Leaderboard

One of the things that has I have often felt as a leader is that the concept of breadth in merit badge options should be reinstated. IN the fifties and sixties we had the required badges of the time, but also a "selection" from a number of categories which broadened the picture. It was similar to the once required college breadth for graduation that included classes from the less common areas, including art and music. That, in my opinion, leads to a bit more depth of knowledge and the world in general. What might be the thoughts on this being reinstated in a more modern manner?

Good idea. Currently there are more options within the required list than when I was a scout, but not like before. Apparently these always fluctuate. Sadly what is not fluctuating is the continued erosion of the mB part of the program by summer camps, "universities" and troop only counselors. Scouts are less and less benefiting from the mB process by having the badge be the sole aim.

While this seems true, I am not convinced it is. On the other hand, I do perceive that many have turned inward, so to speak, and are tring to find the path that will allow the real Scouting to again bloom. But, I also am seeing far too many "giving up", or simply retreating to do what they feel will work, regardless of pressures from the outside. Scouting is best in my worn views when shared with a broader group of youth and adults. BP called it aa brotherhood, and it still is if we allow it. How to allow it with the issues we face is the greater struggle. I hope my great grand nephew, who has an Eagle father, and a Scouting believer as a GF will still experience the better possibilities. Would I live to see him also become an Eagle, or simply like his GF, a firm believer in the Spirit of Scouting. We have a gathering of Leaders locally at a breakfast on Saturdy coming, and the interhanges from the first two of these recently institued sharings has proven worthwhile. The Merit Badge events, for example have been over hauled and are getting better and more focused on the actual requirements. Also, they are nown being broken up to fewer badges, instead focusing on just a dozen or fewer. Still a long way to go, and I am still fighting with them to recognize the need to put our history forward, as well as sevice beyond the "big" events. Community is still silently behind the ideas of Scouting, but they too seem to be holding their brath to see if we can fight our way back. Time will tell, and hopefully I may hold on long enough to see the larger steps.

Unfortunately, it is the new morality, which is "I got mine, the hell with the rules". I saw it when BSA started admitting girls, and Cubs were the "trial run", with supposedly separate-sex dens. Then supposedly separate-sex troops. I heard more than one "leader" on here and on FB admit that they had gone fully co-ed, because "that's what works best for us", while maintaining the charade on paper. I "retired" from Scouting in 2018 after having been a continuous member of the same Council since 1963 (Eagle 1970) as a Cub, Boy Scout, OA, Explorer, and adult leader in nearly all positions including District and Council Committees. When I let them know I would not be re-registering, the response was "ok, thanks" and thus it ended. I do not regret leaving as I feel the BSA has lost its way, as evidenced by the plummeting membership numbers.

It does. And there is "chaos" and cheating all around. Be responsible for what you do. I have been asked many times to sign off something a Scout has not earned, or that I have not witnessed. I politely refuse. This is the best example we can give. And to admit our own mistakes and how we have tried to correct them. If you go looking for offenders, they are easy to find, but you will not win the day by identifying them, pointing them out, and imposing your will to make things right. In their hearts, they know they are cheating, being dishonest, or gaming the system. So do their parents. When their heart is right, they will ask you to show the way. Pray simply that God and our consciences will convict us, so that our hearts would be right, and that we will follow the truths of the Scout Oath and Law. "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

This old guy feels as if it does matter and we should stop accepting these types of things and putting some honesty back into our units and setting a better example. Probably, and sadly, you are likely to be more correct than I am, and we seem to have lost sight of much of the best Character examples we have tried to exemplify over time. But, maybe not??

Sadly I do not think it matters. The focus has been on MBs and Eagle, no one focuses on fun, adventure, and personal growth. Besides, a lot of places are giving MBs away.

As a Merit Badge Counselor (Bugling, if you want to know), I have maybe three objectives. Certify the fulfilling of the requirements, help the Scout MEET those requirements and have some "Scouty" conversation with the Scout about their life and adventures.... So I have been both surprised and gratified in how diverse and advanced some of these Scouts are. For instance, there is a Russian Philosopher named Ivan Goudinov (you can look him up). How is it these young kids know of his writings? Like, when the Scout, in my instance, plays one of the calls and then asks "Mister SSScout, is that Goudinov? " Indeed.....

No. Our phone policy has always been to use it in accordance with the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Same with earbuds, headphones, computers, handheld video games, radios, televisions, air defense systems, etc, etc, etc. A Scout's handheld computer is an awesome tool, and we should not restrict their using it to acquire or track information as long as it is appropriate to the occasion (like plant identification, or for a merit badge like Photography/Astronomy/Bird Study/ etc.) If I went to a camp and they tried to limit my use of a phone as an adult, I'd politely tell them to pound sand. But I hold myself to the same standards... must be done in accordance with the Scout Oath and Law. For example, during a class, meal, or campfire, I have my phone set to vibrate. If a parent tries to contact me, I excuse myself from the campfire and take/return the call. Parents are instructed to contact adult leaders only in emergencies, btw. We police ourselves, thank you. We do tell parents that these mega-expensive items are best left at home, and that the Scout bears responsibility for the security of the device while on the trip. If we have to take the device because as Scout is not using it in accordance with Scout Oath and Law, we safeguard and return it to the parent at the end of the trip. When in doubt, ask... How else are they going to learn?

Sounds about right. The IT structure was built on the assumption of a certain number of staff available to address unique cases. Keep up those calls and this will get cleared soon enough.

At least in my area, parents are pressuring for Eagle. Units that do try and focus on adventure, fun, personal growth, etc instead of advancement do not get new Scouts as parents look elsewhere. Even my new troop is focusing on advancement. Yes it has. And be told by the rules lawyers you are "gate keeping," "adding to requirements," etc. @InquisitiveScouter sadly the leadership at the top is encouraging this, and they do not care what the old boots on the ground want who want to maintain standards want. Heck there is now a majority of volunteers support for them and their decline of standards.

It does matter, but the train left the station long ago.

When my son was 8, he broke his arm in a playground fall that occurred while he was participating in a day camp run by a well-known community organization. He fell just 2 feet but landed on his arm awkwardly. Our health insurance company wanted every detail about the situation so they could prove that << well-known community organization >> was liable and avoid playing the claim. It got to the point where we considered paying the $4,000 ER bill out of pocket because we didn't want to bring harm to the organization (who also provides us with reliable after-school childcare during the school year). They eventually dropped their attempt, but our deductible is pretty high, and we wound up covering the entire bill anyway. Given the extent of our troubles for a standard playground fall, I can't imagine the insurance nightmare this situation will be with a 12-year-old aggressor, a leader out vaping, and a wounded national organization that's just a walking claim-paying machine.

""Is deestant cousin...""

You should introduce them to Boris Badinov and Natasha.

I really wonder why anyone would still go to the Scout Shop and buy the printed versions when they are available to download at no cost.

Okay. I just saw the following. New requirements online and QR codes to access/ Scout shops to get new MB pamphlet inventory. I always think about the carrying cost. Ouch. https://www.scouting.org/program-updates/important-update-merit-badge-requirements-moving-online/

But Hawaii was different; it exposed that the NCAP process isn't as good as they thought. This doesn't touch national directly so would they get involved? I see this as compartmentalized to the council level at the highest, probably going to be pushed down to the unit level. Also looks like the details are developing. It appears that the leader being sued is being sued because the parents viewed him stepping out as a catalyst for control of the scouts to leave even though they admit there were at least 2 other adult leaders in the room at the time. The parents are also admitting that many other adults were in the room but somehow no one saw what happened actually take place. I know someone saw somewhere that the council was the CO but I can't find that; I did see in these articles that the pack meeting was taking place at the council headquarters. I think either way the council is going to be exposed to risk because the altercation took place on their property and wasn't reported in a timely manner. https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/family-speaks-out-lawsuit-against-scouting-america-cub-scouts-leader-alleged-attack-on-son/512-9aff2dfd-6234-4126-a5c0-20c91ef3dd1c https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/boy-5-left-hospitalized-after-brutal-beating-at-boy-scouts-meeting-lawsuit-says/ar-AA1XR6Lm?apiversion=v2&domshim=1&noservercache=1&noservertelemetry=1&batchservertelemetry=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1 This is also going to cause Erie Shores to take a big hit on their Quality Council incident reporting scoring.

That's not how garrisons work. Just not. I guess another non-military non-veteran thought on something this week. The West Point camporee presents a unique situation where cadre and cadets put so much into it because so many have a connection to scouting back home and get to invite their home troop. Not even GSUSA can replicate that network and process. No other scouting organization will have that relationship, it took half a century and literally millions of past members of BSA to create that network and connection to the academy. If Scouting America gets kicked out of the West Point camporee it means the camporee is dead. I highly doubt any other scouting organization will have a relationship with the military like Scouting America. Congress no longer issues charters for some reason; I've seen how this affects newer veterans groups, too late to the table and unable to fill the same space as the older groups like AL or VFW; those groups become niche organizations that are mostly filled by politically hungry people unwilling to put their time in to get district or state level leadership positions in the older groups. Trail Life in itself has some other issues that will keep it on the outside, Right now the political arm of the military is VERY protestant and pushing a very protestant position towards things; however, most of the military historically doesn't practice religion outside of boot camp (lots of "no-religion" people suddenly become "Non-denominational Christian" in boot camp when they realize the church goers go to mass on Sunday while the non-church goers scrub floors and garbage cans). Then toss in that the overwhelming largest religious group in the military is Catholic and you have a big problem (The Catholic church endorses Scouting America as it's partner group through NCCS, and Trail Life is anti-Magisterium).

When I first took over in January of 2025 I saw myself staying as Scoutmaster for at least a year or two after my youngest aged out. He turned 18 this week, and I'm stepping down. I'll be taking on the role of Eagle coach instead. The biggest challenge was time, made worse by the lack of parent involvement in the actual running of the Troop. Of those who were willing to volunteer time, I'd say about 80% of them only wanted to be in an administrative type position - committee member, advancement chair, service chair, etc. Of those who were ASM's, one never came camping even on the trip they were in charge of organizing, and one needed to be hand-held through everything to the point it was faster and easier for me to do it myself. (Crazily, this parent is an Eagle, yet can't cook a meal or put up a tent that isn't their own.) Anywho... it's been great, and awful, and everything in between. God bless those of you who are in this role. I figured I'd share the message I sent to our Troop after the latest political issues, because I think it's a message that's needed no matter what we're facing, but didn't want to clutter the other thread. Although I have just one more week as your Scoutmaster, I wanted to issue a statement of support for ALL our scouts, our friends, and our families. I wholeheartedly believe in the overarching mission of Scouting, which is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." That doesn't change how we are meant to treat others, no matter what is said by outside individuals or administrations. Trustworthy and Loyal means a scout can be relied upon to act with understanding, Kindness and Courtesy in their interactions with others. Scouts should strive to be non-discriminatory and Helpful to everyone around them. In short, the same principles that Baden-Powell espoused when forming this organization still stand today. Do your best to continue to be the amazing young people that you are.

This theme has appeared often over my time here on the forum, and it almost alway comes back to reality of lives and responsibilities outside of the program. Early in my long tenure, now fiftyish, I was visiting my parents and mentioned my frustrations to my father, the man that in my youngest years worked three jobs, one full time with a long drive to and from. Anyway, he looked at me and laughed. He said something to the effect of, "nothing new". Then he asked if I thought that all my scout brothers' parents were involved as he was. He was on the committee in a number of jobs, as actually was my mother for the time. She had been a denmother for my brother. He told me a couple of stories that matched mine like a Polaroid almost. Then he told me that if it was important to someone, they somehow would work at it and often find the time. But also he told me that life could wear you down, and that Scouting involvement also could, and likely would.

More than everything, lack of parent volunteers will damage this program. I took a similar step a few months ago .. it is sad seeing the change over the last several years. Went from more than enough parents willing to camp and lead outings to crickets.

Some minor good news, sort of. Received email from Trust that they tried to send me a modest wire today, but it was rejected because of who knows what at the bank. Will call them tomorrow. But something is moving.