Basementdweller

Of course he wants to quit......It just isn't handed to him and campouts can be a lot of work. Unlike cubs, everything isn't just handed to you. But one campout and a handful of meeting isn't even giving it a try. I tell parents they need 6 month to a year before they can decide if they like it or not. He is what 10 or 11, be the parent and tell him to stick it out for a year or so to see if he likes it. I had a boy tell his mom that he needed to quit because he wanted to be a professional video game player, she tells me this straight faced. Another lad in the hood on welfare playing xbox.

My what a very Caucasian group they are....The one poor fellow is the poster man for "Man Scout"

squire.....SMC are not pass or fail. you simply need to participate in one......For me the key is participate. so what do you do with a scout who is a yes and no kinda guy??? Won't actually hold a conversation.

You know that dad is ticked off at what the group is writing here.... We were supposed to support his advancement only scout in his eagle chase....... Poor little guy, the SM was suppose to give him a position because he needed one not because he was ready for it.....

MB, I think you miss spoke. Prior to the 2011 Guide to advancement National defined active as dues paid and not on suspension. The GTA allows troops to set what being active means for them.....my numbers are above...... Not sure what the Guide to Safe Scouting has to do with it other than taking a lot of fun out of scouting. Bottom line here is the integrity of the program I provide the boys...... Holding the boys accountable, just as I hold myself.......Being Life for life isn't that bad, some of the best scouters I know are in that situation.

So how is the SM going to react if the ASM goes to him and asks for a project for his son or son asks sm for project....Probably not real well.

Those are the numbers we use to define active. I use troopwebhost that has the ability to do it real time from a smartphone without add ons or extra charges. To this point in my adult scouting career a boy is either active or has quit......I haven't had one leave for football or band and come back yet. if mikes son is first class at eleven he could be eagle by the time he is 13.....

We took care of that boy who shows up for an SMC......With the guide to advancement, the what is active......for a boy in non leadership role it is 50% of the meeting and 50% of the outings for the last 6 months.....and in a leadership role it is 75 for both.

boys advance as they will, some quick others,well, not so much. Patrol leaders are elected by their patrol.......So SPL has no input.....There is no set standard on term dates.....But most troops use a 6 month election cycle...SPL and PL are both elected positions and the rest are appointed......My suggestion would be for him to try to get elected PL....... Sounds like your sons troop got lost along the way......You have two basic choices stay and not make a big deal about it or leave and find a troop that is more boy led and holds regular elections. If you go troop shopping be aware he probably won't get elected till he gets to know the boys in that troop. The SM has a point.....Advancement is one method of scouting.. The SMC is just a discussion and shouldn't be anything more....I don't think the SM is doing anything underhanded, Honestly, why do you feel the need to catch up with your son at summer camp?????? There will be plenty of time to talk about it when you get home......I find setting a date and time to meet him at the trading post for Ice cream odd. The SM has a point about hanging out with dad at summer camp, It is his time with his friends, let him have his own experience. Your going to take this the wrong way, Is there any reason for you to attend camp this year?????? Stay home, let your son grow.....He will be fine.......And so what if he brings home some partials.......Camp is supposed to be fun, not all work..... Far as the star rank taking X amount of months.....pssssst......it takes what it takes.....It is the journey and not the destination.. So is he going to Eagle and out????? I hope not....

Hmm, must be different between the boy scout program and the cub program.

awe,,,,,,,Joebob, don't even remember what I called ya out on........

I don't believe a den leader qualifies as a councilor.....If so then the program loses all integrity. It is meant to be run by folks who actually work in a STEM field. So exactly how are you going to have a den of 8 boys discuss, with any relevance, their counselor science, technology............. I don't think that simple participation is worthy of a sign off..

hmmmm, thinking out loud here..... sharp dressed man ribbon.......Black ribbon with a ZZtop beard.....maybe not they would think it is duck dynasty.. The necktie could work....Need to go to good will and find the biggest loudest brightest one there...... Our troop has never really had patrol rivalry/pride identity before......This seems to be helping ...

Guess my guys are under achievers....Generally they get one at a time and complete em.....except summer camp...... I don't have much in the way of parents or adults with any skills, Think the folks you see walking wide eyed at walmart.

What an incredible waste of time... Tracking merit badge partials????? I think a volunteers time is better spent on anything other than managing merit badge partials. Mercifully the camp we attend uses blue cards....I hand the partials to the boys in the CO's Parking lot upon our return. Some run right out and finish them....I have a couple of boys who held them to the next summer and then finished them.... I award rank advancement immediately after the BOR and Bobby can get his merit badges the next time I see him if he misses the court of honor. We do not do Internal Troop merit badge councilors, I am a firm believer in how the program was intended to work. The call an adult they don't know and manage the badge on their own. We do not hold merit badge classes during troop meetings. JTE.....laughing out loud here....Who cares other than the DE whose bonus depends on it. Lets just say I don't like it or see the need.

Fair enough. I view it as the boys responsibility. In our troop once you give the boy a merit badge card I do nothing with it till he gives it back to me with his. councilors signature as completed. I don't track partials. I track start date, completion and award dates. If the boy loses it it teaches responsibility.....he can redo it or ask the MBC for another signature. The boys can be responsible if you make them ..

Reccord merit badge work????? Let me see from my understanding of the merit badge program Bobby tenderfoot wants to earn the Rat Rodeo merit badge. He goes to his SM and asks for a Unit Leader signed Merit Badge card and a councilors name. Bobby meets with Rat Rodeo merit badge councilor completes the badge and then turns the Councilor signed card back into the Advancement Chair or SM. So exactly what is there to record far as merit badge work other than Start, completed and awarded???????????

Not sure how to judge or reward for fast setup or tear down of a campsite.......I can see bonus points for very clean patrol gear and such..... I like the golden whisk idea....I will pick one up on the way home tonight and get some gold epoxy paint....... the concept troop is still in its infancy, minimal ground rules..... I could see summer camp...having an Ice cream social for the best Patrol camp site

THX and you are right about more than one challenge a month....Might be all we accomplish in the meetings.......I don't know of any other troop that does this.......I want them to got to flags at summer camp with a little bit of pride and maybe a bit of a swagger knowing they got the scouting game as well or better than the next troop. I am here for my scouts... They are mine.....

So where is everyone else posting questions and such

Other than the letting the gay folk in thread there is absolutely nothing going on here. Is this going to be resolved soon???? I have some program questions I would like to ask.

Since I am still not authorized to create a new topic I will post it here Well shuffled up the patrols from 4 non functional to three functional. Boys are doing decent coming together. Patrol Contests.. I have made ribbons for Patrol competitions.....The guys seem to really like them..... So we have the Troop Knot Masters, Big monkey fist, Scratch and Dent ribbon (First aid), Not Lost in the woods ribbon(map reading, Wayfinding), Red in the Red ribbon, (Orienteering) Patrol Vs Food Ribbon, Pyros are US riboon, and looking for a few more ideas. The awards are kept on the patrols flag staff and if they lose the patrol the patrol leaders pass it from one patrol to the other. The competition can be pretty intense sometime.... So how often do you hold competitions, Right now it is a challenge system.....The patrols bone up on what they want to challenge the other patrol at during their patrol meetings......then issue the challenge.

Well pack create a new topic in any forum...... The other thing is your a moderator...... I still cannot create a new topic.

still not authorized to create a new topic

How is that different from the current situation??? LDS week at summer camp, LDS only camporees..... I think the snide comments at events would go both ways..... But the units getting together would violate national policy and a visit from the DE threatening their membership will fix that, I know first hand.