Scoutmaster Podcast 33

Den Cheifs, Summer Camp Story, Email Answers

Scoutmaster Podcast 33

Feel free to send your questions and comments (you can rate the podcast on iTunes). Use the email link above left or the comments feature of the blog.

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Music in Podcast 33

First Call - U.S. Air Force Band
The Happy Wanderer - Brave Combo
Boy Scout In Switzerland - The Beau Hunks Sextet
Scout Boy - Shitsez 
Taps for the Fallen Brave - 101 Strings on Amazon

Comments

[JoeP]

Clark,

Speaking of the swim test, is it required
for scout and leaders to take the test
each year before summer camp? I had a few
that passed it last year and questioned
why they have to take it again. I have looked
but I have not found anything that
supports the question either way.

Great podcast as always and keep up the
hard work, it really helps!

Joe

[Clarke Green]

Thanks for listening Joe! I am glad you find the podcasts helpful.

Do Scouts take a swim test every year?

Is everyone required to renew their medical form every year?

Of course the answer is yes to both. Why is this? People's health and abilities change over time.

One of the elements of Safe Swim Defense is assessing ability. Ability can and does change from year to year.

Here's the exact verbiage from the Guide to Safe Scouting:http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss02.aspx

"Ability Groups: All youth and adult participants are designated as swimmers, beginners, or nonswimmers based on swimming ability confirmed by standardized BSA swim classification tests. Each group is assigned a specific swimming area with depths consistent with those abilities. The classification tests should be renewed annually, preferably at the beginning of the season."

Not to be too maudlin but there are about ten fatal drownings each day in the US. I know that swim tests are a pain for adults, I don't particularly like them myself. A mishap in the pool or lake, however, is quite a bit more of a pain.

[CA Scouter]

Hello Clarke,

Excellent answer as always. I actually train year round to stay in shape for scouting (keeps me in better shape also). I generally swim 2-3 times a week and alternate that with some rudimentary weight training and jogging and cycling. If you do a little training like this, the swim test is a piece of cake (except when you're at a camp at 8,000 ft and doing the test in an alpine lake...).

I wish I could find a way to encourage the boys and their leaders to train more for the challenges of Scouting. It is there in the T-foot requirements (10 a and b especially), but it isn't very explicit and it seems to fade out until the boys start doing Backpacking.

[Larry Geiger]

RE: Den Chief interview (paraphrasing from what I remember):
Q: Has it been aggravating?
A: No, it hasn't affected my schedule.
That's hilarious. If you were headed where I thought that you were headed (that bunch of Cubbies could aggravate someone with the patience of Job) then he didn't get it at all :-) Love his answer.

"Just form patrols." Elect patrol leaders and go.
Excellent wisdom.

Cell phones in camp:
Gotta love that Camp Daniel Boone. So far up the valley there are no phones, no internet. Just cool summer nights and babbling brooks.

Den Cheifs: (under the Podcast logo). Should be Den Chiefs?

RE: Service hours. Just read the requirement! That sounds just like Ask Andy at NetCommish. That's a good thing.