the "My Promise, My Faith" pin was to be highlighted at a national celebration of all the faiths represented in the Girl Scout community at the National Episcopal Cathedral in Washington. "As a spiritual resource for our nation, the cathedral is a great and beautiful edifice in the city of Washington, and an indispensable ministry for people of all faiths and perspectives," said a Girl Scouts announcement about the interfaith event. Organizers planned to recognize girls who had earned the pin by the date of the event during the service. In addition to the "My Promise, My Faith" pin, Catholic Girl Scouts can earn these faith-based awards: "Family of God," "I Live My Faith," "Mary the First Disciple," "The Spirit Alive," "St. Elizabeth Ann Seton" and "St. Anne." http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2012/-my-promise-my-faith-pin-among-religious-awards-girl-scouts-can-earn.cfm

My old troop consistently (25 years) welcomed the new kids. The leadership bought into the notion that they were the future of the troop and needed to be encouraged and nurtured. The older Scouts taught the younger and it was thee troop culture - what was done habitually. Exceptions were noted by all the leadership and the adults and were addressed. Much harder to get that going if the culture is as described in the OP.

It is harder than is has to be if Scouting methods are not being used. The mixed-age patrol only works when the Patrol Leader has been trained properly that his job is to be sure all the members are having fun in the troop and in the patrol's separate activities. As noted, "Servant Leadership" is a way to label the Patrol Leader looking out for the needs of of his patrol members first. When I was a Scout, it was "Take care of your patrol." Now if this troop used age-based patrols, there would be a patrol of Scouts whose Patrol Leader would represent the youngins' at the PLC when program is being planned for the troop and, more importantly, would lead them in planning their own patrol activities that suit their interests, like a hike in the woods. In a mixed-age patrol, the Patrol Leader has the more complex job of insuring that everyone's needs are being considered where age spread creates more diverse interests and abilities. But even in an age-based patrol, interests vary. Phrogger, you haven't mentioned any separate patrol activities, yet the Scouts are supposed to spend most of their time functioning as a patrol. "[Patrols are] small groups of Scouts who camp together, cook together, play together, and learn together." "[The patrol members] interact in a small group outside the larger troop context, working together as a team and sharing the responsibility of making their patrol a success." "Scouting happens in the context of a patrol." "[The patrol is] the place where boys learn skills together [and] take on leadership responsibilities...." "Patrols will sometimes join with other patrols to learn skills and complete advancement requirements." And every single patrol member is supposed to be assigned a job that best suits his abilities and interests. That's part of the Patrol Leader's responsibility So it's a team - everyone playing a "position." He could perhaps be the geocaching coach for the patrol if he is really into that. Or the Game Leader who researches new games that interest the patrol members - more challenging with a mixed-age patrol but not by any means impossible. Who is responsible for training the Patrol Leaders? Primarily that's the Scoutmaster's job, and it is his most important job after insuring that Scouting is a safe place. Phrogger

And the "Culture Wars" have become the basis of some of out hottest political controversies.

So it's a transatlantic issue.

Really? Troop 22 provides the opportunity for any Scout to camp 30 - 33 nights a year, including the patrol campouts (33 every other year when the troop does its own summer camp.) . Those qualifying for the high adventure trip get 8 more = 30 - 41 nights/year. Scouting is outing. If you don't want to camp, why are you in Scouts? Oh, that's right. For the resume.

Philmont is, of course, typically backpacking not hiking. And you are at altitude and often going higher. Water may not be readily available for hours and so must be carried at apx. 8 lbs/gallon. All of this makes it hard for me to readily translate Hiking MB requirements into Philmont. I do love the low humidity of my youth.

Take the five following hikes, each on a different day, and each of continuous miles. These hikes MUST be taken in the following order: One 5-mile hike Three 10-mile hikes One 15-mile hike You may stop for as many short rest periods as needed, as well as one meal, during each hike, but not for an extended period (example: overnight). Prepare a written hike plan before each hike and share it with your Scoutmaster or a designee. Include map routes, a clothing and equipment list, and a list of items for a trail lunch.* I would not think walking fifteen miles in a day with a day pack would be testing for a fit Scout unless the trail had a lot of severe up and down or it was particularly hot and humid. As to that, planning. It's five hours walking for me at 73, even with the never-sufficiently-cursed blood pressure meds.

Oh, him. I lost track of which nut was the topic, Lyndon or Kim, nutty politician or nutty dictator. Sorry.