Board of Review - First Class

DEC 3, 2008

Boards of Review were conducted tonight for the Scouts, and I am happy to report that all of them passed and will be receiving their First Class ranks next week at our Court of Honor. Thank you to our Scouts for being so dedicated, and a big thanks to Ike Ellis and Chad Steverson for helping out as Board Members.


First Class Rank

Safety First - Intro to Shooting

NOV 15, 2008

The Scouts have been memorizing and reciting the four primary rules of Firearm Safety every meeting for a month now. These rules are:

1. All guns are always loaded!
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy!
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target!
4. Always be sure of your target!

We have covered proper handling, loading and unloading, and basic operation and maintenance of firearms. Finally it was time to get the boys out and do some shooting!

We first shot with a .22 rifle, covering shooting stances and accuracy techniques. I am happy to report that all the boys are excellent shots, and two of them had never even shot a firearm before! Throughout the event, I would randomly test them on their knowledge and comprehension of the safety rules, and they always knew the right answer.

Following some target shooting, we went on a short walk where the Scouts had to identify targets and whether or not they were safe to shoot. If safe, the boys shot. If not, we moved on. This walk was very pleasing to me as the Scouts all knew the proper targets to shoot, and the reasons behind each one.

We returned to the range and the boys were able to shoot a few other rifles of various calibers and styles, all the while learning additional techniques. They learned about malfunctions and the proper method for clearing them, as well as general range safety.

All in all they had a good time, and I look forward to the next opportunity that I can take them out shooting.

Flag Ceremony

Nov 6, 2008

Our Troop was invited to the Liberty Traditional School's Annual Veteran's Day Celebration to present the American Flag during opening ceremonies. We practiced our routine, and the boys showed great respect for the flag, as they alwasy do. The Scouts worked hard to get instep and present the Flag in an honorable manner.

The following night was showtime, and the Scouts did an outstanding job. They received many compliments from citizens and Veterans alike on their behavior and respect towards the flag.

Thank You to all those who have served and who are currently serving in all of our Armed Forces.

Promotions

OCT 2008

Two more of our Scouts moved upward and onward this month, and we wish them the best in their new Patrol.

All of our Scouts have now reached First Class and have passed their Scoutmaster's Conference. Next up is the Board of Review, where they will be tested on all the knowledge that they have learned.

With the departure of some leadership, it was time to re-organize. Satchel now serves as our Patrol Leader, Tanner remains the Assistant Patrol Leader and Travis has moved into the Quartermaster position. Good Luck guys, and remember your duties!

Bloody Basin

SEPT 12-13, 2008

We traveled to Bloody Basin to see the great Perry Mesa indian ruins. This time around, we didn't have to hike too far to find a good camping spot close to the edge of a beautiful green canyon. The Scouts all tried Kippered Fish and SPAM for the first time, with some Vienna Sausages thrown in for good measure. They all seemed to like them, which is good, because SPAM is a Scout staple food!

After dinner we ventured out in the light of the full moon to get a closer look at the ruins, and did some scorpion hunting along the way - those black lights really light up the scorpions at night! We found a tarantula along the trail, in addition to the many we saw on the way in that afternoon. The ruins are what is left of a 150 room Perry Mesa Tradition city. The ruins were beautiful in the moonlight, and later we settled into bed under a cloudless, starlit sky.

The next morning we climbed around the cliffs and saw more petroglyphs that we could count! The detail was amazing, and the artifacts we found were incredible. It's nice to go somewhere the whole world hasn't been, as almost everything was still intact. The pictures don't do it justice, as only a few of the many ancient drawings are shown here.

The Scouts got a lesson on eating cactus fruit, and they all ate until their chins were dripping purple cactus juice. We even fed some spiders that morning, all in the name of the real Discovery Channel!

Heading out





Livin on the edge


Beautiful sunset


One of the many tarantulas we encountered


View from camp

Bro. Stine scouts the area in the morning

Breakfast is served

Learning that cactus fruit is tasty

The Ruins













The Petroglyphs













The Real Discovery Channel - one of the few spider that got a free tasty meal, courtesy of The Yetis! Click the link below the picture to be taken to cool video of this spider in action.

http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/rizzo1318/?action=view&current=Spider.flv

Scout Camp

JULY, 2008

A few of our Scouts were able to go to Scout Camp in July and had a great time. They earned four merit badges each, participated in shooting events, horseback riding, kitchen duty, and even ate some pizza delivery. Is that part of Scout Camp?

There are a ton of pictures of the 11-year-old Scouts as well as pictures of their older compatriates available at the Red Rider blog linked in the top right corner of the main page. Or, click here: http://redriders.blogspot.com/

A big thank you all the leaders who were able to go, and congrats to those Scouts who earned badges and enjoyed a good week!

Leadership

JULY 9th, 2008

Our Troop received new leadership roles and organization.

Our new Troop Patrol Leader is Alex, Assistant Patrol Leader is Tanner, and our new Quartermaster is Wesley. Congratulations to those Scouts on their new positions - remember to serve with integrity and honor!



To designate his position within the Troop, the Patrol Leader will wear the pin of the U.S. Army Infantry School, showing that he has the ability to lead and to inspire others to do great things.



The Assistant Patrol Leader will wear the pin of the U.S. Army Pathfinders, showing that he will help to keep the Troop going in the right direction, and that he will be ready to lead if the Patrol Leader is unavailable.



The Quartermaster will wear a pin depicting the C-47 Skytrain, perhaps one of the most widely used and recognized aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Corp and the early U.S. Air Force. It's cargo and support roles will help to remind our Quartermaster that his responsibilities include making sure that the Troop and all Scouts are prepared and properly equipped.

Court Of Honor

JUNE 25th, 2008

We held our first Court of Honor at the Stine's house and it was a great turnout and a great event. We ate some hot dogs and hamburgers and socialized for awhile - a big Thank You to our great cook, Bro. Stine, for grilling up our meal!

Our program started with Bro. Stilson's father, Sam, talking about his experiences in Vietnam and how the American Flag has always stood as a symbol of freedom for him. He told some stories about seeing the Flag while in combat, and seeing the coast of America upon his return from war, and the emotions and courage that the Flag invokes in him. Thank You for your stories, Sam, and for your service to our great country.

Bro. Stilson talked about his own feelings for the Flag, and how it should always be displayed proudly and properly. He then described the event that was to take place, the retirement of some worn American Flags. Our scouts, with great reverence, presented the Flags while Alex led us in the Pledge of Allegience. The scouts then folded the flags and each was placed on the fire while all in uniform gave the Scout Salute. When the colors had burned completely, all were thanked for the great reverence that was shown and the scouts returned to their seats.

The program continued with the awards presentation. Bro. Stine and Bro. Stilson both shared their feelings for the great scouts that we have, and for their dedication and determination. Bro. Stine presented the boys with their Day Camp badges, their Tenderfoot badges, and a Silva Compass so that they can always find their way. Bro. Stilson presented them with their Second Class badges and an Esbit lightweight stove, a useful tool for backpacking and camping. Bro. Stilson was also pleased to present Dallin with the Golf Merit Badge - he is the first scout in our Troop to be presented with a Merit Badge.

Thank you to everyone who attented and showed this great group of boys your support.

Folding the flag after the Pledge of Allegience





Scouts salute as the flags are retired




Bro. Stine and Bro. Stilson talk about their great scouts

Bro. Stine presents Day Camp and Tenderfoot badges


Tenderfoot Scouts - all equipped with a new compass


Bro. Stilson presents Second Class badges and our first Merit Badge


Second Class Scouts - ready to cook with new stoves