buffalo2

Thats a tough price point to work within... However, son and I both have Kelty Trekkers from Campmor; they're external framed and adjustable, 4300 cubic inches I think. Great packs, well made and sturdy, but were a little on the small side for Philmont last year. They have a hydration bladder pouch on the inside but it's tough to access quickly for refill, I'm working on a reasonable way to hang mine outside somehow? Others in our Troop use the Jansport Scout, another adjustable external frame unit but not quite 4000 cu in?. Works OK but I prefer the top opening to the panel access Good luck - let us know what you come up with!

Think globally - Act locally And consider the concept of 'half full'

Might be old fashioned, but I wouldn't give up my Kelty external framed pack. Might buy the larger Super Tioga in place of the Trekker just for the additional volume, but either one is an outstanding value. Adjustable as well! There's a place for everything somewhere; lots of pockets. I would look closely at the water bladder access however; when you're filling that thing up several times a day (ie Philmont) it might be nice to get at it more easily - might try hanging mine outside somewhere next time. Have a great trip!

Folks Looking for some input on starting up Venture RoundTable and Venture Officer Association. Probably be above the District level given the local numbers... We're familiar with RT as it's done at the Troop level, what distinguishes the Venture version of this? Any ideas? - and thanks!

In the Venture Patrol rollout that our Troop is attempting, we're viewing the Venture Patrol as being activity driven instead of an eternal institution. This Patrol would form from existing Patrols to work towards a goal ie Philmont trek, and elect a PL (Crew leader?) etc in the usual fashion. At the completion of the activity, the Patrol will disband and reform on the occasion of the next event. Given the nature of most High Adventure activities, I would think that this PL position should be acceptable for rank advancement. Great pains are being taken to use the Venture Patrol as a supplemental opportunity instead of competing with scheduled Troop activities. Patrol meetings will be separate from the Troop meeting and maintaining an active presence in the Troop is a requirement. Everything works on paper...

Sounds like things came out for the best... As an afterthought, your highly qualified Scouts without positions are assets going unused (you'll find that they're sensitive about it!) Consider finding a special place for these Scouts as Guides, Instructors, or even Jr ASMs if that's appropriate. Maybe ask the PLC and the Scout himself what he thinks the Troop could really use. Or make something up! You'll find more opportunities within the program than limitations...

with a 20 gauge no less Somebody got lucky!

Folks I just discovered jltbsa.org, and must recommend it highly... Well worth the time

Thought that there was a BSA national number that was available for general usage, but difficult(!) to come by. Probably easiest to use your COs tax ID number; just don't use the tax exemptions available to complicate their lives. Whatever you do, don't use the SSN of your Treasurer; creates a perpetual pain to keep it updated Remember that you are building for the future; keep the books simple and straight, your Pack funds separate from anything else, and perhaps multiple signature authority on the big expenditures. Kinda nice if your CM can stay off the signature card; sends a good clear message to all concerned as well(This message has been edited by buffalo2)

LauraT7 Thanks for the BP quote... Once again we can go back to our roots!

Our Council has an ongoing interest in promoting Venturing units and is making an honest effort to really drive the program. They're soliciting input and activity suggestions that will really spark things up, and who better to contribute than this crowd? Looking for some more ideas: EcoChallenge, with multiple units contributing events Think rappelling, archery, obstacle courses Bike Trail road rally - perhaps a Poker Run if that would be appropriate? Look for connections with local colleges, any pretext to get the youth on campus and thinking Intramural sporting competitions; volleyball, flag football And you negative types can weigh in with what doesn't work too! Thanks

This is a great thread and the sort of stuff that we're all looking for! To offer a different flavor, consider inviting a local prominent SM from another Troop in exchange to helping with his next JLT session - new faces and ideas can help a lot. In our Troop we go to some trouble to remind the boys that we appreciate the value of their committment and time investment to JLT. We usually make an overnight out of it and ask our Committee members to come and help with cooking something pretty special (gets them some good exposure as well) We're able to get a couple of sessions under our belt on Friday evening and plant a few seeds before kicking back with a movie. Saturday we continue on and usually have things wrapped up before dinner. We've had occasions where working in some handy COPE elements really brought the point home as well. Our Troop also opens up the invitation list some but we deliberately don't encourage al the Scouts to attend. To deviate a bit, I believe that there is a place for a District-level JLT that might fit between the Troop level and the weeklong Council offering. What are some of the group's thoughts here - or is this worth a new thread? Has anyone got a good syllabus for something like this? Perhaps make it a much easier sell at the District/Council level?(This message has been edited by buffalo2)

Perhaps instead of requirements we should be offering incentives... If a Troop Committee could defray the costs of a Wilderness First Aid course for those with the appropriate prerequisites, it's possible to create a valuable new resource. Think that minimum age for some of these courses is 16 and could offer some of your older Scouts a chance to dig into something special as well. You'll find some great opportunities out there but you do have to search them out and be persistent! If you really had to, your local EMTs etc can do a lot for a small group of folks with some basic knowledge (say comfortable as a First Aid MB counselor?)(This message has been edited by buffalo2)

You'll find a parent's pin under the pocket flap of some Scouter's uniforms... They know it's there and their son knows it's there. The rest of the world might only see it in passing, but it's kept close to the heart as a reminder of the reason they're in the program Sniffle

I have seen MBUs run well; our council bills it as 'Merit Badge Challenge' and approaches the requirements from that viewpoint. The organizers are diligent about having sufficient registered MB counselors to properly address the class sizes, and strict about completing the prerequisites listed in the application paperwork. They are experienced and fair, and have no problem issuing a partial blue card with a clear understanding of completion requirements and contact information. (well the majority of them anyway) Another key to making this work is to schedule a Saturday or so between the MB sessions to allow time for proper course work Our local Merit Badge Challenge offers many of the Eagle-requireds as well as many of the more arcane selections, and is pretty much understood to be top-notch. It can be done well, but isn't easy!

Underlying all of the rote skills is an attitude... Aside from the citizenship aspects we're trying to build a young man who is self-reliant but knows when to ask for assistance; that is willing to say 'I don't know' because he is confident of his ability to learn and move forward; that is able to work with those older and younger than himself; that is able to teach as well as learn.

You might be surprised at how reasonable the manufacturer can be... We've had one of our Eureka tents re-floored at a reasonable cost, and I'm told that the Kelty folks will work with you as well. Our tents are of this vintage and I wouldn't hesitate to have most of them repaired instead of replacing them. Might be worth a call to the factory?(This message has been edited by buffalo2)

Giving some thought (hardly original!) to multiple crews breaking off parts of the syllabus and preparing presentations for the rest of the group - Making the Adviser's role more that of a Facilitator; perhaps leading an early reflection or two... Any ideas?

Maintaining one's reserve... Not to appear standoffish Doesn't happen too often!

Have seen small and tasteful signage between tent entrances ie Fred Schmedrick ASM Troop 123 Buffalo logo here Gumdrop, NY Perhaps with something alluding to the appropriate critter? This could be something along the lines of a 5x7 file card attached to a paint stirrer; use a medium size ziploc for weatherproofing

Our Troop also elects the ASPL, who understudies for a year before taking on the task. One difficulty that I notice with this method is in the difficulty of the current SPL passing on his lessons learned; quite a variety depending on individuals. Think that a way to address this might be to more clearly outline the ASPL's role (multiple BSA references here) and to actively encourage the SPL to delegate from day one. Any thoughts from the group on 6 month / 12 month terms?

Saw a mention of using the '10 things you don't go hiking without' as a basis for an overnight... This is an excellent way to bring home the reasoning behind a requirement rather than just expecting your boys to do something just because "its in the book" Might also be interesting to use some sort of a serious First Aid scenario (Search and Rescue?) to determine where you'll be staying out, but would take a bit of planning.(This message has been edited by buffalo2)

What sort of feedback is anybody hearing from the Powderhorn courses?

Bob has pretty well said it... I'm thinking of the field portion of the new version of Scoutmaster Fundamantals (now SM/ASM Leader Specific Training I think) If anyone is running this independently of these classroom portions I'd be interested in hearing their thoughts on that method. You might be wanting to consider your potential turnout; in our District we have many more participants in the Fall than in the Spring session. You'll get a pretty good feel for the # as your participants work through the classroom portions. Makes a difference to your staff, particularly when you're having to implement Plan B for heavy weather or whatever. The longer instruction periods are a Godsend, you can dig into your subject a bit and do a better job. A good point was made in limiting the instruction level to First Class, makes it easier to stick to the syllabus and cover the entire topic. We try to offer many sources for further independent study for those that are sincerely interested at a higher level (and mark them as future MB Counselors!) Lastly, we attempt to use senior Scouts from local Troops as instructors whenever possible. Some of our boys work pretty hard for the privelege of training adults, and a lot of value comes from your newer Scouters rubbing elbows with your best and brightest... Good Luck! and let us know how it goes

Good luck to those of you who are entering into Wood Badge, I found it to be time well spent and useful in many ways that didn't seem obvious early on. A question: not being too familiar with the new WB syllabus, does the training vary depending on one's position in Scouting or am I reading something into the above postings? Acco40: Regarding your ticket, a good suggestion was made on the importance of maintaining a link between your new Troop and your feeder pack. You might also counsel with your new Scoutmaster, Comittee Chair, or other WB-trained Troop leaders to see what their perception of your Troop's needs are. Perspective is what its all about... Enjoy!