Jeffrey H

perdidochas is right. Get Troopmaster or similar program to automate and archive advancement records. I use a sister program called Packmaster for my Pack and it's a great timesaver and it reduces the risk of losing records! I can't see how a person will spend 30-40 hours a week on advancement. It has to manually intensive.

Saying "two" sounds better than saying "you can stop saluting now". It is borrowed from the military, however it's easy to say and very efficient. I concur that step 1 is the salute and step 2 is to put your hand down.

"Our Advancement Chair puts in 10-15 hours a week...every week, year round...sometimes 30-40 hours in the busy weeks leading up to CoH and Summer Camp...paperwork everywhere, making up for the ASM's that don't turn in paperwork...coordinating with District Council, trips to the Scoutshop." Those are insane hours for volunteer work, especially the 30 to 40 hour part. I would serve notice to the SM, ASM's and Troop Committee for additional help and tell the ASM's get off their "duff" and hold to their responsibilities. If not, the advancements and awards will be delayed and the SM and ASM's will have to answer to the scouts why they did not get their badges and awards on time. Get help from other troop committee members that aren't doing anything but standing around and drinking coffee. Delegate the "scout shop" trips to a responsible adult. You get the idea. The advancement chair has a life also...

If she wanted to move the den meetings to her home it may be approved by the committee... Just an observation. Does it really require a committee vote for a Den Leader to decide where the Den will meet? I'm a Den Leader and we usually meet at our CO along with the other Dens. However, I do have the freedom to move our Den meetings to my home or another location depending on Den activities. As a courtesy, I inform my Cubmaster just so he will know we are okay and if he needs to contact me. Our CO is a good place to meet, but it does have it's limitations.

I've taken alot of boring Scout training ZZZzzzz!! However, if there is one word of advice I have received that was great take away for successful Den Meetings it is this: "KISMIF" (Keep It Simple, Keep It Fun!) As a DL, I understand the need to stay on Track with achievements. However, it's okay to venture off the agenda for a little bit and add some spark and fun to your meetings. Besides, if you can't finish your agenda in your Den meeting, have your Scouts do it at home and have their parents (Akela) sign-off on the completion. Work on those achievements in the meeting, but be prepared to throw in some fun and games as well. Often, the games can complement an achievement or elective that you are working on. Wondering what to do? Get a copy of the "Cub Scout Leader How-To Book." Great resource! "Sparklers" is also handy. I know there a "program guide" and it's a good resource, but it may not fit into the needs of your Den. Be flexible and have fun.

In my opinion, the Den Leaders have the most impact setting expectations for the uniform. If the DL is fully uniformed, then he/she is leading by example and you will have a "sharp" looking Den. The Cubmaster sets the example also, but the scouts may not see him/her that much. They see the DL weekly. If we are not going to wear the official uniform properly, then why bother with it? I would rather see the boys wearing pack t-shirts instead of sloppying wearing the official blue shirts. As as DL, I wear the full uniform to every Den Meeting to underscore the importance of the uniform and to show the boys that we are members of a great organization. Have the Scouts wear their uniforms and wear them out. The Scouts will soon grow out of them anyway so you want to get your money's worth. In response to a previous post, the full uniform for Cub Scouts is shirt, pants, belt, socks, neckerchief, and hat (optional). Anything less is just a partial uniform. Now, local Packs will decide for themselves to require uniform pants or not (based on economic concerns or outgrowing their clothes), but if anything other than official pants are worn, then it's not full uniform.

I wear what official uniform I have. In IOLS they gave me a green trained strip and I still wear the previous style shirt. I updated my unit numerals to green and shoulder loops to green on my old shirt to make it look more uniform in appearance. My Cub Scout leader shirt still has the red unit numerals and red Trained strip. In my District, we a mix of reds and greens among the Scouts and Leaders, but nobody cares because they are all official uniforms. There are more important things to be concerned with. As time passes, however, the new centennial shirts and patches are beginning to dominate. As far as inspections are concerned, any uniform part that was considered official is always official. Proper placement of patches and neatness in appearance is what matters, not whether you have the green patches or the red patches. Some of the older Scouts in our Troop still wear the older shirts with the red loops and red unit number patches. We allow it because it's official uniform and no one is asking anyone to go and buy new uniforms just because National decided to change it.

It sounds harsh, but a CO has the final approval on who can be scout leaders as long as they make their decision within the parameters of BSA policy. The only limits a CO has is when they approve someone that is clearly not allowed to a member of BSA. I know one church CO that requires scout leaders to be in agreement with the CO's articles of faith. They do not have to be members of the CO, just like-minded faith of the CO. This is a rare situation but it is allowed by the BSA. I think any responsible adult of good moral character that agrees with the Scout Oath and Scout Law is an eligible candidate to serve as a SM, ASM, or Committee Member regardless of their religious affiliation (or lack of relgious affiliation). Some would like to keep "religions" out of Scouting, but that is impossible because the The Scout Oath and Law are belief statements that often complement the values of many church organizations. This is why Scouting has always been attractive to Churches.

As I'm enjoying my super-sized Cheesburger and French Fries, I want to remind everyone the importance of eating your vegetables (steamed of course) and have some fruit. Seriously, we Americans consume way too much sugar and we wonder why we are fat?? Soft-drinks with an average of 10 teaspoons of sugar per 12 oz. can are a big contributor. When I cut sugar soft drinks out of my diet, that cut alone caused me to lose 15 pounds within 1 month. Not only did I lose weight but I felt much better because all of that sugar that I used to consume was making me feel lousy. We drink soft drinks like they are a "staple" part of our diet and unfortunately that's the case for millions. Avoid sugar-free soft drinks with the artificial sweetners. That stuff just keeps you craving sweets and those artificial sweetners are suspect for long-term health, but we keep drinking them anyway. It amazes me that we will knowingly put something artificial into our bodies. We get sick and wonder why. We adults can't tell our kids (scouts) how to eat because we don't know how to eat.

What's the best way to avoid problems with such transfers? Just say "no?" Put conditions or expectations up front? What The new SM should counsel the new scout on expectations up front. If the new SM has higher proficiecy standards to complete each requirement for First Class, I have no problem with it, just let new transfers know it.

Your G2SS Safe Swim Defense concerns are valid and should always be considered for your swim event. Our Pack has swim events at a public pool with 2 or 3 certified lifeguards on duty. We are very safety conscious, but we cannot apply strict adherence to Safe Swim Defense in this situation. Roping off designated ability swim areas is not practical when other members of the public are present. Parents are in attendance at these "family swim events" and are expected to be responsible for their children and scout. That said, we still employ a "buddy system" as extra precaution.

There is 1 uniform. All or nothing. If you are not in uniform, then you cannot use the scout salute. You are dressed as a civilian and show respect to the flag the way a civilin would, with your hand over your heart. The BSA is not the military or para-military and boy scouts are always civilian regardless of whether they are in a scout uniform or not. BSA statements regarding the uniform are guidelines, not laws or rules to be enforced upon the membership. Troops can decide when it is appropriate for their scouts to use the scout salute. I agree, a scout salute should only be used when in uniform, however locals Troops can decide for themselves when their Scouts are in uniform (i.e., with or without the "official" uniform pants). My Troop does not require "official" uniform pants to be considered in uniform. We encourage it, but do not require. Therefore, they can scout salute the flag.

Also...once an OA member, always an OA member regardless of whether you pay your dues or not. The difference is whether you are a "registered dues-paying" member or you are "inactive" member.

I reactivated my OA membership as an Adult, after more than 30 years of inactivity, by registering and paying my dues to the local Lodge. I lost my old membership card and could not provide a member number and the only surviving materials I had were my OA Sash and OA pocket flap. I submitted the estimated dates of my OA call-out and my Ordeal as additional evidence but I'm not sure if the Lodge needed it. No problems. The Lodge that I joined was the Lodge of my youth so I'm sure that made the reactivation much easier.

I just participated as a "student" earlier this year in our District's OLS course. The one thing I remember is that we had to clean our own plates, cups, and utensils. We also had to cook and were assigned to the meals that we would help prepare and cook. It was hands-on training literally the whole weekend. Reading your post, it sounds like you did all the dirty work.

Kudu states: "Why do we spend the only 25 minutes of adult training devoted to the Patrol Method not on the Patrol Method but on EDGE? How can anyone pretend to discuss Boy Scout Training without accounting for the fact that we completely exclude from the Patrol Method presentation of SM Specific Training, ANY mention of a Patrol Leader and ANY description of a working Patrol?" I took SM/ASM specific training and all I can say is whatever SM specific training you took, it was entirely different than what I took. In my course, I remember a great deal spoken and taught about the Patrol Method and how a properly functioning Troop utilizes the Patrol Method. We discussed EDGE, but I don't remember it being used in the context of the Patrol Method.

"WB21C is an encapsulated course in leadership skills. It is not a true capstone course for Cub Scout leaders, nor is it a capstone course for Boy Scout leaders or Venturing leaders, as it does not attempt to serve as a continuation of the previous courses that these Scouters have taken on their respective training tracks." Agree. You do not need to have completed any basic level SM/ASM position specific training or outdoor-leader skills training. It's recommended, but not required. WB course directors will not turn you away if you have not had any prior courses. There's alot of push in our Council to get Cub leaders signed-up for WB. I'm not sure why. New Cub leaders need practical tools and ideas to implement a fun and educational Cub program. Will WB make you a better Den Leader with fun and educational den meetings?? Will it help the Cubmaster deliver better Pack meeetings? If it can't do any of these, then don't bother the Cub Leaders with WB recruitment.

"....new SPL has decided that the boys can now wear just activity t-shirts to meetings now????????..." This brings up a good question about how far do we go with "boy-led" decisions in a Troop. The troop I belong to is very much boy-run, however, our SPL and other boy leaders do not get to decide when and where they will wear their uniforms. The final word on uniforming comes from our SM and Troop Committee.

BSA states that all uniforms ever used are still permitted to be worn. So if a CS or CS leader is wearing the green and tan numbers on his CU shirt, he is in a "vintage" August 2008-April 2009 era uniform, and thus properly uniformed per the instructions in place at that time That's good because in our Pack our leaders have a mix of red/white unit numbers and green/tan unit numbers. The difference is not that noticeable and still looks good. It's all "official" anyway.

The clothing manufacturing industy in the USA is very limited and not many options. The labor unions pretty much priced themselves out of the market. At the end of the day, people will always vote with their pocketbook and the US clothing industry lost. I'm still wearing the old shirts that are made in the USA. They are not wearing out and I don't have a reason to replace them. Besides, I like them better in terms of style than the new ones. I don't care for the sleeve "cigarette" pocket and the velcro fasteners. The "Boy Scouts of America" lettering above the pocket is cheap quality. I've already seen letters coming off of shirts.

Not a big deal wearing a long-sleeve shirt under the uniform shirt. It's a temporary situation and serves a practical purpose. Preferably, it's good to wear a color that coordinates well with the shirt or shoulder-loops. The main thing is the scouts stay warm and comfortable and avoid hypothermia.

In our District, we have one LDS Ward with a couple of Troops with small membership numbers. The LDS church in our part of the country is small. They do not have much influence when it comes to voting rights, but they have gained influence in regards to their volunteer contributions to our District. They provide their Ward building for free as a gathering place for monthly District meetings, District Roundtables, OA chapter meetings, and Adult Leader training courses. In short, they have been positive and friendly Scouting brothers and are on the same page to deliver the promise of Scouting.

All the adults who dropped did so because their son's dropped. Overall, I'd say too much of this turns into a overgrown lad/dad campout. I think that comment alone is a major driver of why so many events cancel, especially the "big event" campouts. If we Dads/Moms would just be willing to stay home and let our scouts go by themselves, then we cut our financial commitment in half and that lessens the chance of backing out. Our Troop has some old group portraits of past Philmont trips. Interestingly, there are only 3 adult leaders in the pictures. Apparently, Moms and Dads stayed home and let the SM and ASM's handle it.

Echoing an earlier comment...You really need a CO that is hands-on and interested in their Pack including an active Charter Organization Representative. Keep in mind that I said "their Pack" and not "your Pack" because the Pack belongs to the CO. An engaged CO will keep you informed, become your partner, and work with you to make the Pack successful. A hands-off CO can be frustrating becasue they don't know what is going on, you usually have to go looking for them to sign-off on stuff, and they potentially can pull the rug out from under you without warning when they become disgruntled.

When a Troop and a Venturing Crew share the same CO, harmony is realized when the two units are clearly distinct from each other in the way they function, and not just on paper. For example, they have different meeting dates, different leaders/advisors, different Committee Chair, and a different and distinctive program from the Troop. Too often, Venturing Crews are simply nothing more than Boy Scout Troops with forest green shirts. Our CO also charters a Venturing Crew. The Venturing Crew has a distinctive equestian program of horseback riding. They have their own meeting schedule and program calendar seperate from our Troop. We rarely hear from them and unless we are in contact with their Advisor, we don't know what they are up to. They do extend invitations to the older boys in our Troop when they are planning a "high adventure" outing. They are an active Crew and are planning a Philmont trip for next summer.