So Tom,

No whistles, huh!

I feel vindicated from my pangs of doubt and guilt. I haven't stressed them in my troop either. While I have addressed the issue, I haven't pushed it. My theory is that the more serious scouts will probably carry them and cause no trouble. The impish and more troublesome, will, in their own casualness about everything, tend not to have one more potential engine of my destruction. I suppose I would press the point for an outing where it might be indicated. God has heretofore protected me from that eventuality.

I know I am a something of a hypocrit because I have required my own sons to carry a SAK with a tethered Hot Spark, Maglite Solitaire (any upgrades must be able to survivere the likely trip through the washing machine), and Fox Mini-40. However, my own sons can be and actually are well controlled (by themselves). Anyway that issue arose before I became Scoutmaster. While the use of the Solitaire lanyard is somewhat inconvenient in some uses of the knife, it absolutely guarantees the presence of the other tools.

Incidentally Tom, what is your reservation about sun block?

Best scouting wishes always,

John