Tampa Turtle

Agree with the two previous. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet." Matthew 10:14(NIV) There is a world of Troops out there and there is no "I am not a jerk" test for us leaders. Move on.

One of our scouts looked at your site and was SO jealous for the opportunity to drive the tracked 'tanks' (reminded me of BREN carriers)--said BSA would probably never let us do that--we would have only 1 at a time, on a set course, and with an adult riding shot gun with a kill switch or brake.

- Having a scout who was a handful (one of my 'project scouts') who moved away get in touch with me years later and thank me for believing in him when he was a PITA. He did straighten out and get his Eagle. - Have an older boy (I didn't know) when I was a newbie ASM tell me at a late, late campfire that he appreciate all the Dad's who took there time to make the campouts happen. He said his homelife was awful and the only thing that kept him sane for the last few years was knowing once a month he could get away for a weekend. - Having a Tiger cubscout loudly in a grocery store "Mom, Mom thats my den leader" like I was a rock star, - Hiking alongside a teenager who worked up to ask me why all the nice girls liked bad boys and should he start treating them like dirt? (I said hang on)Said he could not ask his dad. - Two years later when he came up to me and said "remember what you told me at the river hike? You were right" - How the troop came together when our Scoutmaster died and how his widow keeps getting mentor pins from the older boys as they make Eagle.

I am shamefully a rabbit and hole man and need to do the entire story to make it correctly.

6:30 am on January 1st? My dogs bladder keeps me motivated to get out of bed!

GREAT!

'Did Gates Sleep in a Tent'. Yes. One of our former ASM's (who also was a General working for the Joint Chiefs) was in the same Troop as Gates and said they did normal camping and everything except there was always a couple of 'war wagons' of security nearby and a helicopter in the area on standby. Said Gates was a real good ASM. My friend said he had to leave a trip once because of his 'job' and observing the helicopter departure was a highlight for many of the boys.

I had an acquaintance in college who was going through who was going through all the hormones in surgery to go from girl->guy. This was back in Reagan 1st term and in a small Bible belt college. I observed the harassment, isolation, and occasional death threats and figured no one would go through that on a whim. I also had a fabulous gay roommate (best of the bunch) and I really didn't give a damn...I knew what I was and what I liked and had already found the future Mrs Turtle. I agree with Stosh's "Don't Ask Don't Tell". We had pre-policy gay scouts...maybe I am getting too old. It just seems like too much societal change too fast for me. We seem to live in a time of deconstruction just for deconstructions sake...

On a side note, is there a source for Bill Hillcourt T-shirts or patches?

A long term colleague of mine is dealing with a similar situation, her daughter wants surgery to become a boy so she can date girls as a boy but says she is not a lesbian. At 15 she has not kissed, much less dated, a person of any sex. Mom says how do you know you want to be a boy vs a butchy lesbian? (She also laments her child would have an easier time getting into a good school as a high scoring engineer female than a male). The more I talk to my co-worker the more complicated it seems to all sorts of family and friend relationships. As for BSA this is another issue that will be a lose-lose.

Pedro Patrol got too big and split-so we had Pedro 'A' and Pedro 'B'. Adult men had 'Coffee Patrol' so ladies started up 'Latte Patrol' (same patch but coffee was whiter).

I do not mind neo-classism either though I lean Expressionist myself. I have seen the statue and is seemed poorly executed IMHO.

I do recall that most of the cubbies and all of the adults had home made whittled woggles. Mine was from the cub scout Crow kit and after I painted it I was very proud. Wish I still had it.

The boy is right. The BOR is not a last chance to fix Troop quality control problems. One might counsel the lad to re-learn his knots and keep better track of his records now that he is a Life Scout and expected to show competence and leadership. And then you follow up with him afterward or assign him a project teaching knots to the younger guys.

We have a Troop pot-luck around Thanksgiving and Christmas. We count it as a Troop activity as we interpret the requirement as encouraging Troop cohesion and camaraderie as well.

We have so many Committee members so 'many hands make light work" and that part of it works. But as each person reports the Committee meetings can be 2-1/2 hours long. AND they broke out a separate Finance committee as those issues take a lot of time to discuss.

We had a kind of greasers vs surfer thing going...my HS was a quick walk to the beach. At my reunion people kept telling me how smart I was which would have been good to hear at the time...had to wait 35 years for positive feedback? I hated it when some girls asked me why I never asked them out (always chasing the unattainable and noticing the one next door).

If serving down was critical to advancement than we would see more ticket punching in that regard. I just did a new parent intro for parents of 10 incoming scouts. All they wanted for their boys was outdoor adventure, working with older boys, and new experiences. When I mentioned STEM or other things it went flat.

Just had campout where the mom came out as a MBC (did super job BTW) and the boy (2nd year) slept with her on the adult side AND then the boy asked the SM for a sign-off on a tent camping requirement. *sigh*

I floated between a lot of groups in HS; I found the gangster friends backed me up more in a pinch than the 'A+ kids'.

Gumby, the like the indoor/outdoor ASPL's. Ours tend to be a leader/enforcer ASPL and a POR Manager ASPL combo.

Asking the first girl who developed breasts in 6th grade to be my girl friend. She was a beautiful girl but as an early developer got brutally treated by the other flat chested girls. Being friends with the gay kids (1970's) Being friends with the gang kids Being friends with the cuban kids Being the last kid in school to have a crew cut

IMHO the QM is a key position and if the boy is not into it then the Troop will suffer. We have that happen now. I think the best talent needed is (1) Patrol Leaders (2) A Good Quartermaster (3) SPL in that order.

For the last few years (against my opinion) our Troop does this: SPL is elected and serves 1 year term. Needs to be 1st class. Almost always Star or Life. Boys stand up and state their case. Some political wheeling and dealing involved. SPL selects one ASPL and SM appoints one ASPL. (this creates a triangle which does not always work our well). PL's are elected by patrols, they serve 6 months. SPL announces people interested in POR to submit paperwork (basically why, and rank, etc) SPL makes his POR selections, they serve 6 months PL leaders flesh out APL, P-QM

Congratulations. Feel free to contact me about ECOH advice...it's a project!