GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY IS A GOOD THING!

Hello Bobwhites! Happy New Year! Now that January is almost over I thought I had better send out my monthly note to you.

I hope you are all doing well. I miss our time together. I hope you are continuing to have a positive impact on the young men you are working with.

This month I wanted to focus on getting your hands dirty. Lord Baden Powell once said, "Boys can see adventure in a dirty old duck puddle, and if the Scoutmaster is a boys' man (or woman) he (she) can see it too."

There is something about rolling up your sleeves and getting involved. It's ok to act the fool in an honest effort to be involved. It does something for the boys. You become one of them. Because they are human and you are human any adventure has that commonality. And when they see an honest effort to put personal comfort aside it becomes an endearing attribute to the young men. After all, aren't we expecting it of them?

So the next time you feel to pass on trying that zipline, or tubing down the hill, or swamping that canoe, think again. Jump in the duck puddle and find the adventure. You just might make some life long friends in the process.

YIS - The Regal Eagle
Tom

The Bible Is Not Found In The Fiction Section

Merry Christmas Bobwhites! My apologies for a late December post. I have not forgotten you!

During this special time of year I wanted to reach out to those who I hold dear to my heart and express my love and appreciation for your friendship and association. That to me is a precious gift and I consider myself blessed to have been a small part of your lives over the short time we have known one another.

When I think of friends and family during this Christmas time and the gifts that will be exchanged in millions of homes around the world I ask myself what gift could I give to those I love. The gift should be a reflection of my love for those I care for. As I contemplate that question one answer comes to mind more than any other. And it is this; my simple heart felt belief that the Christmas story is a reality.

A long time ago in the little town of Bethlehem the miracle of miracles occurred. The very God of this world, the creator of heaven and earth and all things that are in them left his throne on high to clothe himself in a weak, frail, and mortal body in the most humble of circumstances. His mission was to receive life and then freely give it back for all mankind. Jesus Christ, the Son of God condescended below all things so that he could rise above all things, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. I, like Peter of old know this not from the witness of any flesh and blood, but from my Father in Heaven through the power of the Holy Spirit to my heart. It is a witness to my soul that there truly was a Christ child born in Bethlehem and wrapped in swaddling clothes found by the shepherds lying in a manger. That he truly performed the miracles written of him and spoke the words the prophets and apostles testified he spoke. That he performed his mission successfully and truly fulfilled all righteousness, ever yielding his will to that of the Father. Always in submission and humility to the great plan of salvation. That he suffered great agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and died on the cross, a sacrifice for sin. And that the glorious resurrection and triumph over death and hell was the culmination of his mission to save you and me. This was his gift of love. This was the Father's gift of love, that he gave his only begotten Son. His is a story of love. His is a story of peace. His is a story of hope. His is a story of joy.

God bless you my dear friends! My prayer in sharing this gift with you is that you might feel in your heart the same stirrings I feel as I think about the matchless gift of the Son of God and that your resolve to follow him as a true disciple will be deepened and strengthened. May we be his hands, and his heart, and his love this Christmas season and always!

YIS - Tom Brand
The Regal Eagle

Winter Camp - It Doesn't Have To Be A 4 Letter Word!

Winter is right around the corner and if you are involved with boys scouts you're likely going to be finding yourself spending some time out of doors in the cold. That's just a fact of life! You will want your boys to learn to love camping even in winter conditions. The fastest way to spoil a boy for camping is for him to get cold!

In this month's blog post I thought I would give you all some helpful (hopefully) information to make your winter camps a little more bearable.

The idea with winter camping, especially if there is hiking, snow shoeing, or skiing involved - really any sort of activity that is going to make the body sweat - is to be able to cool and warm the core by controlling temperature with layers of clothing.

First the 3W's of winter layering. What you wear and how you wear it can make a huge difference.

1. Wick - The base layer is called the wick layer. This is the next to your skin layer. Compression leggings and shirt will do wonders and repelling body moisture away from the skin and into the other layers. For feet, I have found that one pair of Moreno Wool socks and a good pair of boots works the best, but always have at least one other dry, clean pair on hand.
2. Warm- This layer can be bulky. Polar fleece is a good option but in cold wet weather wool is excellent. I try and avoid cotton at all costs. When it gets wet it freezes and doesn't dry quickly. Depending on temperatures and activities, this may end up being multiple layers of clothing. One other consideration for the core is a zipper vest allowing the arms to be cooler but keeping the core warm.
3. Wind - This layer is the outer shell. Preferably a water and wind resistant thin layer meant to keep moisture off the warm layer. Ski bibs for the legs work great. For the core, a think a wind breaker is best that can easily be removed. 

Bedding is also critical. Being able to sleep at night is so important to a positive winter camp experience. Here are some simple things I've found to help ensure a good nights sleep.

1. Closed Cell Pad- A closed cell pad doesn't allow airflow. Bridges in the winter are some of the most dangerous places to drive even when they have been cleared of snow. This is due to the airflow under the bridge creating black ice. The same concept applies to winter camping. What you sleep on needs to restrict airflow or you'll find yourself turning to black ice in the middle of the night. Cots and air mattresses are very bad ideas. A thick foam pad on top of a thin pad with a reflective side has worked well for me as shown here in these two pictures.
2. Layer your bag - I always bring a polar fleece sleeping bag liner for my sleeping bag. I like to layer at night to. If I get too warm, I can remove a layer.
3. Check your bag's rating - Sleeping bags are rated to be "comfortable" down to a certain temperature. The problem I have found with most of the ratings is that "comfortable" is completely subjective to each individual. I give myself at least 10 degrees of leeway. If it's a bag rated for 30 degrees, I'll assume it's "comfortable" down to 40 degrees. If it's rated for 40 degrees, I'll assume it's good down to 50 degrees, and so on. 
4. Mummy vs. Square - Mummy bags are great for winter camping because you can cinch the bag around your head. But mummy bags can also feel restrictive making one feel claustrophobic. There are pros and cons to both and ultimately it comes down to personal preference. The only way to really know is to try both styles in various situations to know for sure what works best for you.
5. Clava - It's critical to teach the boys not to breath into their bags. The moisture from their breath will make their bags wet and freeze in the night. They should breath outside their sleeping bags. If it's bitter cold I recommend a clava shown here. It will serve to keep the head warm and the neck warm while allowing you keep you nose and face warm but bag dry.
6. Knit Cap- Wear a knit cap to bed to help keep your body temperature in your bag. Most of the body's heat escapes through the head. Obviously if you are wearing a clava you won't need a knit cap.
7. Store Your Stuff- In bitter cold conditions I will put my clothes in my sleeping bag with me along with my water bottle so I have something to make hot chocolate in the morning. Even the best insulated containers can freeze and waking up to frozen water when you need it is no fun. Warming the core up from the inside out is the best way to keep warm and avoid the early onset of hypothermia.
8. Air It Out - Air out your bag and pad every day if you plan to camp more than one night. This is critical to a consistent good night's sleep.

Last but not least your hands and feet are so critical to keeping warm. The extremities will be the first parts of your body to feel bitter cold temperatures. I have found that mittens work best for keeping hands warm but are not very practical if you find yourself needing to use your hands to manipulate things. That is why a thin pair of neoprene work gloves are a must. There is just no getting around bringing different kinds of gloves for winter camping. The mittens to keep the fingers warm when there is down time and thin gloves to allow you to use your fingers.

There are plenty of good winter boots on the market that are reasonably priced. I have found that the socks are only as good as the boots and the boots are only as good as the socks. They need to work together for maximum comfort. The socks must stay dry. I like my Sorrel boots I have had for years. The cinch at the top just under my knee to keep deep snow from getting down inside my boots. With a good pair of Moreno wool socks, my feet stay toasty warm.

Well, that's all I have for this post. Good luck in the coming weeks as you head out into winter's playground. Who knows though... with the weather we've been having, you may want to trade your snow boots in for flip flops.

YIS - Tom Brand

The Regal Eagle

Round Table

 

 

Hello Bobwhites!

 

This month marks the 18th since we started our Wood Badge adventure! It's hard to believe it's been a year and a half! Great job again on completing your tickets! I hope things are going well for you all!

 





 

The legend of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table has been a fixture in European folklore since the 5th and 6th centuries and has likely permeated through every land in the world. The fact that the table had no head meant that all who sat around it were seen as equals to one another, united in a common cause for the kingdom. It has become a symbol of meeting where ideas are shared, problems discussed, and solutions reached. It is no wonder the BSA uses Round Table as the title for their training meetings where just such endeavors are undertaken by scout leaders world wide.

 

 

BSA Roundtable meetings are held in an effort to help scout leaders better understand their specific duties and responsibilities. It includes training for Cubs through Venture. It's a great way to network with other scouters and is a great sounding board for ideas on how to do things. If you have anyone in your units that are struggling with their program, Roundtable is a must! I can't even begin to number the times I have heard a new scout leader say they wished they had better training but they refuse to attend a roundtable. If you have specific needs, contact your district roundtable representative and let them know what you would like to learn about. They will go out of their way to accommodate you on your request.



 

One of my tickets when I was working my way back to Gilwell was to help a fellow scouter with his ticket to staff an 11 year old scout patrol break out session at our district round table meetings. It was a great experience and I learned a lot. When I was the Varsity Coach I attended round table regularly and learned much about the program. One of my greatest take aways from one of those meetings I had was from a specific round table to help prep for the Varsity Biathlon which is a winter camp. I learned the three "Ws" of winter layering. Wick-Warm-Wind. Because I went to round table I was able to make sure my young men were prepared for the camp. I have taught that now to every boy I know since and everyone else for that matter that needs to dress for winter conditions weather it be camping, hiking, sports, or playing in the snow. If you ask a member of my family what the three "Ws" of winter layering are they'll spit them out without blinking an eye! I learned about knots, organization, administration, rechartering, and loads of other useful stuff to make the program better, translating into a better experience for the boys.

This month I want to encourage all of you to make an effort to attend your respective roundtable meetings. If you already are I hope you have been contributors as well as gleaners. As we continue to serve in the BSA helping adults become better leaders is as important as helping the boys directly. Remember, every boy deserves a trained leader.

God bless you in your efforts to touch the lives of these young men we have the privilege of working with.

YIS - Tom Brand
The Regal Eagle

Don't Steady The Ark!

Yay! You did it! I am so proud of all of you!  Congratulations Bob Whites on a great finish!

I bet you all thought I was done posting these now that you've graduated.  Nope!

As we head into fall I can't help but think about football and fresh peach pie. Both favorite things of mine that make me happy to be alive. And isn't that what life is all about... finding joy and happiness in this thing called life?

Joseph Smith once said, "Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." I believe that will all my heart.

I have thought about the prophet's statement often over the years. I also have pondered this scripture, "Adam fell that man might be; and men are, that they might have joy." 2 Ne 2:25.

Take some time and think about what father Lehi teaches us in this scripture, particularly the first two words of this sentence and all it implies. Adam fell.

Before that, Adam and Eve were in a paradisiacal state but as such there was no opportunity for progression. A cosmic law of nature states that in order for eternal progression to exist opposition must exist and the use of agency is the vehicle to move along the eternal continuum, either toward God or away from Him. Opposition therefore is absolutely essential for the eternal progression of man. This is a doctrine Lehi emphasizes earlier in the same chapter just a few verses before that culminating statement in verse 25.

With that background I wanted to share with you something I read recently on LinkedIn. A user posted this statement along with a picture of a very nice home and an expensive sports car parked out front:

"So grateful, 2 years hard work starting with nothing, culminating in a beautiful new house and life With my lovely fiancé expecting a baby we could not be prouder to be able to bring our new child into a world where they will never know the struggles that we have had financially, never know what it's like to think, "where is the next meal coming from" "How can we afford Xmas?" Or hear from their parents we can't afford it... My message, don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't have something or can't do something because it's garbage, you can achieve anything you want...you just have to believe it and take action towards it Those people always lose."

 

While his sentiments are based on a desire to provide and protect his family I think he is missing the point of why we struggle in life. The struggle is good. Hardships and trials build character and empathy and faith. Without them we would not learn the lessons we must learn to be what we hope to be. In a nutshell, without struggles, we can't have joy and happiness.

 

This is a tough concept for a lot of people. In particular our young people struggle with this concept. That is one of the main reasons we do what we do. If we make life too easy for our children or the boys in our stewardship we aren't doing them any favors. One of my favorite mantras I've heard in BSA circles goes like this, "Never do for a boy what he can do for himself." Some people balk at that and think it's cruel and rude. They are missing the picture. It's not because I am lazy or don't want to help a boy. It's because I am robbing him of vital experience if I step in and do it for him. It's like Uzzah who tried to steady the ark of the covenant. https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-81-89/section-85-those-who-put-their-hands-to-steady-the-ark?lang=eng

 

As human beings we are afraid of failure and embarrassment. We know what it feels like ourselves to fail and so naturally we want to protect those we care about from experiencing those same feelings. But what we miss when we do is the truth that those very experiences are what taught us to do or not do those behaviors in the future. We are all enrolled in the school of hard knocks but some of us want to play hookie or check out our students. Don't get me wrong... I am not advocating a PHD from that school. In fact if you can get out of there with a GED you're probably better off but everyone has to have some sort of degree from that institution. It's just a fact of life.

 

So as you work with the young men and boys you have a responsibility for, the next time you are tempted to take over an art project for a boy who just can't seem to get the paint on his derby car; or tie that half hitch; or plan that Eagle Project - don't. If he's drowning... help him come up for air, but don't pull him out of the pool until he's learned to swim. And help them see the wisdom in the journey.

 

 

God bless you all in your efforts. Build and bless these young men!

 

YIS -

Tom Brand

The Regal Eagle

The Journey Of A Bobwhite

Dear Bobwhites,

April 22, 2015 was the beginning of a journey as adult leaders in the scouting program. The 14th of this month, nearly 16 months later, it will be my privilege to award each of you your Wood Badge Certificate, Fawn Neckerchief, Woggle, and Beads. What a wonderful few months it has been!

You started as wee lil' chicks but have grown into regal Bobwhites. You have worked individually and collectively as a group to reach your goals. You have had influence on many and many have benefited from your example.  And yet many more will be influenced by you. The Bobwhite critter is made fun of by some. But there is something special about my little covey. I have witnessed your vulnerability and honesty, your team spirit, your loyalty to one another, your efforts to help finish tasks and meet deadlines, and your love and friendship. I have truly seen your team work and together everyone is winning! So be proud Bobwhites! Stand tall! You are a covey of friends who will continue to help one another in the years to come and influence young boys for generations.

So what's next? Lord BP said himself once, "The Scoutmaster teaches boys to play the game by doing so himself." Now we can take that literally... that we play games with boys; and I believe BP meant that application. But I think he meant the broader deeper application that I intend to emphasize. That is the game of life. If there is one thing I have learned about young boys it is that they are expert observers. They watch our every move and notice when we do or do not play the game by the rules. A Scout's Honor is a very real thing and being a Boy Scout leader is an added measure of responsibility.

 

So as you are about to step in to your next phase of scouting and this chapter of Wood Badge as a participant comes to a close, remember what BP said, "There is no teaching to compare with example."

God bless you in your continued journey. I can not begin to tell you what a privilege it has been getting to know each of you and I can't wait to honor your accomplishments on the 14th.

Until then,

YIS - Tom Brand
The Regal Eagle

 

The Last Outpost - Helping Youth In a Dangerous World

I love Westerns. Dances With Wolves is on the top of my list.

I saw this picture and the first thought I had was of the character Lt. John Dunbar played by Kevin Costner. In this classic western Dunbar is wounded in battle during the Civil War where the Union and Confederate armies are at a complete deadlock stalemate and nothing has happened for days to move the battle one way or another. He is about to have his leg amputated but rather than loose his leg he decides death would be better and more honorable. So he mounts a horse and rides it with his arms outstretched to be as big a target as he can right across the front of the Confederate forces hoping to be shot and killed. They all missed him but it created enough of a distraction that the Union soldiers took courage and pressed forward to win the battle. Dunbar completely heals and receives a medal of honor for his bravery. He requests an assignment on the western frontier so he can see it before it disappears. He ends up at Fort Sedgewick. Upon arrival he finds the fort abandoned and in very poor condition. Once he has unloaded his provisions and said a final farewell to his traveling companion Timmons, he hoists the Union flag.

I've often thought of that scene. Here was a man all alone in the wilderness, most assuredly surrounded by hostile Indians and uncertain of his future. Yet his duty to his country grounded him and kept him focused and driven for his first few months at his new home. He was a soldier in the Union Army who had fought for what he believed in. His blood and the blood of others was spilt in defense of a greater idea of freedom and liberty. The flag he raised represented all of the emotions of his and the others who gave their all. It served as a reminder to him of what he had just come from and it stood as a beacon to any new comers that those standards of freedom and liberty were to be fought for and defended even in the remotest reaches of the country.

Later when he goes to formally meet the Indian tribe it is the flag he takes with him as a symbol of who he was and what he represented.

In many ways we are not much different than Lt. Dunbar when it comes to the moral virtues we espouse in our faith and in the BSA. I know that many times in this world the BSA and the LDS church are like the last outpost on a far away prairie surrounded by hostiles. And our youth are prime targets.

When Timmons first saw the outpost he laughed out loud and was incredulous that Lt. Dunbar would not just turn and leave at once. It wasn't until he had a cocked pistol pointed at his face that Timmons jumped down off his wagon to help unload the provisions for Dunbar's stay. "This is my post" he said., "This is my post."

What is our post? What is your personal post? What boys are out there trying to make their way to a safe place?

The BSA and our faith as Latter-day Saints can be a safe harbor for those that are lost and wondering. But we need to have an operating base for them to join when they find it. America is a land of freedom and liberty. A place where youth and adults alike have the right and privilege to become whatever their dreams can take them with hard work, dedication, and support.

I hope that this Independence Day we will think about those that have given all they had and those that do so today to secure and preserve our liberties. May we do our part by providing safe havens for our youth to come from the turmoil of the world. Let's raise the colors of America in our hearts and souls and put into practice what we celebrate each year by helping boys achieve greatness and learn to give back to their country that has given them so much.

God bless you all!

YIS - Tom Brand
The Regal Eagle