TAHAWK

Current uniform rules of B.S.A. for Scouts: "All troop members must wear the headgear chosen by vote of the troop/team." Current uniform rules of B.S.A. for adults: "Headgear. Headgear is optional. Boy Scout leaders wear the olive visor cap, campaign hat, or troop-approved headgear."

Nice.

""It is going to impact everybody because the pool of money is only so big, and something is going to need to change," said John Feick, CEO of Ozark Trails Council of Boy Scouts of America. It may be hitting a lot of non-profit agencies hard. The Ozark Trails Council says several full timers could be affected, since the agency cannot afford to raise everyone's salaries to meet the new threshold. "So, we have some choices," said Feick. "We have choices of moving our people that work 50 or 60 hours a week down to 40, which won't work for us very well. Another choice is to create some part time positions rather than full time with benefits." Some of the opposition for the change came from non-profit agencies, which requested and exemption. They did not get it. Feick stated, "Unfortunately, for us, it is probably less service. Maybe one or two less employees, potentially. And less service for the kids and the people we try to serve." The new rules are set to take effect on December 1st of this year."

Interestingly enough, not on GCC council website or calendar.

You are free to check my sources (Google is your friend.) or do your own research. Fourteenth point of the Scout Law (after Hungry) is Doubting. (or is is "Doubtful"?)

Sent letter to editor first. Such measures have always been ignored previously. We are, after all, only volunteers. (I recall the National guy arguing with a double Phd (public health and microbiology - later a WHO scientist) about safe dish-washing. You can wonder about what science might show. On the other paw, there are the authorities cited above who have already done the science. Or there is the B.S.A. which has, several times, spoken on the subject, as recently as the Boys' Life article noted above and the current Wilderness First Aid Syllabus. This is added to a distinguished list of such advice as : Use cotton socks in Winter Wool is the ideal outer layer in winter (in about 2011) chlorine in the initial dish-washing rinse (It's BAAAACK!) chlorine and iodine make wild water "safe to drink" Don't drink water when hot; suck a pebble instead. Annual troop program planning is by consensus of all the commissioned Scouters, the entire TC, the COR, the Unit Commissioner and - why not? - the PLC Pocket knives don't rust so they can be washed in the family dish-washing machine. The bowline won't slip. ... and other old favorites.

Not sure where to post this, but it deserves someone's attention. Earlier this year, Boys' Life published an article on wound care. In that article, it was pointed out that using alcohol (among other "antiseptics") on a wound was discouraged. That advice is in accord with the advice of, among others, the Red Cross, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Wilderness Medical Society, all of whom feel the chemicals do more harm than good. It's not new learning. It's decades old. The BSA Wilderness First Aid course does not specifically discourage use of alcohol, but it does not teach its use, Like the other authorities its basic advice IIRC is irrigation under some pressure with clean water. Now we have the latest (Sept-Oct) copy of Scouting which, on p. 54, twice advises using alcohol to clean out cuts, both shallow and "deeper" ones that keep bleeding. Another error and another example of the lack of cross-bubble communication. Left Hand, meet Right Hand. You should talk now and then, Isn't getting it right on first aid topics a safety issue?

New policy. One can only hope. When BSA starts refusing to certify mills, we could see big change.

One of my councils has barred troop-only MBCs.

My experience was handling several calls from CO heads wanting someone - anyone - to remove gear formerly used by lapsed units so the CO could use the space.

While a volunteer should follow directions from an organization superior and can be sent home, neither fact makes that volunteer an "employee." For the sake of volunteers and councils, we don't want to get into "housing, food, etc."

Latest word. Greater Western Reserve: Headwaters and Grand River districts to combine with Greater Cleveland. Arrowhead and Whispering Pines to Combine with Great Trails. Heart of Ohio: Firelands and Great Frontier districts to join with Greater Cleveland, Harding and Johnny Appleseed districts to join with Buckeye Council.

Is there a better way to build patrol spirit than having the Scouts spend most of their time in the patrol context - camping, swimming, competing, learning, doing service, being silly? Try nothing but patrol meetings for a month or for the Summer. Honor Patrol system to encourage behaviors desired by PLC with reward of ?? Big Red One disk for patrol flag; choice of site at campout; double vote in PLC on some issue (home field for World Series for winner of All Star Game)

It is often "enough" that the decision-maker(s) are more comfortable with people they already know. While the CO selects the adult leaders, it does not select the led. They can "vote" with their feet.

The CO owns the number and any unit gear and supplies. Obviously, the CO does not own any youth or adults members In effect, the merger has already created a new CO - one that you feel is not working out. If the newly merged CO is not acceptable to the patents of the youth members, nothing bars finding a new CO and adopting a new number, as has been suggested. Consider how to describe what is happening and how to keep the community ties that have worked for the present unit. B.S.A. is short of good adult leaders. They, not COs, create good program, and good program draws youth members.

Now that we have documented the fact that B.S.A. is not " totally blind to the situation and sees nothing," how about you start a thread suggesting additional safety and health rules and practices? I am sure something constructive would result.

Sure. "BSA is totally blind to the situation and sees nothing." B.S.A. does not equal every single person who is employed by B.S.A. or is a Scouting volunteer. On top of human failings, there is the bubble problem: B.S.A. consists of various groups who often don't communicate, as illustrated above with the G2SS vs. B.S.A. publications advocating very large, quite heavy swords. One could site the contradictory advice on water purification, what to wear in sunny weather, or dish-washing. Some see and some do not. Not to mention how B.S.A. safety rules are generally received here. What I saw this Summer was the chlorine and plastic gloves (a nice blue) come out when a kid threw up in the dinning hall at camp. I have no idea what the National Camping School teaches, only what I saw. This (or substantially this) is in several camp manuals (source?): "Blood and Body Fluids Minimize your contact with blood or ANY body fluids, including urine, feces, nasal and eye discharges, saliva or vomit. Advise Health Lodge staff if you have been exposed to another person’s blood or other body fluids. Universal Precautions with regard to Blood and Body Fluids are: o Spills of body fluids should be cleaned up immediately. o Reduce contact with contaminated material by using gloves, hand brooms or other techniques to avoid touching the spill directly. o Be careful not to splash contaminated material in eyes, nose or mouth. o Blood contaminated material shall be disposed of in a plastic bag with a secure tie, or a Zip Loc type plastic bag. o Clean any visible excess fluid from surface with an absorbent paper towel. o Wet spray entire surface with bleach solution (¼ cup chlorine bleach to 2 ¼ cups of water (1 to 9 solution), made fresh daily). o Let stand for two minutes. You may let the surface air dry or you may wipe dry after two minutes. o Remove gloves carefully and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water when finished. o Floors, rugs and carpeting that have been contaminated by body fluids shall be cleaned by blotting to remove the fluid as quickly as possible, then sanitize by spot cleaning with soap and/or disinfectant or steam cleaned/shampooing the surface. o Mops or other equipment that is used to clean up spills should be cleaned with soap and water and rinsed with a disinfectant solution, wrung dry as possible and allowed to air dry. If you have any doubt or questions on how to handle a cleanup please notify your Director or the Health Lodge for instructions/assistance." From Scouting.org: "Protection Consideration for Blood and Bodily Fluids (Universal Precautions) Treat all blood and bodily fluids as if they were contaminated with blood-borne viruses (i.e., HIV, hepatitis). Do not use bare hands to stop bleeding; always use a protective barrier, and always wash exposed skin areas for at least 15 seconds with soap and water immediately after treating a victim. Consequently, the following personal protective equipment (PPE) must be included in all first-aid kits and used when rendering first aid: Nonlatex gloves to be used when stopping bleeding or dressing wounds. A mouth barrier device for rendering rescue breathing or CPR. Plastic goggles or eye protection to prevent a victim’s blood from getting into a rescuer’s eyes in the event of serious bleeding. Antiseptic for use in cleaning exposed skin areas, particularly if there is no soap or water available. Clean any blood and bodily fluid spills with an appropriate disinfecting solution, such as 10 parts water to one part bleach. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations for blood-borne pathogens (29 CFR Section 1910.1030) apply to health-care professions employed by local councils to staff camp health facilities or to fulfill health officer or lifeguard functions at BSA camps. In addition, all designated responders, identified in the local council’s medical emergency response plan, are affected by the regulations. Visit www.osha.gov."

Absolutely. Khukuri (three syllables): the short sword carried by the Ghurkas (various spellings, but not Bhurka as Word suggests). So it did not violate the G2SS advice against "large sheath knives, being a short sword carried in a leather-covered wood scabbard.

So no prohibited activities or items?

Two BSA publications on wilderness survival, The Complete Wilderness Training Manual, 2d. ed. rev. (DK Publishing, 2007) and The Survival Handbook, Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventure, suggest carrying short swords. Boys' Life in June, 2008, and June, 2016 specifically advocate shortish sheath knives. It's the bubble problem yet again. Left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

The problems I have observed are: 1) the "teachers" don't know all that much about the subject; and 2) there is no time to actually have the candidates pass the requirements. It's a lose, lose system at many camps.

"Do what you have to do, but don;t go lookin' for trouble."

"9.0.1.2 Prepare the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook The most current workbook must be used. It can be found at www.scouting.org/advancement." Guide to Advancement

"Maybe that stuff used to work, but not today" (says the guy who has no clue about the "stuff").

Both of the Boy Scout camps near me use retirees as Commissioners and as Merit Badge Counselors. The camps supply housing.