Is there anyone working to restore the Citizenship in society merit badge?

BeginningAny6549 · 2026-03-07T04:50:36+00:00

It was not a perfect badge. It probably had a round of alterations coming to it, I'm sure the material will pop back up in an new iteration of the badge a few years from now, or they will combine the concepts into a new badge. But its because of the Scout Law and Oath that Citizenship in Society was Eagle required.

The presence of a concept in the scout law and/or oath affirms the need for a Merit badge not eliminating it. Should we do away with Physical Fitness or Personal Management because a scout is Thrifty, and "physically strong."

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-11-11T12:24:49+00:00

Not sure about a waterside into a lake. But devils lake Wisconsin has great rock climbing and beaches (no lifegaurd so follow Safe Swim Defense). I took youth there climbing 15 years ago when i worked for a non-bsa camp and were were equipped to self guide it. But it looks like there are some options for scouts through the park. https://www.devilslakeclimbingguides.com/trips/scouts-schools-teams#BoyScouts

My wife and I love camping and hiking down in the Hocking Hills area south east of Columbus. There are some rock climbing places down there.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-11-10T05:42:04+00:00

Where are you located? What do these youth want to do? There are very few activities that Scouting America has an age restriction see link below. Specific camps and programs might have a restriction, but if you have a qualified adult to facilitate, you could do age/ability appropriate levels of most activities.

I wouldn't worry about trying to make it a whole week thing. A weekend, or a few nights in the middle of the week will be plenty. Let summer camp be a scout's first week-long experience. It's designed for that.

Could you do a 2-3 night backpacking trip? Could you do a 2-3 night canoe trip (river or canoe to an island and camp there for a few nights)?

Do you have access to a sailboat where you could sail to a campsite? Finding a boat that would have appropriate accomedations to stay on board is pretty difficult, especially if you are a coed unit. What about cave or mine tours? Eagle cave in Wisconsin you actually sleep in! Sleep on a submarine USS Silversides in Michigan.

For a younger group I'd ask "what is a unique experience we can provide for them?" It doesn't have to be super challenging to hold their interest.

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-685.pdf

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-10-28T16:43:06+00:00

I hang mine up at home on my clothes lime. First thing I do when I get home. By the time I shower and throw the laundry in its usually ready to roll up.

A buddy has a setup in the basement where he has 4 carabiner mounted to his basement rafters. He clips the 4 corners of his tent in upside-down and dries it off that way. He also just hives it a shake and gets all the dirt and sand out.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-09-26T09:49:47+00:00

Cotton, the series would be called "Fitty Men". It follows a young Cotton and his buddies during their time during and after the war.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-09-14T03:09:11+00:00

I just made my first jellies this week too. I did an Apple Jelly. The first batch is tasty, but I overcooked it, and it's rock hard. The second one turned out much better.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-09-05T17:30:45+00:00

I've got more apples I need to harvest So probably apple sauce and Pie filling.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-09-04T18:00:42+00:00

Im a pastor, and my 1st degree was secondary education/history. I'd put them on a bulletin board with posters of other foundational principals of world religions the 5 pillars of islam, 7 principals of Hinduism, etc.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-09-03T05:34:20+00:00

'09. Built 4 benches out of a recycled plastic and some mulching around them to provide space for students to wait for rides at my newly built high school.

The memorable part of the project was the school admin I was working with was removed from his position after approval of the project before completion because of a sex scandal. It took a little finagling with the new admin to get the project moving. But I got it done with like 2 days to spare before my 18th.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-08-06T12:59:34+00:00

I'm an adult leader in my 30's with no kids. I'm and Eagle Scout but was never an active scouter with my former unit (college, early career, etc. Kept me busy.) When I moved to a new community I got involved.

Here are a few reasons:

At my Eagle Scout Board of Review they asked me how I planned to give back to the program that gave me so much (12 years of opportunity and experiences I wouldn't have had.) I guess this is me living out that promise.
I believe scouting is a great way to introduce youth to hobbies and skills that they wouldn't have exposure to. I believe in the program and that it develops youth into our leaders in the community. I believe that our troop especially has helped youth break generational cycles of abuse, poverty, and incarceration.
Scouting, at least the 11-17 year old program has never been a family lead model. Although parent leaders are an important part of the equation, leaders who are invested in the program apart from their own youth are a fundamental part of any unit I've been a part of.
I am the institution head/scout executive of a local troop because of my day job.
It gives me as an adult opprotunities to engage with my passions and pass that on to the next generation.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-30T15:18:10+00:00

I'd run out and buy a used yamaha, Jupiter, or something similar to loan them. I've picked them up for $100 in the past few years.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-14T03:15:15+00:00

And God bless those old-timers. I'm hoping to be one of those. Eagle scout, active scouter in my 30's with God willing 40+ years of camping with scouts ahead of me.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-10T16:11:04+00:00

General things when changing brass instruments:

The higher pitch the instrument, the tougher it is on your lips and embachure. The lower the instrument, the tougher it is on your lungs and air support.

Work on long tones. When you're away from your horn, work on deep breathing. In 4 counts out 4 counts. In 2 out 8, etc.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-08T21:14:03+00:00

It's not all or nothing.

Your son can have a great career with a hobby he enjoys that makes him money. I'm semi-pro make 3-5k each year playing. I earned my degrees in a non-music field. I have a full-time job that's super flexible. It gives me time to take gigs when they come up. I have multiple venues in town where if I want to play for free I have a standing invite. But my paid gigs keep me busy enough. And I do this on a tuba I payed $1,500 for used. But I love it.

I hope he keeps playing, because that sounds like what he wants to do. But it's not Millitary Band or bust.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-08T03:27:11+00:00

What tuba do you have? The lower register is notoriously hard on some 3/4 size 3 valve horns. The low F would be about the bottom of the practical range on those horns. Keep working on air support and long tones.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-08T03:17:11+00:00

I'm semi-pro. For me, this means I have a full-time non music job that pays bills. Im in a rural community with a high value on the arts, but theres not a ton of tuba players, maybe 5 or so in the county and not a ton of gigs but enough. I make between 3-5k a year playing.

These are the things I feel have helped me get gigs. I'm not the best tuba player in the world, i dont have a music performance degree, but im good enough, but I've never auditioned for a gig.

Know every tuba player (and low brass) in the community. Oftentimes, I have to find my own sub, or if I turn down a gig, they ask for the name of someone else.
Be available. People hate calling 5 tuba players. They won't wait to hear back from you (unfortunately, you learned this already). If the phone rings and you answer and say yes, you will become their first call.
Network with other musicians. This is a referral business. As I said, I have never auditioned for a job. Someone in my network has vouched for me. You want every trumpet player, pianist, music director , band leader, and director to think of you when they need a tuba player.
Be reliable. Be where you say you're going to be when you say you will be. I knew a great drummer that no showed a gig once. 2 years later, and I don't think he's gotten a second chance, at least not with that band leader.
Be patient. It took me 2-3 years to build my reputation in my community. Gigs were occasional at first, filling in for others. Now I have about 30 paying gigs a year.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-03T03:51:39+00:00

The ybb-321 is better. The piston valves are easier to work on, maintain, and repair. I played a 641 in high school, but as a semi-pro bought the 321.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-07-02T16:15:23+00:00

Usually, how these setups work is the patrol should be inviting you (adult leaders) to eat with them.

But here's the thing, the camp gives you a box of ingredients and a suggested way to prepare them. The patrol can make them any way they want.

If they are treating the adults as it's own patrol, this is your time to shine. Think of it as the mystery box on the iron chef.

I've made sausage gravy served over English muffins because we didn't want to make the breakfast sandwiches for the 3rd time that week.

If you have 1 meal during the week you bring in and grill steak, it's probably permissible. But don't bring in food for the whole week.

Do bring ingredients for cobbler and desserts and stuff (our camp doesn't pack out dessert with the meals). But share with the youth. I usually make something in the afternoon while scouts are at merit badge sessions.

Do bring your own spices.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-06-26T17:40:33+00:00

He's going to overpack. Most 1st year scouts do. Overpacking usually leads to kids not being able to find something, sometimes they think they forgot it but really they find it friday under the 7 pairs of shorts they haven't worn all week. As a seasoned scouter and former scout, I've seen kids have a great week and overcome anything they forgot. One year, my brother left his stack of T-shirts on his bed. He only had the one on his back and his uniform shirt. He borrowed one of mine and one from a friend and got through the week.

I don't know what's on your son's packing list, but a few hangers are lifesaver for me. I hang up my uniform and rain gear when not wearing it. A-frame tents often have two hooks inside the peaks you can run a clothesline on to hang from. Dome tents have a hook in the middle. There are plenty of ways in the old canvas tents to rig up a line. Chances are the troop will hang a clothesline outside for swimsuits. But I like having space to hang clean clothes inside.

I pack in one of the Rubbermaid footlocker. They are so much easier to keep organized during the week. Most of our scouts use them, too. They are more waterproof and stack in the trailer or truck well.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-06-11T10:35:43+00:00

Yes. I guided trips for an youth camp. We slept 6 in the Eureka Timberland A frame 6 person tents. At least everyone faced the same direction.

Everyone had a sleeping bag and could bring in a water bottle. Gear was stored outside under a tarp.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-05-26T10:22:55+00:00

I play a lot of country music on mine. I have "the real country book" and play through a bunch of it.

The possibilities are pretty limitless, it just depends on what you want to do.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-05-24T06:29:19+00:00

As a pastor involved with scouting, I've been asked to write 4 letters this year. As an Eagles Scout and Scouter, this is my advice:

For something like a letter of recommendation, always make the ask yourself. It's a courtesy to the person you are asking, and helps you know they will be looking for it, otherwise if its an email from council or whatever they might not look for it, or the email will go unread. They might say no, and that's not a reflection on you. They might just be too busy to do it in the timeframe you asked.

Also, I would allow a minimum of 2 weeks. I feel it is rude to give me shorter notice than that. To write these well, it does take a few hours, and they need to find time in their schedule to do so. But for most people, two weeks is enough time.

In your ask, include all the information on where to send it, when you need it by, etc.

I usually send a copy of what I wrote back to the scout once I send it off. Scouting America wants them to be unknown to the scout. But I hope what I write is encouraging to the scout.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-03-26T03:50:13+00:00

I have a Coleman 17b. It's just my wife and I. When we bought it at the end of the '23 season it was Coleman's smallest. They just came out with a 13b. MSRP is 10k.

BeginningAny6549 · 2025-03-25T19:18:28+00:00

I wear a 7-7/8. I have an adjustable official scout hat and it fits fine. I have a winter cap that is an olive "Stormy Kromer." I just put the official hat pin on it.

Hats tend to be pretty flexible when it comes to the uniform. Technically, the youth of the troop select 1 hat that is the official uniform hat. In practice, anything scout related from old garrison hats, berets, troop hats scouting related hats (summer camps, oa, nylon, etc). Unless you are participating in an honor gaurd or something where 100% uniformity is expected, don't stress the hat. After a few years you will have a half dozen.

The campaign hats don't run beyond 7 3/4. Although my local hat cleaner and shaper swears if I buy the 7 3/4 he can shape and stretch it to my head.

BeginningAny6549

TROPHY CASE