qwazse

Adult volunteers are extensions of paid staff. I don’t know why anyone would think otherwise. Every time I’m at camp for a full week, I check in with the camp director and ask where I can pitch in. (It’s usually aquatics. Not many scouters keep up their guard certification.) This is nothing new. When I wanted to earn First Aid MB, my SM walked us over to a neighboring campsite and introduced me the their SM who would be my counselor. The challenge these days for scouters is that simply keeping up with training is sucking a lot of bandwidth. (I really admire the COPE volunteers who keep the climbing courses rolling.)

I don’t wear a suit jacket to church anymore, so my mentor pins go on my uniform. If it bothers someone, and they own a “proper” outfit on which to wear them, and they wear it regularly, I’ll send them one for them to wear. I’m not a fan of rows of knots. I love seeing temporary patches and Jambo patch’s on everyone. O/A flaps are cool too. Things with words that carry real meaning. BSA dug it’s own grave. They deserve scouters who overbling if they encourage obscurely titled council patches that can be seen from space at night.

I once told some scouts that I’d double their tip next time if their booth has some photos … including one of the scoutmaster dropping off the tower of one of the council climbing events.

Welcome to the forums. So you really have three options: 1. Use your old uniform. Remove rank patches and replace them with knots. 2. Get a new uniform. Preserve the old uniform as is for historical purposes. 3. Don’t bother with a uniform. Focus on helping your scout look sharp.

Gains approaching what you described haven’t been observed since the mid ‘60s … before the ageist policy against adults earning Eagle was nationalized. I have not heard talk of any radical program reversal of that or any other policy that would reverse trends in membership.

This might not apply to scuba -- or to scouts at Seabase who are coached in LNT, but a lot of snorklers are tempted to walk on reefs. I guess socks would do less damage than fins. Have any coastal folks seen this as problematic? Or, are people wiser about how they behave at low tide?

Let’s face facts. It costs real time and money on BSA’s part to vette volunteers. Those of us who are in “fee” positions are fronting the bill for those who are only in “no fee” positions. It’s worth it to us boots on the ground because we hate the thought of sending scouts to a sketchy adult just for the sake of a lousy patch that someone with a clear record could provide if we knew we needed to recruit them. Moreover, any further improvements to YPT are most likely coming from increased fees. So, if your only position is MBC, and you have more to offer a unit or district, consider setting aside funds (and time) for the registration fees and the training. In the long run, that will ease the burden on the rest of us.

What does the merit badge pamphlet say?

Being an MBC is tangential. ASM’s have to pay … to register as an adult leader with a unit unit dues (if any) to attend IOLS training Vehicle maintenance, fuel, gear, literature time taking YPT, hazards training, etc … advanced courses (BSA guard, Wilderness First Aid, Woodbadge, etc…) depending on how you choose to assist the SM. My unit pays for adult leader registrations, so I try to sneak the $’s back in … donating to fundraisers, getting snacks for an activity, etc … But the bottom line: if you want to be an ASM, set aside some coin for it.

I am afraid any resolution of the problem will not comfort the accused scout … If the accused scout’s defense is true, then the accusing scout is either delusional or manipulative. In either case, she can’t be trusted and is therefore disqualified as a scout. Such scouts in my troop or crew have been suspended for six months. We can work with crazy — a little; but lying crazy — not so much. Sadly, it can take years to recover from being suspended from a volunteer organization, and we have not had suspended scouts return. So the accused scout’s wish for reconciliation is unlikely to happen anytime soon. It doesn’t matter if lying scouts are removed officially or not. If they aren’t brutally honest about themselves, they will erode the life of their unit. What scout will want to tent with this scout? What leader will want to have any kind of personal relationship? It won’t be long before the unit suspends operation for lack of membership and adequate supervision. There simply aren’t a lot of winning scenarios.

Not necessarily. It may not be an actionable offense. (Most bullying is not.) Since the scout has been given scant information, we don’t know which authorities have been informed. Although we’d expect them to interview the scout by now, sometimes they do not. Moreover, it may be a false report. In which case the accuser could be in very deep trouble were this taken to the authorities. Even if it is not taken to the authorities, this could be a very difficult time for the accuser if her claim cannot be verified. @scoutlaw74, if your scout is a victim of a false report, he may need counseling in a few months. Vindication is not always enough to overcome the trauma of false accusation.

Good luck, but there’s room for pessimism.

That’s an interesting supposition. But, I think this is a reversal of causality. Without the discovery intrinsic to bankruptcy, such documentaries would be chalked up by many as “gotcha” journalism and constitute another few months of survivors not being believed. The collective response of survivors has done far more heavy lifting than any collection of documentaries. As to journalistic quality. I think that’s a non-issue. More people can easily produce content without the editorial oversight of a media conglomerate. I find that to be a good thing.

Sounds like a plan. Was just there (well Sea World, the kids outvoted Mrs. Q.) Enjoy the traffic. P.S. — One of my erstwhile scouts is a photojournalist for the Orlando Sentinel and has written several articles on off-the-beaten-path adventures.

Sorry to hear. You may want to get some assistance in coaching how to deal with this. Your DE or SE may be able to put you in touch with some good resources for youth leaders.

Question no longer, take a quote from this stranger on the internet and be certain: First class first year is a lie. The skills therein are difficult to master. I have seen classes of scouts get to Eagle no sooner if they earn 1st class early.

As I explain to our post-docs: there’s differential diagnosis, and then there’s the hair rising on the back of your neck.

@SiouxRanger without belaboring the details, me too. I was the next to last person to leave the water and did that last once-over scan that lifesaving instructors pound into your head, saw my friend struggling in the deep about to slip quietly away, reached out a hand, and forestalled death. It’s what we do. No fanfare required.

I've observed "cold starting" scouts do just as well as scouts who've been in since crossing over. They're coming in a couple of years older. They're a little more mature. Their reading comprehension is better. Such scouts have done a lot for the life of our troop. They are also very helpful because they question bureaucracy, and every once in a while, they're right!

Welcome, and thanks in advance for all you’ll do for the youth!

That’s a very key point. A patch is more valuable with thorough research as to its provenance. (E.g., who wore it? What does “476” signify? Any photos of it from that period?)

This 🙄. Sailors and LEOs who want to reach out to teens aren’t looking for a lot of meddling from BSA pros.

Some conversations, including replies from a member, may be found here …

Time to get serious with that welding MB.

The reason why this disturbs is that it supposed that mass murder could be a rational conclusion based on the environment in which one is immersed. Having known a few young men (all from good parents) who committed suicide (not all with firearms), I often wonder if one or two of them were motivated by an urgent need to prevent themselves from doing anything worse. Obviously I’ll never know, but I certainly wish they had the courage to talk it out with one or more of the many people who they could trust,myself included.