You know you love Scouting...Why are you hiding it?
Fire image by Mike Walton (This was written in 2002 before my unit, and I was deployed to Kuwait and later to Iraq as part of the U.S. Central Command. The message has not changed and is still important, however!)Hey, Scouters!For those who did not "catch the clue," I've been serving as Exercise Director of the last Public Affairs Nationwide exercise. Next year, "Info Strike 03" will take place, and I will be handing off... [More]
By: Mike Walton (blackeagle) On: 2020-06-22
5 Scout'struction Ideas
Image by Van Huy Bui from Pixabay Do you wonder what Cub’struction is? Basically, it's having cub scouts construct something--anything--out of everyday household items. Here are five really cool projects you can do with your Scouts, whether you’re at home or attending a den meeting. All five of these cub’structions can be made from things that almost all of us have in common use around the house. We will start by making a hat out... [More]
By: InsaneScouter On: 2020-06-15
Find a Need
Cortney Grosz provided the images for me...thanks! I collect, trade, and sell a lot of various Scouting items. The things I tend to keep are tied to my membership and service in several locations as a volunteer. I also keep things which tie my military service -- as a combat Signaleer, personnel manager, and public affairs manager/director/stick arranger -- to my Scouting service as a mentor, counselor, committee member, and supporter. For instance, I have... [More]
By: Mike Walton (blackeagle) On: 2020-06-08
What do I want to be when I grow up?
Have you ever thought of what it might be like to be part of a medical trauma unit working in an emergency room? What about being an automation engineer at a cereal factory? What about getting to see firsthand what it's like to be a fireman who is going to respond to a blazing fire somewhere in your city? We thought it would be useful to you to provide a list of potential field trips... [More]
By: InsaneScouter On: 2020-06-01
The Importance of Displaying one's Competence
A long explanation to demonstrate why I -- and many other people involved in Scouting -- wear what seems like uniform shirts better fitting for third world dictators and military chiefs than those of volunteers or professionals interested in helping your family have a great Scouting experience. (Illustration of what I'm talking about) The last time I was in Iraq, I suffered a serious eye injury. The year I was there, there were two... [More]
By: Mike Walton (blackeagle) On: 2020-05-25
A Letter to Mom
Backpacks ready to be worn to go camping. Stock image purchased by Mike Walton (This was originally included in "Patches and Pins," but several editors recommended that I remove it from the book because it was more truth than fiction, and I reluctantly was "selling" the book as a fiction novel based upon my life. "Make up your mind," they would write. I kept this story, however, and some of you who followed me... [More]
By: Mike Walton (blackeagle) On: 2020-05-21
Brought to you by the Letters Q, M, C, and S
Courtesy of the 007 Museum (thanks!) I am a fan...no, I am "ga-ga" over Captain James Bond, formerly Commander James Bond, otherwise known as "double knot seven" (007), one of a few who have a legal "license to kill." A few people have played this role, among them my "best" Bond, the actor Pierce Brosnan ("Remington Steele" if you recall how he got to be "James Bond"...), shown in the above image on the left.Even... [More]
By: Mike Walton (blackeagle) On: 2020-05-18
Camp Theodore Naish
This BSA camp was one that was recommended to us by our readers. Camp Naish consists of 900 acres owned by the Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America. This land consists of several rolling hills, rising up to 400 feet above the Kaw River valley nearby. Three hills on Camp Naish rise more than 1,000 feet above sea level and are the highest in Wyandotte County. The hills at Naish are... [More]
By: InsaneScouter On: 2020-05-14
When I grow up
When we were children, we all wondered and thought about what we might be when we grew up. Sometimes, young children might say that they want to be singers or actors, models, or pop-stars. Some will say that they want to become firefighters, electricians, or police officers. Others want to be engineers or archeologists or doctors. When I was in elementary school, I had pretty much decided that I wanted to be a teacher. By... [More]
By: InsaneScouter On: 2020-05-11
Growing up in Alaska
Now would be an excellent time to read a book to your smallest kids, or have the young children who already know how to read, read it for themselves. This book has won a number of awards since it has been published. This is the story of a little baby Arctic Tern who, with the help of his parents, grows up learning how to take care... [More]
By: InsaneScouter On: 2020-05-07