CodyMiller351

Camp Barnhardt - Central NC Council - New London, NC Camp Raven Knob - Old Hickory Council - Mt. Airy, NC Camp Daniel Boone - Canton, NC Camp Bud Schiele - Rutherfordton, NC

I agree about this Scouting stuff becoming too hard/complicated. Thank you for your response. Hopefully they understand what you’re saying.

We always try to meet that rule as best as we can. I can’t remember the last time we didn’t have 2 leaders at a Scout function that wee at least 21.

There is no liability issues that would differ from normal circumstances. I am not the only leader. All of are other leaders meet the “above 21” rule. Also, I know it’s not my job, but there is a job to do. Anyone who doesn’t consider being a Scoutmaster a job doesn’t understand the entire role.

I respect your input but I’m going to have to disagree. I took on this role when no one else would. I put in as much time and effort as any Scoutmaster (the size of my troop). I learned from multiple Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmaster over my time in Scouts. My Chartered Organization has no reason to worry considering I’ve done nothing but help get my Troop back on track. The parents can accept me or not, I still have a job to do and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t say I’m not a Scoutmaster considering you have no idea of situation or the position I’m in. Thanks.

Yea that what I'll probably end up doing. There were two other leaders on this trip who witnessed his problems, so I'll probably discuss it with them and see if they feel the same way I do.

Thanks man, appreciate the responses!

I remember our first time trying to get purified water on a backpacking trip. Our first experience was also late at night and it took forever to find the spring.

Yes, I have the support of the other leaders (probably 3 in total that show up regularly).

For this past trip (where we had problems with the leader) our cars were parked right at the campsite. This wasn't a backpacking trip and we were staying in a state park campground. For our backpacking trips, we aren't near the vehicles at all. The problem with Grandpaw is he doesn't go on any of the trips so he doesn't see the problems. He also isn't the easiest person to deal with himself.

We have done a good number of 10 miles hikes and backpacking trips. The past couple years we have been doing 2-3 backing trips a year. Grayson Highlands is our favorite spot so far but we just don't get to spend enough time there during one weekend.

Another one of our leaders (also my Grandpaw) accepted the official title as Scoutmaster once we lost ours a couple months ago. I said I am unofficially the Scoutmaster because he put all of the responsibilities on me and I accepted. The only reason I am not the official Scoutmaster is because I am only 19.

Actually we are a 50 year old troop. We have had a rough past 2 years, with our charter organization dropping us cause of problems with the cub pack, losing more than half our troop due to parent problems, and trying to renovate our scout hut. I'm am trying to rebuild and get us back to a decent troop but I have very little support.

It’s all good man. Didn’t give all the information cause I felt like I was writing a book. Haha. Appreciate the response.

The only reason I gave in the his “big tent” demand is that there wasn’t much room to put multiple other leader tents since the big one would take up most of the plot space (it was a state park campsite so there is not much tent room). I didn’t really allow him to give me crap. I stood my ground and told him what I needed to tell him.

Unofficially, I am the Scoutmaster. I am pretty much giving him one more strike. If he does something else out of line, then we’ll sit down and have a chat. I don’t want to lose him because he’ll obviously take his son with him and that would leave us with only 2 scouts but I’m not willing to sacrifice our other scouts just to please this leader.

Can you send that boy to my Troop please? Haha. I am in need of a couple boys like that.

I honestly hope so but we just don’t have the boys for it right now. I love backpacking but the best place we’ve gone so far is Grayson Highlands. I really want to do more back-country/high adventure stuff but we only have 3 guys (including myself) who would be able to.

It’s funny because he has said before how he didn’t like adult leaders who would just tell you what your doing wrong but yet he is doing that exact thing. We have a committee meeting tomorrow so I might explore your idea on offering him one of those roles. I have a feeling he will decline my offer though.

I am in need of more help from y'all. My troop has obtained a difficult leader over this past year. During our camping trip last weekend I noticed his "flaws" in a big way. He started off by showing up Friday with bags and bags of cooking equipment that he got for the Troop. Now the day before we made a list of a couple things we needed and he decided he wanted to volunteer to make these purchases (which I appreciate). He also decided to buy food items that were not on the menu (I went to buy the groceries so that kind of upset me) and he gave me crap for not buying anything for desert. I explained to him that I bought everything on the menu and if the boys wanted desert then they should have put it on the menu. Anyways we depart and arrive at the state park. We begin setting up camp and he states that all of the leaders should stay in one big tent instead of our personal tents. I explain to him that we only stay in one big tent during our beach trip which was last month. This really isn't an issue but he wouldn't budge. Finally I gave in and set up the big tent. After we set up camp, we tell the boys to get a fire going. They struggle at first and the leader steps in right away. He completely takes over and begins to "teach" them. I say teach with quotes because I don't agree with his teaching methods (it's either his way or the highway). After a good 30 minutes, a fire appears. One other leader explains why we should have let the boy "fail" in a sense (which would help them eventually learn), which I agreed with. The difficult leader disagrees with us and says he will never "let" his boy "fail". Moving on, we are sitting around the fire at night and this leader begins playing videos on his phone. Now I didn't have a problem with this (but I did want some peace and quite to enjoy nature) until the videos got inappropriate. There was a good amount of bad language in some of these videos, which doesn't bother me, but it bothered one of our other leaders. He didn't say anything but you cold tell he was upset. We all went to bed and that was the end of that (until it happened the next day again). The next day (also our last day) he decided he didn't want to do the hike we had planned. I understood since he struggled the day before on our hike and he isn't in the best shape. The thing that bother me is before we left on our hike, he complained that "we need to plan our trips better". This was in reference to our menu again. This time it was about our lunches in which we divided out between everyone before the first hike. He didn't think we had anything for lunch because neither of the boys decided to put anything in their day packs. I tried to explain to him that I bought enough for two lunch for everyone and some extra but he wasn't having it. He walked away and while we hiked for 4 hours he sat in his car. Overall his flaws are: use of inappropriate language, not knowing his place, thinking he knows everything, thinking everything has to be his way, going against what we planned. He also disagrees with our plans for the troop (remodeling our scout hut, recruiting, etc.). It's sad because his son is the same way. Sorry for the long post and I know I am making my troop seem like a horrible place but we've had a rough past two years and I am trying to get us back on the right track.

I think I am confused but maybe I just didn't read something right. Why was the Committee upset? If the Scout did not reveal that information himself, then why is it on the Scoutmaster to reveal that information to the Committee? This kid is trying to get his Eagle Scout award, why should I care if he is a dad as well? If he didn't tell the board, then that's that. Not that I wouldn't care, actually I would be impressed because I know how much time and effort it takes to get the Eagle award without being a father. I didn't explain to my Eagle Board every detail of my personal life. I discussed what actually mattered.

I feel your son's pain. I was in the same boat as a scout. I even felt this way going to Summer Camp in Boy Scouts. All of the singing and dancing and skits... it just wasn't for me. Most of my Troop looked "down" on me for this. I wouldn't participate in the songs or dances or whatever unless they drug me out there. I wasn't the only boy who felt this way though. Once I got a little older, I would skip out on the camp fires at Summer Camp because I just hated it. I like camping not performing skits and singing. I think what you are doing is fine. Let your boy do what he enjoys. You don't want him to get to a point where he doesn't even want to go on a trip because of the skits and "fun".

I am curious, how many boys do you need for the patrol method to work? Right now my troop has 3 boys so we really don't use the patrol method since it wouldn't really work. I want to get back to the point where we have multiple patrols but it's going to take some time?

One of the Assistant Scoutmasters in my Troop and one of my Best Friends. He is probably the coolest guy I’ve every met. He is also the reason I’m a volunteer firefighter (he is one as well).

Yes, there is (mostly was) plenty of adult drama. I am doing my best to get rid of all that and focus on our boys but some of our leaders are more focus on how we have been "wronged" and "betrayed". I have been trying to get us to do at least one trip per month. That trip is usually either a backpacking trip or a normal camping trip. One of the main problems though is lack of help from my other leaders. Most have little commitment and are mainly just worried about their kid (which is fine but a little help would be nice). We have a lot on our plate right now (including renovating our Scout Hut) but I am trying to get our priorities right. We have to have more boys. It's as simple as that. I appreciate your feedback!