Roger Mosby speaks to Scouts, Scouters - April 27,2020

[RememberSchiff]

3:36 Vimeo video and text at

https://scoutingwire.org/a-scout-is-helpful-especially-in-times-like-the-present/

https://player.vimeo.com/video/411093499

Edited April 28, 2020 by RememberSchiff

[MattR]

I read the text. All I can think of is I feel sorry for Roger. He only signed up for bankruptcy and now this. He did mention big changes coming. I really hope he has a great vision.

[Eagle1993]

I feel for him as well.  A lot of tough decisions to make.  I think his current goal should be keeping this a Chapter 11 and preventing Chapter 7. Then rebuild ...  

[desertrat77]

@MattR, though it's not in the video, one of the changes will be the end of printed Scouting magazines.  In the May-June 2020 edition I received yesterday, Mr. Mosby wrote an editorial about this (page 2).  Henceforth Scouting will be published on-line.

As a side note, the last printed edition ends with a bang--a scold from the Cobbler Shaming Police.  Check it out on page 30, "Ditch the Dutch Oven Cobbler"

"You've mastered the gold standard of Dutch oven cooking; the legendary cake-topped peach cobbler.  As delicious as it is, though, the dessert delivers a ton of sugar in every bite, most of it from high fructose corn syrup.  You can do better.  Dutch oven meals don't have to be heavy with carbs and calories.  Expand your repertoire with these belly-filling, high-protein and vegetable-rich Dutch oven recipes."

To which I respond:  Scouts and Scouters that are active in the outdoors needn't worry about it.  They'll burn it all--protein, carbs, fats.

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by desertrat77

[carebear3895]

Black button uniform? I see the new Big Boss is a man of class and style. 

Truly, I feel for him. I imagine it's not exactly a welcoming environment for him at the National office either. National pros...well let's just say they have a certain ego about them. 

[Eagle94-A1]

Scouting Magazine has not been useful for a while. Advertising expensive gear (anyone see the walking stick article and the prices), irrelevant articles (anyone remember the Scout Age family camping issue), Diverging from the methods ( Anyone remember the article saying it is OK to temporarily do away with the Patrol Method).

And Boys' Life is the same way. My boys stopped reading it, because it was not useful for them. Comparing what was in it when I was a youth, and what's in it now is like night and day.

[desertrat77]

2 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Scouting Magazine has not been useful for a while. Advertising expensive gear (anyone see the walking stick article and the prices), irrelevant articles (anyone remember the Scout Age family camping issue), Diverging from the methods ( Anyone remember the article saying it is OK to temporarily do away with the Patrol Method).

And Boys' Life is the same way. My boys stopped reading it, because it was not useful for them. Comparing what was in it when I was a youth, and what's in it now is like night and day.

Absolutely!

It's hard to stomach the gear recommendations.  Almost all of it upper middle class/high dollar Gucci gear.  What happened to the articles about pinning 2 or 3 blankets together as a bed roll?  Few families can afford the recommended gear, and almost none of it passes the common sense test.  Because we know that most kids are going to end up losing stuff or breaking stuff or outgrowing stuff.

Boy's Life...  Recently I was reading through some issues from the early '70s, when I was a cub scout.  It struck me that most of the magazine was written on at least a 9th grade reading level.  Full of adventure stories, lengthy profiles on prominent scientists, athletes, etc., blue prints for making your own gear, Pedro Patrol working through the patrol method, etc. 

Edited April 28, 2020 by desertrat77

[SSScout]

Desert rat77:  Amen to much of what you say. Please remember, too, the Scoutmasters and Cubmasters of that time (and before)  were generally part of the "Greatest Generation", they had been thru stuff they did not want their kids to endure, but still wanted them to be able to endure.  Yep, I slept under canvas, made my own tent/tarp of 8mil black plastic, duct tape and hand set grommets.  totally enclosed, bug proof tents weren't readily available yet.   6-12 was used, alot.  My M4 plywood packframe (Koean war surplus)  weighs more than the whole pack our Troop Scout takes out for a weekend. The GI wool blanket I used for summer camp is mothproofed and still hanging in my closet, iron on name tag in the corner. 

Greenbar Bill's column spoke to the Scout, not to the Scoutmaster or Committee chair or COR.   I read that.....

[desertrat77]

1 hour ago, SSScout said:

Desert rat77:  Amen to much of what you say. Please remember, too, the Scoutmasters and Cubmasters of that time (and before)  were generally part of the "Greatest Generation", they had been thru stuff they did not want their kids to endure, but still wanted them to be able to endure.  Yep, I slept under canvas, made my own tent/tarp of 8mil black plastic, duct tape and hand set grommets.  totally enclosed, bug proof tents weren't readily available yet.   6-12 was used, alot.  My M4 plywood packframe (Koean war surplus)  weighs more than the whole pack our Troop Scout takes out for a weekend. The GI wool blanket I used for summer camp is mothproofed and still hanging in my closet, iron on name tag in the corner. 

Greenbar Bill's column spoke to the Scout, not to the Scoutmaster or Committee chair or COR.   I read that.....

SSScout, points well taken.  Growing up as a military brat, most of my scout leaders were Viet Nam vets who were of a similar mindset.  Lots of GI issue stuff...the packboards, mess kits, skeeter dope, canteen/cup, web gear, canvas tents, etc.  It was functional, cheaply purchased or free, and if it was GI proof it was usually also scout proof. 

When civilian gear was bought by mom/dad at Christmas, or self-purchased with paper route/lawn mowing money, it was usually from Kmart or the base PX/BX.

Looking back, there was a sense of "don't spoil them...let them experience some hardship...."

Well said, GBB spoke to the scout.  He knew what patrols needed to know to succeed. 

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by desertrat77

[Eagle94-A1]

2 hours ago, carebear3895 said:

Black button uniform? I see the new Big Boss is a man of class and style. 

 I see he is THRIFTY.

 

Ditto my adults being Vietnam Vets, and some still active in the reserves. Standard joke in my troop regarding surplus gear is "Government surplus, if it's designed for combat, it may survive Boy Scouts."

 

 

[desertrat77]

21 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

 I see he is THRIFTY.

 

Ditto my adults being Vietnam Vets, and some still active in the reserves. Standard joke in my troop regarding surplus gear is "Government surplus, if it's designed for combat, it may survive Boy Scouts."

 

 

As you know, in addition to the surplus gear, the vets brought a certain mindset as well.  Great perspectives for adult life.

[Eagle94-A1]

Definately had a different mindset as you and SSScout pointed out. They wanted us to have a little hardship. They wanted us to think for ourselves and solve out own problems. THEY LET US FAIL AND LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES! (Emphasis, not shouting.)

The problem as I see it is adults today do not want their children to encounter difficulties. If there is a problem, they will solve it, not the Scouts. You see this with helicopter and lawn mower parents.

Sad thing is BSA caves into the mentality. Folks complained about the June 2015 Cub Scout program being too difficult, despite the fact that if you went to the RTs leading up to the new program and did some proper planning before the implementation of it it worked great. No, National changes all the requirements in December 2016, MID SCOUTING YEAR, because of the complaints. My sons' pack decided to keep using the 2015 requirements in the books until May 2017 sicne they actually planned everything out.

But the absolute best example of National caving into the no hardships mentality is the COVID-19 advancement for Scout through First Class. Most of these Scouts are in the 10-11 year old range, with lots of time ahead of them to do the requirements properly.

 

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

5 hours ago, desertrat77 said:

the vets brought a certain mindset as well.

26 year Air Force vet here...my Scouting mentors were WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War Vets.  Most have passed on...

They all had tactical patience with us Scouts...

https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/blog/leadership-tip-of-the-week-tactical-patience/

Never jumped in when things went wrong (unless it was an real emergency)...just looked at us and said, "Well, what are you gonna do now?"

I see way too much jumping in nowadays...

Have you heard of snowplow/helicopter/lawnmower parents?  We have them in spades   The parents are more of a challenge than the youth!

Edited April 29, 2020 by InquisitiveScouter

[desertrat77]

17 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

26 year Air Force vet here...my Scouting mentors were WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War Vets.  Most have passed on...

They all had tactical patience with us Scouts...

https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/blog/leadership-tip-of-the-week-tactical-patience/

Never jumped in when things went wrong (unless it was an real emergency)...just looked at us and said, "Well, what are you gonna do now?"

I see way too much jumping in nowadays...

Have you heard of snowplow/helicopter/lawnmower parents?  We have them in spades   The parents are more of a challenge than the youth!

Air Force vet as well....

Whatever I achieved during my career, and in my other endeavors, I owe in large part to those curmudgeonly scout leader/veterans.

"Tactical patience" is right on the money!

Of course, sometimes said patience would run thin and they'd tell us how the cow eats the cabbage, no feelings spared.  Excellent character building!

[desertrat77]

@InquisitiveScouter, a stray thought about the helicopter parents you mentioned...one of my favorite discussions at a committee meeting involved a parent insisting that troop slumber parties had the same benefit as camping outdoors.  This parent would not accept any opinion to the contrary.  I agree, the parents often more challenging to deal with, and I'll throw in certain non-outdoor minded scouters as well.  As we know, the scouts are looking for a challenge.  Unfortunately, these challenges are often watered down to the point of meaninglessness by certain parents and scouters.