moosetracker

Hey!! We got no Bogie at my Woodbadge! I want a redo! (That means I get to go again, What fun!) We did get another movie though, so pass the popcorn, "I got Red October Skys". My husband is on staff I guess they change out the movies. There's two others I know they play. I might see a feeling of being elite with some of the old timers who took WB when you really had to be chosen in order to take the course. It was considered a great honor to be chosen. Now, anyone can take it, (if you have time and doe-ray-me). Does it make me better then you? No.. I just went out, had a great time, met some great folks, and learned somethings that will make me a better communicator and better team member. Not better then you, lots of people have that gift naturally. Just better then I use to be.. Better then the old me, Better.. That's all. Here is a weird thing, we are encouraged to take WB. But, I heard from our ex-DE that the council wont give him the time off to take WB, (and he needed it too!) Why is it great for us, but they don't see it as utmost important to get the Council staff WB trained ASAP.

I can see if you are a UC serving 3 units, this is a big job. Also you might not start with experience, but you gain it, and you get outside perspective by overseeing 3 units. If one unit has a great idea and another is struggling, you can introduce the idea you saw from the other unit. But it seems we are looking for a UC as one for each unit not 3, and if you already belong to that unit that's great, and this should be your sole job. If you are already from the Pack/troop, how do you spot trouble signs? Or suggest a different way to accomplish something? If you already belong to this unit and it is your only unit, is this a big job that would demand all your time? If you only took on one unit but it was not the unit you are registered with, then that would be more time granted. But so much more time you could not take on a position with your troop, or sit on the Eagle board once a month (Which is my son's current job, that would put him too over the top to take on a position as UC for one unit.) The idea situation of UC job, sounds sort of like what I would invision a UC to be. I would welcome his/her view point as a fresh idea, even if the UC had been working with the troop for years. If they are getting their expierience from outside our unit, and comming in to visit every now and then. They will always see us with fresh eyes, and not be personally invovled in a conflict.

We have had few, so my concept of them may be misguided. I met one in a troop I was in long ago, once. Nice, but except for an introduction meeting, nothing else. Currently my troop has one, our committee chair once his boys aged out took the position. He is around alot, and I know he did hard work fixing the cub pack of our unit. So maybe having a Unit commissioner who is part of your unit is a good thing. Our District is now trying to aggressivly searching for unit commissioners for our area. Most our units are without. You can be from another unit then your own, but they really trying to push for people within the units to take the position. My son was thinking of signing up, but something made him rethink. For some reason they don't want you to have any other position in scouting but the UC job. My son is Outdoor coordinator for the troop and sits on the district advancement board. (Besides the fact he would need to be for a different unit as our unit has one) I think of the UC as being someone who should have more expierence then the average people in the troop. Someone the troop goes to for advice. Someone who can look at your unit as an outsider and recommend changes based on expierences they have had in different units. So maybe I am wrong, but if my UC is just someone from my unit who does nothing else outside of the unit. What exactly is he bringing to the unit? What makes their advice more knowlegable then the troops Treasurer, Outdoor leader or SM? I mean I can see our old CC, has advice to pass on to the new parents based on history of our troop. But, I more see a member of the troop who takes this position as your average parent who has been a parent to a scout and been in the unit helping out like every other active parent. Good people, very important to the unit, but they will already have the same viewpoint as everyone else having been acclimated into the group over time. Even the wise old CC of our troop, is acclimated. I have heard someone meantion that people look at UC's as spys. I guess this type of UC would not raise that type of suspicion. I would imagine they get info from the council they can pass on. But, there must be something I am missing. Also is the job so demanding that it is unthinkable to do this job while taking on other jobs also. If you do get your UC from members within the troop, would them doing various other district jobs give them some form of outside perspective?

Yes, I read somewhere in rules that the uniform can not be worn for things like a costume, or in a political event etc.. there was a small list. Since then when ever I watch a show they have something similar to Boy scouts, but they alter the costume a bit, and the name is slightly altered. My guess is BSA never authorizes the use of their trademark (unlike pepsi or other products that might even pay for you to advertise for them in your show.)

Thanks Scout-a-lot. Yep there was another thread I started on here about data from council. JHankins is helping me. She will be emailing me (or maybe posting to that thread) how to get the info from council dumped into EXCEL rather then a report. That will help me alot more. Old DE was not accomedating with anyone about getting us data, to help us in our job. He kind of said he had more important things to do. (Giving us (the committee) the tools so we could do our jobs would have reduced all those things he was doing.) We now have the Director of Field Service helping out until we get a new DE.. and he does have alot of things to do. I don't want to request a report, then turn around and request the same data again in EXCEL. Before I couldn't get it. Now I'm waiting to request it correctly the first time. But when the DFS can get to it with all the other work he does is going to be the question. Although again getting us up and running should be of some importance to him.

Thanks.. I did get the book. That is where I figured out the whole hiearchy of jobs & titles. Before that, when I originally offered to be TC I thought it was flatter. Trainers, cub/boy/Venture coordinators and then Chair. I was under the impressiong that the cub/boyscout coordinators were in place due to the DE telling me so.. I double checked on a second meeting because our website said Vacant. He said they were in place, the web site just outdated. After he left, I asked the old District CC (who was doing the training positions).. They are not filled. On top of other info I got that was wrong. I was starting to just concentrate on Registrar of Records. Now I will need to expand. I know the book has a time line of how to organize. I have some dates already set up for next training (luckily nothing until Fall.) Question is, now.. What has been done for pre-planning. I was told places to hold meetings were already booked, by the DE. Now I have to find out if that is true. I also need to depend on my predecessor for things like the list of Trainers and who does what. I am without any data on the district. I ask, but things are in such disarray. I got the dates for next training from the former CC because he put them on the web. I asked the former DE for them before he was former. I got "Go to the Council Kick-off, they will give you a Calendar of events." Which made me feel great to have to wait to get info like everyone else in the general public. Yep, I will sit with the book and read a little more in-depth.

Funny you should ask, I was thinking about that on my way into work. My troop & Pack are doing their own reshuffle. The great group I worked with in the troop have all aged out, so except for a few who old timers they are not the group to tap. I was thinking about a woman that my first need for "help" would be looking for the coordinator for cub scout and boy scout. I remember a woman that was in the cub scout training on the last course, when I was attempting to relearn some of the program myself. She was the training coordinator for her pack. She seemed full of enthusiam, and interested in Scout training obviously from the position she took on. I should be able to get her name from the group who taught the course. But this is who I thought would be my first group of people to look for. A) I don't think responsibility for those positions would be too scary. B) They would keep me from thinking I need to know it all. This is help that would really anchor me and help me start focusing then running around in circles.. C) The trainers at the unit level are the pool of people in scouting who have shown a personal intrest in the training program, by taking on that position in the unit. I also this morning got the phone number for the council Training Chair. I want to see if she can anchor me also. If taking the Chair position (permanent or temporary). I want to schedule a meeting with my trainers. Hopefully the Council Training Chair (or someone she can recommend) can come also. Just to see what is currently in place for next years training. What our problems are. And come up with a game plan for how we should step by step go about fixing the problems. Anyway, that is my game plan. Any suggestions for improvement?

Problem is our district training is in shambles. For at least a year we have alot of trainers, and NO ONE in organization for training. The person who was district committee chair worked 30+ hours keeping the district running including what he could do for training. Our DE was having a war with the committee, he wanted to run things, committee refused to let him.. The war got ugly. Anyone new who attempted to come in to the District committee soon left, long timers left, some long timers have stayed, but no one wants to take on a titled position, so that they don't get sandwiched in the middle of the war. So I offered originally to take on Training Chair. The DE said he didn't want me in this position, I would be overwhelmed. So I offered to take on Registrar of Training Records (and kindof relieved after figuring out the true shambles of this committee). The DE decided to make up a new position not in the Training Hiearchy for me.. Training Coordinator.. Position was to do "ALL the work" except for having the ability to look for help for the other positions.. He figured if I did that it would be real easy for him, to find the training chair. (I am thinking "NO ____ Shirlock").. This person would just get to socialize, take the credit, and why bother looking for extra help, while I was playing their cinderalla.) Others in the district saw that too. They just said it could be straightened out once we go a new CC or Program Chair. Now that they have moved the DE, so that the committee can regroup. I am being asked if I want Training Chair again. Everyone else was excited I wanted the position, it was only the DE. I really don't, but the problem is there is no one but me and some trainers who everytime I am introduce are reaching out to me like drowning victims. We have no DE, no CC, no program director and in the training committee no one but Trainers and me. In order to help with anything I can't help but feel I need to be all things right now. I am debating suggesting that I take the title of Training Chair temporarily until they find someone (which I know may not be some time, seeing the positions that need filling that are more important.) But, that way I have the authority to do what needs to get done, and maybe search and find some people to fill spots like the cubscout coordinator, BS coordinator etc. Yeah, I do sound like I am clueless but trying to take on everything.. That's because I'm clueless but trying to take on everything.. Currently I am now laughingly being introduced as the "training Something", since we have yet to figure out my title. Officially my title is "training Coordinator" because our now ex-DE created the last committee agenda and I was noted on it as such. But one thing I do know and that is Boy Scout training, and the IOLS at our council is 1 day..

Nope, Boy Scout Outdoor leader Skills (IOLS). I am ashamed to say I did nothing in the way of training while in cub scouts. We were not informed or encouraged to get trained. I did my training while in boy scouts and was the training coordinator for the troop. My husband did 3 days, I did 2 days.. While in the troop and getting other people "trained up" I watched it go down to 1 day. That is where it is at now. Then being offered during the camporees.. Maybe we will go back up to 2 when WeLots & IOLS get combined.. (Maybe). Because of my lack of knowledge in cubscout training. I sort of know WeLots (I am assuming this is what use to be OWLS). When I did my outdoor leaders we camped with others doing their OWLS. Both at the time were two day programs, and alot of the classes we trained together, then seperated for others. I am unsure of what BALOO is yet. (I really have to get my skills up on Cub scouts.) I am debating working with the Pack associated with my old troop for a few months as they adjust to the new Cub Scout Program. Maybe I can help them with info I get about the new program, through the training guides and they can help me see it get put into action. Is my district really the odd ball?.. I had no idea! I thought the whole country was changing their training program right along with us.

Brent I was in a troop that had adult patrol. then we were in a troop that was having some issues and we suggested the adult patrol. Well in that troop we never did quite get a name or flag, but the same was helpful. The first one just had a patrol when we joined. The second one had the issue of all the adults milling around and talking while the boys were trying to get their information.. Just happened. A parent sees an adult leader, walks up to them and asks a question. Leader trys to be helpful, but when you have 5 or 6 of these little talk sessions going on, it was disruptive for the boys. The boys asked that we find a way to stop. We'd be good for a few meetings then slowly disintigrate again. It was getting to the point they were going to kick all adults but the SM & ASM out. Other Leaders were upset about possibly being barred from the troop, especially the CC. We suggested the Adult Patrol method. Now when announcements are made, all adult leaders form into a patrol group just like any other Patrol. With this we are stay aware of the announcements, and while we are at attention, Parents know it is not the best time to ask us questions, because we are "busy". We also became more uniformed (SM & ASM were always uniformed. Us committee folks were not.) And yes it did follow through with their outings. It made us more of a team, and less of an us vs them (committee vs SM & ASM). You can't forget that you are the adult leaders, but becoming an adult patrol, does help unify you as a team.

It is hard to find a district in our council that still has it for 2 days, I thought 3 was history everywhere.. So where is the consistancy in that? I have yet to get into my position enough to see a syllabus. I will be curious to see what the syllabus is for Outdoor leader, and how our district is following it. Because of the pace of the course I had in 2 days I know they had to have removed stuff to make it a 1 day course. It runs to about 8:30 - 9 pm so you get the campfire & skits.. But, before we merged it with camporees there was no overnight piece. Even now, you don't need to stay for the overnight camporee. If you do stay, you return to your troop. How can we be following a National Syllabus and doing this?.. Actually is there a Syllabus for this..? My outdoor leader was taken maybe 8 or 9 years ago, at that time, I can guarentee there was no Syllabus. We had a forest ranger come in and just talk. The backpack section a guy who was really into light-weight BP, dumped his pack out and talked about it. No powerpoint.. Just knowledgable guys talking about the stuff they love. It just flowed out of them naturally. So some have stayed at 3 days, National says 2 (or a weekend..) Our Council does only 1 day. Anyone else streamlined down to 1 day? Wow such differing opinions, and I can agree with most of them. So, I'm just wishy-washy on the subject I guess.

See.. I told you I did not know the OA "why" of it. I just have the womenly .. "ick, that looks awful!.." And for my boys some may be good hard work, but some of it is just plain ketchup stains or what not. Yep I know you can get a new sash. Still I'm not buying a new one after every event they go on. It the neckerchief you only get once in a lifetime. That's the one my boys never wear.

I will need to look at the EDGE more closely. I knew that we are using the EDGE method for training. And I know they have the boyscouts now using the EDGE method to teach younger scouts skills. But, my whole concept of the EDGE method is it is a way to teach other people new skills, be it older scouts with younger scouts, or District Training Staff with Adult leaders. I was not under the impression that EDGE is suppose to somehow replace the Patrol method.. I did not hear of radical changes in the BS program, and not using the patrol method would be a radical change. I know our troop still works under the patrol method. At the same time, I do understand why National makes the syllabus to follow in order that trainers do not train "the old method", or "their own method". Adults when they come to us for training are expecting us to tell them the right information. If we are telling them our style how BSA runs, they all go home from different trainings with various ideas. In that respect on-line training will bring uniformity.. Even if it isn't what we old timers believe to be the best way to run things. For trainers to help with supplimental training, the on-line will force trainers to stay on course with what National wants to promote. As a trainer, if you go out and preach your own style of BSA, you will now have 20 people in the audience that have taken on-line, they will call you out if what you preach is in conflict with the on-line training. So what you add as "extra" information had better not conflict.

Well, I'm not OA, so change or not, I can't vote. But, as a wife & mother of OA members... Who came up with white for boys ???! They look yellow dingy, and stained in no time at all. The scarf that can be given only once is never ever worn, because it would never look the same again. But, since I don't know the "secret" of the OA, I don't know the symbolism & tradition of the white. It's only a woman on a mission to keep her family looking clean who is talking.

Your right Adam S, it is hard to imagine outdoor leader training on-line.. But, then it was hard to imagine them putting Specifics on-line.. We have shrunk and altered outdoor leader training to accommidate the busy life-style. I am unsure how much more we can alter it if what we have done is not enough. I have seen outdoor leader training go from 1 saturday before the weekend to get your patrol prepared & then the weekend (3 days total).. To 1 weekend.. to 1 day.. To now combinining OWL & Boyscout outdoor leader training.. On top of that currently our district has moved our Outdoor leader training to coincide with the Fall / Spring Camporees.. The adults are already away from home for the weekend with the troop.. While the boys are doing the stations etc. Those adult leaders who need training can spend the day being trained. My husband took it while it was 3 days. When I took it at 2 days, I was overwhelmed. At one point they had me doing 3 things at once, whittling, while preparing a Dutch oven meal, while helping to organize the skits for the evening campfire.. Surprising we did not get whittling chips in the stew.. Anyway I compared my expirence to my husbands who got to relax and socialize and make friendships with his patrol.. I walked away not even knowing my name! I felt I was cheated. Then when I heard they took it to 1 day.. NO WAY can anyone get the same expirience from a one day training.. Now they are combining OWL & Outdoor leader so you are trained for both in one shot, in one day!! Is this quality training? I don't know what else they can do to make it convient for the busy life-style, but make in on-line.. With BadenP's virtual camp and all the virtual marshmallows you can eat by your virtual campfire.. Yes, it is a silly image, today. but I may still live to see the day.

The powerpoint that desertrat77 stated, I have seen, but only in my recent trainings.. Nice to have, but yes I think it did come from National trying to bring us all into "uniformity". This was not the case during the majority of my training years (maybe that is why my training expierence was unique regardless of taking in multiple times) This uniformity, is newer then my training years and I am "old", "old" school.. Nice, but your right powerpoint did take away something, my old trainings had. DanceswithSpreadsheets, If the training crew for your district is sitting you down to watch old DVD's you need to kick their butts.. Before on-line Fast start and others were DVD, I as troop Training coordinator would loan them to new Leaders to watch at their convience at home. Now with it being on-line that is ridiculous. I had no issue with Fast-start, YPT, and This is scouting, along with safty afloat and other saftey videos. YPT & Fast start due to them needing to be redone every two years.. Fast-Start & This is scouting, because these should be ASAP to new leaders.. I do see the merits of the Specifics being offered on-line, but there was so much I learned in the courses, I went to. My husband and I would discuss them going home. With on-line, we just go through them.. Done.. No discussion, few aha minutes.. Just check them off. But, yes the convience of not loosing a Saturday to training when you are already putting in more then "1 hour a week" they always advertise. This is good. Possibility of our trainers offering more unique specific training to a unit. This may be good for both the units and the trainers. Still not sure about the survival of the Specific training courses..Scout-a-lot mentioned 33 at their den training, but this is a new course everyone is itching to learn about, and the course was offered before it is available on-line. We ourselves will offer 3 course at our annual kick-off this month, and one at our district round table (Council will do those, not the district trainers).. I do expect a good turn out for those. But, after the on-line is known to be available... But I think you guys have made me feel better that their is life for the Scout trainers, if they adapt and modify. And if they can make the training more personal, they may be happier with the changes when all is said and done... Thanks for the insights that can make me feel better, so I can go out an inspire our trainers to feel positive about the changes.

That would be nice "IF" we are given the green flag to do more personal tailored training to a specific units needs. (Again I am a newbie to being on the Training committee) I am told that we are given a syllabus of sorts and must not deviate from that.. But, I have taken the same class multiple times making sure it was in different districts from different trainers. I don't know if the course material changed between trainings. But, I found them cross-training some things, but other things I walked away with different perspectives out of each of the trainings. Personality of the trainer and what he wanted to highlight. Personal examples to illustrate a point. As you said knot tieing games and other activities, or just breaks where you milled around and conversed with others. That would be nice if our training could get more personal and specific for a Pack or Troop, rather then following a syllabus that they already got through the on-line training. I kindof got the impression that maybe this we can just offer, if our group wants to. I commented when I was getting training to be on the Training committee, I did not think the committee challenge delved too deep into what committees need to know. It was more this is a treasurer he takes care of the money. This is the Outdoor coordinator, he takes care of the equipment & organizing outings. This is your secretary he does minutes of meetings & thank-you notes.. Etc... OK your trained.. See you.. Anyway, the Council Training Chair said, if I wanted to I could come up with a course to offer if there was an interest. So do any of you who do training, come up with supplemental training now, that doesn't follow a syllabus, you just don't put a training number to it, but just offer your services for individual training experiences based on the needs of the unit. We had someone come into the unit once to teach YPT before on-line was available. It was still by the book (with trainer personality added in).. But, this is the only expirence I have had with personal training. My husband for advancement would love to get more merit badge councilors. He thinks part of it is the need to walk up and ask people, but the other is peoples fear of the unknown, the fear of taking on too much responsibility without realizing it. Maybe we could team up and we can help with educating parents in units on what it is to be a merit badge counsilor.. Is this the type of personalize training your districts are currently doing?

Thanks, at least you have me thinking about other ways that we may get our trainers to see some action. Since I have yet to learn what is "traditional", it is harder for me to think outside the box.. Maybe it should be easier because I don't yet even see the box, but it isn't. It is just sort of black with a light way, way, way down there at the end of the tunnel, and someone is standing near the switch way down there about to turn it off. So changing may mean looking at my current trainers (who I have yet to know who they are). And then figuring out where they live in our district. Then figuring out if we have some areas not covered by a cub scout trainer or boy scout trainier, and looking for people in the area that may make good trainers for the area. My husband is doing district advancement.. I threaten him today with the idea of "Just you wait until they make merit badge on-line. All boys, will then just be allowed to hop on the internet." He said. "Over my dead body!!"

Does your unit have an active Charter Org Rep or Unit Commissioner. If you do you could get their opinion, and if they agree with you be your backup on the issue. Otherwise hold a committee meeting this father is invited to. You can state your side, he can state his. Have the committee decide. If the father does not care to show, that would not be your fault that his side wasn't represented. If it is a committee decision, it is more then you & your husband.. (You do have the minimum of 3 adults on your committee don't you? Your husband as CM shouldn't be one of them, you may be (don't know you have a voting & non-voting position.) If you have 3 without yourself, step out of the decision vote in order to make it more impartial.

I heard at round table last night that the on-line Cub scout specific training is out from our "Director of Field Services". Does anyone have the link.. It's not in myScouting, I thought I would find it there. He was impressed with the content of the training, and felt this was the way to go, because people are just not getting trained otherwise. Later this year the on-line Boy scout specific training is suppose to roll out also. Originally everytime this was discussed I was told, this was not on-line training that will replace course lead training. Now I am told that someone will be equally trained whether they go to on-line or to a course. The feeling is that some will just prefer to go to a course, so it is not taking away from the course, it is just training those who will not go to a course.. I see what he is saying. Maybe it's just me, I am heading into district training, and maybe like a real job, I am already being protective of seeing it whittle away into nothing. If I am taking on the position of a DL, and I am told I can train on-line in my home in about an hour and ahalf, tonight and be trained. Or I can wait for a month and ahalf for the district to offer me the course.. With both I am equally trained.. Who out there will opt to wait for the course? (Now remember you are new to boyscouts, so previous experience with the benefits of a course will not factor it..?) Who thinks that the course lead specific training will survive the introduction of the on-line specific training? Do you think it is better to be on-line for the convience and availablility of getting to take it the minute you sign up as a leader? But, who here feels like me that the value of meeting others people from other units, discussing common problems, and meeting people from your district who you may be able to contact for help. For me. Yes I see the value in offering the training immediatly and not taking a weekend day away from someone for training. That is great. I do not see the course lead training surviving this change. You will be lucky to get even one person signing up for the course. Since only one person from the troop needs to go to roundtable, and for us it is not the CC or CM/SM. I see alot of people loosing a chance to build a scouting network.. Learn from others who ask questions, ask your own questions. Ask the instructor to clearify a point you find a little hazy or confusing. I guess I will have to see the on-line presentation.. But, gut reaction is there will be a loss in value. Like I said, maybe I am taking it personally, it's like I am taking on the Training position at district to tell alot of dedicated people, that except for outdoor Leader Specifics (which I think is now combined BS Training & OWL) and (BALOO) they are basically out of a job. (an who knows when that will be made available on-line).

Yep, if you think of a scout who registers in the middle of the charter year. They pay only a portion of the registration dues. The closer it gets to the end of the charter, the less they need to pay.. That means that are paying for the remainder of the year before the new rechartering time.. They are not paying for some portion of the past year when they were not a member.. So yes pay for future, not for past.

Thanks, Scoutnut.. I was just going by what my son told me. His girlfriend wants to take the training, but he told me she couldn't get a login id with out the membership number. So this will still be a problem I guess. From what I heard I already figured I can't just input myself. I know troopmaster allows troops to setup a common area, and allows all leaders in the troop to look at the data, but gives access to specific people for the job they do.. I have figured out that ScoutNet or MyBSA is not that sophisticated, from the info I am getting. But if they can quarterly give me an excel dump of what is in their system. I can create a program that will compare what I have to what they have. I can then automatically update their info (with date and that I recieved info from council). And then automatically identify what info I have that they either did not get, or have been given but they never updated the info from me. I can then automatically produce a list of what they need from me, in order for them to manually do the update.. And if they continue to not update it, they will continually get the infromation from me everytime I send them info, until they do update it.. I can also then do statistical analysis, on what troops need training and what troops don't.. I can also create seprate reports for each troop listing what training we have on their leaders. That way they know who needs to get trained, and can report any inaccuracies that we have.. If I don't have email, for the units, I can send it off to be stuffed in their boxes at round table. This is my imagined plan.. But it all hinges on them giving me the data in EXCEL, and not on a piece of paper.. I am also unsure if I have any holes in my plan given I really have no idea of what problems I am facing..

Thanks I will PM you tonight when I get home.. I think the Training Chair for our council will be a resource for me in some things. But : A) She is the one who did not think I could get anything in Excel, and she openly admits she is not good with the computer, so whatever policies she has is using a hardcoded report.(ICK).. B) When I took the council training for the Training committee, I was told by the DE we had at the time, it would be good for me to go. She was teaching it, when she found out I was not the Training Chair she was apprehensive of me getting trained. That is until I said we had no chair, and I was it for my district.. So how much time she wants to spend to train me, knowing when we get a chair, she may need to repeat the process I am not sure. But, I would hope she would be willing to spend time on at least the aspect of the recording of training information (yet still, I will need to take her instructions and automate it.)

What exactly is a training survey? Seeing that there is no one in my district who can direct me as to how to proceed with this job (all jobs above this one are vacant), What do you think is the best practices in order to try to keep you and your district records as accurate, and as in sync with each other as possible?

Good news that Scoutnet (if that is what we use) will pull info out into Excel).. When I read Eagle92, that it was only paperwork, the time to initially put paper into Excel was scary! Then to manually verify the changes each time I got an update, scary still! So info is still inaccurate, but now it is the individuals who are not using the on-line training correctly. We need to educate the units to use the software correctly. Hmmm.. roundtable is tonight, I wonder if I should go and make an announcement there. Better may be to wait til next roundtable and put out flyers. I know my unit just elects someone from the troop to go. (The SM is too busy otherwise.) The lady is good about reporting what she learned to the SM. But a flyer gets to the correct person our troop "training coordinator". I think (hope) that the BSA online training has fixed part of the training issue. The one where people take the training and don't put their number in. I know in the past you could take the training. Then plug in your number to get credit. Now you need to get a number to create a login. You can't take training until you have a login. My son's girlfriend just joined and is waiting for a number, in order to take the training. We will be calling the council for it, they don't give it out until next rechartering. This would not solve group training though. I also am surprised that they do not have a way for me (as the registrar of training records for the district) to not be able to plug in those who took the district course lead training. Even before on-line training our council was all messed up because of this. Council blamed the district training volunteers that they never got them the info. The Volunteers swear the council got the info (multiple times) but no one was entering the data. (seeing that it was ALL districts not one or two, I tend to belive there were one or two districts sending in the info.) Anyway we went through the asking units to tell us who is trained and using the "honor" system.. I was troop training coordinator then. I had to send it at least 3 times. I don't think it was ever straightened out. I would imagine the software produced by the makers of Troopmaster would have a way to give access to each person in the district to update their own job's info. So that would make it nice. Problem is it probably came out much later then the current software being used, and councils are reluctant to change due to cost & the time for the learning curve. I spoke to someone in our district that was training chair during that time period and that issue was why he left the position. He got fed up with looking like the unorganized bad guy, and taking the heat for something he had no control over. Sounds like SCOUTNET might be what we have, since the Council level training chair did not know that it could produce info in EXCEL either. Jhankins thanks for the offer to get me the directions. I will get back to you to let you know if I need them.