DuctTape

I remember a scout who spent TWO weeks at the rifle range, and archery range. Those were the only two mBs he earned. Said it was the best summer camp he had. Another scout spent a week fishing, and he already had the fishing mB!

Freeze dried meals are pre=packaged highly processed stuff loaded with salt, sugar etc.. Bringing some extra food for yourself is a good idea, but you can do much better than freeze dried. An easy way is to dehydrate your own homemade meals. Generally any one-pot meal or casserole style will work. One doesn't even need a fancy dehydrator, it can be done with a oven on low and the door propped open. Even better if you have a convection oven as air movement is more important than heat in dehydrating. Camp menus like this are just one reason I dislike dining hall style summer camps. At patrol cooking camps (IMO, "real" summer camp) the food is fresh and and healthier.

Nice! I learned to cook because of scouts.

I agree that one does not prop up their organization by showing how much worse another one was/is. That said I do believe there is a significant difference between the Catholic Church and the BSA in regards to their responses to CSA. No doubt the BSA failed to address CSA adequately, failed to notify authorities and their attempts to mitigate by having internal documents (IVF) barring volunteers was not effective. This is in stark contrast to the Catholic Church who did not even attempt to bar known abusers but instead just moved them to a different parish. Neither did well.

That is not typical. May I ask why did you choose this troop? Did you visit others?

I don't like it. The change should be "completed the fifth grade" or 11 years old. I agree with eliminating the AOL "early admittance". 10 year olds are way to young. Provide them with a quality Webelos program and do not push them into a Troop where they will be basically a "Webelos patrol". BSA sucks at recruitment and keeps thinking changing requirements or ages, etc... will solve it. It usually does the opposite. Older scouts are ok with younger scouts as long as they are not too young. This will exascerbates the frustration of the older scouts. BSA has no experts with kids advising them obviously. This has been true for a long time. Ugh I hate this. Is that apparent?

When the campsite is next to the cars, this is what happens. Nothing wrong with car camping, but it is "stage 1". Next is moving the campsite a quarter mile from the cars. Then a mile. Then 3. All of the stages require growth and usage of the specific advancement requirements. This is why a good program has advancement built in as automatic necessities to participate in the program. Contrasted with car camping plus advancement. The added benefit is the quality program grows with the scouts so there is less burnout. Little of the "we do the same campout all the time". I have found the greatest obstacle from moving away from the cars (and trailer) is the adults.

I find socratic questioning a helpful way to mentor the PLs and APLs. Paperwork not so much. I would start with the mentoring of the PLs and asking what is working well and what needs improvement. Use socratic questioning to get to help the PL determine possible solutions. Focus on: the PL as the leader, someone other's follow leading by example servant leadership

When I did IOLS the instructor quickly realized my skill set and had me instruct my patrol. Interestingly it took quite a few years after for the course director to utilize me as a council and district trainer.

Anyone else find it humorous that the acronym for Friends of Scouting has a completely different meaning altogether?

Playing devils advocate, if the nearby dining hall is taller and does not have a lightning rod to ground it, also if the construction materials of the dining hall are more conductive then the shorter lean-to could be the safer location. But lightning is unpredictable and while usually will ground to the tallest, the "closer" ground can be the shortest distance and likely path. In short, there are no absolutes in storms as to the safe place, only a continuum of unsafe.

And quite a few had a youth scouting experience which was completely adult driven and run; they are doing what they know. Quality Control in BSA is non-existent and hasn't existed for decades.

Hands on activity would be a giant bin with stuff and a backpack. They need to go to their packing list and pack their backpack. Without real gear can be bean bags (of different sizes and weights) labeled with the gear item. Also include items not to take (make these bean bags big and heavy) Addition to the idea is to include putting on the backpack and then walking a "trail" marked with tape. Can be done as a relay too. Instead of bean bags, cardboard boxes of different sizes or some other representation.

I remember that rubber band powered paddle boat. Also clothespin trigger rubber band guns.

No, I used 21 as the end of the range due to BSA's policy basically prohibiting 18-21 y/o from truly participating. But as you correctly state, there need not be an upper limit for this. In fact my concept requires some older, veteran Scouters to really guide the young (in age and/or experience) to become well qualified Scouters.

If I was to design a BSA program for 18-21 y/o. I would... 1. Recognize they are adults. 2. Provide opportunities for more advanced type adventures. 3. Focus on training these adult scouts how to implement the Scout Program as designed with Patrol Method and all the other things we often describe here. #3. is best done as "campfire discussions" or "talks while hiking" instead of "classroom in the outdoors". The training should be explicitly known but implicitly executed. In general the outcomes should be "outdoor fun with similar aged adults" and "training future Scoutmasters". Rationale: While going through the program as a scout even with a fantastic SM in a high quality troop, the scout likely does not understand the intricacies of what the SM (and ASM) are doing (or not doing!). This training supports what the scout already experienced (if it was great) or supplants with better Scoutmastership training.

While I agree that the discuss & explain requirements are wayyyy overdone, IMO what should be included is a requirement that the scout conference with the counselor at least twice during the process. One of those conferences must occur prior to completion of "all the other requirements". This could be specific to the mB. Rationale: so the scout can benefit from the adult association and expertise of the counselor and use the expertise in at least some of the requirements. For example using hiking merit badge, a scout might contact the mB counselor after having done the shorter hikes, but before the 20 miler they must conference with the counselor. This allows for the scout to reflect on the previous hikes with a hiking expert who can help the scout "see" their previous hikes from a different perspective. The counselor can also offer advice and ideas for the future. The scout then completes the 20 miler and has a final conference with the counselor to reflect on that hike and what they did differently etc... A good counselor will be able to have a reflective conversation with the scout so they benefit from associating with he adult, gleaning knowledge from an expert and growing in their own competency in the the mB.

While I agree with the sentiment, using this as the path will ultimately just water it down to checkboxes too. IMO the number one problem is one&done requirements coupled with working on specific rank reqs simultaneously. This encourages lack of growth. Instead of the step-wise nature of requirements growing in complexity and skill, scouts do something once and "get it signed off in 3 different ranks". Yes, Scouters are not following the GTA, they are using the training as the requirement, and not testing. Advancement and the requirements are a process, not a single step and should encourage growth not stagnation. #gettingoffmysoapbox

Pg 88, paragraph 3: "not under the collar"

Rockwells illustrations also appeared in Edward Cave's books... "The Boy Scout's Hike Book" and "The Boy's Camp Book". My copies are from 1916 iirc.

Johnsch322, I am sorry for what happened to you, for what some people did to you, for the pain and suffering you endured, for what you continue to endure, for all the feelings and emotions surrounding your ordeal and those which continue or are amplified by the bankruptcy process. None of us here mean you more pain. I am sorry if any of my words (or those of others) caused you more. I am sorry you are tired. I am sorry.

Iirc, when a "troop becomes their own CO", it begins with the formation of an organization. They might call themselves "friends of troop xyz". That organization would file as a not-for profit with the state, which requires bylaws etc.. This organization sponsors the troop as the Chartering Organization. In reality the organization is just the troop committee itself, however there are legal requirements which must be met too maintain the not for profit status. See your state laws for info. Lastly, I am not sure that moving forward the BSA will "allow" these anymore. Certainly they have not been encouraged in decades. However as long as they still allow an outside organization to become a CO, the "friends of..." is legally no different than any other.

I remember when neckerchiefs were large squares. This allowed them to be functional equipment too, not simply adornment. I recall doing first aid training and we used our neckerchiefs as slings, to make splints, etc...

Oh how I wish my friend Tom was still alive. I met Tom almost twenty years ago. Long story so I won't digress with details. Tom was a ww2 vet, he was also an eagle scout. He told me about the 35 jamboree which never happened. He was supposed to attend. He did attend the next one. As an avid photographer (and motion pictures) he had filmed that next jamboree. iirc he also attended and filmed a world jamboree. Either the BSA or the LC had put out some publication for the 75th anniv of Scouting(or some other important milestone) and referenced the 35 jambo. He contacted them to remind that it did not occur. I beleive he then donated his footage to BSA (or LC). Anyway, I miss Tom and his stories. I wish I could send him a message to inquire about this thread and share his recollections. Rest in Peace my friend.