ghermanno

In answer to the original question: What would you do ... I would look for a different Troop to support. Go to Roundtable or go looking. If you want, you can support District as a member at large or on Commissioner Staff (UC/RTC/...) You can NOT save the Troop without the support. It is a losing battle. You can NOT force change even as a UC for the Troop (if you volunteer, don't be UC for this Troop it will only cause more strife) you can only make observations/reccomendations and you have already acknowledged that they don't want to change they only want to see what's available and pick and choose (CC's choice). You are an adult. You have multiple opinions... Let us know what you decided to do. My $0.02 Rick

thanks for the update. Rick

twocub, Seems like that means I am supposed to be buying my own awards too? Not much of an award if you work for it, pay for the training, get nominated, and then have to pay for it also... just my $0.02 Rick

Well, I had the "privelage" to staff Wood-Badge this past year. The cost in cash was about $100 for staff. Not counted was the time off from work. As this course was a two weekender course that would be a Fri and a Mon off... Oooops forgot that staff has to get there early so need Thursday off and getting home very late on Monday night so need Tuesday to recuperate. Four days times 8 hours is 32 hours (almost a weeks pay) at even $12 an hour equals $384. Now add that the training is two plus hours away in the mountains and you have gas at over $2 per gallon. Don't forget to add the training weekends and stuff too. I see both sides of the coin. I am not sorry that I participated but will NOT do it again. It is much too costly. As to the smaller courses (BALOO/IOLS/Fundementals...) I believe the trainers should NOT pay for training. I appreciate the volunteers giving of thier time and feel it is more than worth a meal or two. I prefer to decrease the "profit" to council and have done so (I have also donated some meals)but the trainers do not pay. I have put on events, such as camporee, for as little as $5 per person with a profit to Council but Council has asked me to charge more so they can justify when they charge more for less. Unfortunately, BSA is a BIG business and must now PAY all the people that used to serve for service and now want CEO pay. Just my $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

vcrew66, As a former DAC & MBC Trainer, I am going to make some assumptions here. 1. Your approval was by the DAC or CAC. 2. You have attended the MBC Councilors Training. That being said, in the MBC Training Course it tells you that the MBC may train thier own relatives and that "groups may be instructed but Scouts must be tested individually". Individual Councils and Districts, as well as Troops, have made thier own rules (such as number of merit badges that a MBC may teach, teaching relatives,...) but the National standard is what I teach by. I agree that if there is another MBC in your area that teaches the same MB that your SM should reccomend your son go to the other MBC if at all possible for the "Association with Adults" and learning how to deal with others that we teach in Scouting. But to answer your direct question: NO, BSA prefers that your do NOT teach in groups and YES, you may Council your own relatives. As to the other person present, it is a requirement of BSA for MBC's and Outings but can NOT be enforced for family only (if it was, parents could NOT drive thier Scouts to the meeting as they would be one-on-one...LOL) My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

Thanks guys.... I was feeling old.... I was 4 yrs 7 days at that time. Guess I still have a lot more life and Scouting to look forward to... Rick(This message has been edited by ghermanno)

Hi... Started BS in Fitchburg, MA (2nd class Scout), moved to CA where I joined LAPD Explorers (until 1977), Started Adult Leader in 1978 (SA/CA), moved to CT (DL/ADL/WL/CM/MC), got out for about 5 years, Moved to Bay area CA (WL/CSDC-PD), moved to Panama, RP (MC/RTC/SA), moved to OR (SA), moved to Dallas area (didn't want a Yankee), moved to Korea (RTC/MC), moved to El Paso, TX (DAC/DOC*/RTC/UC/MC at large). *not sure if DOC is proper for District Outdoor Chair Rick

Hi... Started BS in Fitchburg, MA (2nd class Scout), moved to CA where I joined LAPD Explorers (until 1977), Started Adult Leader in 1978 (SA/CA), moved to CT (DL/ADL/WL/CM/MC), got out for about 5 years, Moved to Bay area CA (WL/CSDC-PD), moved to Panama, RP (MC/RTC/SA), moved to OR (SA), moved to Dallas area (didn't want a Yankee), moved to Korea (RTC/MC), moved to El Paso, TX (DAC/DOC*/RTC/UC/MC at large). *not sure if DOC is proper for District Outdoor Chair Rick

Hi... Started BS in Fitchburg, MA (2nd class Scout), moved to CA where I joined LAPD Explorers (until 1977), Started Adult Leader in 1978 (SA/CA), moved to CT (DL/ADL/WL/CM/MC), got out for about 5 years, Moved to Bay area CA (WL/CSDC-PD), moved to Panama, RP (MC/RTC/SA), moved to OR (SA), moved to Dallas area (didn't want a Yankee), moved to Korea (RTC/MC), moved to El Paso, TX (DAC/DOC*/RTC/UC/MC at large). *not sure if DOC is proper for District Outdoor Chair Rick

Well.... About 10 - 20 years ago when I was in my 30's, I took a Troop camping in the jungle in Panama (RP). We used hammocks and wahtever bug spray they wanted. I used none and had no problems. Others used plenty and had plenty. Never tried the ones with the covers but you could rig a rope and use a ground cloth for it if you wanted. Just my $0.02. Rick

Hi Guys, Same subject Different DE. Thought we had a decent chance with this DE as he was new... District Comittee "consisting of about 4 Scouters" came up sith a plan for recruiting. Doing massive "area" recruiting (kinda like mini Scout Shows) on the same day. A few weeks later the DE told us that Council had decided otherwise and that they wanted to run thiers first. They have recruited quite a few new Packs and Troops. Unfortunately, the 2 UC's for the District (one active) that they have can NOT cover a whole District. They don't care about that, they will take care of that later (been trying to get them to help for over a year). As well as being a UC, I am also the BS RTC. Meeting 2nd Th. of every month at 6:30pm. Council want to do a "Fireside chat" so they sent out an email telling people that the time for RT had changed to 6pm. Funny, they didn't ask either the CS RTC or myself. They just rescheduled it. I sent a sarcstic email basically asking the DE what HIS theme was and who HIS guest speaker was as I assume he is taking over RT (by the way, he rarely attends). I feel kinda bad about the email but they just wont see the picture and I guess I am achieving burn-out. I support BSA but I have trouble supporting National... Thanks for letting me vent. YiS, Rick

Hmmm.... (remembering) Shell "Answer Man". Three gas choices "Regular" "Super" & "Eythl" (sp?) Computers... Everybody had thier own DOS, "high speed "birpie" tape readers (paper tape with holes), card puches and readers (I maintained both), Nixie tubes and vacuum areas on the magnetic tape readers for the cp-818 computers, adjusting current for the memory cores.... Tube radios... Reparing both radios and tape recorder/players (real - real) that had tubes to operate. (plate/grid/heater) Art Linkletter on tv with Uncle Milti (Milton Bearle), Abot and Costello, Drive-in Movie theaters,... "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end.... My $0.02 Nostagicly, Rick

Thomas54, I am also a UC. Not registered in any Unit in the District. My understanding of your posting is that your affiliated Pack has a UC that is steering boys into another Troop. Is the UC registered in the Pack? Do you have a working relationship with the Webelos Leaders and the Cubmaster? If you are not actively recruiting from the Pack, don't think that they are going to hand the boys over just because the number match. Become active with the Pack, invite on outings, show the boys that your boys are having fun too. My job as UC is to help the Packs/Troops/Crews that I am assigned to be successful. I will answer questions about units honestly but will not generally steer people to specific units. I am not thier recruiter. Ask YOUR UC what is happening or ask your DE/DC where YOUR UC is. My $0.02 Rick

Welcome Brother. YiS, Rick

SctDad, I am sorry to hear about the state of the Resident camp in your area. That needs to be addressed by the Council in charge of the event. I have heard of camps being short of food (ussually a BS Camp due to finances) but planning should have been done MONTHS ago. Everyone should have had training and schedules BEFORE the camp opened. The Program Director (PD) not the Camp Director (CD) controls the Program and scheduling of events. If the PD did not know this, I wonder if (s)he went to BSA Camp school for the position. As to there only being one "staff" member at a position, not knowing what position that was, I can say that the "Den Leader" for that group is also a leader. "Another parent helped this kid" begs me to ask "Was this parent a visitor or on staff as a Den Leader?" You are correct in that this was a poorly trained/executed event. Your Council/District and your UC/COR need to be informed of this as Council/District sometimes brushes-off the remarks of volunteers but has to listen to COR's. Suggest maybe that you volunteer to help next year. I have done both Day Camps and Resident Camps as PD and enjoyed both. Good planning and early assignments with back-ups make it a memorable item for the Cubs/Webelos and they have no idea how much went into it. My $0.02 Rick

It is a "Camp-in" so... Fake campfire...check Campfire skits/songs..... check BBQ set-up outside for breakfast (adult use only for gas griddle & stoves, can be used for supper as well [dogs & burgers])... Check OUTDOOR games (to assist tiring youth before bed)... check Active indoor game (for inclimant weather)... check reflective/glow in the dark items (for night search INDOORS with flashlights)... check Buddy system to ensure campers do not wander OUTSIDE after dark alone... check Thermos FULL of black coffee and bottle of asprin nearby for leaders... check Backpack full of smiles and laughs to share with others that might need one now and again... check ENJOY My $0.02 Rick

Here in the District I serve, the last combined Commissioners/District Committee meeting was held to discuss membership. There were approximately 7 people at the meeting and that included the DE and the Council Chairman. We supposedly have about 20 UC's but only two showed up and one, when asked what units he was a UC for said "I'm a UC?" YiS, Rick

Wow!! As an 8 year old, I was facinated with "Old Ironsides" and even toured Bunkler Hill Monument. There is also Salem, Cape Cod, Mayflower, .... So much history in MA (don't forget the fishing villages along the highway going towards NH). You could try any of the battlefields in Concord or off Route 2 between Fitchburg and Boston (closer to NH). Haven't been there in years but took the wife there last time I visited home. They may allow overnight (ghost included at no cost). No sure why you want "overnight" vice "day trips" but it's your show. Yes, I live in TX but I was born and am proud to be a "YANKEE" from MA. My $0.02 YiS, Rick

While I have not had the occasion to communicate with that section of the BSA office, I will say that whenever I have had problems with National, my SE will follow-up with an email. He feels the Volunteers have enough on thier plate that National can at least handle/respond. Maybe you should try your SE with your proposed changes and let him/her know what you have done to correct this on your own. I would like to say that National cares, and I think they do, but they are a conglomeration like Shell oil or NorthropGrumman. They need us to function but do not normally deal with us directly and sometimes do NOT know how... Just my $0.02 YiS, Rick

bnelon44, Maybe I read your post incorrectly but did you really state that you do NOT use the MB Pamphlet for MB's that you mentor? If not, what guidance do you use to ensure "standard" testing and requirements for the Merit Badges? Just curious as these are the responsabilities of the MBC's. As are sending in corrections to National and hoping they will change things. My $0.02 Rick

(LOL) I had to chuckle at the "Gang" reference. I thought I was one of the few that used that term for Scouting. When I was a youth in my teen (mid 70's) I was in Law Enforcement Explorer Scouting. People at my high school would ask if I wanted to join a gang (get jumped in) and I would tell them I allready belong to a gang, L.A.P.D. and they would leave me alone. What you describe is the "Rockwell picture" for what Scouting says it is vice what the people see. My $0.02 YiS, Rick

SeattlePioneer, Why are Cubs building pioneering projects? I can understand a Troop or Crew building the bridge and the Cubs using it with supervision, but I am perplexed as to why the Cubs would be building it. Call me "old fasioned" but I thought the programs had different purposes. My $0.02. Rick

I fondly remember back to when I was a LAPD Explorer. We had a precision drill team. Let me tell you that ALL Explorers in the post were familiar with basic drill manuvers but the Drill Team was the one that performed in parades and such. It was GREAT. As far as a normal Troop, I see no problem with basic Drill (Ranks, dress, facing movements, even basic marching). The trick is to teach the SPL to teach the boys and not make it the whole of the meeting. I do see a problem if the PLC does NOT want it. Here again, it is boy led. I would NOT try to train a Pack in formation movement. Let them learn how to group first. Most adults smile and enjoy the young boys marching (mistakes, picking nose,...) but have a different oppinion when it involes the older boys. My $0.02 for what it is worth. Rick

SeattlePioneer, I am ssuming this is a Boy Scout camp (as opposed to WEBELOS) but the task are basically simular. Visit the camsites with the leaders, see if there is anything they need, ask for comments about the camp (as in how to improve), and tell them where/how to find you if they need anything. That, in a perfect world would be it. You may be called upon for some resource guidance, YPT, why "Timmy" can NOT take this or that specific Merit Badge, camp cleanliness, LNT basics, noise,.... Hopefully not. I said WEBELOS as I was a Commisioner at a WEBELOS camp years ago. Even thoug they only spend 4 days & 3 nights, some Dens got on the nerves of some other Packs Dens. Boys of that age are sometimes like herding cats... So smile a LOT, keep hydrated, try to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. My $0.02 Rick

Welcome! Pull up a log at the virtual campfire. Lots of different people and views here, all are welcome. Rick