My 2010 Heroes

I was watching the shining light concert from the BSA National Jamboree at Fort A.P Hill, and I was thinking about some of the people that should be heroes or at least friends of the BSA.

Cheers to:

1. United States Soldiers (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard)-these servicemen and women do incredible things to serve out country and do so without complaint. They do things that we would never do or probably never be asked to do.
2. Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs host)-an Eagle scout and proudly endorses the BSA. If you don't believe me, check out his web site www.mikeroweworks.com
3. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. -both took the time to visit with scouts and scouters at the National Jamboree.
4. Ted Nugent- sent video to the Jamboree stating that he loves people that are always prepared. Who wouldn't add him to the good list?
5. Kid Rock-assisted Fla. scouts with replacing camping equipment while on route to camp when equipment and trailer were stolen.
6. President Gerald Ford- Eagle scout and proponent of the boy scout movement.
7. Jerry Tilton- a local scouter in Green Bay who celebrated his 75th yr. of continuous service in the scouting program.
8. Brady Poppinga -Eagle Scout and Green Bay Packer. Brady shows that he still lives the oath and law today in the way that he plays on and off the field.

Geers to (actually it isn't scout-like to geer but it rhymed with cheer) but the loser in this category):

1.  President Barack Obama- invited to speak at the National Jamboree and sent video taped message instead.  Yes, I know he is the President and he is very busy, however; the Jamboree was practically in the White House back yard and if he could take time out to be on the "View"...

National Jamboree Show Should Have Been on National Television

The Boy Scout National Jamboree was televised on the Internet via the National Jamboree Website in conjunction with Facebook, Twitter, and other sites.
The show should have been on national television with the BSA celebrating 100 years of scouting.
Highlights included "Dirty Jobs" star Mike Rowe, the Trinidad and Tobago Steel Drum Band, the US Army Special Op's group the Black Daggers, Olympians Steve Holcomb, Shawn White, and Gretchen Blieler.
Also appearing  Alex Boyea, Ted Nugent, Switchfoot, and Honor Society.
The show was pretty well conceived with scouts participating in between acts.
President Obama mailed in a video message to the boy scouts and was not as inspiring as the personal message that Mike Rowe gave "in person."
Overall, the show was spectacular and should have been on national TV for the world to see.

What Part of NO Do You Not Understand?

Interesting title for a scout post, isn't it?
Let me start by apologizing for the double negative in the title.

Webster's dictionary defines the word no as:

Pronunciation: \ˈnō\
Function: adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English nā, from ne not + ā always; akin to Old Norse & Old High German ne not, Latin ne-, Greek nē- — more at aye


Date: before 12th century


1 a chiefly Scottish : not b —used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility


2 : in no respect or degree —used in comparisons


3 : not so —used to express negation, dissent, denial, or refusal


4 —used with a following adjective to imply a meaning expressed by the opposite positive statement


5 —used as a function word to emphasize a following negative or to introduce a more emphatic, explicit, or comprehensive statement


6 —used as an interjection to express surprise, doubt, or incredulity


7 —used in combination with a verb to form a compound adjective


8 : in negation


Now, let's look at Prohibit:
Pronunciation: \prō-ˈhi-bət, prə-\

Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin prohibitus, past participle of prohibēre to keep off, from pro- forward + habēre to hold — more at pro-, give


Date: 15th century


1 : to forbid by authority : enjoin


2 a : to prevent from doing something b : preclude
synonyms see forbid

I chose to write a post on "No," because I recently read on Facebook that there was a scout leader that brought alcohollic beverages to a scout camp.
What a serious violation of the Boy Scouts of America's policy on Drugs and Alcohol.
The Guide to Safe Scouting clearly points out that tobacco products and the use of other than prescription drugs, including alcohol is prohibited from any and all scouting activities where youth are participating (see page 23 of The Guide to Safe Scouting).
This means at camp, at award banquets, baseball games, picnics etc.
 NO ALCOHOL!  NO SMOKING! NONE, PERIOD!

As a leader, you are entrusted to take care of all of the boys within your unit and the expectations are and will always be one where the leaders will be in complete charge  and not be under the influence of substances where judgement may be impaired.
There should be a way that we could be able to cut the corner on a leaders membership card for breaking the law regarding to safe scouts.
Stay home if you cannot control your urge for a cigarette or a drink.
This also includes all parents as well.
The safety of your children depend upon that.

Commissioner Keith Comments: Scouting's Best Kept Secrets

Commissioner Keith Comments: Scouting's Best Kept Secrets: "There's an old saying that is still repeated by scouts and scouters throughout the world and that saying is, 'What happens at camp, stays at..."

Scouting's Best Kept Secrets

There's an old saying that is still repeated by scouts and scouters throughout the world and that saying is,
"What happens at camp, stays at camp."
Well, I am going to expose exactly what happens at camp and use Johnny Scout as a classic example for this post.
Johnny Scout is 11 years old and is going off to camp for the very first time.
It's his first time away from family for more than a couple of nights.
The first activity Johnny faces is check in or registration and the medical staff review his physical and medication documents.
Johnny then marches to his camp site and quickly changes into his swim trunks for the BSA swim test which will certify that Johnny can out swim the freshwater croccodiles and piranhas that are imagined in the lake.
This test is required if Johnny wishes to take a canoe, or rowboat out into the lake.
What, Johnny in a canoe or boat without an adult!?!
Yes, that can happen when Johnny has the proper instruction and meets the swim test requirements.
Johnny can also have the opportunity to swim the mile.
During Johnny's week of summer camp, he will also visit the shooting sports range and learn to shoot a .22 rifle, or shotgun, or a compound bow. He even may get the chance to try a black powder rifle.
Johnny, shooting things!?!
Why not? With proper instruction, Johnny will learn to safely handle firearms and could quite possibly earn a marksmanship badge.
Summer camp may also find Johnny hanging 4 stories in the air off a zip line and riding that through the woods.
Johnny may take several nature hikes, make new friends, sing songs, cook over a campfire and become a master at baking a fruit cobbler.
Johnny will within one week's time have stories to tell as big as Paul Bunyan's blue ox, Babe.
Now here's the secret: Everything Johnny does at camp is under the watchful eyes of instructors and camp staff and he will have the time of his life provided he tries his best (this isn't the secret yet).
Johnny will return home showing some signs of growth (physically and mentally - this isn't the secret either).

The Secret: Anywhere in the BSA where a boy chooses to go camping; he will have fun, learn, and grow. And that secret is known by scouts and scouters all over the world.

Commissioner Keith Comments: The Falling Eagles

Commissioner Keith Comments: The Falling Eagles: "I know four scouts, all of which have earned the rank of Life Scout, and have the potential to become Eagle Scouts. One scout has completed ..."

The Falling Eagles

I know four scouts, all of which have earned the rank of Life Scout, and have the potential to become Eagle Scouts.
One scout has completed his project and all that's left is the paperwork and he is stalled in the process of finishing the paperwork.
Another has decided that it's too much work to finish.
The 3rd one, says that he's going to complete it but has 3 merit badges to complete and find a service project and begin the paperwork.
The 4th  has a part time job, reportedly 5 merit badges to complete, and has to do his approved project and the final paperwork which must be done before the snow flies.
The parents and leaders of these scouts are well aware of the benefits of the prestigious rank of Eagle and how the Eagle can help a scout long after he's left the troop.
Failure to see the big picture is the problem with these scouts as they all seem to live in the moment and cannot comprehend foreseeing the future and where they will be some 10 - 20 years down the road.
I wish I had a time machine to take each of these and all scouts into the future and let them see how life could be for them if they make Eagle and conversely show them what it will be like without that rank.
There are a lot of people that have successfully triumphed with their achievements without the scouting program and there are a lot of former scouts that look back upon their time in the scouting program as a wonderful thing but have but one regret: not following through to Eagle.
Stopping at Life.
Never making that last step and finally wishing that they had grasped that "brass ring."
I consider myself lucky that I followed the trail to Eagle and yes, I do regret that I didn't do more when I had the chance.
I am now reliving some of those missed experiences as a leader although it isn't quite the same as it would have been when I was a teenager.
A few years ago, I attended camp at Camp Decorah and chose to ride their zip line.
I never had done that before and it was a real challenge for me as I am altitude challenged...so much so that I almost froze up in the tower.
I muscled past my fears and finally took that ride.
Success...
I look at that as a major victory while other adults my age may view it as "no big deal-11 yr. old scouts are doing that."
Had I attempted that as a scout 30 years ago; it may have had a more significant impact.
It 's true that hind sight is always 20/20.
Let's hope that these 4 Life scouts find their focus and take that "Brass Ring."