21st Century Wood Badge a Thing of the Past

[TAHAWK]

I recalled incorrectly. The story about the soldier in India who "worked his ticket" by running about naked around the church was by Frank Richards, author of Old Soldiers Never Die and Old Soldier Sahib.

 

Also found this:

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[TR]

[TD]I suspect that tapped=touched; which meant that one was slightly unhinged, having been touched by the fairies.

Regarding Dolally Tap; of course Dolali in British India was the site of a military mental hospital where British soldiers were sent for treatment; an old soldier told me that 'the tap' was a mental disorder in which the victim had a compulsive urge to tap the nearest wall as he passed; and that this was one surefire way of 'working your ticket' i.e. medical discharge and a ticket back to blighty.

[/TD]

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[TomBarnhizer]

I completed my Wood Badge Training and earned my beads in May,1994 shortly before the adoption of WB for the 21st Century. I recently inquired about any opportunity to serve on an upcoming Wood Badge Staff and was informed that I would not be able to serve in any staff position, specifically, because I had not completed the 21st Century course. I have been a volunteer member of the BSA for over 30 years.In that time I have served as District Chairman, Webelos Leader, Cubmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster and Troop Committee Chairman. I have used my Wood Badge training and experience to lead and mentor hundreds of Scouts and Scouters in the Aims, Methods and Purpose of the BSA. I am sure that there are many others, like myself, who have found themselves in this same position. I feel that we should be able to share our experience and knowledge, within the current syllabus, despite the fact that we have not personally completed that specific course of instruction. Therefore,I would like to see this restriction ended for any new courses.

[Stosh]

I completed my Wood Badge Training and earned my beads in May' date='1994 shortly before the adoption of WB for the 21st Century. I recently inquired about any opportunity to serve on an upcoming Wood Badge Staff and was informed that I would not be able to serve in any staff position, specifically, because I had not completed the 21st Century course. I have been a volunteer member of the BSA for over 30 years.In that time I have served as District Chairman, Webelos Leader, Cubmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster and Troop Committee Chairman. I have used my Wood Badge training and experience to lead and mentor hundreds of Scouts and Scouters in the Aims, Methods and Purpose of the BSA. I am sure that there are many others, like myself, who have found themselves in this same position. I feel that we should be able to share our experience and knowledge, within the current syllabus, despite the fact that we have not personally completed that specific course of instruction. Therefore,I would like to see this restriction ended for any new courses.[/quote']

 

Welcome to the forum! And you are correct, the bigotry of the 21st WB people is rampant throughout scouting. What you don't know is you are really a second-class citizen in the WB patrol. I got my beads in 1993. And have served in scouting for almost 40 years now in the Cubbing, Scouting, Venturing and Exploring programs. I have held positions on Unit Committees, been DL, ASM, SM, UC and CA. I have taught at all levels as well in all programs of the BSA (except WB) and hold a Masters Degree from the UofS. I have been instrumental in forming 43 new units, the most recent one within the past year. They did waive the 21-WB requirement for the centennial Jambo, so I got to go as tail-end ASM because I was one of the few in the Council that promote boy-led, patrol-method scouting.

 

Whereas you would like to see this bigotry stopped, I kinda enjoy it. I don't get hassled to teach a program I don't believe in and I have a handy excuse to get out of it. I don't need a 3rd or 4th bead, I'm happy with my two second-class beads.

 

Stosh

[LeCastor]

I recently inquired about any opportunity to serve on an upcoming Wood Badge Staff and was informed that I would not be able to serve in any staff position' date=' specifically, because I had not completed the 21st Century course.[/quote']

 

Hi, Tom! Welcome aboard!

 

From what I understand, the changes to the current syllabus of Wood Badge--it's not technically called WB21C anymore--allow any beaded Scouter to serve on staff. If you really want to give back to Wood Badge, you might call attention to this point when you approach the training committee or to whomever you spoke previously.

 

Also, as I mentioned in the original post, the whole program is allegedly set to change soon. Hang in there...Maybe even Stosh will be pleasantly surprised by what happens.

[TAHAWK]

The 2014 Administrative Guide now provides:

â–  Have completed a Wood Badge course and received the Wood Badge beads.

 

One could say that BSA has now recognized that taking the current version of Wood Badge is not essential to ability to teach that version. But how does getting the beads necessarily indicate ability to staff? What qualification is ever 100% ?

 

Frankly, while I didn't think it was necessary, I did understand wanting one to take a course before having him teach that course, but that's just me.

 

Stosh, you don't need an excuse. You long service earns you the right to accept jobs that make you happy - or happier. Scouting had jobs for people who didn't believe in the original version of Wood Badge. Imagine telling a SM for thirty years that he needed a course to teach him Scoutcraft through First Class. Absolutely insulting! As a Neighborhood Commissioner, I was supposed to sell the idea that those invited should want to attend. It was not an easy sell. Many invitees never accepted.

[SeattlePioneer]

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I wonder how the people who taught the first WB21C classes qualified?

 

Heh, heh!

[TAHAWK]

Stop being logical !!!!

[HICO_Eagle]

First, what are you intending Wood Badge to be?  Tell me that and I'll tell you what I think the course should encompass.

 

To answer the question myself, I'd prefer Wood Badge to be an advanced skills course instead of the poster child for ineffectual feel good "leadership" management philosophies.  Get rid of the "Game of Life" socially/politically-correct mumbo-jumbo and provide instuction on:

 

- advanced woodsmanship/Scout skills,

- Patrol Method and the G2SS,

 

It would also be nice if it covered

- secondary but important factors in running a troop (expenses, sources of income, CO relationship, etc.),

- what you have to do to affect policy or create change at the council and national levels (i.e., how we get rid of the stupidity that has crept into the program over the past 15-20 years).

Edited June 23, 2015 by HICO_Eagle

[eagle77]

 

- what you have to do to affect policy or create change at the council and national levels (i.e., how we get rid of the stupidity that has crept into the program over the past 15-20 years).

 

  That would be nice, kind of like the mouse telling the cat how to catch me. I don't think the "brains" of Irving will let us in on how to get their butts in gear.

[desertrat77]

Interesting that WB/21, allegedly so insightful, so revolutionary, so life-changing, so vital to BSA operations that even prior WBers were expected to sign up and go thru the course again, is now being replaced.

[SeattlePioneer]

Wood Badge is overrated,  in my opinion.

[Eagle94-A1]

...Get rid of the "Game of Life" socially/politically-correct mumbo-jumbo and provide instuction on:

 

- advanced woodsmanship/Scout skills,

- Patrol Method and the G2SS,

 

 

You mean like Green Bar Bill's WB syllabus?

 

Why does it seem like the folks at national want todo away with everything Bill did?

[desertrat77]

You mean like Green Bar Bill's WB syllabus?

 

Why does it seem like the folks at national want todo away with everything Bill did?

 

Eagle94-A1, I wonder why too.   It seems that many people in key leadership positions in the BSA, from district to National, don't like the outdoors.   Interesting that they would want to wear the uniform of an outdoor-focused organization.   I guess the BSA has always had folks like this, doing useful work nonetheless, but in the past I think they kept their bias fairly well hidden.  

 

Not so any more.   These leaders aren't just the biased against the outdoors, but also against outdoor-minded men and women as well.   Many good scout leaders have decided "I don't have time for this nonsense" and left the BSA.

 

When the BSA benched GB Bill, and started the "Improved Scouting Program" of the seventies, it opened the doors for people that like meetings, briefings, and indoor activities.   Then they shelved the things that made scouting successful in the past.   The anti-outdoor types are now firmly entrenched in the BSA, and seem to flock to sedentary programs like WB.

 

I've never had the desire to attend WB, but now and again, a scouter here at scouter.com will mention they went thru a backpacking version of WB.   I think if you must go thru WB, that is the way to go!   Pack on your back, sleeping in the field, and no powerpoint!

Edited June 25, 2015 by desertrat77

[Eagle94-A1]

In all fairness to national, Bill was in the 67-69 years of age when he retired the first time. So I wouldn't call it being "benched."   But yeah, I agree with folks not loving the outdoors working for national.  Heck my old boss in supply was one. We were a pilot for allowing supply run summer camp trading posts. I had a few years expereince on camp staff, and my boss had none. It was a major P.I.T.A. trying to get her to understand what goes on at a camp and how things in a regular store won't work at camp and how ideas she had were not feasible. It was only after being assigned to jamboree staff that she fnally understood what I was talking about.

 

As for backpacking WB. One of my old district commissioners did that at Philmont. MAN the stories he told.   However, I beleive they had a canoeing and/or rafting WB course.  I could live with that.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Eagle94-A1

[desertrat77]

Eagle, good point re GB Bill...I think I jammed the timeline too much.  If memory serves,  I was thinking of GBB being eased out of WB, in favor of the White Stag version.   The ISP came several years later.

 

I like the canoeing/rafting WB format!   Leadership is best learned in the field.   When I look back on my military career, I went to some good professional development courses.   But the best insights came in the field.  After a lot of difficult labor, over a long day (or night).   Sitting down with your tired comrades, with a cup of coffee, or other beverage, and having an impromptu "hot wash" is the best leadership lab.   Plus it built bonds, true bonds.

 

The "afoot/afloat" WB would keep the non-outdoor folks back in town.   Very different environment from the camp mess hall/death by powerpoint format that WB seems to adhere to today.