>> scouting in your area is sufficiently enlightened, liberal, and realistic as to support the choice of fixed blade knives when appropriate<< <br><br>John, er, I don't guess we're all that different here. Depends on who talks to whom about what. There's a huge structure of folks behind the scenes working to develop and support the boys (and young women in the older programs). They don't even get the gratification of being around the scouts outdoors much, but they toil away. Sometimes it can be a real help to everyone if some unit leaders like us make the time to have some friendly dialogue with them - you might be happily surprised. <shrug> You may be more familiar than I am with the entities and folks above the unit level. I've been "drinking from a fire hose" the last couple of years, and it has been quite an eye opener.<br><br>>> I suppose that is both a father's responsibility & privelege <<<br><br>Indeed! But I'm afraid that sort of thing simply isn't possible for large numbers of kids today. So some of us step up to the plate... usually reluctantly at first. My wife has stated over and over again that we WILL remain active at the unit level as long as we are able, regardless of how old our kids are - there is too much at stake.<br><br>>> cherish the well-rounded outdoorsmen you have as scouters in your area <<<br><br>Pssht! Without even checking, I'm confident that you have plenty in your area. Let's see, there's you... the thing is, there are never enough to go around for all the units, and it can be exceptionally frustrating if the norm is "otherwise" in one's own unit. Sometimes I feel like things are "balkanized" these days in scouting - too many small units without enough breadth and depth of adult leadership. Those folks are out there, though - the trick is to find them and talk to them and get some useful spin off them to put to work in any one particular unit and/or district.<br><br>Although the unit (the Charter Organization) really calls the shots, there is a vast resource above it - usually invisible to the unit level scouters. If you can hack your way into that jungle, I hope you'll find the same "treasures" that I have recently discovered. Lots of good folks!<br><br>Good luck!<br><br>Tom<br><br>