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Hello from Korea


ghermanno

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First post in Forum. Been reading for a while. Trying to remain posative about BSA for the boys.

 

Here in South Korea around 2 years. Working with Pack on Air Force Base and working Roundtable. Just completed CS Resident Camp (Program Director). >18 years as adult scouter distributed over about 30 calander years.

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No Gunny,

 

I have watched Scouting from the days of Lion Cubs. BSA National is/has become a moneymaking organization. Their main focus (IMHO) is to make money from the boys. I know they need finances to operate and to maintain camps/instructional material/et. al....

 

But it just seems rediculous when the Council adds 15% charge to everything (items at store, camp fees, registration,...) I just finished Resident Camp the 20th of June. Hopefully the boys will receive their T-Shirts soon. We had to order from Council (cost: around $4 - $5 per shirt, cost to District $10) and they did not arrive prior to camp. The only shirts to show up were the Adult campers. The staff did not receive them either. I can deal with staff or adult not having but making the kids wait? Lower than low.

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ghermanno,

regarding your most recent post, see my fourth line in the post above...

 

Yes, district and council relations are problematic at times for many of us. But remember that we deal with these struggles on behalf of the boys.

 

It's when we give up and let the system have their way with them without raising the voice of dissent that we fail them. Now that voice may be as simple as a cup of coffee with a DE or SE that let's them know we were disappointed in an outcome and would really appreciate a better plan and outcome next year. But just carping about it MAY only help us feel better about it but it generally doesn't accomplish anything.

 

But I feel your pain, it does at times seem like anything you want from the office is "that much" more expensive than you think it should be but it is the current reality that right now, for me anyway, many things are "that much" more expensive than I think they should be. On the other hand, our BSA Council Scout Camp is a bargain at it's price, especially considering the programs offered.

 

I didn't work the CS resident camp but our local CS Day camp went off beautifully. The Council, or the Day Camp Director, did an excellent job of planning, even for severe weather events, and it came off without a hitch.

 

The struggles and politics of District and Council are part of the reason why I don't know if I will ever move up into the Commissioner Service but will probably always work at the Troop level with the Scouts. I may change my mind but for now the Troop is enough and occupies my time.

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  • 9 months later...

I was at SOCKOR in Yongson 2003-04 and it was a great year in Scouting. Tough year with family separation, but I had a great time working as an ASM with Troop 88, and working with the OA kids. Did all the District Roundtables, worked a few Eagle BOR, Spring Break Camping trip with the Troop down to JeJuDo. Yeah it was a lot of fun helping with Scouting in Korea. Worst part was PCSing 2 weeks before the Asian-Pacific Jamboree held in Korea....

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Fellow Scouters,

 

Funny how things eventually come around. And a Scouter may eventually run into old Scouting friends every few years.

 

I've been close to Korea, but never on the Peninsula. I've traveled thru Japan a few times, and barely missed the Scouting store by an hour over a decade ago. I've camped with a fellow forum member, KoreaScouter, though he hasn't posted in this forum in a few years. Now my oldest son, visits Troop 86 in Osan on occasion. Oh yeah.. My Associate Advisor came from the Korean peninsula just a few years ago.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

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