>>Being a new assistant Scoutmaster I kept my mouth shut, at least for the first outing, <<

I know the cross over can be harder on the new volunteer parent than it is on the boys. AFter all, their role in the new troop is spelled out and they get lots of guidence on what they should be doing. Not so for most troops when it comes to the parents. They are often left on the fringe to figure it out themselves.

I would encourage you to step up and let the scoutmaster know you have some particular skill, such as survival, and that you'd like to integrate that knowledge and skill into the program. Most Scoutmasters would welcome such offers with open arms. (or at least they should.)