The Bloggers
Original site: thescoutmasterminute.net (opens in a new tab) ↗
A Scoutmaster's reflections on leadership, patrols and troop life, alongside the SMM podcast.
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I was asked today via email (Thanks for reaching out and wanting my opinion) to share my thoughts and opinion on the newest policy change in the BSA. That would be the Gender Identification policy and the fact that the Boy Scouts of America now open it’s membership to everyone regardless of sex or sexual…
It is bad form to define a term or word by using the word or term. When we ask a Scout what is meant by being Trustworthy it is almost a cop out for the Scout to answer “One that is worthy of Trust” or some one worthy of being Trusted.
Sorry about all the videos lately.. but sometimes (When I am lazy).. this is a great platform to get some information out there. This time we are talking about lanterns. There are many types out there and they all seem to shed some light on what you are trying to do out in the woods.
In this Saturday Quick Tip video.. I show a quick and easy way to store your sleeping bag. Your sleeping bag is an essential piece of gear. Part of the "Big 3", your sleeping bag is a piece of gear that you count on when you are in the woods.
A little gear review of a nice pair of gloves. If you are like me you are looking for gear that works. My hands typically get real hot when I am hiking, a heavy glove is too much and a real light glove is not enough.
Happy New Year! I hope that every one is well and is gearing up for the new and exciting year that will be. I am not a fan of resolutions.. but my 2017 Ticket is written and I am ready to work it for a successful year.
We all have an image of the "perfect" Christmas. It is one of those images that we hold deep in our hearts. An image of a Christmas from our childhood, a vision of the ideal Christmas from It's a Wonderful Life.
I had a talk with a group of Scouts a week or so ago. I asked them what they thought of Scouting and how their classmates viewed it. My point was to illustrate that the "pressure" that they feel for being Scouts is no different than it was when I was I kid and a…
We teach our Scouts to focus on the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. I have lived by that train of thought since I became a Sergeant in the Army. Little things always add up.
Do a Good Turn Daily.. That is the Slogan of Scouting. It is a challenge to each of us to look for some way to be of service. The slogan asks us to seek opportunities every day to do something… anything that will ultimately make a difference.
Yesterday was our annual Scouting for Food drive. Scouts from all over our Council hit the neighborhoods with enthusiasm and the knowledge that for two hours of service they will help feed many people in our community that are in need.
You can look at a good Scout Troop like a horse and cart. The horse has to be strong and steadfast. The horse has to be trained so as not to buck and run when it's not supposed to. The horse works as a part of a team and each pulls it's share of the…
Guided Discovery is the process of asking questions to achieve a learning objective. The Senior Patrol Leader comes to you and says that Tommy Tenderfoot has a leaking tent. You being a good Scoutmaster immediately takes action and checks out the tent.
I received a question regarding raising money for a unit.. in light of a recent, or recent rash of unit trailers, canoes, and equipment being stolen. It seems that we are always hearing of a Scout Troop here and there having to deal with theft.
It's that time again to gather with friends and family and enjoy the fruits of our labor. The one day a year that we take time and count our blessings. We have much to be thankful for. As I shared with the Scouts of our Troop on Monday night, no matter how bad we have…
I often have discussions with Scoutmasters about what constitutes a "Boy Led Troop". There seems to be a misunderstanding as to what that means and it is executed in different ways depending on the unit. But there is a right way to have youth lead and a wrong way.
I have discussed the Hypowrap in a previous post, but I wanted to share with you a presentation that I recently did for a group of Scouters. As we are now preparing for Winter Camping it is always good to start with First Aid for Cold Weather injuries, prevention, and treatment.
We learn as we go. Learning from mistakes, failures, and success. Leadership is a great experiment allowing for learning by doing. Lessons learned from success and failure. My leadership journey started when I was a Scout. Your basic leadership as a Patrol leader and so on.
I am going to do my very best to keep this post "Political Neutral". I am not soliciting debate or political opinion.. I have kept very quiet about the election and aftermath of election day in this blog. This blog is about positive solutions and doing what we can to make a difference.
This weekend I spent the better part of it at the Area 1 of the Western Region Training Conference. This was my second time going to the conference, last year I had to go as the "back up Course Director" and this year to certify as a Course Director.
Before I set out on any journey whether it's a backpacking trip or vacation to Disneyland it is important that I have a plan. Pulling out the map I can identify places where I can get water, camp for the night, and see a great view.
Well.. it's election day here in the good ole' US of A. I promise I will not get political on you. Your choice is your choice and that's that. I want to focus on the process. The fact that in our country we are allowed to have the discussion.
In the last blog post I shared my answers to the first four questions of the 20 questions that we ask participants of Wood Badge to consider before they get to their course. Who you are and what you learn about yourself gets you started in discovering your life's Vision and Mission.
Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." "I don't much care where –" "Then it doesn't matter which way you go." ? Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Before a Scouter attends Wood Badge, they receive a list of 20…
Every six months or so it seems that the discussion on knots come up. Now you all know that I am not talking about the bowline or two half hitches, or even a well placed figure 8. No I am talking about the knots that we wear on our uniforms, awards and recognition's for training…
It has been 108 years since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.. and last night in dramatic fashion, coming back from 3 games to 1.. taking the series to a critical game 7, and then into extra innings, the Cubs won!
photo credit: the Dollarphotoclub When it comes to leadership.. there is really nothing new. The principles of how to lead and the core competencies that it takes to lead have not changed in thousands of years. It is in the execution of leadership where we find new techniques and styles that cause us to be…
Me and my Wood Badge Mentor Sheryl "Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." – George Washington This weekend was our annual University of Scouting training event.
We talk a lot about Character with our Scouts and on this blog. Character is one of those things that as an organization we value and strive to instill in our Scouts. Character development is one of the goals that support the mission of the Boy Scouts of America.
In the Wood Badge program everything we do.. and I mean everything, is a model for what the Scouting program is supposed to look like. From the way we dress to the way we strive to be a High Performance Team, the Wood Badge staff models success.
I once had an Assistant Scoutmaster in our unit that came to me one night and announced the he was "Burned Out" and that he was leaving Scouting because "Enough was Enough". He felt that he no longer had something to give the program.
Those of us that have been to Wood Badge, and those that have been around to hear a group of Wood Badgers sing the Gilwell song have heard the refrain "and I'm going to work my ticket if I can.."
There are two phrases that absolutely drive me up the wall, First is "Aging out" and the other is "Eagleing Out". No where in Scouting are those two terms found. These are terms founded by lazy leaders that do not understand the entire Scouting program or are not creative enough to keep a Scout interested…
It seems that all of my life I have been a part of or surrounded by organizations that a rich in tradition and have left lasting marks on society, our country, and the people that are served by those organizations.
In 2015 I was informed that the Council had decided that I would be a Wood Badge Course Director, if I chose to accept the position. It did not take a lot of time for the answer to come from somewhere in the brain to the mouth and I quickly said I would be honored.
In February of 2014 I wrote a review of Scout Book . At the time, a pretty new system for recording Scout Data for your unit. In that post I was given the opportunity to give away a couple subscriptions to Scout Book.
We have all heard of the "Uniform Police" in our Scouting circles. I am not a member of the Police Force charged with making a scene about uniform violations and forcing a Council wide investigation on this patch or that..
I think it is important to have "Hero's" in life. People that we look up to or try to learn from chapters of their lives. William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt is one of my hero's. His love for the Scouting program drove him and in the end elevated him to a father of Scouting in…
As this new Journey begins I thought it was time for a new look.. a fresh start.. that feeling you have when you change your socks before a long hike, you know, it feels warm on your feet, clean, and cozy.
Tonight I had the pleasure of sitting behind a young man as his advocate at his Eagle Scout Board of Review. I have sat behind many young men as they answered questions and talked to t he board about leadership and their Scouting experience.
After about a year off.. The Blog is back!.. Now I don't expect you all to jump up and down and praise the Scouting gods. And.. I'm not going to give a long explanation as to why I took some much needed time away..
Here's the recap: First, Friday night the Troop headed to the CPC's winter lodge for a great night of fun. We stayed the night at the lodge and on Saturday morning ventured out to White River for a night in the snow.
Once a Scout meets the requirements for First Class the focus changes from basic skills development to discovering all that Scouting has to offer, service, and leadership. The Scout will discover Scouting through the merit badge program, high adventure bases, Jamboree's and being an active member of his Troop.
A quick word about the ads that are in the sidebar of the blog. I have had a few questions asking about the ads in the sidebar of the blog… well.. not so much questions, but concerns that I am monetizing the blog or making a profit off of it.
In this weeks Vlog we start the discussion on telling Scouting's story. I am a huge believer in setting the rules for how our story is told, shared, and promoted. We live in a great time for communicating what Scouting is all about.
So it's an hour a week they say… Enjoy.. Tell a friend, share, and let me know what you think. Have a Great Scouting Day!
Like I state in the video this is a Super Stove for all Scouts, especially the first year Scouts looking to get a stove that will last a long time. The Snow Peak Giga Power Auto Stove is light weight, compact, and is tough as nails.
Have a Great Scouting Day!
Hey all… First of all I want to thank you for your patience. In my next post I will do some explaining on the direction of the Blog and where we go from here.. but today I want to share with you some options when it comes to storing and carrying your food while out…
Each year our Order of the Arrow Lodge hosts two gathering events. The first is our Native American Arts and Ceremonies Seminar (NAACS) and the other is the Rendezvous of the Order. The latter being the largest event of the lodge and during which we have our annual Lodge banquet.
