FScouter

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Fewer incidents does not necessarily mean a safer activitiy. More important than the raw injury incident totals is the injury rate. If more people ride bicycles than do hang gliding, one would expect higher numbers for bicycles even if the injury rate for hang gliding is much higher.

Agreeing with Hunt. The BSA uniform is clearly defined in the publications. The a,b,c shorthand is defined 38+ different ways and they're all different depending on who is doing the definition d'jour.

The uniform is defined by BSA. Variations adopted formally or informally by individual units or unit leaders are uniform components. Terms like class a, b, c have no universal definition.

Special design neckerchiefs must be approved by the council. They must be the same size as the official BSA neckerchieves. Refer to the Insignia Guide.

"In addition to the behind the scenes lobbying of the parents I REALLY want..." That approach is what works. SELECT the adult you want, then sell them on the job and recruit them. As you found out the e-mail 1,2,3 approach doesn't work, or at best you wind up with an adult that doesn't feel wanted and may be worse than nothing.

The requirements for Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and adult leader are found in the Cub Scout Leave No Trace Frontcountry guidelines brochure # 13-032 available at the council office. The patch number is listed. It's also on the national website: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/13-032/

Serving in a leadership position for 3 months would be one way to satisfy the leadership requirement for a silver palm. But a "titled position" is not required. The requirements are spelled out in the book. If the boy has another idea, he should approach the SM with his Handbook and work out a plan.

It is not the parents' responsibilty to select den leaders. They may be the primary group from which selection is made, but it is the Cubmaster and pack committee that makes the selections and recruits the candidates. The chartered organization approves the selections. If your pack is having trouble getting den leaders, the CM and committee need to get on the stick. There cannot be a pack without dens and there cannot be dens without den leaders. And 20 boys is not a den; its a mob of chaos. (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

One of the reasons a leader is not permitted to serve as Committee Chair and Den Leader at the same time it that it is too much work for one person. Burnout results and then the pack has two open positions.

The national council specifies patch position. A local council may design and approve a patch for wear, such as a camporee patch, but cannot autorhorize it to be worn on the uniform other than in the temporary location on the right pocket. The Insignia Guide specifies where patches should be positioned. It does not list all the places where patches should not be positioned. There is no wording that says "no patches except the OA flap shall be placed on pocket flap", just as there is no wording that says patches may not be place upside down on the back of the collar. Patches may be positioned only as specified in the Guide, and there is nothing in the Guide that says the toin' chip patch may be placed on a pocket flap.

"Everyone is pushing me to DELEGATE, DELEGATE -- which is a WONDERFUL idea. I NEED to delegate at least half of these boys to another parent, lol! They refuse to hear it." Your den is doomed to failure if you attempt to keep this going. It is the responsibility of the Cubmaster, with assistance from the Pack Committee Chair to select and recruit den leaders. My suggestion is to inform (not ask) the CM and CC that effective NEXT WEEK (not December) you will proceed with a den of 8 boys as recommended in the Cub Scout Leader book. Pick the 8 you want and send a letter to the other 12 that the CM is forming 2 new dens and to contact him for their new den assignment. Harsh, but you can succeed with 8 or fail with 20. Now that is settled, you need one assistant den leader and one den chief. Delegate to them. Request specific one-time assistance as needed from the parents of your 8 boys. Have fun and don't feel guilty at all. If the families of the other 12 boys want Cub Scouting to happen, it will happen. But no way will you find success in a "den" of 20.

The only patch the goes on the right pocket flap is the OA flap. Despite the strange geometrical shape, the Totin' Chip patch goes on a brag rag, back pack, sweatshirt, or the right pocket of the uniform shirt, but not on the flap.

"Sit right back and listen to a tale A tale of a fateful trip ..."

I hear ya. I can't count the number of times a boy has come to me and said "I can't find my Totin' Chip card, can I have another one?" Or, "I forgot to bring my Totin' Chip card, can I use my knife?"

The requirements to pass 2nd class requirement 2C are spelled out in the Handbook. Totin Chip requirements include the 2C requirement, plus 5 more requirements. See page 85 of the Handbook, or the back of the card. Interestingly, there is no specific requirement that the Totin Chip be earned or 2C be passed before a boy may carry a knife. More important is that as adult leaders, we have a duty to instill in boys the knowledge of how to use and handle knives, axes, hatchet, and saws with the highest concern for safety and responsibility. I disagree with the idea that it is OK for a Scout to use a knife or axe even though he has demonstrated unsafe practices multiple times. If a boy has been unsafe 2 or 3 times (corners cut off) shall I happily let him continue on his merry way? NOT!

Badges of rank are for boys. We have one old guy in our council that insists on his "right" to wear the eagle badge despite the national regulation against this. It really looks silly on a grown man and people snicker behind his back.

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You too could be a fountain of knowledge -- get the book, available in Scout Shops nationwide.

The practices from the olden days are interesting from a historical perspective. What relevance the old ways have on the operation of today's troop is questionable. Frankly I wouldn't spend a lot of time analyzing the differences between today's Handbook and the book of 30 or 40 years ago. Go with what is, not what used to be.

Welcome to the forums ! Feel free to jump in with your ideas and expertise. We could use your perspective on things as an SPL.

Chapter 23 of the Cub Leader Handbook has about 12 pages of discussion about all the adult leader positions, responsibilities, and how they work together. A review of that chapter at a pack committee meeting might be beneficial.

What would happen if there were no criteria?