Leadership Training

Have downtime at home? Stay up to date on your Adult Leader Training

To ensure all youth in our Unit receive a safe and high-quality Scouting experience, the Longhorn Council considers it imperative that all registered leaders fully understand the Scouting program by taking advantage of our online courses. Make sure you are up to date on your Youth Protection, Leader Specific Training and Hazardous Weather Training.

Log in today to my.scouting.org and complete training at your leisure.

Philmont 2021 -- LAST CALL FOR DEPOSITS

Just a reminder that John Kuehn is collecting names and deposits of those who would like to attend Philmont with the Troop in 2021.

The date is June 12-24, 2021.

Non-refundable deposits need to be in by TONIGHT. Your scout must be 13 1/2 and completed the 8th grade by the time we arrive at Philmont or age 14+.

Total cost will be $1,350 broken into three additional payments of $500, $500 and $350.

Visit THIS WEBSITE for more information. 

Please note, there is a section that deals with health issues. Philmont is strict when it comes to height and weight requirements in order to attend. If you have questions or concerns about this please review the website to see what Philmont expects of its participants.

Coordinator: John Kuehn (click to e-mail)

Great Scout At Home Merit Badge Opportuniites

Adapted from Bryan on Scouting

In times of crisis, Scouts find a way to adapt.

We’re hearing from Scouts and leaders across the country who have found creative ways to keep on Scouting even while practicing social distancing (staying home and remaining at least 6 feet from others if you must go out).

Today we wanted to share another way Scouts BSA members can continue their Scouting journey during this period of isolation: by earning merit badges. Below, we have listed 58 merit badges that Scouts can complete from home. The merit badges on the list meet two main criteria:

• They don’t involve visits to public places or companies.
• Their requirements can be completed indoors or in an average-size yard.
• That eliminates merit badges like Citizenship in the Nation, which includes a visit to a state or federal facility, or Backpacking, which requires three treks of at least 15 miles each.

You will find merit badges that require special materials, like Basketry and Pottery. If you don’t have the necessary supplies at home, move on to the next suggested merit badge.

SPLs have been putting together classes on Google Classroom. Be sure you're checking your email for those opportunities as well. 

Merit badges for social distancing:

American Business

American Heritage

Animation

Art

Basketry

Bird Study

Chemistry

Chess

Citizenship in the World

Collections

Composite Materials

Cooking

Digital Technology

Drafting

Electricity

Electronics

Energy

Engineering

Environmental Science

Family Life

Fingerprinting

First Aid

Game Design

Genealogy

Graphic Arts

Home Repairs

Leatherworking

Mammal Study

Metalwork

Mining in Society

Model Design & Building

Moviemaking

Music

Nuclear Science

Oceanography

Painting

Photography

Plant Science

Plumbing

Pottery

Programming

Pulp & Paper

Railroading

Robotics

Salesmanship

Scholarship

Sculpture

Search & Rescue

Soil & Water Conservation

Space Exploration

Stamp Collecting

Sustainability

Textile

Theater

Weather

Wilderness Survival

Woodcarving

Woodwork

BSA Corona Response

I know that everyone has been flooded with e-mails from any and every business you've had contact with the last 20 years concerning how they're handling their own response to the corona virus. The BSA has a website dedicated to this. If you'd like to seek out the information, please click HERE. 

Oh, and wash your hands.

Be well.

Cyber Chip

This seemed a very appropriate reminder since we will be online now more than ever in the days and weeks ahead. Today’s youth are spending more time than ever using digital media for education, research, socializing, and fun. To help families and volunteers keep youth safe while online, the Boy Scouts of America introduced the Cyber Chip.

The Cyber Chip is an internet safety protocol that Scouts must learn to earn and then renew annually.

In developing this exciting new tool, the BSA teamed up with content expert NetSmartz®, part of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children® and training expert for many law enforcement agencies. Netsmartz® has created a Scouting portal showcasing Cyber Chip resources, including grade-specific videos, for each level. Check it out here.

Topics include cyberbullying, cell phone use, texting, blogging, gaming, and identity theft.

You may print this Cyber Chip Certificate here to present to your ASM once you have completed this requirement for your original completion or recharge.

Requirements for Grades 6-8 are HERE.
Requirements for Grades 9-12 are HERE

Be sure to print THIS off while you're working on your Cyber Chip as a reminder of how it correlates directly with the Scout Oath and Law you have pledged to follow.

SCOUTS REMEMBER TWO DEEP LEADERSHIP APPLIES ON ALL E-MAIL WITH YOUR ASM'S AND MERIT BADGE COUNSELORS. 

Virtual Scouting

Welcome to a new age in Scouting! With this crazy pandemic on our doorsteps, we have moved our Scouting to the internet in a chance to lessen the impact and "flatten the curve" (you haven't heard that phrase eleventy billion times in the last week have you?

This is something new to our leadership but I can assure you that they are working hard behind-the-scenes to ensure that the momentum and learning continues and that we keep scouting on! 

If you think about it, Scouts are probably much more prepared for the virtual world than we are!  Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Be sure you're watching our Facebook Page and your e-mail for the updates. You know, the account that's been flooded with COVID-19 protocol for any business you've transacted with since 1994. But, don't ignore the Scoutbook messages... those will help keep you plugged in.

General Reminders

SCOUT BARN: Any Scout needing access to the Scout Barn must be accompanied by two adult leaders

CYBER CHIP: Your Scout’s Cyber Chip must be renewed annually as per BSA requirements, and must be current for all Rank Advancements. See Scoutbook.com for requirements based on grade.

SAFE SANCTUARY: All parents are encouraged to become Safe Sanctuary certified ($15 fee) – this greatly helps us with campouts, Troop meetings and events, and Merit Badge Counseling, as required by our Charter (Keller UMC).

TROOP MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Scouts and Leaders announcements: When you get up in front of the Troop to speak, please state your name and position that you hold for the Troop, so all of our new Scouts can get to know you.

ASSISTANT SCOUTMASTERS (ASM's):  Please remember to sign off on Scouts’ achievements on Scoutbook.com when you sign off in their handbooks whenever possible. This can be difficult on campouts, but the Committee spends a large amount of time fixing Scoutbook.com and deciphering dates to get this done at a Scout’s Board of Review time.

Life Scouts... take note

Life Scouts working towards Eagle Projects or preparing for Eagle Board of Review, as per mustangadvancement@gmail.com, please make sure you are using the current Eagle workbook required found HERE  Save this document to your hard drive before entering any information or whatever that was input will not save.

As of 9/2/19 - Mustang District Advancement Chair, Theresa Chasteen states: 

Eagle Project Approvals

1. Are done twice a month. They are scheduled the first Sunday of each month and the third Thursday of each month.
2. The scout must obtain all signatures except Council/District signature on his project proposal page E before emailing mustangadvancement@gmail.com to schedule a time to meet.
3. A parent or another adult leader must accompany the scout to this meeting. If the scout is more than ten minutes late to the meeting or does not bring another adult we will need to re-schedule for another date.
4. We are currently trying something new with the sign- up process and we will send the scout the link to sign-up once they have emailed us.

Eagle Boards of Review

1. Once your scout has completed all requirements for the Eagle Rank including all service project paperwork, Eagle Application (January 2019 version only accepted), ambition statement and has obtained a signed scouting history report from your troop advancement coordinator. The scout will email 662advancements@bsamail.org. This is Mr. Wells at the council office. He will schedule a time to meet the scout and verify all his paperwork.
2. Mr. Wells will give the scout instructions to email mustangadvancement@gmail.com to schedule their Eagle Board. This account is checked about once a week typically on the weekend. The scout must have met with Mr. Wells prior to emailing us to schedule a board. 
3. We will request paperwork be scanned and emailed to us. We send a detailed email to the scout on what we need them to send us.
4. Once we review the paperwork, again this is done about once a week, we let the scout know if we need additional paperwork or we send them a notification as to when and where the board will be held.
5. Boards of review are not scheduled until we have all the paperwork that we have requested. 
6. Boards of review are held the third Thursday of the month. Eagle Candidates are scheduled in order of receiving all documents we’ve requested. A scout cannot request which month they would like to have their board unless it is a later date. For example if they email me next week and request a September board, it will only happen in September if we still have slots open for September and they have all their paperwork in. However, if a scout sends me their paperwork this week and needs to request a board for November due to playing football, in band, theater, etc. chances are we will be able to accommodate their request.

Philmont 2021

Just a reminder that John Kuehn is collecting names and deposits of those who would like to attend Philmont with the Troop in 2021.

The date is June 12-24, 2021.

Non-refundable deposits need to be in by March 31, 2020. Your scout must be 13 1/2 and completed the 8th grade by the time we arrive at Philmont or age 14+.

Total cost will be $1,350 broken into three additional payments of $500, $500 and $350.

Visit THIS WEBSITE for more information. 

Please note, there is a section that deals with health issues. Philmont is strict when it comes to height and weight requirements in order to attend. If you have questions or concerns about this please review the website to see what Philmont expects of its participants.

Coordinator: John Kuehn (click to e-mail)

Camping Reminders

The 10 essentials all Scouts should have with them on Campouts:

1. Mess kit
2. Water bottle and/or hydration pack
3. Pocketknife (Totin’ Chip required)
4. Rain gear
5. Flashlight / head lamp
6. Layered clothing – jacket for cold nights
7. First-aid kit
8. Sun protection (Hat and sun screen) 
9. Compass 
10. Fire starter (Firem’n Chit required)

If you notice Tent/Rainfly damage on any future campouts, please set up and take photo of the tags on both with serial numbers and the type of damage and e-mail those to Wes Hunter please. That will greatly help with correcting these issues.

Scouts need to remember that electronics/phones are not allowed on campouts. If they are used on the ride there, they must be left in the vehicle that you rode in to the campout.

How Can I Help The Troop

Every Scout’s parent(s) should be involved with the Troop in some way as follows in order to exemplify servant leadership to their Scout. Do so by stepping up to be either an Assistant Scoutmaster, being an active Committee Member, serving as a Merit Badge Counselor or assisting at any of our special events.

• Assistant Scoutmaster (also referred to as an "ASM") – ASM’s help run the monthly campouts, as well as long-term camps, for the Troop, and also sign off Scout handbooks when Scouts show they have completed rank requirements. To be an ASM, you must provide a BSA Adult Membership Application and pay the applicable BSA National and Longhorn Council Insurance fees. 
• Qualifications:
• Scoutmaster-specific training (we typically offer this training at the March Tenderfoot campout to any Adults that are interested)
• Introduction to Outdoor Leadership Skills Training (IOLS) – Weekend campout of adults training with District volunteers to learn most of the Trail to 1st Class requirements of Scouts – conducted by Districts in the Longhorn Council (small fee for food etc)
• Youth Protection Training (YPT) – all adults should already have this – https://my.scouting.org
• Safe Sanctuary certified with the Keller UMC is greatly, greatly preferred, as are always in need of Safe Sanctuary certified Adults at campouts and other Troop activities, as required by our Charter.  ($15 fee)
• Committee Member – Members of the Committee serve in various capacities, including but not limited to Treasurer, Merit Badge Coordinator, Advancements Coordinator, Membership Chair, Boards of Review Coordinator, Outdoor Activities Coordinator, Long-term Camp Coordinator, Medical Records Coordinator, Troop Training Coordinator, Committee Chair, and Members at large.  With a Troop our size Troop, we hope to have at least one back-up for each of these positions. To be a voting member of the Committee, you must provide a BSA Adult Membership Application and pay the applicable BSA National and Longhorn Council Insurance fees. 
• Qualifications
• Online training – Troop Committee for Scouts BSA https://my.scouting.org
• Youth Protection Training (YPT) – all adults should already have this – https://my.scouting.org
• Safe Sanctuary certified with the Keller UMC is greatly, greatly preferred, as are always in need of Safe Sanctuary certified Adults for Boards of Review, as required by our Charter.  ($15 fee)
• Merit Badge Counselor
• Qualifications
• Fill out MBC application – obtainable from the Merit Badge coordinator in the Committee room or clicking the link above.  You must provide adequate information identifying education and/or experience as to your general qualifications for each chosen merit badge, and you are limited to no more than 16 merit badges.
• Online training – Scouts BSA – Merit Badge Counselor Training - https://my.scouting.org
• Youth Protection Training (YPT) – all adults should already have this – https://my.scouting.org
• Safe Sanctuary certified with the Keller UMC is greatly, greatly preferred, as required by our Charter.  ($15 fee)
• Special Event Volunteer
• Christmas Party coordinator
• Fundraising
• Flowers (Spring and Fall) coordinator 
• Art in the Square – Southlake coordinator
• Scout Saver Cards (previously Camp Cards) coordinator
• Courts of Honor coordinator (quarterly event)
• Scout Sunday coordinator (annual in February) 
• Merit Badge College coordinator (annual in January/February – 2 Saturdays)
• As needed when the call for help comes out
• Qualifications: Any adult having YPT could help with the above specific events. https://my.scouting.org