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So much for meeting with an MBC, even in a public library, even if one or both non-registered parent(s) stays with the scout.

Oh yeah, OP. Mr. Rowe's paradox ... Although BSA is doing none of that coed stuff: Isn't the argument against BSA4G entirely one of "safe spaces" for the boys?

Welcome to the forums. There are a few old pros here. it's fun watching you all compare notes.

All I know is there was a link to an article from quite a few years ago in the original thread, an I would like to reference it on my cousin Robbie's wall. But now I have to go fish.

What I'm not understanding ... will the new youth program occupy more than one night? E.g., will it be one night plus monthly (or more frequent) Friday-Saturday activities tailored to each sex?

IMHO, You should work with the SM on this. Maybe audio-record Jennson giving the answers to the questions. Is the SM improvising? Yes. Should he flex? Yes. Should you toss the baby out with the bathwater? Depends on the baby. BTW @Jenn, welcome to the forums!

@T2Eagle you need to balance utility against probability. The utility in this case is freedom from blunt force trauma. The probability is not just that of a boy falling from 25' if he is in a trained/controlled setting. But the probability that, not offering a controlled setting with safety instruction, the boy will put himself in situations where he is on a folding chair climbing up to nail his first story between two pines, then climbing up to the second story from the first, then the third story from there. No brain bucket, no harness, no formal stress test, no training regarding fasteners, no railings/ladders in the design ... the boy's dad caught him before the roof (at 30') was suspended! Aside from whatever percentage of boys who bore of scouts because they are as rambunctious as my relative. American boys are entering the work-force worldwide with no training. Not all employers are OSHA compliant. If a young man has no experience building safely at altitude, he'll have no sense that he should push back at an unscrupulous boss. BSA isn't making boys safer. It's passing them off on others who could care less.

No doubt BSA'll get a slice of LDS youth ... just not the whole pie.

Lot's of folks get WB as cub leaders or district committee chairs. They wont ever take IOLS unless they become an SM/ASM ... if then.

Not gonna lie. The casual use of discouraging words isn't just due to @gblotter's sensitivities. Sailing with my adult children has shown me that, although not nearly like a sailor, my choice of words could be better. We tease my daughter on the rare occasion she let's some "roughneck talk" slip. But, to most folks around, we seem like the epitome of discretion. As much as we are trying to re-shape our community, it is coloring us. The SM and I are often fighting such bigger battles that shoring up impertinent language sometimes feels like putting an adhesive bandage on an arterial bleed. And, our camp directors have helped us identify boys whose discourteous speech was heard on the trail. So, yes, in years past, signing off on a cuss going to Jambo would be the least of our concerns. The scout we sent last year was not in that category, but I have no doubt that a couple of scouts sent from the district were. I appreciate the cautionary tales from recent Jamborees/Camporees and hope they will make me a better contingent ASM. Fourteen months ... we can make 'em cleaner, braver, reverenter? Is there a published outline of what the young men's program for LDS is supposed to look like? I mean if it's gonna award achievement and character in some way like the BSA does, why worry about Eagle?

A Venturing crew is not a patrol. Not even close. Most days. But take note ... I've had 18-20 year olds come to me with a good plan that sometimes included younger siblings. I've helped them improve their plans, on one occasion tossing them my car keys. Scouting happens, with or without BSA.

Rephrase: groups of teens do these on their own ... without the guidance of an organization priding itself on training leaders and being prepared. Last week, I got a picture of a young relative atop his a "tree house" three stories tall -- built from found plywood. Sketchy did not begin to define it! If his former SM was willing and able to deliver on the promise of scouting, that could have been a safe, solid pioneering tower! Our nation's most ambitious kids are in harms way thanks to a litigious society.

One of our post-docs and a male friend of hers lead a GS/USA troop. But, I agree that some points in life require one to take a break. I did while I was halfway through college until Son #1 turned 6. However, my biggest regret was when during that "break time" an Italian young lady asked if we could start a scout troop in the town where she was studying. I could have at least asked around as at that point I was conversant with quite a few locals.

@The Latin Scot, coed scouting does not a prima facia repudiate complementary of the sexes. Let's face it. Segregated scouting has done nothing to keep the complementarian position popular. But your point should be respected. BSA is not providing the tools LDS thinks it needs.

@Popcorn06, welcome to the forums. Although troops can stipulate age/rank requirements for youth leaders, there is no national recommendation. Part of the fun of being SM/ASM is working with the boy who the troop elects and helping him become a better leader/manager over the course of his term. (FYI, there is no national recommendation for term limits or frequency of elections.) A lot of this has to do with the SM/ASM's comfort level. Some of us have had so many challenges with different boys, that we've come to realize that age comes with both advantages and disadvantages. A young scout with lots of enthusiasm and dedication can be a productive SPL.

I never saw it that way. Old timers were part of my game. My SM mastered backpacking in his late 60s because I wanted to do a local 50miler. Adult association has no upper limit.

'Skip and Ian, send up the chain that detailed plans should be in plain text/jpgs, not .pdf's. Half of the pages aren't formatting properly or quickly on my tablet. Let them know that there are yanks out there who will nick any good idea, and maybe share experiences about not-so-good ideas.

The age thing bugs me as well. I'm currently missing a campout because of a scheduled old-person procedure. But, I remember at Jamboree as a kid meeting a guy being wheeled around in his chair. He introduced himself as "the oldest scout in existence." (A claim I probably smirked at, at the time, but since, my aunt was probably the oldest campfire girl for a few years, I'm no longer taking the memory of him so lightly.) I've since met other scouters who are revered by boys. So, sticking around seems to be a matter of humility on the scouter's part and accommodation on the boys' part. I look at the religion thing from a different standpoint. Of course, Protestants aren't known for their loyalty. But, that's not it. Nor is it that I'll likely find some church somewhere who favors scouting in most any community. If I'm called to something else, I'll set BSA aside. But the opposite has been happening in the past few years. My two loves (for international students/refugees, and spending time with youth in the outdoors) are growing together. Especially with the upcoming World Jamboree. BSA4G only facilitates that.

My breaking point happened 10+ years ago when My wife, who volunteered on our crew's committee, came home from a youth protection class where a fellow student tossed out the, "I thought we had Girl Scouts for girls." One scouter told me I was wrecking the program (promoting venturing) when in fact I was giving our boys more hiking/camping hours. Adults blew smoke over local adult-contrived boundaries that youth rightly found to bIe stupid Yet on each adventure, in a dozen different ways each time, I reaped youths' smiles. I broke. I did. I broke in favor of as many youth in the field under my guidance ... with or without BSA. Today, very close friends lost their son (and Son #2 lost a buddy) in a bicycle-meet-car accident. I've been on the verge of tears all day. I regret not having more hikes with this young man, not encouraging his dad to let him try our crew (in spite of his issues ... he had a few), not doing more to be his mentor. Compared to that loss, BSA's organizational blips mere trifles. So, my organization is bending and flexing to get me and other adults with integrity in touch with more youth? That's not a breaking point. That's a building point.

My take: If the districts are in the same council, they are arms of the council and the one award of merit applies to both districts, as well as all defunct districts in which the scouter served. So, the second district wanting to confer the award is simply too late to do so. If they are in separate councils. The scouter would need a different uniform for each council patch. In which case could earn two awards of merit.

The "field uniform" can now officially be the neckerchief and appropriate clothing for the activity. Besides myself, I have not seen any BSA member wearing it. We wear the field uniform to summer camp morning and evening flags. Otherwise the boys leave it at home. I have given patches from my collection to boys who wear their uniform camping. Except for the obscenely large patches, it is a nice wearable shirt. I like my canvas shorts. All other standard issue pants aren't worth my time.

When I teach scouting safety to youth or or adults, I explain we're trying to bring them as close to their Creator as we can without making it a permanent stay.

Tell that to Son #2 who held a swimming partial for 5 years, then decided to earn Hiking at age 17.9.

Welcome. Our district lost all but one of its crews. What could have helped: Agressively market venturing in every high school and community college. Press releases. Lower fees.

Wonder if they have a dragon patrol.