Too Fat for the Boy Scouts? New Weight Requirement Angers Some

Larry Armstrong has been volunteering with his local Boy Scout branch for years, chaperoning trips, serving on the council committee, even becoming certified in archery instruction for a day camp. But Armstrong, at 6-foot, 2-inches tall and about 370 pounds, may no longer qualify for some scout outings because he's overweight, part of a new push by the national organization to ensure the scouts and their volunteers are healthy. A new mandatory weight requirement by the national Boy Scouts of America that will take effect next January has some longtime volunteers concerned they will be left out of trips they've enjoyed with their sons for years.

“As an old scout, I have to agree with Viking2002. If it’s a weekend, drive-in campout, no problem. If you’re going to hike Philmont for 10 days, better bring an oxygen bottle and nitroglycerin or lose weight and get in shape. Anybody can keel over anywhere, anytime; but most of us know our limitations - if we don’t we will get to know them - and if every scout used common sense, guys in this condition would refrain from this sort of activity until they were physically ready for it. OOpps - forgot - that would be common sense, and common sense has been outlawed. Sorry.”

Don’t forget the $5,000 portable defibrillator!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defibrillation

I understand.

The truth is BSA has been invaded by quite few out of control “greenies” in recent years. It is still a very conservative organization morally. Requiring members to stay physicaly fit is actually part of the boy scout law or oath (can’t remember which).

Remember this is still a “private” organization. They are alowed to make their own rules of involvement. They don’t take gay leaders and now I guess they don’t take morbidly obese ones onto events theat take them more than 30 minutes from acceptable health care.

(By the way, I checked the chart and I have to lose 10 or more pounds to go on any far away camp.)

Those posts and many like them are par for the course. Do you honestly expect EVERYONE on FR to be that sensitive?

The organization might be protecting itself OR it might be unduly influenced by PC.

These changes come about due to actual events. They are protecting the organization, the unit and most importantly, the father. Do you not think it might be just a tad "traumatic" for the boy to watch his dad struggle on the trail, having the entire group held up, or even possibly watching his dad die of a heart attack on the trail?

But why throw up a negative, an obstacle right away?

The new health and weight requirements have been announced for quite some time now. This isn't some sudden change trying to trap folks like this man. We have been consistently told over the past year or so that there were going to be dramatic changes.

The scouts missed an opportunity to help that young man improve - part of their mission statement - and the boy suffered what I imagine has turned into a traumatic humiliation, especially as it grows more newsworthy and spreads out of their community.

No, the father has failed his son, not the BSA. He chose to make an issue of it. He is not willing to conform to perfectly REASONABLE expectations and requirements and wants the BSA to CHANGE their rules to accomodate him. Again, look at my previous post to you for two perfectly legitimate examples of fathers doing what they know is right.

We are burdened quite a bit because folks have done some pretty stupid things and because sometimes, life happens. Yet the BSA works very hard to not make it so burdensome as to impact the program. This father needs to find something else he can do to help his son's unit and search within himself as to what really is important.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.