Why? (opens in a new tab)
Last night at our Patrol Leaders Council meeting we discussed the most recent camp out, or I should say camp out attempt. To recap, the weather got real bad, gear got wet, we assessed the risk and bailed out…in a nut shell.
The Bloggers
The Scoutmaster Minute
- Active 2008–2017
- Posts 1,066
- Words 522,832
Original site: thescoutmasterminute.net (opens in a new tab) ↗
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Showing 101–150 of 1,066 · page 3 of 22. Each title opens the post in a new tab.
Why we Salute (opens in a new tab)
Over the years I have various discussions as to why we salute in Scouting. The question or discussion typically stems from a misunderstanding of what the salute means. Many of the discussions try to compare the Boy Scouts with the Military.
The Better part of valor… (opens in a new tab)
The better part of valor is discretion, in the which better part I have sav'd my life." – Falstaff in the Henry IV, William Shakespeare. It is not often that we get placed in situations in Scouting that call for serious decisions to be made, decisions that may be the difference between fun and adventure and…
The Uniform (opens in a new tab)
As a Scout Leader we rely on the methods to achieve the goals of Scouting, Citizenship, Character, and Fitness. The methods are an important part of the process to reach our youth and move them towards being good adults. "The Boy Scouts of America has always been a uniformed body.
The Hypo Wrap
The start of treatment for a person going into Hypothermia is the Hypo Wrap. Hypothermia is an extremely dangerous condition where the victim or casualty's core body temperature drops below 95 degrees (F). The persons condition can deteriorate rapidly so a prompt response is required.
Your Vision
Ok.. you have had a few days to look over and answer your 20 Questions . I honestly hope that you took some time to answer the questions for yourself. It is said that the average New Years resolution lasts 9 days.
Guilt by association (opens in a new tab)
You can judge a man by the company he keeps"-Euripides Guilty as charged. The company we keep, tan shirts, dedicated to being good Citizens, men of Character, and Fit. I have heard this saying all my life. You are judged, as unpopular an opinion as that is these days, by the company that we keep.
20 Questions (opens in a new tab)
picture from adorepics.com So lets start the New Year off right… looking back and learning from the past and setting goals for a better future. Knowing who you are and where you want to go. Setting a vision for the new year and seeing it to reality.
New Year 2015 (opens in a new tab)
Well, here we are. The closing of the curtain of one year, the opening of another allowing us to move on to the next. It has been a great year for the Schleining's. We count ourselves as blessed. Looking back at the year that we fondly take a look back at and we can rest…
Merry Christmas
Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! I would especially like to thank everyone that subscribes to the blog. Thanks for hanging in there for another year. Welcome to all the new subscribers. I hope that you find something in this that you can use in life and in delivering the…
And the Winner is…
The winner of the Solo stove and Solo 900 pot give away is…. I want to thank everyone for some great comments. The create the caption had me entertained for the last week and I hope you had fun with it!
To do my Duty…
During Scoutmaster conferences I often ask the Scout what the Scout Oath and Law mean to them. In their own words what do the values and the promises found in the Oath and Law mean. It seems that, by and large, there is a lack of knowledge in so far as defining what "Duty" means…
Anchoring your tent
Here is a technique for anchoring your tent. In this video, I demonstrate using a snow stake. A stick works just as well. Snow stakes are versatile and light and are worth carrying into camp. It is important to anchor your tent well.
Cold Weather Camping – Sleep System (opens in a new tab)
photo courtesy of Thermarest Getting a good nights sleep is an important part of any camp out, and very important when camping in the cold. Sleeping in the cold creates some anxiety in young Scouts. While the Scout is up and moving he can control his level of warmth.
Solo Stove Give Away! (opens in a new tab)
Today I was putting up the Christmas lights and getting the tree ready to decorate. Carols being sung in the background and the smell of Christmas in the air. When what to my wandering mind did ah ha!!! A give away of gear!
Cold Weather Camping pt. 2 Skills
Just as a recap… Cold weather camping is a High Risk activity that is challenging, fun, and rewarding for those that venture into the cold weather environment. This type of camping takes discipline, skills, and a great attitude. Once leaders understand their role in accountability to those they lead, monitor behavior, and maintain the same…
Cold Weather Camping 2015 (opens in a new tab)
Camping in the cold is adventurous and fun. It poses challenges and requires more training to ensure a safe, fun time spent in the winter camping. I love cold weather camping, it is perhaps some of my favorite camping. Since becoming a Scoutmaster, I have taken pride in sharing that love of winter camping with…
Stoves? What you can use.
As with many other things in Scouting, some "rules" get made up as they go. Cell Phones? NO.. No electronics on Scouting Outings. Not written down anywhere from the BSA, but ask many Scouters and they will proclaim this as gospel.
Gear Alternatives
As you know by reading the blog, I am a fan of gear. I like to play around with gear, test it, try it, and change it often. There are pieces of gear that I love and pieces of gear that I am always looking for the newer, better, more efficient, or just cool.
You make the call…
At the end of the summer myself another leader and a couple of Scouts from my Troop, both Eagle Scouts, took a four hour road trip South to attend our Sections Conclave. It was just another four hours in the car until we started a conversation that lasted the better part of three hours.
Ferguson or Scouting? (opens in a new tab)
photo courtesy of nbcnews.com I believe it was Will Rogers that said, "The only problem with the Boy Scouts…There's not enough of them." Most of us in the Scouting community know this quote and have seen it around for some years now.
Understanding the Charter Organization (opens in a new tab)
Every Unit within the Boy Scouts of America has a Charter partner or Charter Organization. These organizations come from within the community in which the unit belongs. It can be a Church, a School, or a Civic group like the Elks, the VFW, or Lions Club just to name a few.
The Great Knife Debate (opens in a new tab)
You can always tell when we have officially run out of real problems. We make some. In a recent discussion with a group of Scouters the issue of knives came up. What is the "Official Policy" on what a Scout can and can not carry.
Map and Compass (opens in a new tab)
Here is the Scoutmaster Minute that I gave to our Troop the other night… Hope you find it useful. As you travel on the trail to First Class Scout you find that there are many skills that you develop. You learn them and eventually master them well enough to use them in your daily lives…
Here's your sign… (opens in a new tab)
We don't say it enough… at least I know that I need to work on saying it more… THANK YOU. Thank you for hanging with the blog. Thanks you for your comments. Thanks for spending your valuable time here. Thanks for being a Scouter..
Tradition
I consider myself a traditional Scouter. What I mean by that is that I believe in the program as it has been and how it should be. I am a fan of William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt and the program as Baden Powell set in his vision for Scouting.
The Boy in the Bubble
I am often critical of how our boys are being, or seem to be being led down a path that is removing them from adventure, fun, and testing their ability to grow into men. I am talking about how we hypocritically rail on about how things were when we were kids..
The Solo Stove
I have been talking quite a bit as of late about the Solo Stove . In fact, I became an affiliate of the Solo Stove this week. The more I use this stove, the more I like it and realize I should use it more.
Troop Leadership Corps (opens in a new tab)
From 1972 to 1989 the Boy Scouts of America had a program called the Troop Leadership Corps. This program was designed for Scouts 14-16 to serve their Troop in leadership roles. They were not a member of a Patrol within the Troop, but held direct leadership within the Troop.
The Membership Discussion
Lets talk about membership. We all know that we need members to keep Scouting alive. There are many different angles and directions to answer the membership question. I am not going to solve this issue in this post, rather, I am opening up the dialogue to see what you all think.
Philmont, A love letter
Found this as I was bouncing around the internet. Tucker Prescott pretty much sums up my feelings for Philmont in this short video. I WANNA GO BACK TO PHILMONT.. Enjoy.. And great job Tucker! Have a Great Scouting Day! Philmont: A Love Letter from Tucker Prescott on Vimeo .
13 year old Eagle.
From the Facebook page of Steve Harvey I thought I would let it simmer for a bit before I weighed in.. and now I just can't keep my blog silent on this. So, at a risk of pissing a bunch of folks off..
My Cook Kit
As you all know I am constantly tweaking my gear. I have been using basically the same cooking set up for a few years now. A little tweak here and there and I have to tell you I am really happy with the cook kit that I use.
Hammock Basics
I have received a bunch of emails recently asking about this "Hammock Thing" basically wondering why I hammock camp and what does it really involve. Last summer I shot a video that answered some of those questions, so I thought I would drop it here on the blog from my YouTube channel.
Your Camp Stool
Here is a short video talking about just sitting around. An often overlooked piece of gear that is in the category of a "Luxury item" is the camp stool. Go without it and you sacrifice a bit of comfort on your next outing.
Scout Strong (opens in a new tab)
This Scouting year sure seems to be getting off to a fantastic start. The Annual Plan is exciting and looks to be super fun and this year between the committee and the Patrol Leaders Council, there is a great plan in place to enhance the program en total..
The Big 3 (opens in a new tab)
It is that time of the year when we share our knowledge of camping with those youngsters that are preparing to cross over into our troops. For many of them, their camping experience has been family camping and not straying to far from the car.
Tatogear AB-13 Alcohol Stove
Here is a quick review of the AB-13 Max hybrid Alcohol stove by Tatogear . I really like this stove for a couple of reasons. First, it's small and light but produces the same energy to get your trail cooking done.
The Triangle (opens in a new tab)
Before our youngest son left for college, he wanted to get a tattoo. I am not a big fan of "ink" even though I now have two tattoos. But that was something he wanted and to top it off, he wanted me to get one with him.
LOTS (opens in a new tab)
LIFE OTHER THAN SCOUTING (LOTS) And the great sports debate continues. Last night I attended our parent meeting where the annual plan was discussed. The plan is set, so now it is time for the Troop Committee to figure out how they are going to fund and support it.
Discuss, Demonstrate, Show (opens in a new tab)
When it comes to advancement in the Boy Scouts, it's not really rocket science. First, the Scout needs to want to advance. Second the Scout needs to do the work. And finally, the Scout needs to be tested. This process can be easy for some Scouts while harder for others, but what I have learned…
Fraternity
fra·ter·ni·ty fr??t?rn?t?/ noun 1. a group of people sharing a common profession or interests. "members of the hunting fraternity" synonyms: profession, body of workers; a male students' society in a university or college. synonyms: society, club, association; a religious or Masonic society or guild.
Good Scoutmaster material
Ok.. so I posted then went quiet again… What gives? I am currently being attacked with SPAM here at the blog. It seems that it is all I can do to stay ahead of the spam, thank goodness the filter is doing a pretty good job of catching it… Moving on… The news has flooded…
September Blog Update
Here is a little update. I thought I owed it to you to hear it from me about the progress of my Blog ticket which in turn has led to me seeing that I am falling short on my goals.
Seeing the Forest for the Trees (opens in a new tab)
Scouts that join our units begin their walk on the Eagle Trail through our program forest. This forest of Scouting has much to offer the passer-by. When you enter the forest the trail is clearly marked and a guide is provided.
What will you say… (opens in a new tab)
Last night I had the pleasure as I do every Monday night of having some interesting conversations with the young men of my Troop. Much to their surprise or dismay, it ends up on the blog now and then. Last nights conversation got me to thinking about these young men and the men that they…
8 months… Where are you? (opens in a new tab)
It's August, 8 months into the year 2014, 8 months into "The POLICY" Change that sent Scouters into a tail spin running for the hills and screaming that our values suddenly changed. 8 months since the "End of Scouting" as we know it.
Why? Because I Believe. (opens in a new tab)
This summer our Troop went on a great adventure. We backpacked in the Olympic National Park. We.. the whole Troop. We broke up the Troop into three crews, that way we could maintain Wilderness area policies of no more than 12 heartbeats and good leave no trace principles.
Your Legacy – Mentoring (opens in a new tab)
When teaching leadership to both our youth and adults, we spend a fair amount of time discussing what it is that leaders do. Being a Teacher, Coach, Trainer, and Mentor is found within the job description of any leader. We find ourselves as leaders focusing on being a good teacher of skills, coaching as those…
What are you getting? (opens in a new tab)
On the eve of my youngest son departing for college it is once again a time to think back on the past 18 years watching him grow into this great young man. I can't help but think about getting the most out of life when I think about Josh's childhood and so it reminds me…