Are they a good influence or a waste?

Would you encourage your boy to join?

Good experiences, bad experiences - do you recommend it for others?

Any current/former Scouts here? Would you join again?

As an Eagel SCout and Curretn Venture Crew leader and Firearms Instructor for the council. Go for it.
I started in cub scouts but didnt learn much untill getting into Boy Scouts. Where else can you learn to do all the things that the scouts do? Interaction with other guys your age and the outdoors is a great thing.
I dropped out around 17 but then at 21 I got back into it as a counselor at the local summer camp. I ran the rifle range. Then the next 2 years I was in charge of all the shooting sports and am NRA certified as a Rifle/shotgun/muzzle loading rifle instructor. I run about 1000 kids through my program per summer and thousands more just come up for their first time to shoot a 22. The experiances are wll worth the effort. Only thing is to find a good troop that is activer and has a good adult base to help out. A troop with paretns that dont care wont go very far. My troop at one time had more adults registered than kids. (about 55 kids at that time)

They are good for the kids.

Find the Scout Master and ask him pionted questions.

If it is a active Pack/Troop(depending on age) they can learn a lot.

I learned about masterbation at the Jamboree in Colorado springs in the 60's while in the scouts.[rolleyes] No merit badge though.

If you find a good, active, troop, it's very worthwhile.  If you are lucky enough to have a couple to choose from where you live great! go visit and see what they do for a month or so.  
I made Eagle.  

Since my father achieved Eagle in the Scouts and told me nothing but great stories, I joined.  I have to say that it is one of the best experiences any boy could have.  My troop was primarily focused on high adventure camping and send one or two crews to Philmont Scout ranch every two years.  Philmont has hiking treks in the mountains of New Mexico that last ten days carring everything you need on your back.  I made four treks as a Scout and I am currently looking for a Troop that will let me go as an adult.  I made Eagle rank and Vigil Honor in Order of the Arrow which is a fraternity of Scouts devoted to service of others.  If you find the right troop and council you wont regret it.  I did a lot of growing up in the Scouts, and cherish every memory made.

I joined Cub Scouts in 3rd grade, and made it through Eagle, and Vigil OA.  I'm still involved whenever I can get the time. I worked 5 summers at the same camp as Snorkel_Bob. The BSA taught me most of the stuff that I love to do now, including shooting, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, horseback riding, wilderness survival, sailing, and all that other cool stuff.  I think it's one of the best programs out there.  The BSA is what gave me most of my love for the outdoors.  I also concur with everyone else's comments that you get out of it what you put into it, and you should spend some time checking out the various troops in your area, and pick the one that has the most opportunities.  

I happen to think that, in general, the program is getting a lot "softer" recently, and becoming more PC (which I hate), but there are still plenty of opportunities to have fun.  

I would definitely recommend it. If you have a choice of troops to join, check them all out, ask questions, talk with the adult leaders. Some are stronger in some areas than others. I personally owe a lot of what I am, and what I know to my experiences in scouting.

Like everyone else has said- It is definetely worth joining, and you should check out a few troops to find an active one.  When I was active (93-99), my troup had atleast one campout a month.

Another Life Scout here.

Never got the chance to make Eagle.

I had some of the best times of my life in the scouts. I learner to shoot, fish, camp, cook
and so many other things that have helped me
in life.

I don't know how much different it is in todays
PC culture but I would recommend it.

Do it!! get involved in scouting!!!

Just remember, that unlike the United States Army, the Boy Scouts has ADULT SUPERVISION!

Yet another Life Scout here.

It's definitely a good organization for both you and your boy to get involved in.  There are few enough opportunities for your children to get good, clean, wholesome companionship with both their peers and adults these days.  Don't pass on this one.  You and your son will both be better for the experience.

Heck, when I moved to Cincinnati after getting out of the Army, I became a Boy Scout Leader and I don't have any boys of my own.  

Good luck!

My family has been active in Scouting for years.  My grandfather was very active from the 40's to the 80's and my uncle still runs a summer scout camp in MI somewhere.  My father was an executive with the South Florida council until he retired and moved North a few years ago.

I made it to Life Scout also and one of my biggest regrets in life was not buckling down and finishing as an Eagle Scout.

I too first learned my shooting and outdoor skills in the Scouts.  Remember that CIA movie with Redford and Pitt? Redford, "Where did you learned to shoot like that?".  Pitt - "In the Boy Scouts."  It is so true.  

I saw my first M-16 up close and personal in the Scouts.  We were on a training hike for Philmont and came upon a guard hut in the middle of nowhere. (I know now what it was but cannot go into anymore details).  There were two Air Force guards there with M-16's that meant business.  We stayed outside the gate while our scout leaders were escorted inside for a while (including my father).  Being inquisitive 13 year olds, we starting asking about their armament and got a close up look at their rifles.  

Philmont and the Topmiller Canoe Reservation in central Florida were some of the best trips that I took as a scout.  I was even signed up for the World Jamboree in Iran back in the mid 1970's that was cancelled due to the fall of the Shah and subsequent Iran hostage affair.  

One of my disappointments is that my step-son never got interested in Scouting.  I was a Tiger Cub leader with him for a year.  However, he was not interested and I didn't want to force him into it.

As others have said, get into a large and  established troop.

I would like to get back into Scouting as an adult leader once the kids are out of the house and I settle down a little more.  Scouting is an great experience that is, I'm afraid, losing it's appeal with youngsters today.

PEvil has it down....

A good and Active Troop with quality leadership is the best...Go for IT!

LMAO>>>>>[:P]

I would also recommend it, especially today where most kids just want to play their PS/2.
Troup selection is key.  I was actually kicked out of scouting for fighting with the head adult.  He wanted to run everything, and having had several boys go through the troup thought he was the be-all end-all of scouting.  Unfortunately he made a bad impression and I never got to really enjoy all the benefits that scouting had to offer.
On the other hand, I may have been as much of the problem as he was.  I was, and am, very individualistic and don't take well to rules, question everything.  If you are that type of person, then scouts may not be for you, or the military either for that matter.  

I did not enjoy my time in the Scouts.

As much as everyone claims to have learned so much, we sat around and learnred to make crafts (really!). I don't ever remember doing "scout" stuff.

My Dad pulled me out when he found out we were not learning much, and taught me how to shoot, fish, tie knots, camp, etc.

Av.

I was in cub scouts, boy scouts, OA, and explorers (do they stil have that?) and want to thank you for mentioning Philmont and bringing back those great memories!

When I went to Philmont, we each bought a new Philmont T-shirt (the white one with the red and yellow writing and bull on it) before we left for the trail. Then we went off on our 10 day adventure. Then about a mile or so before hiking back into the big main camp, we changed into our still new and bright white shirts. We marched into camp in formation walking proud and doing jody calls. We ran into another troop who were all dirty and tired looking. They looked at us and one of them made some loud comment like "you'll look a lot different after you've been out on the trail a few days!" Our leader replied with something like "we're just on our way back in after ten days out!". The other scouts, having mistaked us for recent arrivals, looked at us like we had two heads or were from the moon.

Priceless!

When I think back on it, it was an invaluable experience.  We went camping every other weekend and had good times doing so.  Beats watching TV or getting into trouble.  I don't recall learning all that many useful skills, but it was good wholesome fun.  And while all that rank and merit badge stuff seemed like a joke at the time, it really does teach a kid about being organized and achieving goals.

My group was actually pretty small (just 3-5 other boys my age).  A lot of us did not have fathers around for whatever reason, and scouting really filled a void for a lot of us.  And the dads who were around got involved and had a great time with their kids and their kids' friends.  

We were not really into the whole jamboree thing, in fact we wanted to be more like a paramilitary unit (with 10/22s instead of ARs [:D]), but you can make anythig out of scouting you want to.

Without any reservations, it is an outstanding program.

On one hand, I agree with you, but on the other hand, I think the skills learned through frequent camping are very valuable. Like me, you can probably build a good fire with a single match, maybe even with no matches if you are feeling particularly manly, hairy, and pendulous. You have also acquired skills like knowing how to move through the woods quietly and without being seen, how to follow a trail at night, how to identify edible plants in the wilderness, and how to make or find shelter, etc., etc...

We may not [i]need[/i] these things unless the SHTF, but if they are ever needed, they will be invaluable.