FScouter

Are you asking for guidance from the "Uniform Police"?

Hmmm... "making choices"? Did I hear something about that somewhere??

Please splain what is "shotgun"? Is that like the final scene in "Easy Rider"?

If it bothered me enough, I'd take the simple and direct approach. Find out which troop the boy was from and and tell the SM I was offended.

If someone designs, manufactures, and sells knot patches not authorized by BSA for use on a Scout uniform, it is reasonable to expect to be bashed about it. Your position on this brings doubt to the validity of the rest of your web site.

From the book Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures #33088D: "An approved merit badge counselor may counsel any youth member, including his or her own son, ward, or relative."

The standard USGS quad sheets don't have enough detail for orienteering competitions. Orienteering maps use a topo map as a base, and details are added based on surveys in the field. I've done a few competitions, and without the details, you'd be wandering around in the bushes.

The Insignia Guide is written for those that care about the uniform and want to wear it correctly. There is no such thing as a hat pin restricted to adults only. Refer to the Insignia Guide. The internet if full of sources for imitation Scout merchandise.

"Don't worry about the so-called "Insignia Guidebook." Nobody pays attention to that stuff except cranky four-beaders and people on the Internet." What's a "four-beader"? I pay attention to the Insignia Guide. Why not?

Which part of the shirt is the most recognizable? Maybe we could ditch the patches, or have the manufacturer sew on 2 or 3 generic "Scout" patches. That would make it easier on everyone. OR maybe the patches are what is most recognizable. In that case we could just glue them onto a tee-shirt and ditch the Scout shirt. Hey, maybe just a fancy Boy Scout hat. That ought to be sufficient recognition for the public.

A colored loop fits on the button down epaulet.

No one is saying a uniform is required to join. I am saying that it is not permissable for a unit to codify "we don't do uniforms". That is NOT a unit option.

Backpacker - Both of your posts are a clearly a shot. Don't be surprised if someone takes umbrage. What is your purpose in being antagonistic?

Ed, you are absolutely wrong. There are statements in various publications that boys should be encouraged to wear as complete a uniform as possible. Also, there is no hard and fast published rule stating uniforms are required and must be worn. You may infer from this that "a uniform is not required". That is far different from a unit making a decision that the uniform method will be cast aside. Units have no right to vote out program methods. Ed, you have said many, many times that you love the uniform and wear it at every opportunity. If you love the uniform like you say you do, a logical person would think you would encourage others to wear it. Why is it then that EVERY TIME a uniform discussion arises you make a point to give permission to forum readers to skip the uniform?

No. The idea of boys making decisions does not include deciding to eliminate the Boy Scout program methods.

"They have decided to do their own thing." That says it all. Why waste time with a few mavericks that think they can invent a better wheel? Maybe they can but more likely they won't be able to deliver. The Scouting trail is littered with defunct Packs that had what they thought were better ideas.

"They should not be funding a Jamboree for BSA when our men and women are fighting in foreign lands with substandard armour and equipment." How about a 10% surtax on top of our federal income tax to pay for more armor and equipment? Maybe a 15% surtax and we could send more men too.

"It is sad that there are some who would think these ideas would actually improve scouting." Backpacker - Are you trying to start an argument? Why?

"But, sometimes reinventing the wheel is not all that it is cracked up to be." Yeah, but all those other guys don't really know enough to re-invent it properly. Now, I on the other hand, am a lot SMARTER and I can re-invent the wheel BETTER. Now let's see, what do I want to fix first?

When you post a reply, you can change the "subject" field for that reply. The default is the thread title. It's not clear why one would want to do this but that appears to be what Trevorum did.

"In the United States we do not have that freedom, and so you get endless arguments of how the Scouting monopoly should be run." What is preventing anyone from starting up a youth organization competing with Boy Scouts? "Probably either challenge the trademark on Scouting, as is now being done in California," The Scouting trademark is being challenged? Tell us about that.

Kudu- you've mentioned several times that BSA has some kind of a "monopoly" granted by the government. Would you like to give us some specifics about what BSA does that no other group may do?

Juris' misuse of the PM system contributed to his demise.

A Scout earns his own way. In addition to troop money-earning events, I encourage our boys to individually find ways to fund their Scouting needs. Needs such as weekly dues, campout fees, uniform parts, camping gear. Budget part our their allowance. Do odd jobs around the neighborhood, mow lawns, rake leaves, clean out garages. I've hired boys to do work around my house. There is nothing menial about manual labor. They do fair work and get paid a fair wage. They learn something about self-sufficiency. It's part of their personal growth.

It seems like a huge burden to place on a troop, the responsibility of recruiting qualified counselors for every MB boys want to pursue. It is much more efficient for one person on a district level to maintain a district wide counselor system. Units have so much to do already without having to mess with that too. Maybe I'm spoiled. Our troop has no in-house counselors and never has. I don't have time to take on that responsibility too. Our district has a great network of counselors and any boy in the district is only a phone call away from almost every MB in the book. From my point of view its the only way to go.