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@Lu Ta Don't get too enthused by some of the ideas (or overly rankled by replies to them). BSA does not have all the "site inspection" rules that GS/USA has. So, use the safety guidelines for brownies to identify if there's something you would normally do that would conflict with encroachment on the park. Here's some steps (they worked for me when my family had to deal with rolling projectiles - a.k.a. cars left in neutral -- crashing our fence, and even though we're on opposite coasts I think they will work for you): Contact one of your town councilman. He or she can help you put this on the docket at their next meeting. Or, maybe he can put you in touch with the person on your park board. It's likely he'll get in touch with the Mayor on your behalf. Present your petition respectfully. Frankly, I don't think signatures from beyond your community are of any use. Ask them to relay your concerns to the casino owner and the bus companies. It's what elected officials are supposed to do so people's emotions don't get in the way of making the town a better place. (And rubber-encased air remains that way, @@JoeBob ) What you need, besides pictures of cars and buses, is documentation that someone instructed bus companies to use the park. In fact, you may want to ask some casino goers about how they knew to park there. So, make some friends. See if anyone can show you instructions that they received directing them to do what they did. Needless to say, if those instructions came from an elected official, you can ask him if he'll be campaigning on this next term! Eventually, the casino will be asked to make some improvement. They may pawn off responsibility at first, but with persistence and courtesy, they might figure out a way to be a good neighbor. That may include a stand for selling popcorn -- and cookies!

Now for the arduous task of all those greetings ... Welcome! And thank you for your service to the boys!

First, two-deep leadership applies to overnight activities. The principle here is no one-on-one contact. And, frankly, for an afternoon/evening activity, no adults need to be present. I suspect the misinterpretation of youth protection requirements put you in the awkward position of having to be there with nothing of importance to do. Your time might have been better invested in a different corner of the house teaching the dad whatever knots you know. Let the PL know that if the boys feel stuck on a knot, he could find you, and you'd come by and demonstrate it. The SM and I come off as very laid back, because a good part of the meeting is chatting with adults with only one eye on the boys. What we are actually doing is having meaningful conversations that some of the boys may overhear.

Good point. Let me rephrase ... A boy should know what kinds of questions may be asked. He should know that this is how a committee learns what's important for the troop, and maybe what should change. He should know to provide a succinct answer, stop, listen, and think (i.e., take a breath) before answering the question. He should not have any idea of what we old farts think the right answer should be. Nobody learns what by hearing what we already know. So, it's really important that our boys are prepared to speak their mind respectfully ... not to attempt to read the minds of their reviewers.

You just answered your question for you. Let the boys do the talking. Here's some BoR questions that may help: 1. What is your favorite thing about our troop? Least favorite? 2. If there was one thing you'd like the troop to do while you're working on your next rank, what would it be? 3. You know, the new SM is gonna be a busy guy (new wives do that to a fella), now that a bunch of you are advanced, what troop responsibilities do you think you boys could do to make his job easier? 4. Do you like your current position of responsibility? What would you like to do differently with it? Or would you like to try a different PoR? Or, is there a service project you'd rather lead? 5. If there's one place you'd like to take your patrol (maybe while the adults stay home or back at camp, if it's an overnight) where would it be? And, since it sounds like you're tight with one or more of these boys: NO COACHING IN ADVANCE.

Enjoy the sit-down with their advisor. I think ultimately you will need to give a special "training for scout-parents" seminar. You're kinda sorta becoming the unit commissioner.

I think this hits hardest on an NSP of 8 crossovers who were advancing uniformly in isolation of the troop. If they've all made it to 2nd class at about the same time, they have to set aside 8 camping nights to get everyone up to speed. Even so, I don't see this as the greatest problem. While one boy and a buddy cooks, the others could be mastering other first class skills. (Camp gadgets, swimming, navigation, etc ...). Of course the obvious troop-method solution is to try to integrate these 2nd class scouts into existing patrols. But, if they've been really mastering skills and having a great time, why would you want to? IOLS: maybe the best syllabus would simply be allowing direct-contact leaders to earn advancement. That way, they hit the same snags as the boys do without having to waste a weekend trying to foresee all possible advancement woes years into the future. Rosters: Did I miss something? Does the sample duty roster require rotating everyone? OR is it just implied? At summer camp, our boys usually rotate into cook for all three meals of the day. On weekends, we honestly don't pay attention to who does what. If the PL is always fine with how his boys chip in with chores, we might not ever suggest a roster to him.

Foil-lined cardboard boxes seem to work the best. I've also propped up large rocks for a similar effect. My brother made one from #10 cans pounded flat and wrapped around coat-hanger wire scaffolding. Impressive, but I never used it.

Rosters are meant to be ignored. Just ask to be cook for a full day (or three consecutive meals, if you all insert before suppertime). I'm not against using multiple camp-outs, but that really drags things out. And each of the T2F requirements are best worked on over the span of a weekend. Lot's of newbies? Plan more camp-outs -- especially, "back nine" camping with the patrol. Round here, some boys are counted on to be the weekend cook for dad's hunting camp. Getting them trained in their patrol is a boon to our families.

Well, by the logic of @@BDPT00 and @@Krampus, since there is zilch in the insignia guide about pinning neckers, or fashioning neckers out of pins, or pinning bolo ties ... it is a uniform violation to use pins in that fashion. To which I say ... if someone does manage to configure such an animal (I could imagine a "spiral" of pins wrapping a necker or maybe a chain-mail necker interspersed with pins), please post a pic. I would love to see it functioning. By the way, I don't buy for a minute that just because an element is "optional" that it is less a part of the official uniform. Just because it is allowed to vary within a troop, once the boys clearly articulate its use for their troop -- as they should, it is a official.

That we care more for who is under the shirt than what is on it? Here's the thing: a search of "mentor" or "pin" in the IG comes up with zilch. Thus some folks take that as lattitude, others see it as limiting. So, what about the BSA dress uniform? Can scouters wear a mentor pin or two on that lapel?

Although not in uniform, I don't see anything wrong with a scout leader testifying that the parents in his/her troop are feeling encroached upon by industry in what used to be a community setting.

FYI: Inuit has no more words for snow (or any kind of precipitation, for that matter) than does any western language. They use adjectives just like the rest of us. Although, when it comes to rain, I'm sure the Brits' adjective choice is far more colorful!

Sounds like someone filled your BSA experience with a lot of BS. Assistance can come in many forms, if they didn't specify the source (council, your CO, anonymous), and the pack didn't keep records, there'd be no way of figuring this out. Communication? Attend your district roundtable.

Backyard adventure doesn't sell Jamboree slots.

The other challenge that youth this age have is that few are in a position to commit an entire week. You may want to consider 4-day programs. Possibly starting on different days of the week.

It varies. Camps with full-time Rangers seem to be more flexible. Camps with camp masters or volunteers ... Not so much. State parks have specific rules about reserved campsites, but that just has to do with breaking camp, if the boys wanted, they could use other facilities (fishing, hiking, etc ...) after the campsite is clear. Farmers, well they all are different with how they want their land to be occupied on a Sunday.

You're welcome. And, yes, I get that look. Fortunately, the older boys have plenty of stories about following an adult's navigation ...

You are gonna need to work the VOA a lot harder. Ask if any would help develop a program of tier II adventure. They (or venturers they know who would like to start something big) might spend a day with you walking through camp and thinking up program ideas. (Food provided ... you might even have to work in dutch oven cooking and an overnight.) To help you understand the market dynamics of this sort of thing, the following started out as a venturers summer program but only blossomed into a viable multiple week program when older scouts were welcomed: http://lhc-bsa.org/Camping/Boy%20Scout%20Programs/Eagle%20Base-%20High%20Adventure What might work with the new awards program is not to have a specific program at all. But, offer tier II and tier III opportunities that venturers would have to plan starting the fall before camp. It might include training opportunities in the spring. Some would have to get first aid certification, others life guard certification, others food safety, others campmaster training, large animal care, NRA/NAA safety, etc ... In other words the Worlds Best Venturing Summer Camp would be one the youth assemble and staff on their own. You just provide a list of consultants in the area and some suggestions for backdating and minimum skill-set requirements. Each crew provides the program that they want to have and commit to providing/acquiring the requisite staffing for it.

My kids balanced sports, athletics, and academics, so I'm throwing neither under the bus. Now, we had a scout who loved serving at our spaghetti dinners. Asked if we could hold more of them. Quit after two years because of Athletics. Still a nice kid. Tried college full time, did poorly. Is no part time at community college and bagging groceries and greeting customers in a big box store... Actually is really good at the latter. I had a similar scout pass on the athletics and stick with the troop. Got in the habit of selling anything including water to fish and was decent at auto service. He finally landed a full time job at a dealership and can support a wife and kids. I suspect the first scout will eventually find his level and surpass us all. But, there's something about the inward focus of high school athletics that can arrest development. We could probably say the same for any single obsession. Scouting may help pull a kid out of whatever hole he might try to hide in by forcing interaction with a variety of caring adults.

@@T2Eagle, I consider the blue cards to be BSA's advancement system. Everything else (e.g., that 4th data entry person, if you will) is just redundancy.

Well ... At least the guy's consistent. So, son should call his Cit. Nat. MBC and ask if he/she wouldn't mind sending a copy of his record. Lacking that record, son can ask him if he/she can sign if she remembers him completing the requirements,, or if h/she will arrange another visit to recap how he did the requirements. Point is ... Your son has a plan B and C. From copies of that, the SM an enter his advancement.

Your member status says "validating" under the square that would hold a profile picture. Never seen that before, but it may have something to do with it.

Sorry I missed the part about your son having his part of the card. Good news! The system is working! Your son has all the proof he needs to advance whenever he gets that project done and fills out that Eagle application! Like @@Krampus said, he holds onto those until he knows the troop has filed the advancement report. But, if that never happens, he's holding the trump cards. And, the reason he's holding them is because your SM was smart enough to follow procedure in April. So, go easy on the guy, and have the boy remind him from time to time that his sash feels a little light. Trust me (or trust my brother who, in the 50s, had an SM go AWOL with all of the troop's paperwork), it could be worse.

Doesn't seem like the code was written with "monster flags" in mind. I'd ask POTUS for and executive order as a stop-gap, until some amendment could be passed, but that goes against my rule #1!