The VARSITY VISIONc001af38d1d46a976912-b99970780ce78ebdd694d83e551ef810.r48.… · 2 mirror pieces:...

The Varsity Scout reaffirms his adherence to the traditional Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan.

Operation “ON TARGET” July 19, 2014 *******

Lost in the Backcountry

The

VARSITY VISION NewsletterNewsletterNewsletterNewsletter

FOR VARSITY SCOUT LEADERS UTAH NATIONAL PARKS COUNCIL™ BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA®

www.utahscouts.org/varsity scouting/varsity vision news letters

July 2014 You have a great Varsity Scout committee, but you need to feed it like a fire Vol. 17 No. 7 with new young sticks before the rest turn to ashes. Andy Gibbons

Table of contents Subject Page

Scout Oath or Promise and Scout Law . . . . . . . . 1

Operation ON TARGET” July 19, 2014 . . . . . . . 2

“About Crows” – V.S. Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Varsity Vision Leadership Specific Training . . . . 4

“Just One Good Turn” – Coach’s Corner . . . . . 4

Lost in the Backcountry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Make a Paracord “Survival Bracelet” . . . . . . . . . 9

Coach’s Corner “Outdoor Code” . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Going Hungry on a Campout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Coach’s Corner “ECHO” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

NEW Varsity Scout Coach “What Should I Do? . 11

Discontinue Using the Varsity Scout Pledge . . . . 12

Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

President Erying’s Operation ON TARGET Letter 13

Momentous Varsity Scout items for sale . . . . . 14

E-List Signup

To get this Varsity Vision newsletter sent to you automatically every month, go to the Utah National Parks Council™ website at http://www.utahscouts.org and enter the e-list sign-up icon at the top right of the home page. Follow the instructions given there to register.

All 27 Program Features can be seen at the following

internet site

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/boyscouts/resources/varistyprogram.aspx

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 keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Scout Law: A Scout is...

Trustworthy Loyal Helpful Friendly Courteous Kind Obedient Cheerful Thrifty Brave Clean Reverent

July 2014 VARSITY VISION NEWSLETTER

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With Operation “On Target” coming up this month on the 19th all eyes will be looking up to the mountain tops. It is time to get those backpacks out of storage if you haven’t already and brush off the cobwebs. Get out the mirrors for an experience your team won’t forget. If you and your Varsity Scout boys have never participated in this annual tradition, then this is the year to start. Get volume II of the Varsity Team Program Features where information about Operation “ON TARGET” can be found and then go for it! Bring Dad along for the event, both father and son will have memories to share for years to come. Don’t forget to ask the fathers to write an up-lifting letter to their son’s to be opened on top of the peak. This year we have a new letter from President Erying of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have attached a copy of his letter in this Varsity Vision newsletter. Be sure to register for this event on the web at www.utahscouts.org for the mountain peak you would like to go to. E-mail Doug Hickman at [email protected] for information about other Varsity Scout teams participating. Be sure to list your cell phone and HAM call sign so we can communicate and confirm contact with each other. The HAM frequency will be 145.750 as used in previous year. My Varsity Scout friend Ross and I with our boys will be on the South end of Lake Mountain West of Utah Lake on July

19th from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Give us a call at 801-472-9866 on the cell or KC7RTJ on the HAM at 145.750. We will answer your call with a mirror signal (if the sun is shining) and/or by voice. The cell phones and HAM radio’s are a good means for communication to help set up mirror flash connections. Cell phones can be used to let those boys also share the mountain peak experience with other family members not able to make the hike. I let my team talk to their parents one year from atop Mt. Timpanogas allowing them several minutes each as they made mirror contact with them; they’re still talking about it! You can get volume II of the Varsity Team Program Features where information about Operation “ON TARGET” can be found on page 79. You can find out about making signal mirrors and how to use them to signal, mountain top ceremonies, building a time capsule, awards, Merit Badges that can coincide with OT, and many other things. Have each Varsity Scout build his own signal mirror as described below:

2 mirror pieces: 1-4x4x3/16” and 1-2x2x1/16” (any other sizes may be used, the procedure is the same). Get a Pencil with eraser, pocket knife, super glue, 6" ruler or straight edge. Note: Edges of mirrors should be sanded.

On the painted side mark an "X" with the pencil in the center of each mirror by laying the ruler or straight edge diagonally across opposing corners.

High Adventure Operation “ON TARGET” for 2014

Written by Ken Cluff

My 8 Varsity Scouts enjoying the View from the top of Mt. Timpanogas.


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With a rotating motion, scratch through the painted coating on the back side of both mirrors with a pocket knife point: ≈1/8” Diameter. Rub across holes with pencil eraser - make sure they are crystal clean of any smudge. Lay mirrors back-to-back and check hole size and clearness. The smaller the hole the better, about 1/8 inch or smaller. With large mirror face down, apply four drops of super glue at each corner, half way from center to outside edges. Hold large mirror reflecting-side down on white paper and small mirror reflecting-side up. Place one edge of small mirror on top of large mirror and with a hinging motion; look down through the sighting holes as you slowly rotate the pieces together. Hold for 30 seconds.

Spend time in weekly Team meetings making preparations. Construct hand mirrors for each Varsity Scout to keep with him and practice. Spend time in weekly meetings constructing a larger signal mirror that is approximately 24" X 24".

Determine a peak where your team wants to go and then sign in at www.utahscouts.org as soon as possible. Please list your top three preferred peaks. Peaks are assigned on a first come, first served basis. Doug Hickman, On Target Chairman will coordinate any duplications in peaks in the event that some other team has applied for the same peak and attempt to make sure that you won’t be off somewhere by yourselves. A Mountaintop Ceremony is conducted when signaling is complete. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of being On-Target in all aspects of their lives. This is an opportunity to have a meaningful Coaches Corner, present awards such as an Activity Pin, and discuss the young men’s feelings through a reflection. Also, this is the time to read President Erying’s letter to the boys.

Appoint an historian and photographers to record the activities. An important part of On-Target is to have a great story to tell. Those can be shared in a parent’s night. Be creative in presenting your story. Use pictures, videos, music, etc. It is most effective if the story covers all

aspects of the activity from preparation to mountaintop. Several Merit Badges can be worked on with this activity. REMEMBER that this is a great opportunity for your Varsity Scout to grow personally. Make sure the young men are involved in the planning and preparation. I hope to hear and see you from another mountain peak afar on July 19th 2014.

Our mirror signal from the top of Mt. Timpanogas in 1995

ABOUT CROWS (Coach)

The old crow is getting slow; the young crow is not. Of what the young crow does not know, the old crow knows a lot. At knowing things, the old crow is still the young crow’s master. What does the old crow not know? How to go faster. The young crow flies above, below, and rings around the slow old crow. What does the fast young crow not know? WHERE TO GO.

By John Ciardi (Italics added)


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BSA National has officially approved the Varsity Vision Leader-Specific training course as fulfilling the requirements for Varsity leader-specific training. Leaders still have to attend Outdoor Skills training and Youth Protection to qualify for the "Trained" patch. There are a growing number of Varsity Vision training courses. Our goal is for them to be held regularly in

every district and at the Stake or multi-Stake level. The response to the course has been very favorable. The key will be quality control. New Varsity Scout coaches and youth leaders are invited to go to this overnight hands-on high adventure experience, one that fulfills Varsity leader-specific training requirements for the adult leaders, but allows the advisors and youth to learn together. Plus you get to learn from actual Varsity leaders and youth team leaders. Why spend 6 hours on a Saturday inside a building when you can take your youth camping and get a better experience?

Sample of Varsity Scouting program topics covered...

• How to be a Varsity Scout Team Captain and/or Varsity Scout Coach

• How to plan for and manage a High Adventure and/or Sports program

• How to make your own activity pin requirements • How to achieve the requirements of the Denali

award • How to be successful and win as a Varsity Scout

team • How to plan your Ultimate Adventure to earn your

Varsity Letter • How to create a vision of what your team can look

like

There are no Varsity Vision Leadership Training courses listed on the web. However I know of three scheduled later in the summer: Porter Rockwell District on August 15 & 16th

Maple Dale on September 12 & 13th Lazy River on October 17 & 18th

You are encouraged to attend any one of these courses, everyone is welcome to attend. The cost for it is $10 and includes food and course materials.

You should bring a Varsity Scout uniform, tent, sleeping bag, weather-appropriate clothes, flashlight, and personal hygiene items. Anything you would need on a typical overnight campout.

Good Turns vary with every situation. The important thing is to keep forever the Good Turn idea in all of your own thinking and planning, giving it definite place and time. Just do something to help the other person, and the joy of the service well done will be your own reward. Elmer Bendiner was a navigator in a B-17 during WW II. He tells this story of a World War II bombing run over Kassel, Germany, and the unexpected result of a direct hit on their

gas tanks. "Our B-17, the Tondelayo, was barraged by flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That was not unusual, but on this particular occasion our gas tanks were hit. Later, as I reflected on the miracle of a 20 millimeter shell piercing the fuel tank

without touching off an explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, told me it was not quite that simple. "On the morning

Andy Gibbons

Varsity Vision

Leader-Specific Training

“Just One Good Turn”


Bendiner was the navigator of this

B-17 WW II bomber, second from the

left on the back row.


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following the raid, Bohn had gone down to ask our crew chief for that shell as a souvenir of unbelievable luck. The crew chief told Bohn that not just one shell but 11 had been found in the gas tanks. There were 11 unexploded shells where only one was sufficient to blast us out of the sky. It was as if the sea had been parted for us. A near-miracle, I thought. Even after 35 years, so awesome an event leaves me shaken, especially after I heard the rest of the story from Bohn. "He was told that the shells had been sent to the armoires to be defused. The armoires told him that Intelligence had picked them up. They could not say why at the time, but Bohn eventually sought out the answer. "Apparently when the armoires opened each of those shells, they found no explosive charge. They were as clean as a whistle and just as harmless. Empty? Not all of them! One contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it was a scrawl in Czech. The Intelligence people scoured our base for a man who could read Czech. Eventually they found one to decipher the note. It set us marveling. Translated, the note read:

What a terrific - true story! This story is confirmed in Elmer Bendiner's book, “The Fall of Fortresses.” Sometimes, it's not really just luck. Germans using Jewish slave labor was never a good idea.

So you see the Good Turn habit has no end of avenues down which it may go. There is scarcely a day or an hour, an event or a situation where there is not an opportunity to do a Good Turn. The point is that boys must be trained to see these opportunities and to take real joy in making the most of the opportunity.

The slogan of the Boy Scouts is “Do a Good Turn Daily.” What will your good turn be

today?

Most Wilderness survival situations start off very innocent; like a fishing trip with your friends, a 3-day hike on an unfamiliar trail, or a planned father & son hunting trip. Then things go terribly wrong and suddenly you are faced with a life and death scenario. The only thing you can do is plan for the unexpected. Sit down and go through contingencies before you set off on your trip. Once you leave, it is too late. There is an old military saying “Failing to Plan is planning to fail.” Make sure you have done this same process with your personal survival kit.

Have your young men plan and carry out an overnight camping SURVIVAL trip; this could be more than one night. Your Varsity Scouts should lead the planning—location, meals, activities, equipment, spiritual experiences, and so on. During the survival camping trip, help the young men learn needed new skills; such as primitive fire building, outdoor shelter skills, securing safe water and methods for being found. Include activities that are fun and spiritual.

The purpose is for the young man to experience endurance situations and enjoy physical activity and to draw nearer to the Lord as you enjoy the beauty of His creations in the back country. Organize a series of activities to prepare for a safe and exciting experience. These activities could span a number of weeks in preparation for the camp. For each activity, consider including something to invite the influence of the Holy Ghost. For example, a member of your Varsity Scout team could share a survival experience, bear testimony, or teach a doctrine before the activity begins.

“This is all we can do for you now. “

Lost in the Backcountry

Written by: Ken Cluff

Varsity Scout team hiking to the Granddaddy lake in the

High Uinta Mountains


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Your Varsity Scouts have been on many short backpacking campouts as Boy Scouts. They should have learned about appropriate gear and clothing, cooking, and first aid. Complete a short overnight camp and hike to check your boys out for proper equipment and their physical condition for an extended backpacking trip. This shake-down practice hike should include an overnight camp. Learn to use a GPS. Every boy should have a FRS handheld radio for communication with the other Varsity Scout Team members. An iPhone with appropriate apps is helpful for learning new methods for your survival experience while in the outdoors. There are iPhone apps for star study, first aid, tying knots and just about anything you can think of. Be sure your Varsity Scout team puts together a trip plan and packing list. As a group, develop a detailed trip plan, including a purpose statement, a full itinerary with routes, and directions to trailheads, emergency contact information, and maps. Prepare a packing list. Also, have your team Captain prepare for devotionals and plan time for individuals to pray and study the scriptures. The Right Clothes...

As a rule you should always dress one layer warmer than you need. You can always take stuff off and wrap it around your waist, stuff into your pockets or put it in your backpack if you get hot. But once you leave an article of clothing behind there is nothing worse than being cold knowing that you left your jacket in the closet. Also remember the outdoor sayings about cotton. (Cotton Kills, Friends don’t let friends wear Cotton, and Cotton is Rotten) Find and wear clothes that retain their warmth even after they become wet. Also have a shell jacket and pants of some kind for rain and snow. Remember, most cases of hypothermia happen in temperatures around 40 degrees Fahrenheit if you’re wet. Varsity Scouts who venture into the wilderness without a map, compass, and GPS are flirting with disaster. Anyone who has spent time in the woods knows that within seconds even the best woodsman can get turned around in thick trees and bushes and begin to walk the wrong way. The key to navigation is having a back up method to find your way to safety, remember “Two is one and one is none” never rely on GPS alone. Having a good understanding of cardinal directions using the Sun and Stars is also beneficial if you are thrown into a situation where prior preparation wasn’t available (plane crash, boat wreck).

Outdoor survival learning exercise... Now imagine suddenly finding yourself stranded in the backcountry wilderness. You have become separated and lost from your fellow team members while on a 50 mile hike

in the High Uinta Wilderness Area for example. Darkness is falling and you are on your own. Self rescue is out of the question. Your next course of action could mean the difference between a miserable life threatening experience and a reasonably comfortable survival situation. In this example I assume you are not grievously injured; that you can still function well enough to take care of yourself but need to know the essential steps you must take to survive in the backcountry. Do the Most Important Survival Tasks First…

The first question you should ask yourself in this situation is “what are the most important survival tasks to be accomplished?” I think many of our survival books provide information about backcountry survival skills but dwell on excessive effort devoted to finding food. Often there is minimal consideration given to the important components of survival. This one-dimensional approach to backcountry survival instruction gives many of us the mistaken impression that finding food is the most important wilderness survival task. In reality, food acquisition is at the bottom of the list for things that need to be done. I have listed what I think is the proper order of tasks most important to your urgent survival. You need a list of things to do; as each task is completed to satisfaction move on to the next in line of importance. In this way you will secure your survival in the backcountry environment you find yourself. First Survival Things First…

Should you find yourself in a backcountry wilderness survival situation you have your work cut out for you. The first twenty-four hours are the most critical. Within this time frame you must satisfy your basic survival needs; only then is your survival usually assured. The first thing you need to do is do “nothing”. That’s right, “do nothing”. Good way to avoid panic is with the word STOP. Stop, Think, Observe and Plan. The practice of keeping calm may save your life. In spite of the often overwhelming urge to take immediate action in the early stages of a survival situation, usually the best thing you can do is take it easy. Have a seat and relax for a few moments. Lay down if that makes you more comfortable. If there is food and water available, have something to eat and drink. Make especially sure you are fully hydrated. Take it easy. Quell any fears that may be welling up from within to litter your mind. Remain calm and collected because you will only have yourself and your survival skills to rely upon until rescue arrives.


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We have been writing about Survival situations many times in this Varsity Vision newsletter in the past 7 years (See March 2007 & Feb. 2009) so you should have a good survival kit put together, or do you? I think you know what to do, and how to do it. Everything will be fine and soon enough you will be home telling all your friends about this great backcountry wilderness adventure you had. Know the 5 keys to Wilderness Survival

1. Know how to build and maintain a fire 2. Know how to build a shelter 3. Know how to signal for help 4. Know how to find water and prepare safe water to

drink. 5. Know what to eat & how to find food

Inventory Survival Supplies…

Once you have complete charge of your thoughts, quickly inventory your situation. Consider the environment you find yourself in and the materials such as clothing, water, survival kit, and other survival gear you have available. Every situation is different, but try to look about you with the eye of a MacGyver. Take stock of all items you can use for survival. Depending upon the situation you should have your survival kit with you at all times. Observe the natural resources you can utilize to help you survive. Sources of fuel for fire, water, and survival shelter are especially important. Try to locate yourself in an area where these survival resources are close at hand so that you expend a minimum amount of time and energy in gathering them. Fire...

It is only one word but in wilderness survival it has many meanings. Warmth: a good fire can keep you warm in some of the worst conditions. Protection: a strong fire can keep you safe from predators and a long burning stick has scared more than one animal away. Signal: a blazing fire can be seen for miles away at night and the smoke can be seen during the day. Purifier: a hot fire can be used to boil water and keep your drinking water safe. Keep several methods of making a fire with you when traveling in the wilderness and also learn how to make a fire the old fashion way……with flint and steel.

A fire has many uses beyond warmth, light, and signaling. Just the act of making a good campfire has a calming, morale boosting effect that will psychologically save you from yourself. This is very important; in any wilderness survival situation your mind is both your best asset and your worst stumbling block. Once you make and maintain a good fire, you are assured of ample warmth, light, and an increased ability to signal for help. The boost to your morale that a camp fire causes will immediately be felt. However, in many survival situations successfully making a fire can be challenging even if you have proper fire starting materials. Fuel is often wet or of poor quality. It may be raining or snowing and there may be high winds. Only through the experience of making many fires in a variety of situations will your Varsity Scouts master this most essential survival skill. When you need it most, as in this situation, you will be glad you have honed your fire making skills by repeated practice. I would recommend your survival kit contains at least three or four methods of lighting a fire. For example waterproof matches, magnesium strip and butane lighters. Also I have a magnifying glass built into my Scout compass so that if one method fails you still have three backups. Fire is so important to backcountry wilderness survival. I also recommend your survival kit contains a fire starting aid. Petroleum jelly, wax candles or rubber fringe strips will be of great help in making a survival fire if the wood is green, damp or conditions are very windy. I think a backcountry survival fire should be relatively small; gathering fuel is time consuming and energy intensive. You do not want to unnecessarily burn though material faster than you can gather it. With a good fire going, you can safely tackle the next important survival tasks. Shelter...

The next wilderness survival priority is shelter from the elements. Without a proper shelter you may be exposed to a variety of threats including heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, and pesky insects. Do not make the mistake of relying upon current conditions to persist throughout your entire survival situation. It may be warm, sunny, and comfortable now, but in the middle of the night you do not want to be awakened by a raging storm totally unprepared.

Middle of the night snow storm


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This is a two fold mistake that will cost you your life in a wilderness survival situation. The first wrinkle of this mistake is not having a proper shelter with you; the second

wrinkle is not having the knowledge to build a shelter from nature’s tools which are all around you. When talking about someone or a group of people who died in the wilderness there is a common term that you will hear come up, exposure. Whether it is hypothermia or heat stroke, the bottom line is they either did not have shelter (tent, tarp, sleeping bag with bivvy) or they didn’t have the knowledge to build a suitable shelter to shield themselves from the elements. Remember, staying dry is the first rule of survival. If possible you may have selected an area for your fire where shelter is already fully or partially included, and where there are plenty of building materials nearby. For example a rock overhang may make an excellent shelter and by making a fire a few feet away you may have a very comfortable setup. You can use your poncho to construct a protected area or even as the basis for a debris hut or snow trench shelter. The type of shelter you construct will depend upon climate, available materials, and your abilities. Once again, the wilderness survival skills your Varsity Scout practiced before an actual survival emergency will serve them well. Signaling…

With your immediate physical needs taken care of you can turn your attention to signaling for rescue. A signal mirror can be used to flash aircraft and ground personnel from surprisingly great distances. Often a survival signal mirror can be fashioned from a piece of shiny metal or plastic. Every survival kit should contain a signal mirror. Every survival kit should contain a shrill survival whistle. The blast of a whistle can be heard farther than the shout of a human voice. And importantly, you can blow a whistle at regular intervals all day but you cannot do the same with

shouting; in very little time your voice will become strained and you will be unable to maintain the effort. A smoky fire makes an excellent survival signaling device that can be seen and often smelled for miles in all directions. Keep a ready pile of green vegetation next to your campfire and throw it on should you hear the drone of an aircraft. Put on bright colored cloths and make a flag for waving. Other good tools to have is a HAM radio, emergency beacon devices such as a ”ACR” Personal Locator Beacon or a “SPOT” GPS Messenger Personal Tracker. Learn and understanding how to create an emergency signal using rocks, trees, snow, or dirt. Getting Drinkable Water...

We all know that the human body doesn’t last long without water. The question you have to ask yourself in a wilderness survival situation is “Will this water make me sick?” Waterborne organisms such as cryptosporidium and giardia can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting that increases dehydration and reduces your ability to carry on your other survival efforts such as building shelter, finding food, and signaling for help. On the flip side dehydration will kill you in a matter of days. Without a good supply of pure drinking water, the body can become dehydrated very quickly. Along with dehydration comes poor judgment, loss of energy, and eventually you will lose the will to survive. There are several methods for purifying water (boiling it, chemical tablets, water filters or an ultraviolet water purifier) and there are several methods for catching rain water or dew. Learn these strategies and be prepared. Many people do not fully understand the importance of adequate water intake. You can survive for weeks or even months with little or no food, but go without water for even just one day and your ability to carry out the tasks necessary for wilderness survival is greatly compromised. When you become dehydrated your efficiency is reduced in many ways. You will tire more easily. You will become susceptible to injury and the effects of cold or heat. Morale will drop and a host of other problems follow. Try to locate your shelter and fire near a good source of water. This will save you having to travel far to replenish your water supply. Areas near streams, lakes, and ponds are also places search and rescue is likely to look for you. In thick forests, these areas are often more open than the surrounding countryside, which improves your ability to signal and to be seen. Always consider water as suspect in quality. Although many people now carry water filters, I teach the Varsity Scouts to


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boil the water they find in the backcountry. It is by far the best method to destroy disease causing organisms in drinking water. Simply bring your water to a boil; this is more than enough to destroy any pathogens that might do you harm.

Survival Food…

You will become hungry going without food for more than several hours, but as long as you are properly sheltered, warm, and have enough to drink you will come out of this fine. Your survival kit should contain the means to fish, trap and snare, cook, and create various tools and hunting gear. Fishhooks and line will go far in helping you catch fish. It is important to note that plants and insects are often the easiest and most abundant foods to acquire.

Paracord (Parachute cord) is a lightweight nylon rope originally used in the suspension lines of US parachutes

during World War II. Paratroopers found this cord useful for many other tasks. This versatile cord is now used as a general purpose utility cord by us. Although the Paracord bracelet is made to hold securely on your wrist while you are wearing it, it can be unraveled and the Paracord can help you in a number scenarios. Paracord bracelets are not simply a fashion statement. Paracord bracelets can serve many purposes covered in this Varsity Vision newsletter “Lost in the Backcountry” Wilderness survival article.

Survival Bracelets can be used to create a makeshift shelter. When gutted, the inner strands of the Paracord can be used to lash together branches to make a lean-to or other type of shelter. If stranded outdoors, shelter is crucial for protection from the elements (sun, wind, rain, snow). A Survival Bracelet can build snares & traps for food. The inner strands of your Paracord can be used to make traps for catching small game. Having the ability to catch food is invaluable if you are lost with no food supply - and it could save your life. Use the inner strands of the paracord to make a fishing line or a gill net from your Survival Bracelet. This is yet another way to provide life saving sustenance until help arrives.

If you have no way to start a fire use your Survival Bracelet to craft a bow drill to start a fire. Use the Paracord to spin the bow drill to create maximum friction and heat. Quickly start a fire for warmth and cooking.

Use your Paracord as a trip line when catching small game for food.

Save your life with a bracelet tourniquet. Quickly deploy a Survival Bracelet to stop blood flow if severely injured and bleeding profusely. Create a makeshift sling or splint.

To learn how to build a Survival Bracelet you can GOOGLE it on the internet: “How to Make a Paracord Survival Bracelet”. Building a Survival Bracelet can be a challenging activity for your Varsity Scout team as they prepare for the “Lost in the Backcountry” program feature this month.

Make a Paracord

“Survival Bracelet”

The Purpose of Church

Activities Always remember activities of the Varsity Scout team should

build testimonies, strengthen team members, and foster unity and personal growth.

Varsity Scout activities strengthen team members by giving them a sense of belonging. Activities should help the boys feel connected to others their age, to their leaders, and to their families. Scouting activities should be planned to fulfill gospel-centered purposes. In addition to the general purposes mentioned above, these include:

1. Developing leadership skills. 2. Developing self-reliance. 3. Developing talents and appreciation for cultural arts. 4. Gaining education and vocational training. 5. Participating in service projects that bless others and

build community relationships. 6. Improving fitness and learning sportsmanship.


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We are outdoors again, and it's good to remind ourselves that Varsity Scouts obey the Wilderness Pledge whenever we are hiking or camping, or on other activities away from the meeting place. We should be familiar with the Wilderness Pledge. It says, "Through good camping and hiking practices, I pledge myself to preserve the beauty and splendor of Americas' wilderness, primitive and backcountry areas.”

I commit myself to:

• Set a personal example in following the Outdoor Code. • Train those I lead in the skills and attitudes needed to

protect and preserve wilderness for future generations.

• Assure that parties of which I am a part observe the camping and hiking standards that will leave no trace of our passing.

It seems to me that what it boils down to is that in the Wilderness Pledge we commit ourselves as Varsity Scouts not only to preserve the environment but to make it better. For example, we not only pick up our litter, we also pick up other peoples litter. And we not only build safe fires, we try to make sure that others do, too. In other words we take responsibility as Varsity Scouts to do whatever we can to keep America beautiful. That may seem like a tall order. Nobody enjoys picking up other peoples litter. It's a lot easier to just say, "Boy, what a mess!" and pass it by. But that's not the Varsity Scouting way. On all our hikes and campouts, let's leave the land better than we found it. That's the Varsity Scouting way. A method my Varsity Scout team always used was to tie a garbage bag on the pack of the lead hiker. As we hiked past trash along the trail the boys would pick it up and deposit it in the garbage bag to be carried out.

Each of the five “Fields of Emphasis” has a young man as the “Program Manager” and he is completely responsible for that field. The Varsity Scout Team Committee is typically comprised, in part, of five adult “Program Advisors”, each having a youth as their counterpart relating to the assigned specific Field of Emphasis:

High Adventure/Sports Service Personal Development Advancement Special Programs and Events

At their teams’ annual planning meeting, the team leadership will divide the team activities into the five “Fields of Emphasis”. The Program Manager should be entirely responsible for the planning and follow through of his particular “Field of Emphasis” activity. The adult advisor is the resource person to help him with workable ideas and suggestions to solve his bigger-than-boy problems such as: transportation, equipment and contacts, etc.

The Varsity Scout Coach assures both will follow-through by encouragement, assistance, and letting the boy understand that the rest of the team is counting on him. Adult Program Advisors do not do the tasks for the boy; these are opportunities for the Varsity Scout to learn the leadership skills necessary to complete the task. So when a Mother asked me why her son went “hungry on a campout”. I can tell her exactly why:

Six (6) weeks ago he planned a campout. As the High Adventure Program Manager he picked the spot, he picked the food, and he picked the activity. He made all the assignments. He met with the Scout Committee. He waited until 4 days before

the campout to call and make sure our campsite was open. It wasn't. I reminded him for 5 weeks to call. The Assistant Coach reminded him for 5 weeks. When our spot fell through, we suggested another spot and asked him to call to check it out. He didn't do it so the AC did it for him to make sure he didn't get the opportunity to cancel the campout for others. We reminded him of his food

Coach’s Corner “Outdoor Code”


Going Hungry on a

Campout


11

assignment that he gave himself for 2 weeks. We reminded him to delegate. He didn't do it. So what happens at home when you don't cook for him? Does he go hungry? Does he starve? Nope. He knows well enough how to open the fridge and find something to eat. Here in the wilderness, we don't have a fridge so your son has to be a bit more forward thinking, plan his meal (which he did) and then he has to go out and get it. You realize he was only gone for 16 hours? I don't think anyone could starve to death in 16 hours. Isn't 16 hours of hunger one of the best lessons of accountability a boy could learn? Do I hold some accountability in all of this? YES! I do. I have not trained your son well enough to be a good leader. My accountability though only goes to the point where I have tried to help him fulfill his assignment and he chose to not fill it. Your son still hasn't attended his Position Training. Other things have seemed more important. Will you make time in his schedule to take this training? I love your son. I have loved coming to his football games. I have loved helping him work out answers to his problems. I love your son! I just can't do it all for him.

A young man and his dad were walking in the mountains. Suddenly, the boy falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh” To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh”. Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?" And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!” The voice answers: "I admire you!”

Frustrated at the response, he screams: "Coward!" He receives the answer: "Coward!" He looks to his dad and asks: "What's going on?" The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

The father screams: "You are a champion!" The voice answers: "You are a champion!" The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains:

"People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more knowledge in your life, improve your knowledge. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE

IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!

-- Unknown Author

In the July 2014 Ensign on page 53, Christopher Grimes tells in his own word the importance of Varsity Scout training. If you are having trouble getting your young men to advance in the priesthood, you may not be doing everything the Brethren have asked you to do. Brother Grimes said Varsity Scout training made his calling 10 times easier, and he had 10 times the results. The young men caught fire and carried the program themselves. His Varsity Scout training changed him; more important, it changed the young men. Here are some of my ideas along with his:

• Obtain your “Youth Protection” certificate. • Attend “Varsity Vision” Leadership Training. • Attend your Stake Little Philmont. • Attend UNPC “University of Scouting” every year. • Attend “Introduction to Outdoor Leadership

Training.” (IOLT) • Attend “Wood Badge” and earn your beads. • Volunteer to work on your Varsity Huddle

Committee in your District, (Train other Varsity Coaches at monthly Huddles).

• Serve on your Districts “Varsity Vision” Training Committee staff.

• Hold “Varsity Coach Conferences” with your boys every 3 months.

• Have leadership training for the whole Quorum and Varsity Scout team.

• Give the young men charge of leadership for the Varsity program and Teacher Quorum. You want a true boy lead program!

Coach’s Corner

“ECHO”

NEW VARSITY SCOUT COACH

Training is the Answer



12

• Help the boys plan quality High Adventures that encourage them to grow.

Varsity Scouting isn't about working on getting Eagle in Scout meetings. Varsity Scouting is designed to build leaders by doing outdoor skills and sports. BSA literature teaches that boys should be working on earning their Eagle at home while they are Varsity Scouts. You should always be available to work with your boy if he needs or wants help. You want them to earn Eagle but in the end if they are just better young men because of the exposure to the Varsity Scout program, Scouting has done its job. Get serious about Varsity Scouting, learn to love the program and most importantly that your young men deserves a well trained leader. This isn’t an easy task but very achievable, just approach it in the same way you would eat an elephant – one bite at a time. All this learning and teaching others will make you a great Scout leader, a fantastic father, a supper husband and an incredible son of God.

You may have heard that all Scouting programs will adopt the Scout Oath and Scout Law over the next two years. But does that include Varsity Scouts?

Yes indeed. That means the Varsity Scout Pledge is going away, beginning — June 1, 2014. Varsity Scouts will instead use only the Scout Oath and Scout Law. One big place this will be noticed within Varsity Scouting is in the requirements for the Denali Award.

Requirement No. 5 of the Denali Award currently reads: “Satisfy to the team captain that you know and live by the Varsity Scout Pledge.”

Beginning June 1, 2014, requirement No. 5 will read:

“Demonstrate that you possess Scout Spirit by understanding and living by the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God and how you have lived each of the twelve points of the Scout Law in your everyday life.”

The Varsity Scout Pledge is going away, here it is:

As a Varsity Scout I will: Live by the Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan; Honor the dignity and worth of all persons; Promote the cause of freedom; and Do my best to be a good team member.

As you can see, Varsity Scouts pledged to live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their soon-to-be-retired pledge. So this change shouldn’t cause many ripples within Varsity Scouting.

Varsity Scout Pledge,

Discontinue Using

What we are all about...

The Varsity Vision Newsletter provides Scouting leadership motivation and inspiration as well as a dialogue on needs, direction and policies in the Utah National Parks Council™. The newsletter Staff assembles and distributes useful new ideas, practical tips, enthusiasm and the VISION of Stand-Alone Varsity Scouting. Opinions and ideas expressed herein are

those of the editors and contributors and do not necessarily reflect official BSA policy. The Varsity Vision Newsletter is non-profit service publication to promote Scouting leadership excellence throughout the Utah National Parks Council™ and is distributed 12 times a year through

this web site:

www.utahscouts.org/Varsity Scouts/Varsity Vision

Comments and suggestions can be e-mailed to me at

[email protected].

I would like to hear from you.


13


14

Varsity Scouting was officially adopted by the Boy Scouts of America in 1984. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially endorsed the program about that same time. The following announcement appeared in the January 1984 issue of the Ensign. President Ezra Taft Benson of the Council of the Twelve, instructed the Brethren to implement the Varsity Scouting program, he said, “Varsity Scouting is a program developed by the Boy Scouts of America for young men age 14–15. Certain councils conducted a “pilot” program and as a result of the positive success, Varsity Scouting has become an official program of the Boy Scouts of America. It has now been determined by the Church that Varsity Scouting will be the Scouting program for our teacher-age young men. Varsity Scouting will replace (the old) Venturing Scouting which has been the program for these young men. Following the implementation schedule correlated with Boy Scouts of America, all wards will be expected to sponsor a Varsity team for teacher-age young men.” President Ezra Taft Benson goes on to say: “The purposes and objectives of the Varsity program have the same strong traditional principles of the past. These include spirituality, self-reliance, love of family, service in the community, and loyalty to country. These principles are reaffirmed in the Scout oath, Scout law, Scout motto, and Scout slogan. Varsity Scouting is a great new resource to strengthen the young men of the teacher quorum age. It is intended that as our young men participate in Varsity Scouting they would continue toward achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout and master leadership skills. Boy Scouts of America plans to complete training and implementation across the country by September 1984.” Several Scouters in the Utah Nation Parks Council have made some memorabilia to commemorate the 30th year of Varsity Scouting. Doug Hickman has produced a 3 ¼ inch diameter cloth patch for $2.50 each. Also he has some metal pins that are 1” in diameter and sells for $3.50 each. Doug can be reached at 149 East 700 South in Springville, Utah. His E-mail address is; [email protected]

Kevin Golding also has a great 30th anniversary hat that you can purchase for $6.00 each.

Kevin can be reached at [email protected] or call 801-717-7169 While we are talking about Patches and Pins Doug Hickman has Operation ON TARGET items you can purchase from him. The ON TARGET Patch is 3 ¼” in diameter and sells for $2.50 and a metal pin of the same design at 1” in diameter and sells for $3.50 each. Andy Gibbons passed on some information he received from Mark Francis who is the Director of LDS-BSA relationships. Mark spent a day in Redlands California working with professional staff regarding Scouting in the LDS Church. Mark said he attended their relationships meeting that evening with about 33 stake leaders. One of the topics was Varsity Scouting and as part of that presentation the volunteer in charge handed out this 30th Anniversary patch. Mark thanked us all for the job we are doing here in the UNPC. Andy said this patch originated with our UNPC Varsity Scout committee so you can see the impact we have outside of our council. These 30th anniversary Hats, Patches and Pins are in limited supply so you may want to get yours very soon.

I love this from Andy: “We have a great Varsity Scout committee, and we need to feed it like a fire with new young sticks before the rest of us turn to ashes.” This reminds me of the Crow story written earlier in this newsletter.

30 year pin

3 ¼” Dia. Patch

30th Anniversary of

Varsity Scouting

Celebration this Year

ON TARGET Patch

ON TARGET pin

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