RememberSchiff

All internet archived copies appear to have been scrubbed, perhaps an indication that website was not helpful in BSA legal matters. Or maybe that whole BSA legal department was fired and formed a Divorce Law Practice for Scouter spouses. Now that could be doubly helpful to Scouters.

I interpreted "find 10" as an exploration of diversity in the habitat and their place (consumers) in the food chains/webs. So I don't want 10 list of chickodee, two types of nuthatches, four woodpeckers, titmouse,... not much diversity. My $0.02

It is common for packs to run separate races with an entry fee for non-Cubs (mostly Dads) usually with the same BSA weight/size rules, but I am seeing more unrestricted races which are fun and lucrative. CO2 gas propellants, soda/beer can Physics club challenges (STEM groups,high school/colleges) altered track Any packs out there running unrestricted class races? How is it working out?

Within safe limits and grounded safety instruction, we try to do activities that our scouts consider fun. If the BSA does not agree, due to liability or lack of confidence in us or whatever, it becomes a family activity with parent approval and participation. We were/are all parents before we were/are unit leaders. All of our unit shooting sports activities with exception of summer camp are outside of scouting. We have also driven go-carts outside of scouting. Snowmobiles, ATV's no. In Cubs, we held a workshop with some bench power tools for Pinewood Derby. It was a family activity. For some dads and sons, it was the first time that either used a band saw. Hunting was another "family activity". 3D targets for practice and live, of course, for hunting. Another $0.02,

Single tents or bivouac sacks are sounding more appealing, either way it's okay to wake up with yourself.

Informative first post, welcome to scouter.com

President Donald Trump’s nominee for Ambassador to Japan, Bill Hagerty, is an Eagle Scout. ... told those at the Friends of Scouting 2017 Williamson County Good Scout Event that being Senior Patrol Leader of his scout troop in Gallatin 40 years ago helped develop his confidence as a leader. Hagerty, 57, co-founder of Hagerty Peterson & Company, a private equity investment firm, and Eagle Scout, who served as Tennessee Commissioner of Economic Development from 2011-2014 and on the Trump transition, spoke At Embassy Suites Hotel Cool Springs about how the skills he learned in The Boy Scouts of America helped him in his life and business career. ... “I think the two points I made that Scouts teaches you leadership and confidence,†Hagerty said referencing his speech. “The leadership skills are all learned through the patrol method in Scouting.†The patrol method, which breaks the scouts in to smaller groups that work together within the troop with its own leadership structure, helped Hagerty have the confidence get his first job at 14 and was named senior patrol leader in his Gallatin, Tenn., Troop at 17 which went to the BSA National Jamboree in Washington D.C. ... “I think it’s the recognition of the investment that adult leaders placed in me as a boy,†said Hagerty who now works with his son’s troop. “It’s taken a lifetime to translate but I hope that the leadership abilities that I learned in Scouting as a boy will continue to guide me as I move on to Japan and try to represent our nation there to the best of my ability.†“I didn’t think about it at the time, but as I look back on it was because I understood how to be a leader, how to listen, how to organize my thoughts, how to set goals and how to execute them,†he said. https://springhillhomepage.com/new-ambassador-to-japan-traces-leadership-skills-to-scouting/

What if the program year started with 4-6 months of training and practice with NO advancement (no sign-off). Then the rest of year (includes summer camp) would be Advancement (test, sign-off, BOR, COH). Service would be year round. Might ground the helicopter parents and derail the Eagle Express.

Agree. Too much process and adult involvement.

Welcome to scouter.com First you need to find a Merit Badge Counselor for each respective partial merit badge. The official answer lies here http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/guidetoadvancement/themeritbadgeprogram.aspx 7.0.4.3 What to Do When Requirements ChangeThe current annual edition of Boy Scout Requirements lists the official merit badge requirements. Once new or revised merit badge requirements appear in this publication, which is released each January, any Scout just beginning work on a merit badge must use the requirements as stated there. If changes to merit badge requirements are introduced in a revised merit badge pamphlet after the January release of the Boy Scout Requirements book, then the Scout has until the following January 1 to decide what to do. He may continue—or begin work—using the old merit badge requirements and the old pamphlet; or he may switch to—or begin work—using the new requirements and the new pamphlet. Unless it is otherwise stated in the merit badge pamphlet, Boy Scout Requirements, or official communications from the National Council, if a Scout chooses to use the old merit badge requirements and pamphlet, he may continue using them until he has completed the badge. There is no time limit between starting and completing a badge, although a counselor may determine so much time has passed since any effort took place that the new requirements must be used.

Doesn't stop scouts from earning (nod and a wink) it at summer camp.

From http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/04/15/the-boy-scouts-of-america-then-and-now-a-comparison-of-the-1911-and-modern-handbooks-and-merit-badges/

#5. Activities not allowed or constrained by GSS. There have been discussions in the past about paint-ball, water guns,... In the past, some members have mentioned their unit holds those activities "outside of scouting" as a family activity. #10. I was referring to your own personal liability insurance. As I recall, @@Stosh was one who suggested this. Seemed like a good idea.

I will try hard not to take offense at being compared to an alcoholic. Over the many years, I have learned much from this forum and unlike dialog with National, I have received response(s)! I would like more new members to join in the discussion. Unlike a regular Round Table, we are not able to elicit a response from those lurking in a topic. Here's a brief list of some of my take-aways, in no particular order. 1. When being told a BSA policy, procedure, policy, ASK WHERE IS THAT WRITTEN! Not written, just an opinion. Note many members post corroborating links when they respond. 2. Learn to say NO. Balance your time, family is MOST important, Scouting is further down the list. 3. Most likely the only way to fix a problem with a scout unit is to transfer to another. Childhood years are short and will not come again. 3a. Not having fun, it is time to go. 4. It is okay to have second thoughts, even drop, program aspects that are not delivering locally - OA, FOS, JTE, WB, 5. It is becoming more common to take an activity "outside of scouting" as a unit family activity. 6. Not all Methods are equal. Patrol Method. Patrol Method. Oh and Patrol Method. 7. The frustrating "Nod and Wink" (having it both ways) is everywhere. There are always exceptions/contradictions to BSA rules. 8. Transfer camp properties to a trust outside the reach of council. 9. Don't count on Council to support you in any confrontation with parents. 10. Don't count on BSA insurance (do you personally have a copy of the policy?), carry your own liability insurance. 11. Yes the Eagle Scout project is a scout activity. Yeah seemed obvious to me too. 12. Parents want their kids to carry their phone, deal with it. Remember the no-electronics discussion? 13. Sadly most CO's and Eagle Scouts are not involved in Scouting. 14. There has been much constructive criticism here regarding to all the changes in Medical form. (SS#, body fat, photo permission, carrying meds) and rank/award requirements. National just could not get it right. 15. There is much constructive criticism here regarding WB, NYLT, JLT,... Some members have posted their old training materials! Thanks! 16. The merit badge program appears broken at council level while some troops are handling the merit badge program rather well. Takeway, work on recruiting parents and setting up a program within troop. Recruiting talent outside of scouting is difficult at best. 16. Most scouting is local, i..e., most will not attend a HA center, Jamboree, or go on a distant trek. Above is a partial list. My $0.02,

Well at least we are helping more than bsalegal.com

Don't get me going about Cooking merit badge.

Back in the day, four of us scouts asked and received permission from our one adult advisor to ascend Baldy on an afternoon hike. There was no sign-in log. Our plan was to reach treeline by nightfall and see the sunrise from the peak. We got about 2/3's the way up before pitching tents for the night. Since a peak ascent in time for sunrise now seemed unlikely to us, we waited on the trail the next morning for the rest of our patrol (6 scouts and advisor) and summited as a whole patrol by early afternoon. Our advisor had this look on his face - "this is how I thought this would play out". Upon returning down, there was a thunder shower with ball lightning hitting a peak south of Baldie. Great experience.

Back in the day, I don't recall a time restrictions to starting hikes. The no-go or time-to-return decisions were ours to make.

If there are no MBC's for a merit badge is it still a merit badge? Wasn't one or two of these new merit badges going to be offered online?

Thanks for the info. A variety show fundraiser with an 80 year run - amazing. And for scouting too!

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/newcastle-gang-shows-80th-anniversary-12892349 Meanwhile, UK Scouting membership has grown by almost a quarter in the last decade - and there are now more than half a million Scouts. The Scout Association said its membership had gone up from 450,455 to 550,457 members in the last decade, and in this time female membership has grown from 69,996 to 128,042. All of which means it’s rather timely that the Newcastle Gang Show is celebrating its 80th anniversary. Please tell me more about this Newcastle Gang Show

In addition to showing us the outdoor do's and dont's, he hoped our PL would adopt his leadership style and beliefs which may have been better suited for coaching football.

Our assigned ranger, we first called him Super Scout but by the next day his nickname was shortened to SS and meant something different. Anyway, he insisted we be on the trail by 0700 fed or not, gear wet or dry. Let's Go! Go.Go. After he left us, we slacked some, but our gear was dry and we were not eating cereal on the trail - a happy balance.

Too true. I know a scout who was away on a school trip during his planned Eagle project work week. In his absence, he "delegated" the on-site project leadership to his Dad. IMO, that was another troop service project not an Eagle service project.