Scoutmaster Podcast 134

I'm two and a half picking up some dust, great shadow, four forward, drifting to the right, a little 32nd forward contact light. okay, engine stop, we copy it down, Eagle.

I was eight years old and we were allowed to stay up really, really late one night. We all gathered around our little black and white TV set and we watched these kind of shifting shadowy images and we listened to Walter Cronkite.

So there's a foot on the moon, stepping down on the moon. If he is testing that first step, he must be stepping down on the moon. at this point I wasn't thinking about the other 500 million people that were watching with us. I had some idea that this was something big, but I didn't know that. what I was seeing was history just kind of unfolding right in front of my eyes. We were watching images from of all places- the surface of the moon. It's hard to comprehend that all of human history was going to forever pivot on that moment. Now it seemed like an eternity for an eight year old. We watched all kinds of things and we listened, but then that moment came And the first man in human history stepped onto the surface of the moon and we heard these historic words spoken for the first time,

Of course. you all know, this past week Neil Armstrong, Eagle Scout astronaut, engineer and teacher, passed away at age 82. He's always going to be the first man that walked on the moon, but his legacy doesn't stop there. Armstrong understood, it seems. It was not just him, but the hundreds of thousands of people who made that Apollo 11 mission possible, who owned the achievement. He never put himself forward, never took advantage of his fame, and he just seemed to move on. He acknowledged his place in history, but he never made a big deal out of it. Everything in his life led up to that moment: His youth and scouting and achievement of the Eagle Scout badge and his education, his selection as an astronaut and then his selection as part of that Apollo 11 team. But he had a job to do and, as you listen to him, in his first steps he was an engineer And he just kind of matter factly recorded what he saw. There's been no difficulty in moving around, as we suspected. It seems perhaps easier than the simulation of the 16G that we performed and their simulation on the ground.

And I think that's the real heroism of this Eagle Scout: He stepped forward, he did his work and in one respect. he led the entire human race But, more importantly, he served us all by simply doing his part, And that's the example we can take forward. in our work as volunteers, We may have lots of accomplishments and shining moments, but in the end we're servants, We're standing on the shoulders of those who came before. in our mission, just like that of Neil Armstrong's mission, is clear: To serve selflessly and to work for the interests of our scouts rather than ourselves.

And now for you, Scoutmaster.

Welcome back to the Scoutmaster podcast. This is Clarke Green. Let's take a look in the mailbag. Hey, welcome back to the Scoutmaster Podcast. This is Clarke Green. Let's take a look in the mailbag. Anne Olson wrote in. She said this: Hi, Clark, Just a quick note as a Minnesotan to let you know the correct pronounci-. the correct pronounci- the correct pronunciation of Ellie or E-L-Y, home of the Northern Tier Base, is a long E sound, So it's L-E, not Eli. like you said before, We just returned from many point scout camp up that way, but not as quite as far north as Ellie. Well, thanks, Anne. You know we're all flatlanders down here and we don't know how to say things right. You know, you, betcha. Thanks once again and thanks for listening and being in touch. Jamie Humphries wrote in to say I thought I'd say hey. after a full summer we took our troop to Camp Alexander near Pikes Peak and we had a fantastic time. Other than a Black Bear adventure and chipmunks taking liberties with our tents, it was a great first year as Scoutmaster. Thanks for all the wisdom I've gleaned from the podcast and blog. It made my first year pretty successful. Well, thank you, Jamie. Glad to hear it. You know if you've been following the blog. recently we had a post about scout leaders from the scout's perspective And it was written by a scout who's 17 years old and a blogger. His first name is Enoch, And Enoch did an excellent job in writing a post for ScoutmasterCGcom And Dean replied to it. He said outstanding reminders and good advice, particularly in the need to see things from the boy's point of view. how important and yet sometimes how challenging it is to do that.

Well, that's one of those things we always keep in front of us, And thank you for your comment, Dean, And thanks for being in touch. You can be in touch too. You're going to find out more about how to do that towards the end of the podcast,

In this podcast in Scoutmastership in seven minutes or less. I want to share a resource that I found online with you and email question that I received earlier this year. I don't think we've put it on the podcast yet, but it concerns spending time with your son as an adult leader in scouting, And that's going to about do it for us this time around. So let's get started, shall we? in seven minutes or less.

One of the scouting resources I follow online very closely is the United States Scouting Service Project And in particular, I follow the columns written by Andy under the title Ask Andy. Andy's been doing this for years and years and some one of these days, some one of these days, I'm going to get Andy on a podcast.

We've been talking back and forth for quite a while and trying to get the schedules together and trying to get him to sit down and record an interview with me, But he had a feature recently about how a scout troop works.

The vast majority of questions and difficulties that we run into as scout leaders are people who misapprehend exactly what we're trying to accomplish, because the way a scout troop works is pretty unique in the world of youth serving organizations. Back in June, Andy posted a writing by Hal Dommie. If you listen in and how- and I didn't get your name right- make sure you get in touch with me and I just want to review it with you and there'll be a link to this writing on the post that contains this podcast at scoutmastercgcom.

But Hal has very succinctly and very completely described exactly what happens in a scout troop and this might be a good thing for you to take a look at and either share as it's written or maybe adapt to share with the new parents and new leaders who are going to be part of your troop. Hal starts by saying: you know a boy scout troop is a microcosm of democracy and action. Its key leaders are elected by their peers and then provide direction through the troops essential operating units, its patrols.

Baden Powell said this: the patrol method is not a way of running a scout troop. It is the only way of running a scout troop. Without the patrol method, there's no scouting. When, with the Scoutmasters guidance, scouts form themselves in patrols, plan the troops annual, monthly and individual meeting programs and bring these for to life. For this to happen, the troop relies on scouts serving in key positions of responsibility to make up the primary operational program decision making body of the troop, the patrol leaders council. Now who's the Scoutmaster? The Scoutmaster is appointed by the executive officer of the troops chartered organization with the agreement of the troop committee chair. The Scoutmaster is responsible, in this order, for, one, training and guiding youth leaders in the operation of their patrols and their troop and two, managing training and supporting the troops assistant Scoutmasters in their roles. So how do we explain patrols and the patrol method? The patrol is the fundamental unit of the scout program. The troop is the umbrella under which the patrols operate. A patrol is a grouping of approximately six, but really never more than eight, scouts who work together. Each patrol elects its own patrol leader, who then chooses his assistant patrol leader. Within the larger community of the troop, the patrol is the scouts family circle. The patrol helps its members develop a sense of pride and identity and encourages an increasing level of responsibility. The object of the patrol method, Baden Powell said, is to give responsibility to the scout, and the Scoutmaster's handbook tells us: never do for a boy what he can do for himself. Besides the patrol leader, other positions in the patrol are the assistant patrol leader, the scribe, the quarter master, grub master, cheer master. Depending on the situation, patrols may have other types of duty positions, such as a fire tender and a cook. The patrol leader leads the selection for those positions. The troops- patrols- do everything together. They meet together, plan outings together, camp and hike together, learn skills together and come to troop meetings together. The patrol members are inseparable and each is responsible for and accountable to all other members of his patrol. Now, beyond patrol leaders, who are the key youth leaders in a scout troop, The troop, with the guidance of the Scoutmaster, is run by these youth leaders who plan the program, conduct troop meetings and they provide leadership for their peers. In addition to patrol leaders who compromise the patrol leaders council, the two most senior youth leaders are the senior patrol leader and the assistant senior patrol leader. Now the senior patrol leader is the troops go to guide. He leads troop meetings and the patrol leaders council and, in consultation with the Scoutmaster, he appoints other youth leaders and assigns specific responsibilities as needed. The assistant senior patrol leader is selected by the senior patrol leader to assist him and the assistant senior patrol leader fills in for the senior patrol leader in his absence and is also responsible for training and giving direction to the troops quartermaster scribe or the arrow troop representative and all those other positions of responsibility. Some troops use the position of responsibility called a troop guide and that scout provides guidance for the patrol leader of the new scout patrol.

So now that we understand the overall structure and the positions, we will remember that the patrol leaders council, not the adult leaders, not the troop committee, is responsible for planning and conducting all troop activities. The patrol leaders councils comprised of the key decision makers: the senior patrol leader, the assistant senior patrol leader and all patrol leaders. Now the troops scribe may be requested to attend a patrol leaders council meeting, but typically the Scoutmaster and assistant Scoutmasters do not attend patrol leaders council meetings. At the patrol leaders council monthly meetings, these key youth leaders plan, organize and assign activity responsibilities for the weekly troop meetings and the coming month. The patrol leaders council also plans the troops annual calendar of activities. The Scoutmaster guides and mentors but does not lead or control patrol leaders council meetings and program planning, and then he informs the troop committee of the patrol leaders council plans and decisions. The troop committee may offer a suggestion to the patrol leaders council through the Scoutmaster, but neither the Scoutmaster nor the committee votes on or approves or vetoes or otherwise disapproves what the patrol leaders council has decided, except in the event of a potential safety or youth protection violation. House included a model patrol leaders council monthly meeting agenda about follow-up and follow-through from those meetings and he also has some information about the annual planning conference. He does talk about the troop committee, so let's take a look at that. The troop committee supports the troop program by making sure that a high quality adult leadership is identified, recruited and trained. by advising the Scoutmaster on policies of the BSA and the chartered organization is necessary. by making sure that the troop has a place to meet and it's adequate and safe.

by taking responsibility for finances, adequate funds and disbursements in line with a formal budget plan. by obtaining and maintaining troop property like camping gear and things like that. by assuring that the troop has an outdoor program and including scout summer camp and supporting it with adequate leadership. by maintaining scout advancement records and serving on ransom rank advancement boards of review. by encouraging regular courts of honor. by supporting the Scoutmaster and working with boys individually and resolving problems that may affect the overall troop program. by helping the troop to carry out the annual friends of scouting fundraising campaign by keeping the adult leader positions needed to support the troop field For essential utility. the troop committee needs to provide the troop with these positions: a troop committee chairman, membership chair, advancement chair, finance chair and an outdoor support chairman. and in this writing, Hal goes on to describe weekly troop meetings and their different elements and the purposes behind them and, as I said before, the annual planning process, and then also talks about supporting all this with the monthly patrol leaders council meeting. really good, succinct look at the way that a troop operates. it'd be a great introduction, like I said, for new leaders and for parents. I wanted to make you aware of it and thanks to the folks at the United States scouting service project and Andy for making us aware of this writing by- uh, by Hal Dommie. there's a link at scoutmastercgcom at the post that contains podcast 135. write me a letter, send it by name

email. that is folks. and here's an answer to one of your emails.

thanks so much for your podcast. been a regular listener for some time and I've learned a great deal about scouting. I'm now a Scoutmaster and, as I've learned about the patrol method and how patrols should cook and camp together, I was really kind of disappointed about losing time with my son. we both prefer to share a tent together and last week I had a father on a potential new scout visit our troop and he told me that one of his motivations was to spend more time with his son. he had been meaning to take him camping and such, but it just hadn't happened. I'm interested in your thoughts on how to reconcile what appeared to be two conflicting goals of spending time with our sons and working the patrol method. well, I'll tell you something. the answer to this is going to sound awfully discouraging at first, but don't despair, because it gets a lot better. scouting is not about creating father, son or mother son time in the way that you've defined it. it's far from it. you're right, these are two conflicting things. the process of scouting happens when boys are working together and adults are only marginally involved in most of their activities. that's that's the patrol method: no sharing tents with dad, no cooking with dad. that's a pretty bright line. in my way of looking at this, there's no reconciling the patrol method with the goal of a father and son or a mother and son spending all kinds of time together during scouting events. they're at opposite ends of the spectrum. scouting was not conceived with the idea that parents would have direct involvement in the process, much less use it as a time to spend with their boys. now that I've totally disappointed you, let me rebuild this. what you're going to find is, in spite of this- and I'm just going to stick with talking about fathers and sons, since that's the way the question was framed- fathers and sons get an awful lot out of sharing scouting.

now, as much as you love your son and you really cherish the time you're able to spend together, scouting is going to help you go closer and provide you for with some just incredible shared experiences. in the years that I've been involved- the 30 years that I've been involved in scouting- I've never known a father to regret spending time with his boy and scouts.

I've known some who wish they had spent a great deal more time. while you and your son won't be sharing tats or meals or actually spending a great deal of time in each other's company during a scout meeting or an outing, you're going to have plenty to discuss outside of scouting activities and you can't discount this at all. this is the magical part of it: the father and son relationship is going to be strained at one point within the next several years. it's a typical thing. it's a healthy thing. boys pass through adolescence and it's an important, healthy process for them to be a little bit at odds with their parents and make their own way in the world. I mean, they have to differentiate themselves from their parents, don't they? it can be a bit painful and a bit distressing, but if you have scouting improv in common, even when communications are strained, that few minutes in the car to or from a scout meeting is an incredible opportunity and an incredible gift.

when a boy joins a scout troop and his dad becomes an adult leader at the same time, you know the first couple camp outs and maybe meetings and things like that. they're going to tend to stay in their father's orbit for a little while. they're going to try and stay kind of close by. but they soon start making their own way with their fellow scouts and they stop looking for dad every few minutes. you know they stop saying, oh, is he still over there? is he watching me? will I be okay? is he going to take care of me? but soon they're looking for him less and less and less until they become fully confident and comfortable on their own, and this is an incredibly important thing for a boy to accomplish. there's something else that happens- this aspect of sharing this with other fathers. you'll sit around a lot of campfires and learn a lot from other dads, and a lot of what you're going to learn is that they're experiencing the same challenges and triumphs that you are. you'll be able to give each other some perspective and solace when times are tough, and that's just an immense consolation when you're taking refuge in the company of the other fathers. your son is taking refuge in the company of other sons. you know my best friends and confidence have been my fellow scout leaders. when the time finally comes and your son's ready to make his own way in the world, you'll send him off, having seen him progress through the challenges of scouting. he'll have some confidence and independence and skills and he'll have what's needed to take things on that a lot of other people won't have. it's also going to make the transition easier for you and, in your case, easier for your wife, because you have progressively learned to let go a little bit at a time through this scouting career in a very conscious way.

decades later, you and your son are still going to have those scouting years that you spent together. you're going to share an understanding. you're going to have a common language and a comradeship that really endures. there's no way to explain- i got to tell you there is no way to explain- how fast all this is going to happen. today he's leaving the fifth grade.

tomorrow he's graduating from college. next week he's presenting you with a grandchild. it is going to blow your mind how fast this all goes. so, listen, i'm going to encourage you to rethink things. you need to trust this program and the scouting process. it really does work. it really does. it will give your son tremendous advantages and it's also going to give you a lot of advantages. in the end, you're going to give up one way of spending time with your son for another, and that one, in my experience, is just an immensely rich and highly treasured thing to be able to spend time with your child in in in the scouting program. so, listen, i hope that helps and i hope it makes the way clear for you and your son to actually really spend spend time together while you're both involved in scouting.