FScouter

ALL patches go on the right pocket, unless the Insignia Guide or other BSA pub says they go somewhere else.

Why would the parents want to file with the state. What's the purpose?

Are you looking to set up a non-profit corporation or just get a pack or troop started? If the latter, there's really no need.

"Tax exempt" means the organization is exempt from PAYING income tax. This should hardly be an issue for a Cub Scout pack since they don't make enough "profit" to pay taxes anyway. "Tax deductible" means contributions by others to the organization are deductible by the donor on the donor's personal income tax return. Just because an org is "tax exempt" does NOT mean that contributions to it are tax deductible. The organization must have a determination letter from IRS. It is not particularly "difficult" to obtain IF THE ORG MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS and can document it. That is the difficult part. Clearly, a pack is not a "charitble" organization as defined by IRS and would not qualify for 501©(3), but it might as an educational org. Page 18-19 of Pub 557 (June 2008) doesn't seem to relate. Are you referring to an older version?

Are there any ideas in the Boy Scout Handbook or the Cooking merit badge book or the Field Guide?

Our mission is to prepare boys to make ethical choices over their lifetimes. One way to prepare a boy is to let him make a few choices now while he's in Scouting and we can help. When he's 18, out of Scouting, and on his own he'll be the only one to judge whether he's living the Scout Oath and Law in his daily life. Now's a good time for him to start thinking about how he conducts himself every day.

"I'm going to PM you with more info." Feel free to post it here. I know at least one other forum member that is interested in how the two courses are integrated.

Yes, it's the work in between the creates learning. As Jet said "Now I get to spend the day rereading the Handbook and I'll have to make a special trip down to Council to get a copy of the ACPP instead of letting it wait until the next time I'm down there."

At the risk of being argumentative and unhelpful, I dont think anyone is trying to give the guy the run-around nor is making accusations. BSA doesnt have any advice on how to do an audit, or even what an audit might be. The Commission Helps points out characteristics of successful units and how a commissioner can assist a unit get back on track, but its hard to know if that would help since none of us know what the problem is. Its unheard of (until now) that a district executive would ask a person to conduct an audit without explaining to that person what the objective is. Its a little difficult to help come up with useful help if were left to speculate what the problem is. If the problem is simply unit leadership and finances, I guess the answers may be found in the commonly available trainings and other resources every unit has available.

"No one needs a reason to post on this forum, nor do they need to account to anyone for their posts." No reasons required at all. But look at the opening post. If one hopes to get any useful information, a few details and some context would help. Rampant speculation usually doesn't help much.

An audit is going to be difficult without the cooperation of the unit leadership and the chartered organization. You havent said but it sounds like someone with the CO went to the DE with some questions or a problem and the DE suggested an audit to address the questions or problem. But since you havent given much info about the nature of the questions or problem, its a little difficult to respond other than in general terms. I would think the DE would simply ask the district commissioner to pay a visit to the unit and find out what questions they have and help answer them. A few things a commissioner might ask about: Does the unit have adequate leadership? Is there a functioning troop committee? Have the adults completed training for their respective positions, and do they have the guidebooks provided by BSA? Does the troop committee meet regularly? Are the youth members advancing? Are there 3-4 courts of honor each year? Does the troop camp regularly? Does the chartered organization support their troop? Is the COR an active member of the CO? Does the troop have a PLC, does the PLC plan the troop meetings and activities? Do the Scouts run the troop meetings? Is there a troop calendar with events scheduled out 12 months? Does the troop keep advancement records? Does the troop have a checking account that requires two signatures? Does the troop have a budget? Does the troop have money-earning events to support the budget? Does the treasurer prepare a monthly income statement and balance sheet which is presented at the committee meetings? Is the checking account reconciled to the bank statement and to the balance sheet? Does the treasurer work with and assist the troop scribe?

That would be the assistant SPL. The assistant is appointed by the SPL shortly after the SPL is elected, and serves along side the SPL throughout his term of office. When the SPL cannot attend a meeting, campout, or whatever, he should first sit down with his assistant (and SM) and go over the plan.

Failure can be part of learning, but I don't think we strive for failure so there can be a learning experience. I was thinking more that he was not elected at all, so that might be a lesson for someone else. What is an "acting SPL" anyway. A troop either has one or it doesn't.

At the next PLC meeting there could be a discussion about how to plan a campout program such that there wouldn't be enough time for a troop rock fight.

Statistics is fun. And it is scientific, and valid conclusions can be proven using statistics. But, you have to have a real sample from the population of 2100. You get the sample by looking at a few of the 2100 and see if they had a problem or if they didn't. No fair looking only at the bad ones and calling it a sample. Bob could easily find a 3 or 6 or 10 troops that had no problem, but that proves nothing either. Pick a dozen or so random tour permits and see how long the approval time was. That's a sample.

Why did the Scouts elect a bully to be their SPL?

A couple of random comments: The mission of Scouting is not to learn and retain rank requirement skills. If Scouts can't remember what they learned, the program obviously has no need for the boys to use those skills. Fix the program. The Scoutmaster has been derelict in his duties if he does not personally do every Scoutmaster conference for every boy. Delegate other stuff, but not one of the primary Scoutmaster functions. There is a good SM Conference training on the national web site. If you're the Scoutmaster, insist on functioning as such.

Neither is wrong, you're right either way.

Go anyway. I'd take a copy of the submitted permit, plus a copy of the letter written that details when the permit was sent and all the followups. If you're going to Sea Base, let them make the phone call when you get there.

I'm SURE they were up half the night worried about a perceived hint of improriety and decided that was more important than a campout for the boys. NOT! More likely they're sending a message to the other parents and leaders about helping out once in a while. The sad part is that one or both of them should have simply announced "I'm not going on this one" and cancel the trip because there's only one leader. The ol' "against the rules" ploy preserves their image of dedication. Or maybe they aren't as trained they think and picked up that misinformation around the Roundtable water cooler.

Activities planned by the PLC, calendared by the Scoutmaster, and approved by the troop commmittee are troop events and need a tour permit. An individual Scout with a buddy (or two) working on a merit badge is not a troop activity, nor is a Scout discussing his rights and responsibilities with an elected official, nor doing his daily good turn, nor planning and executing his project for Eagle rank. Of course the girl in the Scout office insists that one be turned in "or else", but what does she know?

It's earned when the requirements have been completed.

Absolutely no benefit at all JB. Funny though how an objection arises on the rare occasion when "free speech" works both ways instead of one way. Most folks are too polite to exercise their "right" to wrestle with a pig, but that doesn't stop the pig from slinging mud anyway. Yes Mark, several years. With a couple of breaks between, no?

Its been said that a person reveals his personality through the comments made in the forums. After several years of this I think GW has sufficiently revealed his character. This kind of bickering and poking and banality is kinda like BO. Yeah maybe person has a right to stink if he wants to, and the rest of the public has not much choice but to put up with it. At some point though you ask yourself why hang around a place that stinks? At what point should folks decide to tell the guy to take a bath, or move on? I agree with Eamonn in hoping the anti-social behavior will stop, but after several years of hoping, I doubt he will stop on his own volition.

Yeah, but there's a certain satisfaction to trashing what is and replacing with one's own creation. Easier too if one has difficulty working with people. Besides, the pendants won't like it so there's even more satisfaction.