Scoutmaster Minute— April 28, 2026

My degree in college is in Accounting. As part of my degree I took two different classes about auditing which is about the examination about the financial records of the company. After graduating I was an external auditor examining the financial records of various companies. As part of examining companies is assessing the risk that fraud may occur. One of the methods of assessing risk is to send out questionnaires inquiring about fraud. These questionnaires get sent out to various people who work at the company. Financial fraud can happen anywhere in a company. This also assess the tone or vibes at the company. There is a saying that “tone starts at the top” which refers to the atmosphere created at the company by the CEO and executive management and leadership that dictates the company’s culture, values, and compliance with the rules. Here in this room the SPLs, ASPLs, Patrol Leaders are the ones who are responsible to setting the tone and culture of these troops. They are responsible for ensuring that the culture and and values of this troop are in alignment with the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. As scouts we strive the live out the Scout Oath and Scout Law in our daily lives both inside and outside of scouting. Everyone in this room is accountable to each other for doing that. I am accountable to you all just as much as you all are accountable to me. Mr. Henry and I are responsible for guiding you all as you move through your scouting careers. It is also extremely important when you all witness any scout whose actions and words don’t align with the Scout Oath and Law you speak with a trusted adult: parent, Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, etc. because if there are words and or actions occurring that are not in alignment with the Scout Oath and the Scout Law it needs to be addressed immediately. A Scout Is….

Scoutmaster Minute -- 21 April 2026

Recently, Scouting America issued new guidance on what is appropriate for campfire skits. This new guidance prohibits skits that depict people getting shot, robbed at gunpoint, and dying. It also prohibits skits that waste food and anywhere someone is getting humiliated or bullied. My initial thoughts were, ‘wow, this sure eliminates many of the skits I have seen in the past.’ As I continued to think about it, the more I understood the rationale. In what world should we be finding entertainment in someone dying? What is funny about a robbery and seeing people in distress about being held at gunpoint? Why should we laugh at someone being bullied or belittled? It makes sense. A Scout is Kind and these things are inconsistent with our values.

We live in a world of filth. Litter on the sides of the street, graffiti on bridges, and pollution in the water and air. Impurities extend to speech, images, internet content, jokes, and entertainment. Yet, we have a choice of whether we want to wallow in the mud or rise above the filth. Our Scout Oath and Law provide a basis for behavior and an azimuth for how we should live our lives. In our conversations, in our interactions, around our campfires and in our patrol areas, let’s keep it clean and appropriate. It is hard to soar with the eagles if one is emulating turkeys.

A Scout is Clean

Scoutmaster Minute-April 7, 2026

On a crowded highway in bumper to bumper traffic. An ambulance with its sirens blazing and lights flashing. I am going to tell you a tale of two cities. The most recent one I was coming back from the vet with Nicholas and the dogs. I was driving in the left most lane. I slowed downed pulling my car over out of the lane to make space and allow the ambulance to go through. Some of the other cars around me did that. Unfortunately many people kept traveling on the path they were already on. For the next several miles while driving not only did I see that ambulance, I watched it struggle to make its way through traffic as car after car failed to move over to allow the ambulance pass through traffic. The ambulance only disappeared from our sight when it exited the highway. The second one city Honolulu, HI. I hear the sirens and watch cars create a an open lane in the middle of a crowded highway with bumper to bumper traffic. Everyone created space for the ambulance. This happened several moments before the ambulance easily drove through traffic and vanished on the road ahead. To this day it is one of the most amazing things I have seen on the road. These two experience highlighted some important things: When working together for a common goal a group of people are capable of doing incredible things. While one person not getting out of the way doesn’t cause the largest inconvenience. When it happens over and over again the cumulative affect can have a large negative impact. You as a member of this troop, your school community and this planet know that your actions matter and impact others around you. A Scout is Courteous.