Eagle94-A1

Back when I worked for supply, I had to wear them. They are a pain. Don't have them on the uniform now.

Another reason for me to hate "Family Night."

Guess I shouldn't be a trainer. Last time I did "Train the Trainer" was back in 1994 when I was on JLT staff, and it was part of the staff training. Never taken Trainer's E.D.G.E. before Guess my minor in secondary education don't count. Guess my job as a teacher-counselor for a "Hoods in da Woods" organization doesn't count. Guess my old PT job of teaching college history doesn't count. Guess my current FT job of working an an education department teaching CPR and how to deal with out of control people doesn't count. Guess my two times at NCS don't count much And I guess the past 30+ years of teaching various courses to adults counts. Looks like our brand new district training chair, who just became a Boy Scout leader in June will need to find someone else to work with him on training.

I was the one that did the enrolling in classes on the computer system the camp we went to uses. They have only 1 time slot for open swim, and I suggested that everyone take off that period so that they can cool down. One of the Scouts wasn't game for that. he wanted the period immediately after lunch free because the showers were easily avilable and he could take an afternoon nap. More power to him.

Home made bolos and/or Turk's heads if they wear neckers.

I agree 110% I am getting strange looks when I tell folks my son didn't earn a single MB this past summer camp. All partials. Folks think I wasted money sending him to camp. Funny thing is I'm really proud of how he acted. He was assigned by the SPL as "Acting ASPL" whenever the ASPL was out of camp due to baseball. He looked after the first year Scouts, even helping one homesick Scout out. Did I mention he's 11 and this is only his second summer at camp? "Train 'em. Trust 'em. LET THEM LEAD!" As for advancement being secondary, my troop is slowly turning into advancement oriented. Reason being we got a Philmont crew that our older Scouts are going on, but they need to be First Class. Out of the entire group going, only 3 are First Class or higher. Rest are Scout or Tenderfoot.

I personsally am against solo adventures as I beleive in the "Rule of 4:" You always want a minimum of 4 folks when you do adventures. That way 1 can do first aid, and two can go get help. Had a friend who attempted a solo hike in Yellowstone. Despite knowing better, he didn't tell anyone where he was going, when he would be back etc. He just told some folks he was going hiking. Long story short, he had an accident and was stuck on a ledge for a week. Luckily he remembered to pack the 10 essentials, and had his survival kit in his day pack. Yep I had some friendly banter with him when I saw him at summer camp after the incident. BUT when he talked to the Wilderness Survival MB classes veryone was listening.

Little Free Libraries for an Eagle Project? CCCCOOOOOOOLLLLLL! Wife headed up one of those for the homeschool group. Beneficiaries, besides the community as a whole, would be the individual locations if they are not owned by the same entity. If it was in my neck of the woods, I'd suggest the mayor, but he's an Eagle and extremely supportive of Scouting.

Anyone ever here of the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) (SP) award? Wish we could do it here in the US as part of BSA. Alas, alot of what they do is against G2SS.

Ok, how did you make a Scout in Minecraft?

That was me; Life at 13, Eagle at 18. What got me going? 2 things. 1) Seeing my friends and those who I taught basic T-2-1 skills making Eagle. But that was a little motiviation. 2) A comment my SM made after I made a joke about "Getting old" after one of the guys I worked with being recognized as passing hie EBOR. "If some people got off their duffs, they could get Eagle before they turned 18." That comment cut to the quick and made me realize I had less that 8 months to get the last 3 MBs I needed. I pushed it, completing Personal Mangement 5 days before turning 18. As other said, the Scout has to want it.

Definately smaller, and without folks with strong outtdoor backgrounds liek way back when, probably not that outdoor oriented.

I think the biggest difference between LDS and non-LDS units are the leaders. In LDS units, you are "called" or appointed to be a leader, whether you want to be one or not. So there may be no interest in doing a "decent job." In non-LDS units you have volunteers that, for whatever reason, have some motivation to be a leader. It can be their sons, it can be that scouting is their passion. The volunteers have the motivation to do a "decent job." I have a job, in which I am subject to having my schedule changed on a minutes notice, and yes I've stayed late without prior warning several times. I've also had to deal with family health issues which have dramatically impacted my family for the past 12 years. So yes, I understand work and family commitments. But I'm also involved with 2 units, the district committee, and am a RT commissioner. I do a "decent job" because I have a lot of kids, including my three hoodlums, depending upon me. Could I be a better leader, absolutely. But where I'm at, there is a lack of volunteers willing to help out. Someone needs to help the youth.

Unfortunately I know of one Scout who was having major family issues due to divorce. When his grades slipped, mom grounded him, including no Scouts. He attempted suicide because for him, his SM was the only adult that cared about him and what was going on. For him Scouting was the positive, safe environment. Once he recuperated and got help, he returned to the troop until mom and siblings moved. I hope he found another good troop wherever he went.

1) BSA goes with the lowest bidder, 2) When this fiasco started with SCOUTNET2000 in 1998, one of my fellow DEs, who worked in IT prior to and after leaving the BSA, tol dme this fiasco would haunt us for years because: A) Guy in charge had 0% IT background, he was a former SE B) Company being used was known in the IT field at the time for lowballing their bids, making hteir money with fixing the bugs.

I had a conversation with the new Scouts last meeting. i told them EVERY time they get something signed off for advancement, ESPECIALLY AFTER BORs ( all caps emphasis), they need to make a copy of their advancement sheets and store them in a safe place. Told then about what happened to me, book splitting and then going for a swim, as well as what happened top a friend, council had his records so messed up that he was listed as a First Class Scout when he was going for his Eagle. Told them in both instances, the copies from the book worked because THEY ARE THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THEIR ADVANCEMENT! Everything else is just confirmation.

While not as dramatic as Stosh's 2 stories, one of my Eagles was over in Iraq and the plastic tension thingy on his tent's guy line broke. He fixed it using a taunt-line hitch. His Gunny made him teach everyone in his platoon how to tie that not so that when it happened to someone else, they could fix the problem. And everyone knows the story of the Eagle who was a NASA shuttle commander and his square lashing story?

My understanding is that National is still pushing year round Cub Scouts. I guess they want Cubs to be like Boy Scouts. I don't think the PTB realize how adult leader intensive Cub Scouting is, and that a break from Cub Scouts is needed for the adults. My pack does do activities over the summer. It varies from 2 events per month to 1 per month, depending upon pack leadership.

In Christineka's defense, she did say that her family is LDS, and there are some modifications to the Boy Scout program tailored to their church. The youth are automatically enrolled in Scouting and are expected to be in the church's units. And if memory serves, it is extremely discouraged for them to join other units. So voting with their feet may not be an option. And we also know that just like non-LDS units, there is a wide variety of adherence to BSA and LDS policy with LDS units. I actually discussed the challenges I faced with one LDS church in my district with a very active LDS Scouter ( sorry don't remember if it was the bishop or the pro) and the comment he made was " The further away from Salt Lake City you are, the wider the variety." I know other threads, and even Bryon on Scouting, have discussed challenges that the LDS church have with Scouting units. The biggest IMHO is the fact that leaders are appointed, and are not true volunteers, with rapid turnover. In the troop I tried to contact, the troop's leadership changed 3 or 4 times in less than a year!

First off, if it sound like I am criticizing anyone, I want to apologize. That wasn't my intent. I know different troops do different things, and I am trying to understand what's going on and getting some clarification. Second off, I am a program freak, and firmly believe that if you have a good program, they will come. My troop didn't have a CS pack for the bulk of my tenure as a youth. We survived becasue we had a very active program. Really broke my hear to find out that my troop folded after Katrina. So program is right up there. Third, I honestly believe that the key to everything is the Patrol Method. I cannot emphasize that enough. Fourth, in my neckof the woods now, it seems as if every troop that has a feeder pack, save my pack, has a very good relationship with their CO's troop. There are district/council service projects that everyone in the district takes part in. Or at least almost every unit. I do think that while it should not be a #1 priotity, I do think Scout Sunday, or Scout Sabbath for our Jewish brethen, should be a joint event with all of a CO's units taking part in. I know that prior to me joing the pack, the CO had a crew as well. And the pack, troop, and crew did Scout Sunday. heck even the Girl Scouts that meet at the church attended.

Currently 3 camp outs are needed in order to get First Class, so if he's been only on 1 camp out, he should not be First class, let alone. Star. As for pushing to Eagle ASAP, those of us who have been in a while have seen too many cases of "Eagles" who couldn't tell you about a single thing they did for any of their MBs. In one instance, when an EBOR that denied one Scout the Eagle rank because his family "pencil-whipped" the MBs found out that National granted his appeal, Not only did the district's EBOR resign in protest, the entire district advancement committee did so as well. In all honesty there have been only a handful of young Eagles that have truly mastered the knowledge, skills and have the abilities to meet teh Eagle requirements. Also let me tell you the Tale of Two Eagles. The first Eagle Scout was the son of an Eagle. Dad pushed and pushed his son to get Eagle ASAP. And son did just that; he got Eagle at 13 and left the program after that. The second Eagle was the the first Eagle's cousin. Uncle also pushed him to get Eagle ASAP. And he was well on his way to getting Eagle at 14. But something happened. First he got selected by his troop to do the NYLT of his day, and he had a blast. He then went to Jamboree and did a 50 miler in Canada, again having fun. Then he got into the OA. He was having so much fun, as well as giving back to his troop, that 5 years past between earning Life and finally earning Eagle. Which Eagle do you think had more fun, my cousin who got it at 13, or me you got it at 18?

Live class with internet used fro communication: Good. Internet and computer based MBs: bad

Gotcha. We're fortunate in that the camproees are actually rather good in my neck of the woods. Except for the year it was MBs, specifically the Scouts had to chose from 4 MBs to work on. Several units skipped out, and the district learned their lesson when most of the Scouts complained.

From some literature I've read, January. But I know that national supply, and a lot of council stores do Inventory int eh late December/early January time frame. GHonna be interesting. And thanks for the italics! As for LDS units and 11 year olds camping, it's a national thing. They are limited to 3 campouts per year. That may need to be changed since I think 6 are required for FC now. Sorry I glanced at the new requirements.

Isn't it listed in the MB requirements?