Was rummaging around looking at other's profiles and noticed a few Boy Scout members. Seems like the Be Prepared mentality would fit well with the profession.

Anyone out there a Boy Scout past or present? If so what kind of unit were you or are you with?

Do you include you affiliation with Scouting in your marketing?

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Bruce Ramsey
Advocate Inspections
www.NCAdvocate.com

Alright.... that's got to be recognized as the best first post ever... welcome to the board

I have been a BSA leader since 1989. I have received more from of the Scouts that I have worked with over the years, than anything else I could have ever done.

I have one more son to get through Scouts, I figure that I have about about another 4 years of summer camps left in me.

I do not use my Scouting experience to help in my marketing

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

I was in Cub Scouts when I was a boy. I never went on to Boy Scouts, but I have done a lot of camping and hiking as an adult.

I have two sons. The oldest is in his fourth year in Cub Scouts. I've been his Den Leader for four years, and I will continue as his leader through his fifth and final year. He's looking forward to moving up to Boy Scouts in about 15 months. My youngest just joined Cub Scouts this past September as a Tiger. I'm the assistant Den Leader for his den.

I'm also in my second year as the Cubmaster for the pack. We have about 70-80 boys from first through fifth grade. Our pack is one of the largest in the area.

I'm not actively marketing and I am currently building my inspection business slowly through word-of-mouth. I might briefly mention my involvement in scouting on an "About Me" web page along with stuff about my family and hobbies, just to let people know what I do with my time when I'm not inspecting, but that would be it.

Brandon

I never made it to Boy Scouts as a kid. I did spend years as a scoutmaster though. I think I enjoyed it more than the kids. Most of the time was spent with kids from the west side of Chicago. Taking them to camp was unbelievable.
Anyhow, I now have two Eagle Scouts in the family. I think Boy Scouts is the best thing that could happen to a kid. Our schools no longer teach any of the skills they can learn there.

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Rick Sabatino
Sabatino Consulting, Inc.
Oak Park, IL

Except that BSA does not teach tolerance and acceptance of others if they do not fit the 'accepted values' of the BSA.

Personally, based on that issue alone, I will never do anything to help the BSA, not since they established they anti-acceptance of others stance.

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

I second that. We recently had a fight in Philadelphia over that issue. BSA was getting city property to use cheap, but lost it when they wouldn't accept gays.
I have a similar problem with the Salvation Army.

I can hear a lot of you guys blowing a gasket over this, but I'm serious. My wife and I have a lot of gay friends who are some of the best folks you could ever want to know and the discrimination has to stop.

I was a member of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts growing up but I must say it is not an organization I would want my son to be a member of and I would not introduce him to it. Primarily because the lack of tolerance/ acceptance of gay people.

Having grown up being in BSA, I feel that scouting has many valuable things to offer but the anti-gay stance is simply too outdated, archaic, and discriminatory to overlook in my view.

This may be an unpopular stance I agree. I have many gay family members. Scouting does not teach intolerance. Adults do. Scoutmasters are between a rock and a hard place. While many adults will protest the stance they still are not willing to let their sons go on camping trips with openly declared homosexuals. Just as unpopular is sending their daughter out with male Girl Scout leaders. Some ones orientation does not make them a threat. There are those that pray on children in all walks of life. People can claim anything however in a litigious society.
The good they do outweighs their flaws in my book. Just as the good the Salvation Army does outweigh their stance on gays also.
I have seen kids that lived in gang infested areas choose scouts over a life in the gangs. It's a choice they would not have had without scouting. Some of those kids are now contributing adults. I don't think some of them would have made it without scouting. Until some one builds a better organization though I will support Scouting for the good it does do.
I apologize to have have joined the fray here. This has nothing to do with Home Inspection.

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Rick Sabatino
Sabatino Consulting, Inc.
Oak Park, IL

I have to agree with Rick. The BSA is a private organization that has it's own set of rules and regulations. You can join and choose to follow them or not join and do as you wish.

I have had two sons in Scouts (only one Eagle so far) and I have one that is moving into Boy Scouts. I have a daughter who earned her Gold Badge (like Eagle in BSA) in Girl Scouts. With my daughter I was not allowed to be a leader, because I was a male. I could however help on various projects as needed, as long as we had other adults around. No hard feelings as I understood the rule and I followed it.

I don't agree with several things that the BSA does or requires of its members , but as Rick has said we really do not have a better program for our youth.

WB SR-186 Eagle
WB SR-194 Staff
<=|===<|====|=>

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

"The BSA is a private organization" which tries to get no cost locations, or at reduced cost, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS for their troop meetings.

Being as it is a "The BSA is a private organization" - they SHOULD NOT be asking for THE PUBLIC to cover any of their costs ... BUT THEY DO.

THAT is one of the BSA's big blunders.

They do not admit THE PUBLIC, yet they want THE PUBLIC to support them at THE PUBLIC's expense.

Thank you but no thank you ma'am, but I've been screwed before by more honest people, people who told me up front that they were going to screw me.

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Scout Master for three years, Cub Scout leader for two years. Boy scout for four years. It has and always will be one of the great experiences I have had. If you want to get away from all the negatives in the world around you go camping, hiking, etc. with a group of young boys and their dads and see what happens. If you have never been backpacking in one of the many state or national forests you do not know what you have missed.

Don Merritt
Germantown, Tennessee

You can do that and achieve that by going camping with your own kids, or with friends.

There is no need to patronize a group which does not accept people as they are.

From the BSA web site - if only they would actually do what they say they do.

Boy Scout Oath, Law, Motto, and Slogan

Scout Oath (or Promise)
-On my honor I will do my best
- -To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
-- To help other people at all times;
-- To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law
- TRUSTWORTHY
- - A Scout tells the truth. He keeps his promises. Honesty is part of his code of conduct. People can depend on him. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him can depend on him.)
- LOYAL
- - A Scout is true to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school, and nation. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him are part of his friends, school and nation.)
- HELPFUL
- - A Scout is concerned about other people. He does things willingly for others without pay or reward. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only he is only concerned about people like him.)
- FRIENDLY
- - A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him ... IN FACT ... it says "is a friend TO ALL".)
- COURTEOUS
- - A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows good manners make it easier for people to get along together. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him deserve being polite and courteous to .... IN FACT ... it says "to EVERYONE".)
- KIND
- - A Scout understands there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless things without reason. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him are to be treated like him.)
- OBEDIENT
- - A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him are protected by the laws of the community and country ... IN FACT ... it says that if "laws and rules are unfair", that "he tries to have them changed".)
- CHEERFUL
- - A Scout looks for the bright side of things. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him deserve to be happy.)
- THRIFTY
- - A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for unforeseen needs. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property. (Jerry's note: I don't see anything which says only people like him are to be helped.)
- BRAVE
- - A Scout can face danger even if he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at or threaten him.
CLEAN
A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He goes around with those who believe in living by these same ideals. He helps keep his home and community clean.
- REVERENT
- - A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others. (Jerry's note: AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST ... I don't see anything which says only people like him deserve to have his respect for their beliefs.)

Scout Motto
- Be Prepared

Scout Slogan
- Do a Good Turn Daily (Jerry's note: This should first start by accepting ALL OTHERS, regardless of their beliefs, doing good also includes tolerance and acceptance of others different than they are.)

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Jerry, Jerry it is you right to have your opinions. I'm proud to say that I do not agree with them. I have seen more positives come out of the scouting program than negatives. Is the BSA a perfect organization? No, it is not but I think you would be hard pressed to find a similar youth program that has helped the number of youth that the BSA has.

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

But helped them in what way? Teaching non-tolerance?

Skin heads, the KKK, and other groups do that too. (Okay, that was an unfair comparison, the BSA *is not* anywhere near as bad as those groups are ... BUT ... why does the BSA *NOT* teach tolerance and acceptance?)

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Are you really asking for tolerance & acceptance or the embracingly of a life style?

To say you must agree with my choices and lifestyle or there is something wrong with you.

Or is that stance non-tolerance & non-acceptance ?

Why can't Boys be in the Girl Scouts?

Why can't men join The National Organization of Women?

My Congressman ( Jewish ) ( Steve Cohen D TN.) tried to join the Black Caucus.

Why can't Plumbers join the Electricians Union?

You want to join the Bot Scouts or bash the Boy Scouts?

BTW They told my Congressman NO!

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It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie!
Billy J. Stephens HI Service
Memphis TN.

Cooincidentally, I was watching the local Philly news tonight and one story was about a group of Boy Scouts who were on a hike in the Blue Mountains and came across an injured woman. She was hiking solo and had fallen but she was attempting to walk back to her car. The Scouts fashioned a stretcher our of thick branches and carried her out of the woods to the tune of something like 6 miles. They didn't know her and didn't ask what her sexual orientation was. All they knew was that the woman was hurt and needed their help. The Scouts received the BSA National Medal of Merit for their actions.

While I may not agree with the BSA stance in regard to gays, I take my hat off to those Scouts and their leader for lending aid to a person in need.