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The real heroes at Bungie , the videogame company behind sci-fi blockbusters Halo and Destiny , don't wear armor. They're guys like Matthew Ward, Eagle Scout and the company's cinematic director, who wore an untucked button-up, jeans and red sneakers when we interviewed him earlier this year.
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…
________________________________________ (Here are two letters that follow up on last week's troop "horror story"…) Hi Andy, Thanks for sharing the letter from "Puzzled & Confused" last week. Sometimes, when I think our troop is all messed up, I open your column and when I compare ours to others, I realize we're doing more things right than wrong…
Wow! It's been a busy year with new groups signing up to do pen pal exchanges. Over 400 new groups have signed up this year and there are now over 1200 groups in the database. As far as I know, this is the largest, active scouting pen pal database - please let me know if you…
Thank you for your patience and support… … over the past several weeks I've been away. I'll explain the situation in the introduction to this week's podcast. In addition I'll spend some time addressing two major questions raised by a recent email question, can Scouters discipline Scouts for incidents outside of Scouting?
Story by Tom Redington , Professional Bass Fisherman It’s a classic catch-22. Most boys and their families sign up for Cub Scouts with the expectation of fishing being part of the experience. And most leaders, districts, and councils know that a first fish or a fun fishing experience is a big positive for Cubs and helpful…
Dutch Oven Cooking November 2016 Cafe Press Items KNOTS Cartoons Books, e-Books and CDs and Merchandise Keywords: Diesslin, knots scout cartoon, dutch oven, cooking, dutch boy, camping Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
Write a Funny Caption For This Photo What's going on in this picture? What is that deer doing and what is it thinking? If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page.
Scout Executive Jeff Doty was proud of his efforts to bring a zip line to Camp Mountaineer in West Virginia. There was just one problem: At the time the zip line was announced, Doty weighed too much to ride the quarter-mile zip line himself.
Story contributed by Taylor Olmstead, Marketing Coordinator at the Atlanta Area Council David S. is an Eagle Scout from Johns Creek, Georgia. But you probably know him as the dancing Equipment Manager cheering on the Clemson Tigers from the sidelines.
Congratulations to Matthew Thornton who will begin serving as Scout executive of the Western Los Angeles County Council in Van Nuys, California, effective December 1. Matt began his Scouting career as a district executive at the Chief Okemos Council in Lansing, Michigan.
Though the clove hitch is most always taught by laying two turns around the pole to form an ‘X’ and then passing the running end underneath, the approach presented in this video is an essential one that should come into play anytime a lashing is finished with a clove hitch.
At certain critical points in a Boy Scout's journey through the program, he's asked to stop and think. He looks back on where he's been and looks ahead to where he's going. We call it the board of review. The board of review is a chance for adults to talk with the Scout about what…
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!
Baloo's Bugle: Volume 23 Issue 04 - November 2016 December 2016 CHEERFUL /CELEBRATE Copyright - U.S. Scouting Service Project | Visit us at http://usscouts.org | News at http://usssp.blogspot.com
Following on from the vote earlier to choose a badge design ,I've had badges produced here in South Africa, and they are available for sale- by clicking the Paypal button on the top right of the page. I'm really happy with how the design came out, and the quality of the badges that Precision Embroidery…
While traditional/physical bullying ends when a child enters the safe harbor of home, cyberbullying has no such geographical limits. It can - and does - occur 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. And occur it does. How frequently? Research on cyberbullying is imperfect, because it is most certainly underreported.
How to Start Hammock Camping Without Spending Too Much Cash By Derek Hansen Photographs by Derek Hansen Hammocks: you have probably seen them at a recent Scout camp, or maybe you've tried one and you'd like to get started with one of your own.
8 Expert Tips for Comfortable Hammock Camping By Derek Hansen Photograph courtesy of Grand Trunk Illustrations by Derek Hansen Recreational hammocks are fast becoming "must-haves" for Scouting campouts, and many are small and light enough that folks bring them on day hikes, as well.
A perennial part of scouting is recruiting, and 'tis the season. For Cub Packs, recruiting usually happens at the end of summer and the start of the school year, though savvy packs will want to recruit at the start of the summer as well (often encouraged by the district or council to get Day Camp/Summer…
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…
Jim announced at the May court of honor that he would be stepping down as the scoutmaster of Troop 68 at the end of August. His son had already turned 18 years old months before and he felt it was time for someone else to take over.
I was in the local Scout Shop last weekend and saw something new posted near the merit badges. There is an award called the Complete Angler that can be earned by Boy Scouts who love to fish. The requirements seem fairly simple.
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…
Most troops have a library of merit badge pamphlets and other information for the Scouts to use in going about their activities. It's maintained by a troop librarian – a youth position of responsibility – and is primarily run by and for the Scouts. There's another library that every troop should have – one for
Guest blog post by Thora Qaddumi, a Scouting supporter Gloria Adams, 82, made her way past the ladders and buckets of paint in front of her brick home in the Hiram Clarke area of Houston. She looked up to a newly repaired and painted area under the eaves.
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.
Scouts and Venturers are breaking world records and accomplishing incredible feats in the outdoors almost everyday – so why not honor those stand-out kids in a big way? Starting now through Wednesday, November 16, you can give inspiring Scouts and Venturers the major kudos they deserve by nominating them for the 2017 Outdoor Inspiration Awards .
The completion of any journey toward Eagle is commendable, but when a young man overcomes additional challenges to become an Eagle Scout, it transcends even the extraordinary and becomes truly inspiring. Such is the case for Scout Jack S., who managed to finish his Eagle Scout project and Eagle journey while battling cancer.
Join us in congratulating Adrian A. Hackett as the new Scout executive of the West Tennessee Area Council in Jackson, TN, effective December 1. Adrian began his Scouting career as a program director at the Colonial Virginia Council in Newport News, VA.
If things aren't moving along the problem may be obvious… .. like our understanding of the relationship between the program, advancement, and positions of responsibility. The Scouting program is there, ready to go, but it can't go on it's own can it?
October 29th was a busy Scouting day for me. It began with the troop's roadside cleanup service project, followed by a trip to the council Scout Shop, and ending with the troop's spaghetti supper fundraiser in the evening. The trip to the Scout Shop was with the new scoutmaster who needed a new uniform.
You won't believe what these five moms are saying about Scouting! That was my original, clickbait-approved headline for this post. But when I got to thinking about it, I realized that you probably will believe what these five Scout moms had to say about the program we all love.
Northeast Georgia Council’s 2017 Winterfest celebration promises to be one of the best and largest yet –dozens of events have been added and revised to keep the program fresh. In fact, the event has so many activities to choose from, you couldn’t even do them all in one weekend!
Want to introduce your Scouts to the fascinating world of STEM with fun, hands-on experiments? Of course you do! Do you always have time to set up lab equipment or clean up a mess of materials and “creations” afterwards? We didn’t think so.
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.
I hope you'll never have to use all the features of Safety Central, a new app from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. But if that nightmare scenario of a missing child ever happens, Safety Central could be the most important app on your iPhone or Android device.
Award Update
12 Tips for Sustainable Hammock Camping Campouts are at the heart of Scouting, and hammocks have become a popular way to sleep comfortably under the stars. In addition to being relaxing, hammocks are a lot of fun - especially when everyone in your patrol hangs their hammocks together.
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.
My good friend Bob recently send me a photo of a new patch available from the council office. The patch celebrates the 75th anniversary of Parker Scout Camp, our council's camp. Of course, I needed one for my collection. He picked one up for me and dropped it off Friday afternoon.
Why is the symbol for the Alumnus of the Year Award an acorn? Because the individuals who receive this award at the national, council and - beginning next year - the regional level plant seeds for trees under which they may never sit.
Updated for 2017 Why is the symbol for the Alumnus of the Year Award an acorn? Because the individuals who receive this award at the national, council and — beginning next year — the regional level plant seeds for trees under which they may never sit.
THANK YOU VETERANS! With today being Veterans Day we wanted to show our appreciation for our men and women of the United States Armed Forces by announcing our third annual Veteran's Appreciation Day! Veterans and their families should mark their calendar for June 17th 2017 so they can be sure to attend this iconic event.
An average driver's trunk might hold a spare tire, jumper cables and the good umbrella. But Scout leaders are anything but average. A Scout leader's trunk is more than a trunk. It's a mobile storage unit for all things Scouting.
Story by Danny Bell of the Summit Bechtel Reserve THANK YOU VETERANS! With today being Veterans Day, we wanted to show our appreciation for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces by announcing our third annual Veterans Appreciation Day!
________________________________________ VETERANS DAY The aftermath of an appendectomy gone bad, producing a lower intestinal infection that plagued me for several years, I was physically rejected by the U.S. Army on three separate attempts to enlist, which effectively eliminated any possibility of military service for me, even though I was otherwise healthy.
Mike Johnson has been selected as the next general manager of the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base , where he began his Scouting career. As assistant director of program from 1989 through 1992, Mike helped establish programs during the early years of the Sea Base.
What trees eat for breakfast Michael: What do trees eat for breakfast? Martin: What? Michael: Oakmeal. View On WordPress
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.
Meetings are one of the constant truths about serving Scouting as an adult volunteer. We enjoy serving the Scouts and helping them succeed, but it seems like we are constantly being called to meetings for one reason or another. Just last week I attended three meetings and there are a couple more this week. The
For each of the past two years, the Outdoor Inspiration Awards have recognized a youth who shows leadership and passion for the outdoors. And for each of the past two years, a youth member of the Boy Scouts of America has received that award.
There's always more questions about merit badges… … then I have useful answers because the vast majority of problems with merit badges are structural rather than procedural. But I hate missing an opportunity for a good, old fashioned rant. Listen in while I climb on my soapbox and opine about what I think the problem is…
Inside the December 2016 issue Here's what you'll find inside the December 2016 issue of Boys' Life magazine. Remember, many articles are only available to subscribers and are not available online. Please visit Boyslife.org/subscribe to subscribe to the print or digital editions of Boys' Life magazine.
It is time to nominate deserving volunteers for the 2017 Silver Antelope Award. Only electronic nominations and recommendations letters will be accepted – using the Silver Antelope nomination form – at [email protected] before the deadline of November 30 . When submitting the nomination form, please include as much correct and relevant information about the nominee as possible.
If you lived near the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, you'd want to return again and again. Its beautiful rolling hills, wide-open spaces and world-class adventure activities are magnetic. That must explain why West Virginia University - geographically one of the closest universities to the BSA's newest high-adventure base - has expanded an ongoing partnership with…
For nearly a year I’ve been using this blog to share with you all my thoughts on Scouting – what it means to me and where we are going. But throughout this time, I’ve also been meeting Scouts from all walks of life, and it’s those stories that resonant with me and remind me why I’m…
Please join us in congratulating James Machamer, who will serve as Scout executive of the Pikes Peak Council in Colorado Springs, CO, effective January 1, 2017. Jim began his Scouting career as a district executive at the Pikes Peak Council, and later moved to Denver, where he served as a district executive, senior Exploring executive…
From now through December 31, 2016, the Scouting Alumni Association will accept nominations for the National Alumnus of the Year Award and Regional Alumnus of the Year Award. According to Bryan on Scouting , the National Alumnus of the Year Award is granted to an individual who, over a sustained period of time, has made significant…
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.
It must've been pretty dusty in the room when Tom Lalor read the poem he had written for his stepson Jonathan. Everyone in the whole place got a little misty-eyed. Lalor read his poem, which you can see below, at Troop 251's Eagle Scout court of honor in Larimer, Pa.
The weather may be getting colder, but Scouting for Food efforts are getting hotter and hotter! Scouting for Food is an annual food collection drive run by local councils that benefits thousands of communities across the nation. The Scouting for Food program is among many local initiatives rooted in serving others and the desire for…
Do your Cub Scouts love playing games on your smartphone or tablet? Then they're going to love Bitsbox! It's a super fun way to learn to code for kids by allowing them to make their own apps. If you have a Webelos or Arrow of Light Cub Scout, he can use Bitsbox to complete the
The 2017 National Jamboree will be here before you know it … Whether you’ve already registered as an attendee or staff member, or have been looking for a good reason to do so, here are five things to know about Scouting’s premier event: 1.
We gave you the scoop on #GivingTuesday and how your support helps Scouting on this global day of giving. Today, we’re reminding you to get your council fired up to promote #GivingTuesday and #WeAreTheBSA using the power of social media and other outreach tools.
Can't we all just get along? If there were more Scouts in the world, absolutely. That's the irresistible takeaway from the 2016 Interamerican Youth Forum and Interamerican Scout Conference, held last month in Texas. Representatives from the BSA met with Scouts and Scouters from across the Americas.
Hello Potential Jamboree Staff! As you may know, the Aerial Sports program at the Jamboree are among the most popular. This Jamboree we have streamlined the Aerial Sports training requirements to make the process easier for you, our volunteer staff members.
Scouts from across the country will join together at the tropical Scouting paradise of BSA’s Florida National High-Adventure Sea Base for an awesome, science-based program — the Marine STEM Adventure. From July 9 to August 5, 2017, Scouts 13 years and older (and graduated from the 8th grade) will participate in the unique, week-long program, experiencing…
When mom blogger Angela of This Gathered Nest and her son were invited to spend a day exploring the best of what Scouting had to offer her family, they were thrilled to check the program out. Angela says she had always heard great things about Scouting – especially the prestigious Eagle Scout award – but she and…
Bringing together 82 Sea Scouts from five different continents, the 2016 William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup is one of Sea Scouting's signature events. This year's edition of the biennial gathering, held in July at the Long Beach (Calif.)
On Thursday 11/18 eight Scouters and a Scout met in the Skyloo room at Cascade Pacific Council to discuss how to bring Ham Radio into Scouting in the area. There is a BSA National Amateur Radio Group, however the old …
How to Make Cornbread in a Dutch Oven By Leslie and Steve Lovett Photographs by W. Garth Dowling https://youtube.com/watch?v=wcQhZIpiGaY?rel=0&showinfo=0 This delicious side dish will compliment your Dutch-oven Thanksgiving menu. GOLDEN DUTCH-OVEN CORNBREAD Serves about 12 4-5 Tbsp. canola oil 2 cups cornmeal 2 cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 1 tsp.
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 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.
Originally posted on The Scoutmaster Minute : 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…
The Cascade Pacific Council Council's at this point unofficial Amateur Radio Group met Sunday 11/20 at 4pm. At our Thursday night meeting we agreed that moving it would be a good idea. We need to get more people aware and …
A troop committee chair writes: Our Scoutmaster wants to change our campout schedule so that instead of having monthly campouts, the troop would camp every other month, and do a service project in the months when there isn't a campout. This doesn't seem right to me – shouldn't the Scouts be camping every month? To
Have you wondered exactly what you have to do to wear the "Trained" badge that you see on some Cub Scout leaders' left sleeve? Since the online training has changed, what exactly do you need to take to ensure that you're fully trained?
________________________________________ (This should have posted automatically last Tuesday… Obviously, something went wrong. Please help out fellow Commissioner Paul Geissler ASAP, with my thanks!) The message and request below is from fellow Commissioner Paul Geissler, of the Laurel Highlands Council in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
The only thing trickier than deciding what to get someone who has everything, is what to get a Scout who has everything. But don’t panic, because we’re serving up 10 genius gift ideas just for you—and you don’t even have to brave Black Friday to get them!
A Scoutmaster is not… … the boss of a company and youth leadership are not employees we discipline or hire and fire. A Scoutmaster is not a commanding officer and Scouts are not soldiers who can be disciplined for "conduct unbecoming" a Scout, so let's get that foolish idea out of our heads as well.
Each year about this time, when you ask yourself where you put the ice scraper and snow shovel, is when a trip to Florida sounds really nice. Don't just daydream about the Florida Keys; take a trip there that will benefit you and your Scouts.
Randall Robinson was 10 years old when he saw an ad for Aviation Challenge in Boys' Life magazine. The discovery began a yearlong campaign to convince his parents that he needed to attend this program, offered at Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.
It's that time of year when all good scouts take on the extra challenge of camping in cold weather. Whether 'cold' to you is 30 degrees or -30 degrees, preparing and educating scouts is a big part of a successful outing.
At Thanksgiving time, one would expect to see many words written about what a wonderful time it is to reflect on what we truly are thankful for: our families, friends and the things we value most. This year, however, I’ll leave that to others, and pass on the story of a new Cub Scout friend…
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.
Even the small actions like giving someone the chance to shine even for a very limited time can make their day for the rest of their lives.
I guess it's true what they say: You've gotta be good to be lucky. By doing a good thing - getting trained for his Scouting positions - Roger Sheats became the lucky Scouter who completed the 1 millionth eLearning module and won a free conference at the Philmont Training Center.
Looking for a fun winter activity for a Webelos den? The US Forest Service has a Junior Snow Ranger program that you can use in a den meeting. This PDF file is a great activity book with an application form at the end.
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…
Angela has a trunk full of Scouting for Food donations. Jennifer's SUV can hold 80 dozen doughnuts for a troop fundraiser. And Rob fills his hatchback with camping and paddling supplies. Scouters from coast to coast (or should I say Interstate 5 to Interstate 95?)
Timely, effective communication is essential to a successful Jamboree experience. Efforts to transform how staff, participants, leaders and guests are informed have been improving since the close of the 2013 National Scout Jamboree, and have taken an additional step forward this month with the launch of JamboLink.
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.
We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." ~Cynthia Ozick Cub Scout leaders sometimes fall into this category. We appreciate what they do for our boys, but do we (and our boys) say thank you enough for our leaders' dedication and hard work?
Everyone I know that camps has been at least a bit scared by something going bump in the night. My scare was one night on the Arizona Trail, all alone, when I heard coyotes howling - not from one direction, but all around me.
“Pioneering is practical and character building: the two essential ingredients of any program material for Scouts.” (Lord Baden-Powell) Pioneering Merit Badge, which as we all know used to be required for Eagle, should give Scouts a taste of pioneering! Of course they should be taught about safety and gain some general knowledge, but much more…
A friend sent me the link to an article on the website of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) titled 10 Skills Our Kids Will Never Learn. It's a rundown on skills that those of the Baby Boomer generation have come to take for granted but which today's youth view as useless or otherwise
This is how Boys' Life does Cyber Monday. Today only, Boys' Life magazine is offering a one-year (12-issue) subscription for just $9.95. Subscribe at this link , and use promo code Cyber16 to get the discount. Again, this deal is live for one day only: Monday, Nov.
Cyber Monday Subscription Sale Only $9.95 Get Boys' Life delivered to your door, tablet and smartphone 12 times a year for only $9.95. A subscription is a great gift for boys of any age.
Inside Pokemon Sun and Moon Sun and Moon are outstanding games - Pokemon games usually are. But here's what you're in for during the first rollicking hours of Sun and Moon. The Opening's Exciting To the sound of island music mixed with traditional orchestral Pokemon music, you're greeted by Professor Kukai, who introduces you to Alola…
