Sit. Rep. #164: Skill Sets and Tool Belts

1- The BSA Handbook and the BSA Fieldbook are full of personal tools and skills.  Your fellow Scouts and Scout Leaders are full of skills, techniques, information, instruction, and ideas that you can learn to fill up your tool belt of skills and knowledge. The reason that I use the tool belt for the analogy … Read more

Sit. Rep. #162: Knot is not a Knot, Or is it?

1A- A statute mile as we in the US know it is 5,280 feet long. How did it come to be this sort of awkward number?  Let us go all the way back to the Romans.  The Roman Empire measured the “mille passus”, or “thousand paces,” as 5,000 Roman Feet as a Roman Mile.  The … Read more

Sit. Rep. #160: Coast Guard Ready, Fire on the Go

1- I just learned that “Semper Paratus” is the slogan for the US Coast Guard.  To them, Semper Paratus means “Always Ready.”  I chose it because I translated the Latin phrase into “Always Prepared.”  Either way, my personal salute is to each member of all of the branches of our military service. “I believe luck … Read more

Sit. Rep. #159: Motto, Slogan, and Deeds

1- Slogan: A motto, a short, memorable phrase expressing an aim of a group.  The word “slogan” comes from Scottish Gaelic.  It dates from about 1513 and is the derivative of the earlier word “slogorn.”  Slogorn, is the Anglicisation (put into English) of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm. Sluagh-ghairm breaks down and means “army cry.” The … Read more

Sit. Rep. #157: Topographic Terrain Features – I, Major and Rare

1- There are four main topographic terrain features to be familiar with. Hill, Hilltop, Mountain top, Peak, Summit, Prominences, Knoll Ridge, Ridge Line, Ridge Top, Mountain Ridge Saddle, Defile Valley, Canyon, Gorge, Ravine, Gully 1.1 Hilltop has several names.  It is where the land slopes downward in all directions from the immediate vicinity. 1.2 Ridge, … Read more

Sit. Rep. #156: Notes from Summer Camp

1- Towels: More than called for in the packing list.  I usually take at least 3.  I suggest more if a Scout is doing any water-related activities.  They may need 2 or more per day.  Check out using microfiber towels.  They are small in size.  They absorb more and they dry quicker than a cotton … Read more