Explorer-Scouts Train in Post-9/11 Law Enforcement Methods - NYTimes.com

Explorer-Scouts Train in Post-9/11 Law Enforcement Methods - NYTimes.com:

"...The responding officers — eight teenage boys and girls, the youngest 14 — face tripwire, a thin cloud of poisonous gas and loud shots — BAM! BAM! — fired from behind a flimsy wall. They move quickly, pellet guns drawn and masks affixed.

“United States Border Patrol! Put your hands up!” screams one in a voice cracking with adolescent determination as the suspect is subdued.

It is all quite a step up from the square knot. ..."

This was a little jarring to read, especially written as it was in a sensational style. A couple things need to be noted, though.

The Explorer division of the Boy Scouts of America are NOT Boy Scouts. They are Explorers. They are a coeducational group of young men and women from 14 through 20 who typically explore such career paths as medicine, law enforcement, firefighting, and other emergency services -- as well as government, communications, and other career paths. Even so, they do not enforce laws, practice medicine, fight fires, or perform any other activities that are not appropriate for teenagers. They do learn about such career paths and may perform duties that are appropriate for their age and training.

In the late 1960s I was a part of the Exploring program in a unit (referred to as a "Post") that specialized generally in emergency preparedness. In 1969 Hurricane Camille devastated parts of
Virginia and our post was asked to be a part of the cleanup and support team that was deployed to Nelson County. I spent a week there with a few of my fellow Explorers doing such things as cleaning buildings, moving debris from roads and fence lines, and performing other tasks as needed. We saw first-hand the devastation of the land and in people's lives. It was emotionally draining, but fostered in me a sense of service that has stayed with me, and that I have the privilege of passing on to my own son as well as other youth.

The Explorers of today are a part of the Learning For Life program, which is not a "traditional" Scouting program. Since much of the LFL program is conducted in the public schools in age-appropriate programs for K-12, some of the requirements of the Boys Scouts of America are not appropriate, including the requirement to perform one's religious duties.

The Learning for Life websites has a short response to the New York Times article.

Scout Sunday 2009

Yesterday was Scout Sunday, generally observed on the Sunday closest to February 8th, which is the anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. This year Scout Sunday fell on the day of the actual 99th anniversary of the BSA.

Three of our troop members, who are also members of the congregation, acted as the worship leaders. They did a great job, reading clearly and with feeling. Having the boys help out with the service is a long-standing tradition in our congregation and troop, and is even more meaningful when the boys are also active participants in the work and worship of our congregation. Just a bit of historical perspective -- when Troop 4 was chartered in 1963, the core leadership and boys came from the congregation itself, since this was a young congregation with many youth. Over the years as the congregation aged, the proportion of congregation members in the troop fell and occasionally stood at zero boys and only a few adults. This trend seems to be reversing with an influx of young families, and we hope that there will always be Trinity youth involved with the troop.

This 99th anniversary of Scouting in the USA was also special for the Reformed Angler family. Sunday morning my son was recognized for his completion of the requirements for the God and Life award (part of the God and Country series). This represented several months of delving deeply into Scripture, discussions with the pastor, and putting what he learned into action. Susan and I were definitely proud parents. The image to the left is Liam and his pastor.

The evening before was the annual District Dinner, honoring volunteers for their service. It culminates in the awarding of the District Awards of Merit (based on the size of the district). This year I was recognized for my service to Scouting and the district. I had no inkling that this was coming, but is is sure nice to be recognized.

Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scout of America and there will be many different ways in which the BSA celebrates its heritage and service to the youth of America. It will also represent the 50th anniversary since the day in 1960 when I put on my first Cub Scout uniform and started my own involvement with the Boy Scouts of America.

September 11, 2001

In my capacity as lead roundtable commissioner for our Boy Scout district I wrote this as an opening for today's monthly meeting of adult leaders:

Good evening, and welcome to Roundtable.

It has been seven years to the day since the terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 was our regularly scheduled Roundtable at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, and the anniversary of those horrifying events falls once again on the day of Roundtable.

I think we were all in a state of shock, sadness, and anger that day and in the following days, but those of us who were Scout leaders soon remembered the importance of what we were called to do. We redoubled our efforts to be effective leaders as we provided a program that helped boys make the transition to manhood. This Scouting program has aims in three areas: character development, citizenship training, and physical and mental fitness.

The boys who were 11-17 years old in 2001 are now men ranging from 18-24. They are in college or beginning a career, or they may be starting a family. And some have taken the lessons they learned as Scouts and enlisted in the military.

Why would a young man choose such a path? We do not have a draft. They could stay in school, work at their jobs, or remain with their families – all valid choices – and the lessons they learned in Scouting would still serve them well.

But there are other lessons they learn as Scouts, and among them is that their freedom was purchased at a price paid by their forebears, and that to remain free also has its cost. Accordingly, some chose a path that is neither easy nor safe. They have helped provide humanitarian relief in natural disasters. They have provided logistical support for such scouting events as jamborees. They have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. And some have paid the ultimate price in service to freedom and their country.

Regardless of how we may feel as individuals about our country’s war on terrorism, we can all be united in our gratitude, respect, and admiration for the boys we saw grow into men over the past decade. And we can feel confident that whatever the circumstances that life dishes out to us, the boys who were in Boy Scouts are well-prepared to meet those challenges.

Scouting makes a difference!

A Fun Weekend...

Every year the Boy Scout troop at my church goes on a campout called "Aqua Bumming". We stay for two days in cabins down at the Lake of the Ozarks, and run 50-60 boys through a variety of waterfront skills, including canoeing, sailing, rowing, swimming, fishing, and fly fishing.

A fellow scout leader and I taught seven boys who learned knots, how to tie flies, casting, and a variety of other skills that go into fishing with artificial flies. Then we went down to the lake shore and turned the boys loose with rods and reels graciously supplied by the Mid-Missouri Chapter of Trout Unlimited (both of us are also members of these organizations).

Starting off with the flies they tied themselves, the boys cast off the shore and some of them waded up to their waists. It was a good day for novice casters -- no wind to speak of and no one got into major difficulties with snags or knotted leaders. The major problems were the wakes from the powerboats that went by on regular intervals as well as the fact that we really weren't fishing in good habitat.

In spite of all that, four of the boys caught bluegill on the flies they tied themselves. Most of the boys had caught fish before on bait and spincast rods, but catching a fish with a fly rod was definitely a thrill for them, and doubly so because it was on a fly they tied themselves.

We'll be taking the boys to a farm pond near Columbia to finish the merit badge. The fish there don't get a lot of angling pressure, so they should get a chance to catch both bluegill and bass on a fly rod.

Back From Camp

I am back in town, having spent several days at my son's summer camp near Iconium, MO. The weather was great with overnight lows getting into the high 50s and highs in the mod 80s. That went a long way toward making it a pleasant experience.

The highlight for me (and of course my son) was his advancement to the status of warrior in the Tribe of Micosay. This is a camp-based organization which encourages not only scout-like behavior, but also serves to keep them staying active with their troops and returning to camp year after year.

It's been an interesting 15 1/2 years, but seeing my son grow into a fine young man is a pleasure.

From New Mexico

I am taking advantage of what will probably be my last opportunity to get on the internet for the next 8 days. The Hancocks are staying at the Super 8 in Raton, New Mexico and will leave in a little while for Philmont Scout Ranch (aka Boy Scout heaven).

We left Columbia during thunderstorms, but by the time we reached the Kansas Turnpike, it was looking quite nice outside.

A special pleasure was stopping by one of Susan's college friends in a small town south of US 54 heading west from Wichita. MB is the host of the "Rambling Down the Road" blog and it took me a while, but I finally figured out who she was from the various clues in her blog. She was a senior when I came to SC as a fledgling instructor in Biology and she needed a botany course to graduate. She also lived in the same dorm as my future spouse who was a freshman that year. 30 years may seem like a long time, but aside from my nearly black beard turning nearly solid gray, the three of us were remarkably close to the way we looked in the late 1970s. It's really great to make connections over the years, and blogging has done its share in helping bring people back together.

After we left MB and her daughter we took advantage of the daylight and got as far as Minneola, where we stayed the night in a rather quiet motel. The next day we got off about 8:00am and ate breakfast a couple towns west, and proceeded on to Raton where we had reservations.

Today we'll take the hour drive to Philmont and drop Liam off for his week-long advanced leadership course. Susan and I will have nothing to do but visit antique and craft shops in Cimarron until our official arrival at 1:00pm. The two of us are attending courses at the Philmont Training Center and will be plenty occupied on our own.

Still, all-in-all, a week at the Philmont Training Center is a great family vacation, and this is the third time Liam and I have been out. Susan has been out twice, but after the first time we went in 2002 it has she who asked "when are we coming back"?

The temperature is expected to be in the high 80s with lows in in high 40s and low 50s. The altitude is over 6000' and the humidity is low. We are already feeling the need to drink massive quantities of water, and most of it is sweated away.

Anyway, unless by some magic Philmont has installed wireless, I'll be back blogging next weekend.

CNN: Four killed by tornado at camp were Boy Scouts

(CNN) -- "Boy Scouts dived under picnic tables and were buried under a collapsed chimney when a deadly tornado hit their camp in western Iowa, survivors said Thursday morning.

The tornado at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch killed three 13-year-old Scouts and a 14-year-old staff member who also was a Scout, said Lloyd Roitstein, president of the Boy Scouts of Mid-America Council. Forty-eight Scouts and staff members were injured. ..."

The camp had 93 older boys taking an advanced junior leader training course alonf with 25 staff members.

The CNN article quoted leaders at the camp who described how the boys immediately began rescue and first aid on their fellow scouts who were injured. In this time of tragedy, it is good to hear that many boys were able to put their training to effective use.

Please pray for the families of the victims and the survivors in this time of struggle.

NASA - Moondust and Duct Tape

NASA - Moondust and Duct Tape:

"April 21, 2008: At this year's Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Alabama, Prof. Paul Shiue of Christian Brothers University was overheard joking that duct tape was his team's 'best engineering tool.' Others felt the same way. The sound of gray tape being torn from rolls practically filled the race course as dozens of college and high school student engineers busily assembled and repaired their homemade moonbuggies.

Little did they know, this was in the finest tradition of lunar exploration. Turning back the clock 36 years reveals the key roll of duct tape in NASA's Apollo program:

The date was Dec. 11, 1972. Astronauts Gene Cernan and Jack Schmitt had just landed their lunar module Challenger in a beautiful mountain-ringed valley named Taurus-Littrow on the edge of the Sea of Serenity. Mission planners chose the site for its geological variety: the ground was covered by a mix of giant boulders, hardened lava, orange glass beads (a sign of ancient volcanic fire fountains) and, of course, ubiquitous moondust. The valley itself was a fracture created in the aftermath of an asteroid impact billions of years ago; the history of the Moon, many suspected, might be written along its walls. Jack Schmitt, the first geologist on the Moon, could hardly wait to get started. ..."

My son will be thrilled. He insists on taking not less than one roll of duct tape on all scout camping trips, and when I looked in his pack last weekend there were two complete rolls of tape. My first thought was that here was a potential for a lot of mischief, but I didn't say anything. (He comes up with enough ideas for deviltry on his own, and doesn't need me to give him ideas). After we returned I noted that the rolls were nearly unused -- a far cry from when he was a new scout and would go through nearly a whole roll of duct tape. It seems he is rapidly maturing, and this is a comfort as Susan and I contemplate the fact that he is now eligible for a learner's permit.

Anyway, this story out of NASA is a fascinating look into the ingenuity and imagination of the people that took us into the space age.

And I'll try to lighten up on my son for his fascination with duct tape.

Why I Do What I Do

I spent the weekend with the Boy Scouts at the annual Great Rivers Council Sporting Clays Tournament. As part of the program, boys can spend two days earning the Shotgun Shooting merit badge. This involves some serious classroom learning, safety instruction, as well as hands-on practice, and the boys know that this is no time to fool around. An educator from the Missouri Department of Conservation did the instruction, supplemented by volunteers. This was my fourth or fifth year helping with the merit badge.

We had 18 boys go through the course, and plenty of adults to help supervise the firing line. Many of the boys qualified, including two of the first-time shooters.

What really made my day was a young, slightly built boy of about 11 or 12 whom we knew could be a problem. He lacked strength in his arms and upper body, and was pretty hyperactive. Even the Remington youth shotguns were too large and heavy for him to comfortably mount. We kind of double-teamed him on the firing line and he did really well. He followed instructions and worked safely. He could only fire a couple rounds at a time before he had to take a break, but he kept at it. On his third trip to the line I heard a cheer, and looked up to see a clay target falling to the ground in several pieces. The boy had a grin on his face that I will remember for a long time. He shot a few more times, and broke three targets in a row before he simply could not go on due to fatigue. The leaders and boys high-fived him, and while he did not qualify this time, he did what many (including himself) doubted he could do. This weekend should go a long way toward increasing his confidence in himself.

And this is why I am a Scout leader....

P.S. -- Sunday afternoon my son and I went out to the local rod and gun club and spent a couple hours shooting trap. It was a good afternoon for father-son activities, and we both broke well over 50% of our clay targets.

PC(USA) News: Court dismisses suit against Boy Scouts

PC(USA) News: Court dismisses suit against Boy Scouts:

"WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union that challenged the U.S. Department of Defense’s support of the Boy Scouts of America and their national jamboree.

The April 4 decision ended a dispute that began in 1999 when the ACLU filed suit claiming the “Boy Scouts’ policy requiring religious oaths” violated the separation of church and state.

The ACLU objected to the Defense Department letting the Scouts hold their national Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia every four years because the Scouts’ oath reads in part: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and to my country.” ... "

Knowing the ACLU, this won't be the end of it, but it is a good sign.

The Scouting religious principles do not require subscription to any particular religion. The movement does require that scouts and leaders recognize that there is a God, but the definition is inclusive enough to encompass just about anything that recognizes a higher power.

The Scout Law has twelve points, and the twelfth is "A Scout is Reverent". This is further defined (in much the same way as our Presbyterian Catechisms elaborate on the Ten Commandments) as "A Scout is reverent, he is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion."

In this day when there are a spate of books that ridicule those who have experienced God in a personal way -- when Muslims are at war against Jews and Christians, when Sikhs and Hindus fight, when there is internecine fighting within Jewish, Muslim and Christian groups respectively -- doesn't it seem a little odd that people want to force the Boy Scouts of America to drop their concept of a duty to God and the duties enjoined upon Scouts by the simple phrase "A Scout is Reverent"?