John Wayne then thanked those at the dinner for putting his name on the outpost camp and said, “I would rather see it here than on all the theater marquees the world over.”

John Wayne is an American icon.  I have been a fan for as long as I can remember.
I will close with my favorite quote from John Wayne:
“Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”
Have a Great Scouting Day!

And last… but certainly not least.. The Uniform.
I have a strong opinion on this one and I am going to let it be known.  While the uniform is the final method on the list, it is not the least among the methods that should be practiced.  The uniform is an important part of Scouting and should be promoted with zeal and excuses for non uniformity removed.
Uniforms seem to be argued over, dismissed, and modified more than any other method.  People argue the expense is overwhelming, they argue that the Scouts do not like to wear them, they argue that the uniform is impractical, and they argue over the pocket on the sleeve.  STOP IT!
The Uniform has been a method of Scouting since the beginning.  A quick study of Scouting’s history will show that the uniform has always been deemed important.
The Boy Scouts of America state that “The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community.  Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals.  The uniform is practical attire for Scout activities, and provides a way for Scouts to wear the badges that show what they have accomplished.”
Ok, so what’s the beef?  The price?  The style?  The geeky nature of wearing a uniform?
Lets remove crutches.  Price, yeah, its a bit spendy, but there are many options.  First.  Earn it!  Sell popcorn, mow lawns, get off your butt and earn it.  It’s not that spendy.  Second.  “Experienced uniforms” are always great.  Units should maintain ‘uniform banks’ or ‘lockers’ for Scouts that need assistants with uniforming.  Third.  The Scout uniform is the Scout uniform.  As long as worn properly, any of the styles will do.
Style.  It is what it is.  I like the Scout uniform now.  When I was a Scout it was green and did not have a collar, I hated the beret, and I thought the green pants looked real dorky.. and looking back at pictures of me then.. it was a dorky looking uniform.  But we wore it.
The tan shirt wears well and looks good with the green pants.  I like the move to the green tabs and I really like the more “active styles” in the pants.  Starting with the Switchbacks and moving into the newer pant styles, they are more practical and wear well in the outdoors.
Geeky.  Only if you think so.
Here is my opinion.  EVERY ADULT SCOUTER SHOULD ALWAYS WEAR THE FULL UNIFORM.  You set the example and the attitude for proper uniforming.  NO EXCUSE.  You can send me a note about price and practicality.. and I will argue with you if you would like.  If you want a fully uniformed unit.. and there is only one way to actually wear the uniform.. then you should set the example.
In our Troop we require every leader, youth and adult, to wear the full uniform.  That is a rule set by the PLC, not me… now in all fairness I concur and they know it.
When a Scout crosses over from Webelos he has a tan shirt.  We ask the parents to buy him pants.  That simple.  If they can not afford it, we encourage them to assist with fund-raising and we introduce them to the uniform bank.  We want every Scout to feel like they are part of the team.  And that is exactly how we and the BSA look at this method.  Teams wear uniforms.  You don’t see a football team arrive for a game with some blue shirts on and some red.  Some guys have helmets and others are wearing ball caps.  The uniform identifies each player as being part of the team, even the guys on the bench wear the uniform.  So it is with Scouts.  Each Scout is part of the team.  He shows his team colors and numbers and pride in his patrol and troop.
The uniform is a great equalizer.  It makes everyone the same.  Old or new, it is still the teams uniform and everyone on the team is equal.
I think the uniform method is important.  It brings us together in the brotherhood of Scouting and marks us as a force for good.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Question:  Was that a metal spork you were using to stir up the meal? I had always been taught that metal utensils will damage the anti-stick coating in pots. I could see using a plastic spork, but I wanted your opinion if you thought this was important.
Yes that is a metal (Titanium) spork.  It is the REI Ti ware spork.  I have used that spork for years now.  And yes it will scratch the surface of a non stick pot if you are not careful.  I would not recommend this to Scouts that do not care for their gear, but it works for me.  I think it is worth teaching the Scouts to be careful.. even plastic utensils will begin to scratch if not careful.  I have an ASM that cringes every time I do that.. but my pots seem to not be worse for the wear.

Question:  What sort of lid lifter do you recommend for Scouts?  I have looked for something like this to purchase, but have not been able to find anything under a “lid lifter” search. 
I actually have an MSR pot lifter that came with the pot set.  Since I started using the Imusa mug to do most of my cooking however it have been dropped from the packing list.  Here are some of the types of lifters that I would suggest for the Scouts.  LINK.  Most if not all of our out fitters locally have them for purchase.  They range from about $4 to $15 dollars depending on the brand.  I have gotten so used to using the rag with the Imusa mug that it has become routine.  But pot lifters are a great idea.

Question:  What sort of coffee do you prefer? I take it you must bring along the instant packets if they fit in that little Nalgene bottle.
I have been using Maxwell house instant coffee lately.  I transfer it all into that Nalgene bottle so I only have to fill it about every 4 camp outs.  I like the Starbucks Via coffee also, but the Maxwell House International Cafe stuff is cheaper and tasty.  I don’t have to add anything also.  As much as you could argue that there is nothing better than fresh brewed coffee.. when I can roll over in the hammock and fire up my stove, boil water, and in minutes have some good tasting coffee.. I will take it.  Besides, when backpacking, sometimes less is better and a Nalgene full of flavor and a little pick me up, well, that’s all I need.  I think talking about coffee is like discussing religion or politics… everyone has an opinion.  I generally use the backpacker philosophy of “Hike your own Hike” when it comes to coffee.  everyone’s mileage will vary and everyone have their own taste.  As with all my gear, it is what I am comfortable carrying and using, I do not proclaim that how I do it is the best, but it all works for me.  Having said that though.. It is how I teach our Scouts, how they adopt it and use it is up to them.
I have often said that I am not a big fan of the Jet Boil.. and yet many of the Scouts of my Troop use it.. They Hike their own Hike.  We always reinforce this idea.  “Here are some ways to do it, some gear to do it with, and recommended skills that will help… now find your style, gear, and routine and hike your own hike”.

I hope this helps.  Sometimes I look back and see that I put something out… and of course it makes perfect sense to me.. it’s my stuff.   Glad you asked the questions.
Have a Great Scouting Day!