Billdnc wrote: ↑Sun May 16, 2021 5:23 pm
When I hiked the 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail all the way through at age 65, I can not tell you how many times I gave knot tying lessons to my fellow young hikers. Most could only tie a granny at best - a taunt-line hitch for their tent guys was like magic to them.
Should have sent them to camp when I was running the Scoutcraft area. I had an assistant who was extremely picky on lashings.
There are also older folks who do not quite remember what they need to do. My grandfather's funeral in rural Northwest Kansas had an American Legion honor guard though my little brother played taps because, well, professional trumpet player and all (side note, I was the organist for the service, and my dad also played tuba, the family business). Well, the time came for them to fold the flag. They were having some struggles (mainly folding the blue inside and then trying to figure out what happened when the blue went missing or starting from the wrong side). My mother was not actually horrified. While keeping straight face, she amused herself wondering how much the whole episode was torture for me. It was all I could do to not start quietly saying, no, no no, back up, etc. I have talked many a Scout honor guard through an oops and I also had to restrain myself at the funeral from walking up and doing myself.
I related this to a Navy Captain who was supervising an honor guard from Great Lakes for a local funeral at my church. She was amazed that an American Legion post, even in a rural area would mess up like that. Granted, unlike the Navy Honor guard, I doubt the Americal Legion folk practiced multiple times before the service.