perdidochas

JoeBob, Your view is very selfish and short-sighted, IMHO. Yes, my sons are my primary concern, but some of us think as far as our grandsons (who aren't even glimmers in my son's eyes yet). I plan to stay around the troop after my sons age out/Eagle out. I will probably start a Venture crew, but will remain on as a MBC for the Troop. I don't think of the leaders who don't have boys in the program as being creepy at all. IMHO, they are invaluable to a troop. They see things that those blinded by our own interests don't see.

IMHO, this is a horrible idea. Just too young.

While it's not a G2SS rule, our Troop rule is that Scouts have to be at least Star in order to tent alone. My oldest son loves it, and unless it's cold out (or summer camp) he tents alone. My youngest hates the idea, and although he's a Star, he would never tent alone given a choice.

What do you need it for? I won't send you mine for privacy reasons. Unless you are creating a new advancement program, I think you'd be better off just using the option in Internet Advancement and manually enter the information. I have opened the file in Excel, and honestly, there isn't enough information in the .csv to allow you to recreate it. The first two lines of the file are information about the unit. Beginning at the third line, there are two columns of numbers that I have no idea what they mean, then three columns with Scouts first name, middle initial and last name. Then a column of the Scout's scout ID #, a blank column, then a date, then a code for what was earned--RT is rank Tenderfoot, R1 is rank First Class or a number (10 is Personal Fitness MB). There is a row in the spreadsheet for each Scout, and it ends with a row with two columns of numbers.

The SM made a big mistake. IMHO, former WDLs don't need to be made ASMs for at least a year after their scout crosses over to the Troop. I say this as a former WDL. Thankfully, I was asked to be a Committee Member for a few years before becoming an ASM. It let me learn how to sit back and watch the boys more, rather than lead the boys. I'm very proud that my son, the SPL, is wanting the troop to win summer camp type competitions. He and the ASPL have also headed up the whole preparing the Troop for Summer camp--in terms of the packing list, shakedown of trunks, etc.

This is probably the worst time of year to join Cub Scouts. MostPacks will be starting up again in August/September. I think this is about the best age for your boy to start. Webelos is the most fun Cub Scout rank.

She doesn't have the authority to disallow the merit badges. Only the counselor and the SM can do that. Her responsibility is recording it for the Advancement Report. She doesn't have the authority to disallow the Tenderfoot requirements. If the Patrol Advisor is authorized by the SM to sign off requirements, then it is done. The book is a scout's official record. Troopmaster (or whatever form is used) is the Troop's official record. The Advancement Report is the Council's official record. What does the SM feel about it? BTW, I am a former Advancement Chair and was for over 3 years. My job wasn't making decisions and judgements--that was the SM and ASM's job. My job was recording MBs, and rank advancements, and occasionally signing requirements related to attendance, and sending advancement reports to council.

I don't see the big deal. Gays are about 2-3% of the population. The chances of a gay scout are small.

Sure they warranted investigation, but the problem is the criteria used were partisan. If all PACs received the same scrutiny, I would be applauding. The problem is that any explanation used is not a good thing for the shape of our republic. Either the IRS (among the most powerful agencies of the government, that is about to be given even more power) is corruptly partisan or they are criminally incompetent. Neither of those ideas sit well with me.

If I like something, I want to share it with others. Why wouldn't this apply to religion as well?

If I like something, I want to share it with others. Why wouldn't this apply to religion as well?

Don't understand how scout trailers muck up the vision. Agree with the rest. Country club sit downs for COHs?

My boys are experimenting with this idea. I bought some appropriately shaped velcro patches off of eBay, and they have sewn them on. Mainly for position patches, though.

Depends on the female. Most Moms of ONLY boys are pretty accepting of boys acting like boys. We don't have female ASMs, but it is true that females have a different way of dealing with Scouts than do males. IMHO, boys get enough of the female way of dealing with them in schools. Scouts is a good place for them to learn how to deal with other males. I do think that if people think Girl Scouts isn't as appealing to many girls as Boy Scouts, they need to reform Girl Scouts.

If you go to "Get involved" on the homepage of scouting.org, it links you to beascout.org.