As I got into Scouting with my sons, I did a quick study of the Scoutmaster's Handbook and recognized that the principles and policies of the Boy Scouts of America's program was ideal for enabling my sons to realize valuable principles to live by for fulfilling and productive lives. Later my daughter followed in the footsteps of my sons as she became involved in their Venture Crew, which was coed. In support of my sons and daughter I began backpacking at 50 years old even though my doctor did not think I would be able to become as involved in backpacking as I eventually did. Initially, with the help of my sons, I had to figure out how to backpack with a nerve in my low back that would become irritated and cause a step-drag-step gate because the right leg would cease to work properly. We figured out that I could backpack all day with a lighter pack if I kept my speed down to 1.5 miles/hr. That is what I did for a number of years before I had to have a fusion of S1-L5. Then I was able to increase my speed to 2 to 3 miles/hr which I really enjoyed. Now I have lots of hardware (3 levels) in my lower back and still try to backpack.
I became an adult scouter trainer for a few years and a BSA certified rock climbing instructor. Before the last batch of back surgeries I was a Unit Commissioner for 4 units. At the end of my work in scouting, it began to change to such an extent that I could not see how they could follow the principles that scouting initially espoused. I recognized that the lawyers were crippling scouting because they wanted adults totally responsible for the boys so they could have some more business suing. The initial purpose of the Scouting program was to help boys become responsible for themselves and their own boy led leadership. I suspect that the tenant of fabian socialism, capture the centers of power, was very much at play in disabling the scouting program from being the source of powerful leadership in the nation. The shared style of leadership that was taught in the BSA is not what socialism (a type of collectivism) can tolerate.
My Church Experience:
My life-long evolvement in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is perhaps the more fundamental basis for my experience base. I saw in scouting the tool to help my children get the experiences they needed. The leadership style taught was the same with a different name. In the church the shared style of leadership is referred to as counseling in your councils. In an emergency and preparing for an emergency, the teamwork needed can be developed only through that shared style of leadership. Individuals working together as a team in a shared style of leadership develops a synergism that multiplies each individuals strengths many fold. I have seen that working to sufficient extent to know the truth of what I have stated. I have found the emergency preparedness guidelines from the church to be excellent for facilitating the development of a preparedness mind set. I review them quite often.
My HAM Experience In Communication:
One of my ways of helping my children develop their own healthy independence was to use HAM radio so they could take off into the wilderness themselves and have communication for emergencies or changes in itinerary. They learned to supervise themselves rather effectively. I continue to train with Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) to deploy for communication in an emergency. I involve myself in both voice and digital nets a few times a week that keep me ready to help in emergencies that require alternate communication.
My Work Experience:
If you do not realize by now, I'll state it. Now, in 2023, I am 76 years old. The references to legal stuff is because of my experience as an expert witness in thousands of court cases, mostly drug cases because I was the analyst. Going to court so much taught me how important a continual preparedness approach to everything was critical to survival. Our justice system is an adversarial system designed to reach the truth through opposition. Survival in such an environment meant always preparing ahead for the opposition from which ever side it would come from. That mind set has served me well throughout my life. It seems to have been passed on to my children by the way of my training. Most life lessons are learned through experience. All the experience always preparing for survival in the wilderness was a great tool. Most of my counseling discussions with my children was done on the trail to somewhere in the wilderness. What a powerful way to learn.
I guess that sums it up.
Resources:
My Scouting Background (This may be more than you will ever want to look at.)
The Church's Emergency Preparedness Site
The Church's Stake and Ward Emergency Planning Guide with which I have worked