NSJ 2010 Bulletin

March 2009 Bulletin

There is room for you!

As of the end of February 2009, we now have more than 18,500 youth members who have signed up online for the 2010 National Scout Jamboree. That number was just 10,000 in December of 2008. That means that more than 140 scouts per day are signing up for the jamboree. Although that looks great, we have not come close to filling the jamboree. That’s almost half of our 2010 allocation for youth members. We have room for 925 troops each with 36 youth members and four adult leaders. Encourage those interested to go online and register now. This will be a wonderful, exciting, and historic jamboree. For those councils who have already filled your allocation, have waiting lists, and want additional troops, contact your regional office jamboree coordinator. There may be some additional troop allocations available to your council.

Again, the biggest issue with the jamboree application process is the way the MyScouting accounts are being created. As it states on the log-in page of MyScouting.org, "all jamboree applications must be submitted from the MyScouting account of a parent or guardian." (MyScouting accounts can be created by parents/guardians even if they are not registered with the BSA.) Some accounts are mistakenly being created with the youth’s BSA member ID number in the profile. This will result in an “invalid member ID number” error. While some councils are close to completing their recruiting efforts, most have not. Council recruiting success stories often revolve around some type of jamboree rallies for recruiting new participants, however, nothing takes the place of recruiting “one on one” by jamboree adult leaders. The following are some ideas your council may want to use to promote the jamboree.

• If you need additional jamboree promotional materials, the video, or the jamboree brochures, contact your regional office. The video is short, and has great pictures of the 2005 Jamboree and ideal for use at troop meetings and summer camp. Boys’ Life’s own Pee Wee Harris is talking to his friend about the jamboree. As he is talking, 2005 Jamboree highlights are being shown.
• Most councils are publishing a monthly jamboree newsletter on their council Web page. Each Scout and troop leader should have timely communication about the jamboree. Parents should know when their payments are due and exactly what kind of supplies and uniforms are required for the jamboree. There is no requirement for participants or staff to wear the new uniforms introduced in 2008.
• Emphasize new program features of the jamboree. There will be a new shotgun “five stand” along with the new Mountain Boarding program and, of course, the incredible 100th Anniversary arena shows that are being planned.
• Talk about the entire contingent trip including any side visits to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, etc. as part of your council’s jamboree experience.
• Assist parents who have questions or trouble with the online registration process. Council coordinators should feel free to contact the Jamboree Department at 2010jamboree@scouting.org for questions concerning the registration process.

For further information please visit www.bsajamboree.org
Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

WOSM appoints new head

For those of you who don't know the BSA is linked to a organization called the WOSM or world organization of the Scouting Movement and on March 21 the World Scout Committee a governing body in the WOSM appointed Luca Panissod as Secretary General of the WOSM. This appointment follows him after serving as a interim secretary since November 2007.

His words are as follows upon learning of his appointment:

“I am very honoured by the trust that the World Committee has shown towards me and I am perfectly aware of the responsibilities entrusted to me. In order to carry out my mandate, I count on the support of the Committee as well as that of all volunteers and professionals at all levels of our Organization. My commitment is guided by Scouting’s values. My work will aim to bring about the changes needed for our Movement to be able to respond to the needs of young people and to face the challenges of the future.”

Mr. Panissod became involved in world scouting in 1982. He was born in 1949. He has a degree in economics and an MBA from the Sorbonne and very has become very interested in promoting public and social causes.

Many NSO's or National Scout Organizations want the WOSM to help them in following way:

“National Scout Organizations are asking us for inspired
leadership that is focused on results. They are asking us to lead the way”

Mr. Panissod wants to fulfill this request to the best of his ability and the focus of the rest of meeting of the World Scout Committee was focused on taking this idea and making it become action.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Eagle Scout Project zand the 21st century

I subscribe to a free service called google alerts that monitor news or new items on pretty much which every subject you want from apples to zoology. In today's e-mail from google I received a interesting article about a scout who completed his eagle project by hosting three weekened workshops to create a 3D map of his community.

First off I would like to say what a interesting and different idea for a eagle service project. The majority are just trail work or similar work which are just fine but it is always interesting to hear about those eagle projects that are totally different.

This life scout got the idea from the city's mayor who wanted to create this 3-d map but could not find someone who was willing to take on the project. In order to complete this project this scout had to train community members to use google's software known as 3-d sketchup which is designed to be uploaded to the google earth platform. Google still has to approve the 3-d designs since their were google masterminds on hand they will most likely be approved.

Here is a link to the full article:

click here

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Wild weather and Preparedness

Natural disasters and serve weather are occurring all over the country. Here are just some of the major weather systems that are expected to cause large problems around the country. First lets start in alaska where if you did not know a volcano on the Alaska Peninsula called Mount Redoubt has been erupting for the past several days. Of course the erruptions are not continuous but it is still giving plenty of people headaches. Next lets go to the midwest where a river is expected to reach the second highest flood stage on reccord. Now lets go to the south where there are tornadoes, hail, and severe thunderstorms occuring. It laso looks like their is going to be busy a wildfire season across the country. Finally likes go to the rocky mountains especially near colorado where they are expected to get 16 to 24 inches of snow in a very short period of time.

Well Lets get back to the purpose of this post which is talking about preparedness. As scout we try to prepare for all types of incidents that may occur during our scout activities and meetings but are we prepared in our workplace, our school, or our home are we truthfully prepared. The answer for a fair majority of americans would be no we are not prepared. When it comes to disasters whether natural or manmade we are not a proactive society we are a reactive society. So get out their and be proactive, here a few tips to get started:

• Plan: First sit your family down and come up with a plan that talks about what you would do if a emergency occurred in the places you commonly hangout. In this plan also make sure everybody knows where to meet, communication method, alternative communication method, and have everyone not a out of state contact.
• Kit: Put together a emergency kit for your car and your home. The redcross is a great resource to look at for a list of suggested items. The kit should last for 2-4 days without having to be restocked. In alaska most emergency response folks say you should have enough supplies fir about one week.
  
• Act: Even the youth in the troop can make a difference. Take to your local emergency manager about helping inform others about what to do in disasters, helping build emergency kits, distributing fliers, and showing people the importance of being proactive instead of reactive in disasters.
  

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

NOAC

First off for those of you who do not know what NOAC is it is the National Order of the Arrow Conference that is traditionally held at Indiana Unversity. This event is a opportunity for members of the Order of the Arrow to get together for look at the following description:

This summer, Order of the Arrow members from around the country have the unique opportunity to get together at the National Order of the Arrow Conference ("NOAC"). Over 7,000 Arrowmen will come together for have fun, learn new things, and celebrate the best the OA has to offer. This six-day adventure is unlike any other event in Scouting, and only OA members can participate. A typical NOAC day covers all aspects of the OA. In the morning, you can pick your choice of world-class training sessions ranging from Leadership, to Indian Crafts, to Ceremonies, to High Adventure Skills, and more. The afternoon brings sports, competitions, special events, and more. After dinner, you get to see an outstanding Evening Show, a new show each night. After the show, there are open activities, patch trading, and just hanging out with your friends. Finally, you head to bed, to get some sleep so you are ready to do it all again the next day! NOAC is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the OA and Scouting (and maybe a little bit more about yourself), to get to know the rest of the members of your lodge, and to make new friends from around the country. Join the Order of the Arrow's best and brightest for a six day adventure of fun, excitement, and memories.s

Hopefully that gave you a good idea to what NOAC is about. There is still time to make the early registration deadline which ends on May 31, 2009

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

3 Teir Youth Leadership Training

Can anyone tell be the three tiers to the youth leadership training continuum. Let me give you a hint it begins with Troop Leadership Training.So Now that you know that the three courses our TLT, NYLT, and NAYLE. Lets talk about what each class is about.

• TLT- Troop Leader Training- Is usually conducted by the Scoutmaster with assistance from other adults, the SPL, or other qualified youth leaders which would most likely either be a Troop Instructor or Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. This training is based around three training sessions. The First is known as the be section which gives you a introduction to your specific leadership position. This is usually conducted on a individual basis but can also be done as a group. The second session is the know it talks about how to fulfill the responsibilities of your position. The final session is the know session and it talks about the expectations of you while in a leadership position.
  
• NYLT- National Youth Leader Training- National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is run at the council level as a week-long course, generally for the senior Scout leaders. This course is known by many different names throughout the country. Each council sets specific requirements for attendance at this course. It would be best to contact you local council to find out more specific information.
  
• NAYLE- National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience- The mission of National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience is to provide Scouts with a Philmont-based wilderness encounter that motivates them to follow a life of helping others succeed based on the values expressed in the Scout Oath and Law. The Scouts experience such high-adventure activities as COPE, wilderness first aid, a high-level geocache hunt, conservation, Leave No Trace, and a search-and-rescue activity. This is complemented by learning the history and inspiration of the Philmont Scout Ranch as well as a personal journal that focuses on the Scout's leadership skills. Philmont leadership is committed to making NAYLE a very special experience. The Scouts live in a patrol setting at Rocky Mountain Scout Camp where they use their leadership skills to resolve exciting and challenging backcountry situations. The week concludes with a closing challenge for each Scout to build upon the legacy of Waite Phillips, the benefactor of the Philmont Scout Ranch.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Break from Scouts for Training

For the next 5 weeks I will be going to a emergency medical training class that is known as the Emergency Trauma Technician Class this is a modified version of the national first responder curriculum. This class covers about 1/3 of the material found in the EMT-B or EMT-1 class as defined by the National Registry of EMT's.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Success and Failure Scout Style

One of the things that I like to tell parents and youth members about scouts is that scouting is one of the few environments where members are allowed to make mistakes in their approach or ideas and not have terrible consequences as a result of their action. I am not going to say that this applies to every situation because their are certain areas in scouts where mistakes are not allowed which include hazing, harassment, social well being, and health and safety issues. Mistakes when developing your skill set to accomplish a certain goal are okay as long as you as the member are trying their hardest to accomplish and task.

So to wrap this up in one sentence failure is a acceptable option for scouts as long as it does not cause health and safety issues and the person has exhausted all known resources that are available to the group.

Knowing the difference between accepting a appropriate failure and not accepting a inappropriate failure is a delicate line that leaders must learn not to cross because crossing this line leads to huge problems for not only the leader but the rest of the group as well.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Heros

I think that Commissioner Keith's post about hero's hit it right on the spot. I just wanted to say that I totally agree with him that too many kids think that there true heroes are celebrities and athletes but in truth this cannot be true because a fair amount of these so called heroes are very superficial and fake. What I mean is that these people think that it is okay to have the attitude of "Do as I say not as I do" attitude which sends are very confusing message to our youth. So if you are a celebrity reading this please provide a example that sets high moral standards for our youth, I know that this is extremely hard but it is a daily struggle that every person should be fighting. If you are a scouter or scout don't let the celebrities trick you into believing that all of them got to where they are without cheating because you can beat a fair amount of them did cheat to get where they are.

Heroes are people others look up to because of looks, personality, ideas, or interests whether or not they are positive or negative, it does not matter. Everyone is a hero in the eyes of at least one person. So remember people need to have positive examples to look to.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Lazziness

Laziness it seems that it is becoming a epidemic not only with the youth but also with the adults in the Troop as well. Right now there are probably only three people that have the interest of the boy scout Troop close to their heart. I know that I am taking a extended leave of absence for 6 weeks due to a first responder class I will be taking but even though I will not make the weekly meetings I will still continue my work by doing stuff behind the scenes which. So really even with me not attending meetings at least it is for a reasonable reason and will benefit the Troop in the long run. This leave of absence according to some may been seen as being lazy but the truth of the matter is that I will still be doing work for the Troop.

Now lets get back to the real problem and lets focus in on this subject matter. First off lets look at the primary reasons for youth and adult leaders being lazy. Here is a list of the common excuses i get for being lazy:

1. Its boring: Leadership is not just fun and games it will have its boring parts. Knowing how to deal with the boring parts shows that you are capable of being a true leader to your scout group.
2. Its not going well: Going well is just a matter of perception. As soon as the leader in the worst conditions looses sight on the positive of the situation he/she has doomed the group to fail. Scouting does accept failure as a option but failure should only be considered a alternative when a group has a safety issue or has exhausted all of the resources of the group.
3. Takes up too much time: Yes every leader whether they are a youth or adult are expected to be available when needed in order to execute their power inherently given to them by their position. What I am trying to say is that a leader must spend time outside of the regular meeting in order to be successful at their assigned tasks. Also if you truly broke down your schedule for the week most people would notice that their are probably large chunks of time that are wasted. Learn how to balance things in your life and know when you are using your time adequately in every activity that you engage in.
   

These are the three major excuses that i find that scouts use in order to try to get away with being lazy while in a position of power. The truth is each of these three major excuses can be broken down by logic and can be removed from use if their is a senior leader willing to take this excuses head on and fight them.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week- Respect“Treat others as you want them to treat you because what goes around comes around”

Treat others as you want them to treat you because what goes around comes around

Reputation is what the world thinks a man is; character is what he really is.

Respect commands itself and it can neither be given nor withheld when it is due.
Eldridge Cleaver

There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old, there is no respect for age--I missed it coming and going.
J. B. Priestly

One of the surprising things in this world is the respect a worthless man has for himself.
Ed Howe

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Arrowmen in Action

Arrowmen in Action: Saving Lives While Still Scouting

Go to class, check. Do homework, check. Run an EMS service… check. That’s the average to-do list for Michael Pandya. Michael—a former lodge chief and section vice chief from Nakona Lodge in Texas—is a student at Rice University and works with the EMS service. “I got started with the EMS service as a freshman,” Michael says, “I took a course, really liked it and got really involved.”

He got so involved that he became Captain by the time he was 21. As Captain, he oversees all of the daily operations including staffing and equipment maintenance, the service’s educational program, which certifies students at the EMT-Basic and Intermediate levels, and anything else that comes with keeping Rice University safe. The service includes 30 staff members and provides state-licensed first responder support for the students, faculty and staff of Rice University.

Michael isn’t the only student on the staff, however. The staff is made up entirely of undergraduate students. “Our program is pretty unique in that they place a lot of trust in students with patient care,” he says. Staff members are on call for twelve hours shifts, during which they attend class and proceed through their day as usual and respond to calls as needed. Because the service doesn’t have an ambulance, staff members respond in vehicles ranging from an SUV to a bike to their own two feet. Despite their sometimes low-tech modes of transportation, their average call time is just three minutes—something Michael is proud of. “We provide comparable service—if not better service—than other EMS services in our area.”

Supervisors like Michael are assigned to work a 24-hour shift, which requires him to keep his radio and pager on at all times. “Sometimes it can be really busy and others really slow,” he says. “You can go three days without a call and then the next day is absolutely busy.” Although he enjoys the adrenaline that comes with the job, he doesn’t enjoy the paperwork that follows each call.

And how does he manage to run an EMS service and stay involved in Scouting? “I learned a long time ago that sleep is optional,” he says. Michael says sometimes he has to spend spurts of time on Scouting and focus on his EMS duties at other times. No matter what he’s doing, he’s always working.

In the future, Michael would like to attend medical school and maybe specialize in emergency medicine. But in the short-term, he has no plans to leave the EMS service. “I want to keep riding on an ambulance for a long time.” Whatever Michael does, he’ll use The Power of One…will you?

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Four Styles of Leadership- Part B

Obviously using only four different styles of leadership is not going to work all of the time. These are not guaranteed methods but are methods that should give a new leader a starting place to work with. People can fill multiple books full of information on the different styles of leadership, I am just focusing on the most basic styles that work well within the scouting program. Again these are not solve all strategies and should not bbe treated as the solution to every situation that will come up.

The Persuading Style of Leadership

Definition: This style of leadership is best when used with scouts who learned the skill but have not made it into their own practice. They still need conviencing that it is the way to accomplish the task. A Leader with this style is suppose to help them try out their new knowledge on their own, offering help on a as needed basis and praise for any degree of achievement.

Used Well: Jack the patrol setup tents as a group on our last campout. I think you can do it yourself this time, Pick a good site, pitch your tent and if you need any help I'll be over here with the new guys.

Used poorly: Setup that stove by yourself, I am busy.

The delegating Style of Leadership

Definition: This style of leadership should be used when the leader knows that the assigned task can be completed. The leader empowers others to use their skills and knowledge to complete tasks responsibly and successfully.

Used Well: Mike you are really good at your knots and I need you to sit through the knots class to help the instructor teach the new scouts the knots, would you go help them.

Used Poorly: Hey charlie I know it is going to be boring for you but you are supposed to go sit trough that first aid demonstration to help the instructor teach the class.

Hopefully this is a good start for youth leaders. These are the first four styles of leadership that I usually try to get the new youth leaders to practice because once they have these four styles under control then the group will function fairly smoothly and effectively and the trainer can start focusing on the finer points of the leadership development continum. Obiviously this continum does not end and is a life long journey but the fact remains the trainer has to start somewhere.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Scout Joke of the Week

10 Reasons Not to be an Eagle Scout:

10. Scout uniform is not a "babe magnet."
9. Outdoor latrines have no walls.
8. Miss the chance to see every facet of Murphy's law in action on a single campout.
7. Avoid flack from your friends for missing whatever goes on during the weekend of your campout.
6. Never get to sleep three guys in the same wet sleeping bag.
5. Miss the opportunity to spend two months of each summer in your teen years applying every antibiotic cream,
lotion and spray offered by the medical world on boils, infections, rashes and poison ivy.
4. Avoid continual advice about leadership from Scoutmasters.
3. You won't have to make a 7 a.m. campout departure the night after prom.
2. Have more time to run with your gang.
1. You'll be like the other 98 percent of Scout

-author unknown

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Four Styles of Leadership- Part A

Since lately I have been trying to focus on leadership theroy and its application I figured it woul be appropriate to definite the four main styles of leadership which include the telling style, the coaching style, The persauding style, and the delegating style. In this post I will define the style, then give a example of it being used well, and then finally give a example of the style being used poorly.

Style 1: The Telling Style of Leadership

Definition: The telling style of leadership is used when a person needs to communicate immediately or in a emergency and also when their is a need to give specific instructions when a person is first learning the skill. This style is defined as one-way communication from one person to another and usually involves little discussion.

Used Well: I need you and Jim to go to the comissary to pick up food at exactly 4:30 pm in order to pick up our food for dinner, remember to bring the milk cart wagon with you to haul the food.

Used Poorly: Okay everybody get to the flag gathering area on the double, and I mean everybody. I will tell you way we have to hurry to get there after we get their.

Style 2: The Coaching Style of Leadership

Definition: This style of leadership involves two way communication and is communication that should promote the asking of questions and sharing observations. The leader should offer support, encouragement, instruction, and praise.

Used Well: Joe to tie a square you hold one end of a rope in each hand like this. Pass the right and under the rope in your left hand, and pull it snug. Next pass the rope in your left hand over and under the one now in your right hand and pull it snug. Got it? Now you give it a try.

Used poorly: You want to know how to setup that tent? Come on everybody knows how to setup that it, it is as easy as tying your shoes and we have only practiced it a million times.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Respect

Many scouts in this world think that a person can just demand respect no matter how they act and they will get it. Respect cannot be demanded of a person it must be earned by developing a relationship with the person under you that is trusting and is a two way street. What I mean by two way street is that the leader must respect the subordinate and the subordinate must be willing to respect the leader. Demanding respect will get a person nowhere in life and it definitely not a very effective way for getting information and ideas across to the members of the patrol.

To get respect a person should start with the following tasks:

1. Attitude: Have a positive and appropriate attitude even when their is a problem. A positive attitude can make or break the difference between pulling out of a problem and not pulling out of a problem. As soon as the leader looses their positive attitude, the group will loose their positive attitude which makes it very hard to to accomplish the assigned tasks of the group.
   
2. Behavior: Be a person that is kind and generous. Never assign a task that you would not be willing to do yourself. Being kind is necessary in order to develop a relationship that will lead a person to wanting to be helpful to you.
3. Loyalty: A Be there for you scouts. This does not mean that you have to make every meeting but you must faithfully serve your scouts in every possible manner. A leader cannot make every meeting but the leader must be willing to stay in regular contact with your group members.
4. Listen: A leader must learn to actively listen to the ideas of his superiors and his subordinates. Active listening requires a person to make eye contact and fully pay attention to that person. A leader must first learn to listen before he can learn to communicate.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Patrol Duty Roster

One of the biggest problems that a new patrol leader faces is determining how to evenly and fairly distribute the work load between the various scouts in his patrol. Distributing the work load within a patrol is essential because it allows the patrol to learn how to work as a team and it also teaches the patrol how important working together is. The Patrol duty roster is essential document for every outing that should be agreed on by the members of the patrol before the outing even begins. Dividing and making a patrol duty roster helps to ensure balance and makes sure everyone has a job to do.

The patrol duty roster has jobs on it that are referred to as patrol Leadership positions. All of the patrol leadership positions except for Patrol Leader do not count for rank advancement. Some of the important Patrol leadership positions include:

• Patrol Leader: Directs and supervises the activities of the patrol. Communicates information to his assigned members from the Senior Patrol Leader.
  
• Assistant Patrol Leader: Serves at the discretion of the patrol leader meaning that he helps the patrol leader as necessary and fills in for the patrol leader on a as needed basis.
• Head Cook: in charge of preparation and the cooking of the meal based on the outings meal plan. Directs the Assistant cook to do various tasks.
• Assistant Cook: Assists the head cook in the preparation and cooking of the meal.
  
• Grubmaster: The person who is in-charge of securing the food for the patrol before the campout. Informs cook what is on the menu on a as needed basis. This position is primarily for before the outing begins.
• Cheermaster: Leaders the patrol in songs and the patrols yell. Helps the patrol to keep a high level of morale with his commrades.
• Fireman: Incharge of preparing and lighting the fire for cooking or for warmth. Also ensures the fire that the patrol is incharge of is completely out before he goes to bed.
• Waterman: Gathers water to cooking, cleaning, and drinking. If filtration is necessary this person should have a assistant.
  
• Scribe: In charge of keeping patrol records such as duty rosters, meal plans, attendance, and advancement paperwork. Assistants the Troop scribe on a as needed basis.
• Quartmaster: Solves gear issues to his level of expertise or gets assistance from the Troop quartermaster. Reports need for repairs, broken, or lost items to the Troop quartermaster.
• Head KP Person: Is incharge of setting up and maintaining the dish line. Washes the patrol dishes and supervises the washing of personal dishes.
• Assistant KP Person: assistants the head KP person in the washing of patrol and personal dishes.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week- Team power

“When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes a reality.”
Joe Paterno

“The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.”
Babe Ruth

“Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it.”
Bill Bradley

“When a gifted team dedicates itself to unselfish trust and combines instinct with boldness and effort, it is ready to climb.”
Patanjali

“One piece of log creates a small fire, adequate to warm you up,
add just a few more pieces to blast an immense bonfire,
large enough to warm up your entire circle of friends;
needless to say that individuality counts but team work dynamites.”
Master Jin Kwon

“I don't believe in team motivation. I believe in getting a team prepared so it knows it will have the necessary confidence when it steps on a field and be prepared to play a good game.”
Tom Landry

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Scout Poem

Me? A Scout

By Robert E. Besecker

Me? A Scout?
That's what I want to be.
A shirt of orange, a Tiger Cub,
Just Mom and Dad and me.

Me? A Scout?
I'm a 2nd grader now.
I'll work real hard to be a Wolf,
If you'll just show me how.

Cub Scouting's fun! I'm now a Bear.
A pocketknife to show!
Time to make my pinewood car,
Dad'll help, I know.

Me? A Scout? A Webelos Scout,
And all my best friends too!
Learning 'bout so many things,
And so many things to do.

Now it's time to cross the bridge,
It should be quite a night.
It's really hard for me to think,
Me? The Arrow of Light!

Me? A Scout? A Boy Scout.
So many skills to learn.
Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class,
So many ranks to earn.

I'll work real hard through Star and Life,
and work in Cheerful Service too.
Seems so long since I was Cubbing,
When everything was new.

Me? A Scout? An Eagle Scout!
I'm surely flyin' high.
A Scout is what I'll always be,
The Spirit shall not die.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Joint Unit Scout Outings

Most people probably do not think too often about conducting outings with multiple units outside of district events because the majority of units out there are big enough to support their outings but for troops in semi-rural to rural areas joint outings are sometimes the only way to accomplish really exciting and different outings. These outings do not include district events like freezerees, klondikes, camporees, or resident camps they are outings that fall outside of the regular district program calender.

On the kenai Peninsula in Alaska this type of outing is what allows Kenai Peninsula Scout units to have a full camping schedule for the year.

Yes this is definitely not in the scoutmaster handbook and is definitely not the norm for scout units but think about it and give it a try, what harm could it do. If nothing else the scouts will find out about how other troops function without having to contend with a competition weekend.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Humanitarian Car Race with Scouts

Two Scout Leaders take part in the 4L Trophy

Bastien (22 years old) and Mélanie (24 years old) are brother and sister. She likes thrills and travels, he likes mechanics and music. They are both Scout Leaders of the French Scouts and Guides Association (SGDF) in Sallanches (France). They had been looking for some time to participate in a humanitarian project in the spirit of Scouting. So when they inherited the mythical Renault 4L car from their grandfather, it was very natural for them to decide to take part in the 4L Trophy Raid to fulfill their dream and promote their values.

Mélanie explains the goal of their approach: "We want to show that volunteer work is something that has great rewards. Of course, it takes time and one must work hard, but what a joy it is to pass on to young people the values that we live by: sharing, solidarity, autonomy, team spirit, self-confidence".

The 4L Trophy Raid is an Adventure Raid which allows students, exclusively driving a Renault 4L and equipped with a simple compass and a map, to go through France, Spain and Morocco, to distribute school supplies and sport equipment.

A ranking is prepared every night. Speed is completely excluded from the challenge, instead it is the team which achieved the least kilometres and which easily overcame the trial, which wins that day's leg.

"The 4L Trophy is for us the means to accomplish a humanitarian project in a certain continuation of our Scout journey. The 4L (painted with the colours of the SGDF units) attracts the attention of passers-by. It becomes an original way to present Scouting. This adventure is also a way to surpass ourselves and meet new people", says Bastien.

Departed on February, 19th 2009 from Paris, the 12th edition of the Raid arrived March, 1st in Merzouga, Morocco having transported almost 58 tons of school supplies over 6000 km in hundreds of vehicles.

Ranked 665th out of the 1000 participants, Bastien and Mélanie declared: "The Scout Movement is often presented as the “school of life”. For us, this challenge mainly allowed us to impart to the young people we supervise, the taste of adventure and solidarity, and we are proud to have been able to contribute to the elimination of illiteracy for deprived children".

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week- Confidence

“Confidence...thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.”

—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945), 32nd U.S. president

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

District Freezere

This year the Soldotna LDS Troop hosted the Tustumena District Great Alaska Council Freezeere. This event was not as could as it could have been when comparing it to cold alaska temperatures but it was cold enough to warrant standard winter camping procedures. During this one night campout we ended up have 2 to 3 inches of wet snow fall during the night. This wet snow is definitely not my favorite type of snow because it caused everything to be not just wet but super wet.

For the competition our patrol was to use cotton balls dipped in vasoline, a flint striking fire starter, wood we could gahter,and a t-shirt to make a cup of water. The other two parts of the challenge for the day was to build a snare and to throw sticks at various targets in a course. Our group did not work together very well for two reasons. The first reason is because the leader in charge of the group does not get the respect he deserves. The Second reason is because everybody in the group is more concerned about their personal interests than working together to chaieve a goal. It is really hard to do well in any competition when the people you depend on for that competition are not willing to be cooperative.

A few of the lessons I stressed to the group after this experience include the following ideas:

1. Never Give: When I say never give up what I truthfully mean is that you never give up until you have exhausted all methods that are possible for completing a task. Once a leader stops believing in task completion the group will join that band wagon of thinking that the task is impossible to complete.
2. Teamwork: Remember the saying together everyone achieves more. There is no I in team. Teamwork is necessary for any task that requires multiple people to get the job done efficient. Yes the majority of tasks a person completes can be done by themselves but are you really getting the task done in a effective and efficient manner. When working as a individual in most cases the answer is no. Teamwork is required to hold together a group.
   
3. Follow directions: The leaders in the Troop are not out there just to pick on a certain scout when giving instructions. These instructions are either to accomplish a task that must be done or to prevent or stop unsafe actions from occuring when possible. Following directions means actively listening to the information given by a person, ensuring you intetrepret the information correctly, acting on that intrepretation, and then evaluating or examing our performance on the activity.

These are just a few of my observations from a recent campout. I could probably write a book with the amount of information I have to process about this campout but I am not here to do that.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Arrowmen in Action

Here is the second installment of Arrowmen in Action.

Arrowmen In Action: Serving the People of a State

This semester, as many Arrowmen are taking their seats in the schoolhouse, Jeff St. Cyr will be taking his seat in the state house. That’s right, at just twenty years old, Jeff—an Eagle Scout, Vigil Honor section chief from Troop 53 in Alton, New Hampshire—is a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. In addition, he’s a student at the University of New Hampshire and, on top of that, chairs his local school board in Alton, New Hampshire.

For Jeff, leadership is something that he’s used to. "It’s always been a part of my life," he says. In fact, Jeff credits Scouting with giving him the fundamental skills that it takes to be a leader. He was involved in his troop leadership from an early age, starting first as an assistant patrol leader and then working his way up. Today, Jeff serves as Section Chief for NE-1A and will serve as the Conference Vice Chief for Communications at NOAC this summer.

But when he’s not visiting lodges or planning for the conference, Jeff is also representing New Hampshire’s fifth district in the House of Representatives and chairing his local school board. His service on the school board is Jeff’s way of giving back. "I attended the school system when I was younger," says Jeff. "It’s good to be able to bring a youth perspective to the board."

The New Hampshire House of Representatives is made up of 400 members. Of that body, just three are Jeff’s age. The part-time nature of the legislature attracts either young folks who do not yet have careers or retired citizens who have the time and resources to devote to spending time in the capital. But for Jeff, time management is his key to getting things done. "I do a lot of traveling back and forth," he says. His priorities still lie with getting an education—something Jeff knows is important for his future.

And how does he manage to represent his 3,000 or so constituents in the state house, chair the school board, and run a section? "There’s a balance of working with Scouting and serving constituents," that Jeff seems to have perfected. At the end of the day, Jeff just enjoys being involved in his community and wants others to know they can be involved, too. "Arrowmen in their communities can certainly get involved," he encourages. All it takes is the "Power of One".

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08