Eagle92

SR, Some lodges will put on seminars on Native American culture, i.e dance, singing, as well as OA ceremonies. The biggest being the Indian Summer that was put on by national during one of the recent off years due to NOAC and jambo being moved aroound for the BSA's centenial. Na d they go by different names. can't speak for most of them, but at both the Tiak Lodge Indian Seminar amd Carolina Indian Seminars I've been to, the instructors are top notch. Some are native, some are society member, usually Hethuska and the various Goard Dance societies. Also have with the singers, several have "family" up your way, and they do perform on the powwow circuit. Again good folks.

Hey, are you an Indian Lore MBC? great excuse to go if your are?

SctLedr is correct. Also some of these seminars are open to anyone. I've been to the Carolina Indinan Seminar and the Tiak Lodge Seminar. While the majority of folks were OA, some were not. Heck a lot of the instructors are not active in scouting, let alone the OA. But they have alot of knowledge, especially the dance instructors. I believe one lodge's danceteam has an affiliated Venturing crew as they had a lto of young ladies dancing.

I have mixed emotions on this. i don't like forcing anything on anyone, but knowing what fears that OCD can cause, it may be a good idea. These seminars are excellent, especially if they are some of the bigger ones where folks from all over come and teach at. If it's Carolina Indian Seminar, I can pretty much guarantee he will have a great time. I went 2 years ago and want to go again. Being on baby watch last year prevented me from going, and this year is our district banquet.

As long as I could remember, venturers, and explorers before them, could earn eagle. get a copy of the advancement guidelines, as well as a current Eagle application, and have that friendly chat with the Advancement Chair , District Chair, and DE. If that doesn't work, break out the big guns and contact council advancement chair.

Ok I was in the local Walmart a few weeks back, and passing the outdoors department, I noticed hiking socks that i though were identical to the new uniform hiking socks. A few days later, I wore my uniform socks to compare, but they were sold out, being Christmas. Now my wife went shopping yesterday there yesterday, and picked me up a pair of pants that are almost identical to the new uniform pants. Same zip off legs, same color, etc. Only difference was the cargo pockets were two cargo pockets, one outside the other, on the legs. Now we all know how the ChiComs feel about copyright infringment, patent violations, and what not. Just ask ATT who had a bunch of their tech stolen in the 80s, and Microsoft who had their tech stolen in the late 90s, early 2000s to name a few. Also if you want cheap rip offs of valuable patches, well you know that the ChiComs also produce and sell those as well. I am constantly seeing ripp offs on ebay from a Chinese seller. So is if this is the case, is there anythign that national can do about it?

In my old troop, it was also organized chaos at meeting and on trips. But when we did get visitors, 90% they stayed with the troop. This was vital as for the longest time, we had no feeder pack. Once we got a feeder pack, we worked with the CS leaders to get a specific date. Yep we had an organized nite that night. Depending upon what the Green Bar wanted. We had everything from teaching basic camping skills in prep for their campout with us, to having the SWAT team put on a display, always popular. Key was the scouts decided via their elected leaders. In conjunction with the visit, we also had a campout specifically for the CS. Usually it was a "wilderness survival" weekend in which they learnt lashings, build and slept in shelters, and did no utensil cooking. that trip was so popular with both the scouts and CS, ti becasme THE webelos oveniter for the troop.

When I ran a TP we had some of the followig food items. Nachos Pizza ice cream Slushies Slushies were the #1 food item as they were cold, and didn't contain caffeine. Microwavable pizza are great, especially if you can get a small plug in oven or pizza cooker. I had access to a pizza cooker and it was excellent, almost like take out. One caveat, after the first week of camp, the SE stopped us from serving food 30-60 minutes before meals, i cannot remember exactly how long, b/c alot of camp food was being thrown away. I cannot reiterate glow sticks and lace by the yard for the CS. flaslites and batteries too. i'l aslo carry 1 or two disposable cameras. Also any type of craft that is requirement oriented and they can make at camp. If i can possibly find my old proposed SOP for a summer camp trading post that I wrote up for national, I'll email it to ya. It had a very detailed inventory items of what you want. Also you can see if council still has a copy of it. I know when i first moved back, I emailed a copy of it to the Dir. of Support Services, who was also the camp director. (This message has been edited by eagle92)

A very nice scrap book with all availble pictures over the years. trust me if you have had "photographers' in your pack taling pics, the number of photos could add up in cost.

Forgot to add that the only time I've seen a "Boy Scout" receive their AOL is when the Scout completed all the requirements for AOL and met the 11 year of age and wanted to go camping with the troop before the AOL/Crossover ceremony. Since I wanted to go camping, I turned in that application I filled and went camping on my 11th birthday. But that was when you had to either 11 or completed 5th grade and have the AOL. WAY BACK IN THE DAY!

I have to agree you cannot have a crossover until they get the AOL. Without the AOL, they are not eligible for the crossover. So it need to be pulled for the BnG. Also since I can remember, The only time I have not seen an AOL and Crossover combined is when the scouts were not moving on into scouting. And that has happened only 1 time in my 26 years in scouting. usually you have a combined ceremony, with those boys getting the AOL being joined by boys you didn't but are moving on anyway. Usually these are scouts who joined late in the program.

Xtreme, here's the challenge, While 18-20 yos can serve in adult leadership positions in both cub scouts and boy scouts, they are limited to an assistant's role, i.e Assistant TC den leader, ASM, etc. They cannot be in the primary leadership role. Nor can they serve on any committees. Yep 18-20 is the gray area of scouting. As someone once said about being Eighteen "Im a boy and Im a man."

yep 32x32 is the traditional size for the square necker. However I'ld recommend 36x36 for your adults and taller/larger scouts.

I did have 1 scout in my unit who needed to petition national his EBOR sicne it was more than 3 months after his 18th birthday. What was his excuse, district could not send a representative to the EBOR before the young man left for basic training. Upon his return from basic training, all arrangements were made and on the nite of the EBOR, that was whenwe were made aware of the 3-6 month rule. So no EBOR. HOWEVER, the EBOR did have anice little "chat" with the young man about what he's learned im Scouting and how he has applied it to his life. The district rep also explained the entire appeals process so that it could be expedited. the Dist. Advancement chair, troop committee members that would sat on the EBOR, unit leaders, and his reserve CO all wrote letters to national encouraging them to grant the EBOR. He got permission from national, had an EBOR that lasted about 15-20 minutes, and passed. My suggestion is start the appeals process NOW and document everything. I would also have the eagle candidate make the calls himself on a regualr basis, documenting thathe did so.

Sorry last sentences above should read 'the only 19yo female ASM I KNOW are also venturers." And they doa good gob too."

XTREME, interesting situation situation you brought up. Up until a few years ago, I thought that 18-20 YO ASMs had to be nominated, only to find out that isn't the case. They need to meet the First class rule and be elected. So may not be possible for them to get elected b/c they cannot get first class. Then again the only 19YO female ASMs are also venturers in the affiliated crew. They do a great job BTW.

If the sole purpose of allowing female venturers into the OA is to increase numbers, I say it's for all the wrong reasons and would be against it.. Now if the purpose is to recognize those venturers, both male and female, and leaders who are worthy of the ideal of Scouting and the OA, I could live with it. I already know of chapters and lodges that have heavy AIA activities that have venturing crews affiliated with them, Aracoma Lodge having one of them. It will cause lots of problems, and there will be some who will not like it, especially the old guard. I remember the complaints I heard when ladies were allowed into the OA. Just my.$.02 worth, and as someone stated before me, my vote don't count. (This message has been edited by eagle92)

pack, Then new health form that go into effect Jan 1 2010 has the SSN spot on it. That's because hospital's will use it if folks don't pay. So a hospital does ask for it. HOWEVER they cannot deny care because you don't a SSN. That's a violation of the federal EMTALA law, so the state laws cited in the FAQ is null and void. Trust me hospitals a VERY sensitive with EMTALA. I have to go through EMTALA training every year and I am not a clinical staffer, I'm support. SO if you are uncomfortable with having it on the form. DON'T DO IT. Let's face it if if a SSN was required for medical care, a lot of folks who use emergency departments would be out of luck. Now a copy of the insurance card attached to the form I like.(This message has been edited by eagle92) Edited; I like the insaurance cards UNLESS the policy number si your SSN(This message has been edited by eagle92)

From this website http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/2008_CQA_Recognition_form_14-238W.pdf Individual Recognitions Available Through Council or Scout Shop Awards can be ordered from the Order Form for Units, (No.14192). Emblems: If the unit qualifi es, you can order and purchase them for your youth and adult members to wear on their uniforms. If the unit is a 100% Boys Life unit, they can order a special emblem. They are worn on the right sleeve 4 inches down from the shoulder seam. (Only the most recent earned emblem may be worn on the uniform.)

CA Since the COR is a member of the district committee, do they have a working relationship with the DE? I'ld have her talk to the DE about the situation. I'ld also stress how by losing her, the unit may fail to recharter b/c the CO no longer wants a unit. That will get the DEs attention. Maybe a compromise can be worked out. Packsaddle did bring up a topic that is near and dear to my heart. maybe that is an added benefit of this new policy.

Evmori, I mave mixed emotions onthe topic. On one hand I like to keep my info confidential, especially since I work in one of the top 50 cities in the US for identity theft. I also know that in this age of companies and government being unsafe with our info, i.e. USAF computers found with SSNs, companies getting databases hacked, etc. Maybe as a compromise, the leader could go down to the council office and submit the application directly to them, with the appropriate signatures of course, and fill out the SSN there. After all that block is blocked out ont he copies.

What happend is that in 2003, your SSN is required for all adult leaders so they can do a background check. Initially leaders who have been in the same psoition prior to 2003 were not checked. Back in Spring 2008, it was announced that ALL leaders who had not had a background check doen before would need to furnish the info to have the check done. A letter was sent to thsoe folks needing one, and they had until a certain date to do so. If they refused, then their membership was revoked until the background check was done.

Dr. Dean, Unfortunately you cannot be a member of your old lodge as you are no longer in that council. You have to a member of the lodge that your council operates. So I would see about getting involved in your new lodge. HOWEVER it does NOT stop you from collecting you old lodge's memorabilia, nor does it stop you from attending any OA events at your old lodge when you visit. unles that lodge has a policy against it. And from my expereince, the lodges I've been involved with love it when we have guests from other lodges. As for wearing the old flap, yeah you are not supposed to do it. but I do know that some lodges do not frown upon the pratice. My current lodge does not as we have a large military presence in the lodge, and our flaps are restricted. Usually people transferring in will wear thei old flap until attending a lodge event and get a new one. Me personally I've put all my old lodge's memorabilia in displays, except for the lodge's honor neckerchief. That get's worn on special occasions. most of the time though it's my current lodge's necker.

Sctledr is correct in that you have the duty to contact the SE immediately! Call the office and mention youth protection, 99.9999% you will get the SE. This may be just my local council's policy, but if a supsected incident happens after office hours, contact the DE immediately and he will call the SE. Yep I had to wake up the SE about a YP issue at 2AM one morning when I was a DE back in the day. NOT FUN You do not want to deal with an issue at a scouting event, that is not fun. Nip it in the bud NOW, before anyone else gets hurt. As for legal issues, don't know the exact terminology, but you are protected in most, possible all, states from any false accustaion charges if the accustation is false. Again the youth are the primary concern.

Here are some of my ideas. 1) Have the VP of Program Plan all council level activities 18 months in advance. right now it's 12 months, and sometimes after the council calendar comes out, things get added to the calendar or dates change. Once it's set, keep it set. 1a. EXCEPTION when it's possible to have multiple events at the same location. An example of this is could be the council can hold a BS camporee at one camp, a Venturing rendevous (I think that's what it's called) at the camp 2 miles down the road, and the program Extravaganza for all leaders at one section of the camp hosting the rendevous. All three activities within 2 miles of each other. It may be possible to hold UoS and District committee training at the same location. 2) Space events out through out the year so that two events are not going on at the same time, or even back to back. Some of us have to make choices when activities are back to back in order to fulfill family and work commitments. Plus it allows units the opportunity to do their own program, and not constantly doing council activities. 3) In addition to Council activities, district activities that are 'set in stone" like camporee, RTs, banquet, etc need to be placed on the council calendar and should not conflict with the council calender. 4) We need some type of either newsletter or updated council website that lists all added on district events, i.e training, that is based upon the needs of the district. This is my biggest pet peeve at the moment in that we do not have an active training chair at the moment, and I have no idea when other districts are offering stuff like BALOO and OWL. Yes training is a pet peeve of mine at the moment. Our council is so large, it's pretty much every district for themselves when it comes to conducting training, i.e NLE, CLS, IOLS, BALOO, OWL, etc. So if you don't have enough staff and/or interest in conducting a training, it doesn't get done and you have to find the course yourself elsewhere with out any assistance from the DE. Hopefully the new council training chair will fix this problem. I remember sitting in the scout office with my district program chair, other DPCs and a few of their DEs, the VP of Program , and all those who were running council events with calendars and planning the calendar. It was along drawn out Saturday, but the calender had fewer problems. Ans as a DE who was supposed to attend EVERYTHING, it was manageable. Ok off soapbox.(This message has been edited by eagle92)