NWScouter

The reason there is no manufactures name in the uniform is that periodically the BSA puts the uniform parts out for bid. That is why the uniform seems to change in minor ways. The changes come from the way the supplier interprets the specs. The brand is BSA, just as if you go in Target and buy their Cherokee Brand of clothes, the shirts come from differant suppliers and the pants from other ones six months down the line it will change. Even if you buy a name brand-- like Nike, they have different suppliers and manufactures all over the world, your Nike most likely is made in a different country than your sons Nike.

Yesterday I received a email from Grassfire stating that there were councils that were bankrupted and have to closed because of ACLU lawsuits. I checked with my Council Executive and he said no council has been closed because of ACLU lawsuits. He also said that groups like this and others might have agendas that do not mesh with the BSA. They may be using BSA issues to promote and fund raise for their groups.

Many Packs let them catch up during the summer and present the badge either at the first Pack mtg of the fall or an event during the summer.

Soryy you can't count hours he did before for a new rank. Here is the requirement for Life: 4. While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster. The only differance for Star is that it says First Class instead of Star

When I was a Scoutmaster, the troop took advantage of offers at some cmpgrounds to do some service instead of paying the campsite fee. My question for a little disscusion is "Does the hours worked under those conditions quailfy as service hours?" As a Scout 'To do a good turn daily' was explained as you did not recieve a tip or any compinsation. How does this fit as you recieved something of value - a campsite?

I don't think what is being asked, but a legal (court appointed) guardian can sleep in his ward's tent for in the eyes of the law he is just like a parent. A 'guardian' as he is talking about is a responsible adult appointed by the parents to watch over their son on specific outing and that would be a different situation and would not be allowed in to sleep in his charge's tent.

If I read correctly what the DOD stated, they were reminding their department of previous directives that prohibited military units from chartering BSA units. So if this law is read the way that is being interpreted here, they can charter units even though they were in violation of DOD to do so in the last four years. I don't know if that is a correct reading. Again like I have said before bills like this are just grandstanding in order to get press, they really do much if anything.

Not what is the best for the program, but there is no requirement that any leader be trained.

Take OWL, As a webelos leader most likely you will only be around the Pack for only one more camping season. Your Pack needs someone who has a tiger, wolf or bear. They will give a few years of service. OWL is great for Webelos leader because it teaches the skills to be taught for the outdoor activity pins. It helps the leader with little outdoor skills while helps to rein in those gung ho leaders who think their Webelos should be backpacking and doing Boy Scout high adventure.

Lodge 12 inch either size is great. Pay a little more to get better quality. Keep it seasoned. Oil it well after every use. I cooked for a non-scouting service project a year ago. It was raining cats and dogs. We were under a dinning fly. I used my two and had borrowed one from a scouting friend. I got home late and wasn't able to clean them up. I awoke the next morning and as I was heading out to church I saw a bright red Dutch oven sitting on my kitchen floor. I thought I was in for it, having to reseason three Dutch ovens. I got back from church and discovered it was only my buddy's oven, mine were beautiful black. It took me most of the afternoon to derust and season properly his oven. Just a tale to tell you do right and keep it and you won't have to work too hard and your oven will last forever. Great food and amazing scouts are in your future.

Fuzzy, Your linking of liberal Christians with work based and conservative ones with faith based is simplistic and basically wrong. The stress on Law and Gospel by both is a mix in both camps. There are social gospel liberals that stress the works of serving the poor and judge their salvation by how many good works they do. On the conservative side, there are many who stress following the Laws especially in sexual matters and you never hear the Gospel. To them it seems that you most work your way to heaven by perfect adherence to the Law. It has always been a balancing act between Romans Faith not works shall save, and James -- Faith without works is dead.

I agree with OGE, play it down with maybe a mention that the young man is all right and the messenger did well. We had a similar experience not as serious though. A scout at his first meeting was playing Bacon, baconWhos got the bacon? when he tripped and whacked his head on a door hinge. We got to practice first aid and sent him off to the hospital to get a few stitches. I wondered if hed be back. Five years later I was telling the story with relish at his Eagle Court.

One of my Eagles got in as PFC because of his Eagle but his wife also got PFC, in her case because of AA degree. Come to think of it Isaac would of got PFC for that too.

In this state it would be ruled unconstitutional by state constitution standards, not even making to it to the federal level. It sounds like a typical grandstanding, no hope of passing, I want to pander type bill.

The BSA has a publication called the Uniform & Insignia Guide but it does not show all the patches and badges just the placement of them. There are also collectors guides out there that show many of the patches through out the history of Scouting. I know of no guide to all the opportunities for awards for there are many that are local (i.e. camp or trails for some) or temporary (i.e. Cub Scouting 75th).

What I got from the article is not that all choices should be protected but that the argument that sexual preference is a choice, therefore we should not give civil rights protection to a choice because choices should not be protected, is false because we do protect some choices. Religion is just one of many choices we protect, union membership and political party affiliation in some situations are some others.

Put all your years on. You have two options on the stars. For example you if were a Cub for three years, a Boy Scouts for 5 years and an Explorer (old style) for 3 years, and then your total registered service as an adult has been 6 years. You may wear a two stars of 10 and 7 with a blue backing or 3 year star with Yellow backing (Cubs), 5 year star with a green backing (Boy Scouts), 3 year star with red backing (Explorers) and finally a 6 year star with blue backing (adult). The second is the way I wear my stars, though if you have more than 10 years service as an adult you have to have two blue backed stars. The total of the stars should not exceed your total time registered, this may happen if you were an Explorer while you were registered as a Assistant Scoutmaster when you were under 21.

Most lodges issue flaps for Jambo and NOAC. Our lodge has had good results. Just to give you an idea here is a website that has I think almost every flap ever issued: http://oaimages.com/ Check out how many of the flaps are those special issues.

here is the column: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/210937_shapley06.html

A columnist in the Seattle PI made interesting point this weekend. One of the arguments against granting civil rights protections for sexual orientation is that some people say that sexual preference is a choice and if it is a choice then there should not be any protection for your choice. He noted that we do grant protection for a persons choice religion. What do you think?

W2 would be the problem. Most boys join Cubs or Tigers in the fall, so your start month would most likely be September. Now days most Webelos to Scout Crossovers are done by March - your would be hard press to get the last year in as it is at the most six months. Yes you become a Webelos in the spring, so also do you change to Wolf or Bear in the spring --- therefore the time in Tigers or Wolf is more like nine months than a year. The total year pin time for a boy starting out at Tigers to aging out of Boy Scouts at 18 would be eleven maybe twelve years.

Scouters are allowed to use any of the BSA copyrighted art in their publications or apparel used in their Scouting program. The only time you may run into a problem is with art produced by national, if it includes anything copyrighted by another group or person. There were some restrictions placed on the use of Garfield the cat when he was a spokescat for Cub Scouting. So, go for it, you can design away on those certificates

PRAY does not determine what religious program is approved by the BSA. PRAY is a publishing house that in conjunction with the religious committees develop material to administer the religious award program of that religious community. The BSA then approves or recognizes the program for their youth to be able to wear the award on their uniform. This is not automatic and can be withdrawn check the tread on Unitarian Universalist: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=78760#id_79346 PRAYs God and Country series is for generally Protestant groups. It also handles some other groups' administration and some groups are self-administered and published.

I am also an officer in NALS. The only award for a mentor is the pin that they may purchase after they go through the mentor booklet along with their youth earning his/her award in the PRAY published God and Country award program. That is not an award with a knot. They youth earning a religious emblem may wear the silver knot on a purple background on all his youth uniforms and also when he grows up on his adult uniform. The purple knot on the silver background is to be worn by adults who have received an adult religious award. All but a few (LDS for one) are nomination awards akin to Silver Beavers; some (Lutheran Servant of Youth for one) may be given to non-members for service to that faith youth. The basic underlying requirement for all the awards is service to and promotion of the religious life of the awards givers youth The mentor is just a helping of and a going through the God and Country program with a single youth and may take only six weeks as opposed to five or ten years service as required for many of the adult awards.

Just FYI, a few posts back someone suggested that he become a MB counselor and then he could go on hikes. It is my understanding that you need to be a paid registered member to go on outing where you dont have your child going. I could be wrong but I think MB counselor wont qualify.