InquisitiveScouter

Frustrating. When we cannot get basic administrative tasks dealing with membership right, our confidence in the integrity of all other processes erodes. Best of luck as you wade through the mess. Have you spoken directly with your registrar?

Concur...I encourage them to shoot for the National Outdoor Awards. https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/noa/ Eagle Scout has become too academic...all training, little to no experience.

Yeah, this is a judgement call...there is no definitive answer. Put it back on the Scout...ask him if he really considers this to have met the spirit of "mountain biking" rather that some legalistic definition (e.g., "I rode a mountain bike, so it must be "mountain biking") IMO, paved is definitely out for "mountain biking", and there are some well-groomed crushed stone trails in our area (rails-to-trails), that I would also not count as mountain biking. We do have a long, somewhat flat dirt trail with lots of mud, and a few ups and downs fortified with gravel to prevent erosion, and I have seen a number of Scouts fall in the thick mud and take spills coming down hills and trying to make a turn in gravel. They learn 😛 The requirements for that option speak of dealing with obstacles and proper technique for mountain biking over rocks, roots, and gravel...things you should not do with a road bike 😛

Awesome! I did not know you could do this! Thanks! In my.scouting (if you are Key 3 or a delegate) under the Roster, select the individual, then select Print, and from the pull down menu select Unit Advancement Details Report. This will generate a report which looks like a complete record. Here's a sample of mine....dates removed to protect identity 😜 Adult Award Veteran Award - 20 Years Adult Award DoD-USM Outstanding Volunteer Svc. Training Awards C51: Den Leader Training Award Training Awards C54: Cub Scouter Training Award Training Awards S41: Boy Scout Leader's Training Aw Adult Award Veteran Award - 20 Years Youth Award Historic Trails Award Training Awards D61: District Comm Scouter Tng Awd Adult Award Veteran Award - 30 Years Adult Award Unit Leader Award of Merit - SM Training Awards S40: Scoutmaster's Key

@NJScout1980, welcome! Thanks for your input, and I wish you the best in your endeavors. Agree with all you have said except one sentiment... baby and bathwater... The baby is Scouting. The bathwater is the BSA. We could throw out the bathwater and keep the baby. I do not advocate fully this yet, but do not see progress on the "reorganization" front...so await the final outcome of Chapter 11. I see no problem with Chapter 7. We can find our way without the BSA

If you wish to have this "on your record", then you will need to go thru the paperwork process. Did you know you each adult has an official awards record as well? If you are on good terms with your registrar, you should ask for your own record. Please be mindful of your registrar's time; I do not recommend you ask for this frivolously.

I believe the only way for that to occur would be to remove the money. Just about everything I have seen that is "wrong" with the organization stems from the consolidation, the pursuit, or the protection of money. Was BP on to something when he essentially asked for that? To my Brother Scouters and Guides:Cecil Rhodes said at the end of his life (and I, in my turn, feel the truth of it), "So much to do and so little time to do it." No one can hope to see the consummation, as well as the start, of a big venture within the short span of one life-time.I have had an extraordinary experience in seeing the development of Scouting from its beginning up to its present stage. But there is a vast job before it. The Movement is only now getting into its stride. (When I speak of Scouting I include in it Guiding also.) The one part which I can claim as mine towards promoting the Movement is that I have been lucky enough to find you men and women to form a group of the right stamp who can be relied upon to carry it on to its goal. You will do well to keep your eyes open, in your turn, for worthy successors to who you can, with confidence, hand on the torch. Don't let it become a salaried organization: keep it a voluntary movement of patriotic service.The Movement has already, in the comparatively short period of its existence, established itself onto a wide and so strong a footing as to show most encouraging promise of what may be possible to it in the coming years. Its aim is to produce healthy, happy, helpful citizens, of both sexes, to eradicate the prevailing narrow self-interest; personal, political, sectarian and national, and to substitute for it a broader spirit of self-sacrifice and service in the cause of humanity; and thus to develop mutual goodwill and cooperation not only within our own country but abroad, between all countries. Experience shows that this consummation is no idle or fantastic dream, but is a practicable possibility - if we work for it; and it means, when attained, peace, prosperity and happiness for all. The "encouraging promise" lies in the fact that the hundreds of thousands of boys and girls who are learning our ideals today will be the fathers and mothers of millions in the near future, in whom they will in turn inculcate the same ideals - provided that these are really and unmistakably impressed upon them by the leaders of today.Therefore you, who are Scouters and Guiders, are not only doing a great work for your neighbor's children, but are also helping in practical fashion to bring to pass God's Kingdom of peace and goodwill upon earth. So, from my heart, I wish you God-speed in your effort.Baden-Powell

Sorry...terminology...should be orthotics versus orthopedics...lol

So, you're a late fall or early winter chicken? 😁😁😁

Your footwear is critically important. Do you currently need arch supports, or have a wide foot? I do, and use New Balance trail running shoes, as they accommodate my orthopedics. Next...crawl, walk, hike, backpack...I'm sure you are past the crawling. Do you walk a lot? If not, start there. Even on a treadmill, if necessary. Can you walk five miles at a good pace (you have to define this for yourself) with no problems? If yes, you are ready to do longer days hike. Carry Scout Essentials only, hit a local urban trail, and shoot for 10 miles. Recuperate, evaluate your footwear and gear, and do it again. And again. Then try a 15er in a day. Do those, and then we can talk backpacking and lightweight gear. Work up to it please. You ain't a spring chicken anymore 🤪🤪🤪

Yeah, but with rocks, you don't really know the temperature, unless you warmed them in boiling water. If warmed by a fire, they could more easily cause burns because their temps could exceed 212F.

Yeah, but with rocks, you don't really know the temperature, unless you warmed them in boiling water. If warmed in a fire, they could more easily cause burns because their temps could exceed 212F.

I think this works even better to trap heat. With the bag unzipped and laid on top, it is twice as wide. Heat wants to go up, so as long as you don't stick your extremeties out from under, it works well...for me at least. That is sleeping on the ground and not on a cot, though. Give it a try and let us know...

I sleep pretty splayed out, and I roll and move a lot. If I zip up my sleeping bag, it is miserable. I put down two insulated pads, and then lay a fleece blanket over the top of those. The sleeping bag lays opened up, on top. The more loft you can keep in your bag, the warmer it will be. Rolling over in a sleeping bag flattens out the loft. Stretching out in a sleeping bag also stretches your sleeping bag and kills the loft. Basically, an open sleeping bag is like a big comforter.

Ready for the next round of tips? 10. Coolers become warmers: If temps are below freezing, do not put ice in your coolers to keep food fresh. Put in full water bottles with water at around 40F in to keep food from freezing overnight. Limit opening the "warmers" and close the lids quickly. We use old 1-liter soft drink bottles. Each patrol gets two. They work out nicely. Wash them out at home, and put in potable water. (Great way to re-use, versus trashing items or wasting money on bags of ice.) In a pinch, if water bottles or jugs are frozen, you can use the water from your "warmers" for cooking. 11. Below about 20F (your taste may vary), do not bother building a fire. Insulation works both ways I have seen Scouts try to sidle up too close to a fire with all their gear on...they cannot feel the heat, and they wind up burning clothing. If you have to have a fire, any time you approach, open up all your layers so you can feel where a safe distance is. But, when you open those layers, you have just lost all that precious heat you just worked so hard to produce. Whenever we build a fire, it is usually to dry out wet clothing. 12. Shift your menus to more fats, starches, and sugars. Calorie needs almost double. Have some sugary things on hand for a quick warm up. My personal favorite is honey. If I'm feeling a bit cold, I do 20 jumping jacks (don't work up to a sweat!) and then down a tablespoon of honey. Fats and sugars for breakfast, and have a big starchy meal for dinner...think beef stew with potatoes, rice or noodles, and bread. Then, a Snickers bar (or a delicious Dutch oven treat) and top off your fluids before brushing your teeth for bed. You have to keep the old furnace stoked!! 13. Be extra vigilant about hydration. Dehydration degrades your body performance, and can hasten the onset of hypothermia. If you feel thirsty, you are already behind. Everyone is still perspiring, even at cold temps...and you lose a lot of moisture through breathing in the cold...you must replace that fluid. Urine frequency and color is a good indicator of your hydration level. See the chart in First Aid section of your Scout Handbook around page 138. 14. Have a plan for a warm safe haven. If someone starts to succumb to the cold, what are you going to do? If you are car camping, a vehicle works well... you can warm someone up within 20 minutes. If you are further afield, do you have some shelter you can set up quickly to get out of the wind? How quickly can you make a hot cider with the backpacking stove? BTW, if one Scout begins having hypothermia symptoms, chances are some others are pretty close to the same condition. Be wary... 15. If you have snow on the ground, learn to make deadman anchors. Your Fieldbook has a brief discussion. Here is a demo (even though his taut-line is incorrect, and he doesn't show you placement... ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKBAVvRVwqY&ab_channel=SurvivalCommonSense This also works well in the sand when camping on the beach!! Here's another demo so you can see the principle... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4lDIDpgmdc&ab_channel=CanvasCamp If you have no snow on the ground, putting stakes in frozen ground (and then getting them out) is a challenge. Enjoy!!

Meh...difference of opinion...

For large Troops (with younger Scouts who advance quickly) it is simply a matter of bandwidth. It us perfectly acceptable to delegate SM confrences.

@DuctTape for National Commissioner! Spot on... To help you, your Scout Handbook has a pretty good checklist in the Hiking Section (Brown colored textblock fore edge... did you know your Scout Handbook was color-coded??) After you read that and gather your gear, go a bit further and check out your Fieldbook, Fifth Editon, Chapter 2, Gearing Up... then follow that with Chapter 18, Cold-Weather Adventuring. If you don't have a Fieldbook, please get one for your edification. https://www.scoutshop.org/2014-bsa-fieldbook-perfect-bound-614985.html (LOL!!! My spell check just tried to correct that to "deification"...well, that too, if you have half of the adventures in the Fieldbook!!!) We just got back today from camping in the nor-easter (yes, we camped out this weekend in eastern PA), and used it as a cold-weather training camp. Official low last night was 8F. Wind sustained at 22 mph, with gusts up to about 40. That put us just outside the 30-minute frostbite window on the wind chill chart. (Refer to this chart for your "deification" https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-wind-chill-chart ) Know where your conditions are going to put you. When we are going into 10 minute territory, FULL SKIN COVERAGE is mandatory!!! No exposed skin, anywhere.) We had around six inches of snow. And these conditions are nothing compared to what, I'm sure, @DuctTape is used to, but for us lowlanders, it is rare. I taught our Scouts how to build quinzees (see Fieldbook). They had a blast, and were comfortable and cozy inside at around 30F while the wind was howling outside with single digits. Here are some other cold-weather tips...especially if you are not used to working in cold weather... 1. Avoid overheating!!!! If you break a sweat, STOP! Take off your hat, open up all your layers, and cool off a bit. Damp clothing is hazardous to your health 2. EVERYTHING takes more time in the cold. Plan and set expectations accordingly! If your Scouts are moving so slowly that, by the time they finish breakfast and cleaning, it is time to start lunch, that's OK!!! They are learning... 3. If it is electric/electronic, and you think you need it, keep it warm! Flashlights, smartphones, GPS devices....keep them in a pocket next to your body. Cold temps severely degrade battery performance. 4. If your feet are cold, PUT A HAT ON!!! Lots of Scouts don't want to wear hats. Remember who you are dealing with, and gently correct this error of judgment. 5. Your "sleeping system" is of CRITCAL importance. Have a dedicated set of dry underlayer clothing, specifically for sleeping. DO NOT sleep in the clothes you have been running around in all day. See #1. Use two foam pads beneath you...much of your heat goes into the ground vs into the air. Double up your sleeping bags... do not invest in a 0 degree bag if you won't use it often. Using two sleeping bags rated at around 30, one nested into the other, will do the trick. WARNING! Never breathe inside your sleeping bag. It will put loads of moisture into your sleeping system. See #1. Add a fleece blanket in for extra comfort. Then do #6. 6. Bring two wide-mouth Nalgene-type bottles. Before bed time, boil water and fill your bottles. Put them in your sleeping bag (one at your feet, and one up around your torso) for a great night's rest. And, you'll have liquid water to drink during the night, and liquid water to use for hot drinks in the morning. Can't do much with a water bottle that is frozen solid... 7. Overcome whatever personal aversions you have, and learn to use a pee-bottle. I have a dedicated bottle to pee in, discretely, of course. It is well marked to avoid confusion!!! Put it some place it won't freeze...empty discretely in the morning. 8. FIGHT TO STAY DRY! If you can stay dry, you can stay warm. If you get damp or wet, and don't deal with it immediately, you will have problems. 9. Set an alarm and do a wellness check at about 2 AM. With another adult go around to each Scout, wake them, and ask if their fingers, toes, and nose are warm. If not, take corrective action immediately using all the tips above. I file this in the "due diligence" column. In the best of worlds, I'd like to have the SPL do this, but if a Scout is having issues with the cold and hypothermia, the SPL ain't gonna take the hit...you are. That's enough for now....lots of other tips and tricks available for cold weather. If you have an appetite for more, post... P.S. I slept under the stars this weekend in those conditions. Loved it....

This^^^^

No, not a reasonable assessment. Any act of service would fit the bill, as long as the Scout tells "...how it related to doing your duty to God." For example, if the Scout (and parent or spiritual leader) sees picking up trash not only as a community service, but as an act of stewardship that is also his duty to God, then giddyup... Service in a group can fit that bill also. I believe it is written that way to give the ultimate approval to parent or spiritual leader, because you, in no way, are to define those matters for the Scout. A Scout's duty to God is solely up to him, his parents, and his religious leaders.

For us, too! In previous years, our charter was not posted until late Feb or early Mar. Refreshing progress with adoption of on line tools 😎

Nope...but haven't asked either. Anytime I ask anything about council finances, it is viewed as aggressive and sinister, which it is not. When you ask me for money (donations), I want to know it is being spent well and rightly. If you hide everything from me, you don't get my money.

Yes, but it is quite the pain. The refund has to come from national, and that takes a little more time and effort. Any work you put into making your roster right before submission to national helps you and your registrar...and believe me, they appreciate it immensely.

Glad it worked out... btw, this procedure is not consistent across councils. If/when you move to a new one, get to know your registrar!!!

Youth Protection policies do not protect youth. People who follow YP policies are the ones who protect youth. Are the existing YP policies sufficient, IF FOLLOWED? Yes, I believe so. The real issue here is culture, enforcement, transparent reporting, and a lack of swift, severe public consequences. 1. Culture. There is still a mindset in our society (less so in Scouting) of "don't say anything", or "don't get involved." Although, this has changed for the better over the decades. We must define the YP culture we want, and then figure out ways to change attitudes to match the desired culture. 2. Enforcement. There is a major gap in our enforcement, and it lies with parents. Most parents don't or won't take YP training to learn about the policies in place, and ask or participate in enforcement. (See #1.) ANy time I am not on an outing, I ask my son about the trip, and gently pry for info on YP measures followed. I know a lot of parents pencil whip the YP review with their Scout for rank advancement... 3. Transparent Reporting. BSA is horrible at this. When I asked my SE why we don't see more BSA wide statistics on accidents and child abuse, he told me BSA will never report it for fear of liability. (See #1) I think, maybe, if they reported actual numbers and case circumstances, parents would say Scouting is not safe, and their death spiral would continue. Much like the area of council finances, the professionals see that ignorance of the masses is one of their best assets. 4. Swift Severe Public Consequences. Bring pack the pillory in the public square, rotten fruit, tar and feathering, whatever you want... Currently, unless you know where to look and actively go looking (sex offender registry), the issue is pretty much off of everyone's radar. Anytime there is a case in Scouting, everyone goes quiet, and there is just gossip, rumors, whispering, and, unfortunately, inflated lies. Few people know what happened and what part of our policies were violated, and in what circumstances. A giant black hole... Someone gets convicted (I believe in due process)? Lay it bare and have discussions at places like University of Scouting, Roundtables, Council Events, Council Newsletters, etc., about why it occurred and where vigilance was lacking... I believe this can be done in a way which respects the victim(s). No, I do not want to re-live my trauma, either, so tell me how you'd approach this??