RememberSchiff

5/7/2024: 2023 Annual Report released. The Key 3 (President/CEO Roger Krone, National Chair Brad Tilden, National Commissioner Scott Sorrels) state We hope you will join us in this important work. Our nation, our communities and our future leaders need the values, grit, and leadership skills that Scouting instills. Your support is critical as our youth continue Scouting America. Includes membership numbers, no financial report. https://www.scouting.org/about/annual-report/year2023/ P.S. Short on content, but might this also be submitted late as the Report to the Nation?

Of course, a name change on 9/1/24. Effective September 1, 2024, Scouting’s Shooting Sports programs within all programs including Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting will be referred to as Range and Target Activities. No non-commercial club ranges - nationally authorized camp property’s range(s) or at a commercial firearm range only. Venture sporting programs have taken a hit.. excerpt [9/1/2024 Shooting Sports Program Updates Effective September 1, 2024, Scouting’s Shooting Sports programs within all programs including Cub Scouting, Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting will be referred to as Range and Target Activities. Note: As a reminder, the updated Cub Scout program effective June 1, 2024 includes elective adventures versus awards for Cub Scouts. These elective adventures can still only be offered at an accredited camp program (day camp, short-term camp, long-term camp) or a council organized one day event. For information on delivering these new elective adventures, please visit the shooting sports website. In addition, effective September 1, 2024, the following changes will affect the range and target activities within Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting. All other current Scouting range and target activities policies as indicated in the National Shooting Sports Manual remain unchanged and must be followed. These changes will be reflected in the National Shooting Sports Manual on September 1, 2024 and will be updated periodically. Additional information regarding these changes can be found on the Shooting Sports FAQ website. Firearm programs may only take place on a nationally authorized camp property’s range(s) or at a commercial firearm range. This does not apply to district or council programs that utilize BB devices*, but applies to pellet rifles, airsoft (any type), rifles, pistols, shotguns, and muzzle loading rifles and shotguns. The use of personal firearms and personal ammunition is prohibited in all Scouting programs at nationally authorized camp properties. Personal firearms and personal ammunition may be used at a commercial firearm range, subject to restrictions regarding caliber, gauge, and action as described in the National Shooting Sports Manual and herein. At a minimum, all Scouts BSA troops, Venturing crews, and Sea Scout ships who provide unit-level sponsored/planned range and target activities must have at least one registered unit leader 21+ years of age take the Range Activity SAFEty online training. This trained adult leader must be present at the range. The training is recommended for all unit leaders in Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scouting. Note this training does not replace the requirements for certified NRA firearms instructors and range safety officers. This training will be available beginning 9/1/2024. More at source: https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss08/#a

From Newsweek "An online petition is calling for the Boy Scouts of America to reverse its planned name change...The name change, which is expected to go into effect on February 8, 2025—coinciding with the organization's 115th anniversary—sparked fierce backlash on social media." Sources: https://www.newsweek.com/boy-scouts-america-name-change-backlash-petition-1899301 https://www.change.org/p/save-boy-scouts

So far this appears to be the only direct, unfiltered presentation to us from NAM 2024. Thank you and Scout Salute to Scouter Selby (note Assistant Scoutmaster patch)

Definitions vary, but generally a sapling is defined as within a diameter (less than 4-5 inches) at a certain height (4.5ft) aka the diameter breast height (dbh) and not by the height of tree. Saplings can be quite tall (over 10ft) depending on species, sun exposure, and soil condition. Height of Tallest Saplings in 10 year old Appalachia Hardwood Clearcuts https://www.fs.usda.gov/ne/newtown_square/publications/research_papers/pdfs/scanned/OCR/ne_rp381.pdf

Canada wildfire destruction...and now an online tree planting fundraiser from Scouts Canada and Canada's Forest Trust Corporation (CFT) - $10 per tree with choice of tree and region but there's more... "Through a digital forest intelligence dashboard, Scouts and supporters will access custom impact data, such as the forest's location, age, species, estimated carbon storage, and a climate learning centre." https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/launching-the-canadian-climate-challenge-join-scouts-canada-and-canada-s-forest-trust-corporation-in-planting-millions-of-trees-857451690.html https://scoutrees.ca/

sapling

Another random thought, it does explain why Jim Kirk was never a Boy Scout. https://y.yarn.co/193eb197-66ad-4b5c-843a-0519c7779c8b.mp4

"Sexual activity is prohibited in Scouting." https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Understanding-and-Preventing-Youth-on-Youth-Abuse-Training-for-Camp-Directors-facilitators-Guide-2024.pdf https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Understanding-and-Preventing-Youth-on-Youth-Abuse-Training-for-Camp-Staff-and-NYLT-Facilitators-Guide-2024.pdf

Here are some scouting organizations in the US that unlike the BSA serve all youth, even atheists. Navigators USA - "The Navigators USA alternative scouting program was created to include everyone, and to help each person develop their fullest potential without discrimination. We aim to establish a world without prejudice or ignorance, and to treat every person with respect, no matter their race, creed, lifestyle, or ability. Navigators USA Is A Welcoming & Secular Scouting Program" https://www.navigatorsusa.org Outdoor Service Guides (OSG) - Formerly Baden-Powell Service Organization. they changed their name too in 2021. "OSG believes that all people and all families should have an equal place in the scouting movement. We welcome scouts and their families as they come to us, and we will do our best to make scouting and its activities accessible to every child or adult who wishes to join. We welcome everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion (or no religion), or other differentiating factors. We believe that scouting is for everybody. We welcome those who have scouted a long time and those who have never tried scouting before joining us." https://outdoorserviceguides.org/ Spiral Scouts https://www.spiralscouts.org/about_us Another $0.01,

I have found "duty to God" more of a stumbling block for potential members and their families than the name "Boy". “It (the rebranding) sends this really strong message to everyone in America that they can come to this program, they can bring their authentic self, they can be who they are and they will be welcomed here,” Krone said. Will atheists also be welcomed? Will the DRP be removed from the youth membership application (524-406)? Will the BSA Scout Oath (duty to God) and Law (A Scout is Reverent) be changed? What was learned from girls BSA membership pilot program from 5 years ago that will be applied to this pilot program? A lot of questions. Another $0.01,

A broader welcoming? a distraction? ... maybe a lifeboat for upcoming Supreme Court and bankruptcy decisions. Old brand sunsets, new brand rises. Remember the old 5 year plans with metrics (largely not met). Now we have 5 month plans developed from "surveys" with no metrics. How much will this cost? What youth membership numbers will we see by Feb, 2025. So is local option void? Patrol method? Does the Federal Charter for the BSA end? What restructuring will be done to improve efficiency and reduce costs? Could we start with completely new Bylaws? Will we see a return of past BIG corporate sponsors who left due to our past membership policies? My $0.01,

My sources boogied to get a close viewing spot for tonight's Starliner launch.

May 2, 2024: "ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a former Boy Scout volunteer to 22 years in prison for hiding cameras in bathrooms at a St. Francois County, Missouri scout camp. Judge Sippel also ordered David Lee Nelson to pay $55,000 in special assessments that will go to a fund for victims and prevention programs and $6,810 to pay for counseling for the victims in this case. After he gets out of prison, Nelson will be on supervised release for life, with special conditions that include a prohibition against any contact with minors without permission. Nelson hid two cameras in bathrooms at the S Bar F Scout Ranch in St. Francois County in July of 2021 while working there as a volunteer. Nelson hid the cameras in paper towel dispensers, positioning them so they would capture a shower stall and other portions of the bathroom. One camera was discovered when a scout leader and scouts were cleaning out one of the restroom stalls. A search uncovered another camera, and leaders then called the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department. When questioned later by a sheriff’s deputy after being spotted near the bathrooms, Nelson lied and said he was looking for a cell phone charger that he’d left in the stall. During Thursday’s hearing, victims and their parents said Nelson was supposed to be protecting the scouts and was supposed to be someone children could trust. Nelson’s crimes, they said, have now left them unable to trust others. The victims also said they now experience fear and discomfort every time they try to use a public bathroom. " ... More at source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/former-boy-scout-volunteer-sentenced-22-years-prison-hiding-cameras-camp-bathrooms

The Marshall Project, according to their website, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system....We don’t approach any issue with an outcome in mind. Our reporters examine all sides of an issue and follow the facts where they lead. We focus on criminal justice as an arena where power is often abused; our goal is to expose injustice. Article begins discussing the tragic Sarah Birchmore case in detail. Attorneys for the Boy Scouts responded by calling child sexual abuse a “broad societal problem.” “This abuse can occur anywhere, even in Scouting and Explorer programs,” the attorneys wrote in a court filing. They argued that the organization wasn’t responsible for the abuse she alleged because the officer had violated Explorer policies. ... In 2022, the Boy Scouts agreed to settle with more than 82,000 people, most of them men, who said they were abused as minors in Scouting programs. The Scouting organization did not say how many Explorer cases are part of the settlement, which is now about $2.5 billion. ... Michael Johnson, a former police detective who investigated child abuse, said he became alarmed by the sexual abuse in Explorer programs after the Boy Scouts hired him in 2010 as the national director of youth protection. “They have these Explorers with them riding around at night and the officers do a nonexistent-to-poor job of maintaining clear boundaries,” he said. He said he tried internally to root out abuse, especially on overnight ride-alongs, though he was also publicly promoting Scouting during those years. Johnson said the Boy Scouts fired him in 2020, and he became an outspoken critic of how the organization handled cases of abuse. ... Allegations of Explorer abuse did not always result in criminal prosecutions. Of the 156 officers identified by The Marshall Project who faced professional or legal consequences in connection with the allegations against them, at least two-thirds were criminally charged. Among those charged, about half were sentenced to time behind bars — from weekends in jail to decades in prison. And at least 20 had to register as sex offenders. More at sources: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/05/01/police-explorer-sexual-abuse-boy-scouts https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-explorer-boy-scouts-sexual-abuse-allegations-rcna145347 https://www.exploring.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/LFL-safety-first-guidelines_final-copy_-28229.pdf https://www.exploring.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ridealongcertification.pdf

4/26/24 Rally 4 Robby Trivia Night – an event to benefit the purchase of a special track-style wheelchair to help a local Boy Scout, Robby Fisher, access his backyard and basement, as well as make it easier to participate in Boy Scout activities and camps with his Special Needs Boy Scout Troop 724... According to a SpotFund set up for Fisher, the Boy Scout camp he attends has an accessible campsite, but the rest of the camp is not accessible. In his second year of attending the camp, he was able to use a ‘Trackchair’ that allowed him more freedom to earn merit badges and even go fishing at the camp’s lake. “Robby has a huge love for camping and hiking throughout the year and not just at Summer Camp,” the SpotFund stated. “He really needs his own Trackchair to be able to meet his goals for Eagle Scout.” The chair would also make it easier for Fisher to access his backyard and basement at his home. Currently, whenever there is storm, Fisher and his family have to drive to Des Peres to an underground parking garage for safety, since they cannot access the basement. more at source: https://callnewspapers.com/boy-scout-troop-hosts-trivia-night-to-support-troop-member/

“Organizations like [the Scouts] are symbiotic in that the Scouts benefit from accomplishing their requirements, and the community benefits from the fruits of the Scouts fulfilling their goals,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Reuben Doornink. “Scouting has been a big part of my life through the years and being an Eagle Scout can help form near- immediate bonds. Scouting is similar to the military in that I know if my family needed something, I could put it in a chat group and have 10 people at my door,” said Doornink. “One thing that being a Scout taught me is, ‘Keep working on the task regardless of how daunting it may seem.’ I think the most important skill is to persevere toward a goal and learn a little selfless service.” Doornink is slated to retire from active duty in the next several years, with hopes to relocate with his family to Florida or back to the Midwest after leaving uniform. Until then, he plans to continue in his role as Scout leader with his sons and counts his Scout family as an inspiration to continue serving as both a Soldier and a Scout. “The [group of] people I have had the pleasure to work next to has been a blessing unto itself,” he said. “The cross section of people in Scouting varies and each leader brings a skill set that is unique to their occupation and interests [but] the team that converges to support the entire Scouting effort each and every day is remarkable.” More including photos at source: https://www.army.mil/article-amp/275699/soldier_scout_leader_midwest_native_builds_legacy_as_example_of_selfless_service

Girl Scout and member of Board of Supervisors exchange. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYicUpJAth8

From Facebook Commissioner page, asking for input for the upcoming 2024 Guide for Advancement. Posted April 9, Deadline April 13!

Six Sea Scouts were selected to sail aboard the US Coast Guard Barque Eagle this summer, from August 10-16, sailing from Boston to New London, CT. 👍👍👍👍👍👍 Story at https://seascout.org/news/six-sea-scouts-selected-to-sail-aboard-the-uscg-barque-eagle/

So far in 2024, there has been no news regarding our federal Charter-required Report to the Nation though I heard of some Reports to State which BSA National encourages. No word yet of any live feed (e.g. youtube) of any parts of NAM. Let's go digital! I prefer, unfiltered direct conversation with Mr. Krone and Mr. Pounder, preferably with an opportunity to send in our questions and feedback. Please no more filtered, condescending after event reports - 5 Things You Need to Know About ... My $0.01,

From Rules & Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America July, 2023 Participation in Public Functions (page 6) Scouters must, when practicable, cooperate in connection with civic or other public gatherings of a nonpartisan and nonpolitical character in a way that gives youth members an opportunity to render service in harmony with their training instead of merely taking part in parades in their uniforms. Any such participation must be consistent with the principles of the Scouting movement .... Policy Concerning Political Questions (page 7) The Boy Scouts of America must not, through its governing body or through any of its officers, chartered councils, Scouters, or members, involve Scouting in political matters. However, this must not be interpreted to prevent the teaching of ideals of patriotism and good citizenship as required to fulfill the Boy Scouts of America’s purpose. Faith-based teachings incorporated into the Scouting program by religious chartered organizations in a manner consistent with the Bylaws are not considered political matters. This policy does not prohibit the Boy Scouts of America from expressing its opinion upon matters of governmental concern when considered in its best interest by the governing body of the Boy Scouts of America. This policy does not limit the freedom of thought or action of any Scouter or member as an individual in a manner not directly or indirectly implying a connection to Scouting.

Definitely, IMHO the BSA is conflict averse for better or worse.

Two sides to this. Freedom of expression vs child safety? Our local Eagle Board approves projects that serve the community for greater good, harmonious, good-PR,... The Board is not looking for controversy or conflict.

Get an EDGE on Business With This Scouting Lesson. by Televerde CEO Chris McGugan "One of my favorite events of the year is right around the corner. On Thursday, May 23, The Boy Scouts of America Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council is hosting their annual Community Leadership Breakfast. It’s an inspiring morning in support of an excellent organization, and this year, the keynote speaker will be business magnate and BSA CEO, Roger Krone. Roger is promising a candid discussion about all that’s changing in our world, and I can’t wait to hear what he has to say. With my sons in Scouting and as a lifelong Scout myself, the Leadership Breakfast is always a top event for me. It also gives me a chance to embrace one of my favorite parts of being Televerde’s CEO, which is getting to spend time with our clients. This event offers the best of both worlds, and I relish the opportunity to combine the two. I owe much of my success to the many lessons and good habits Scouting has instilled in me over the years. I can see Scouting’s effects in almost everything I do today: helping others, social impact, and leading with empathy. That’s why I would like to share one of the best skills I’ve learned through Scouting: The Teaching EDGE method (Explain > Demonstrate > Guide > Enable). In my experience, it’s one of the most effective ways to learn a skill. We explain the skill simply, demonstrate it clearly, guide them through it, and finally enable it. EDGE works whether you’re teaching kids how to build a campfire or teaching a roomful of adults how to use your company’s latest product." ... More at source including an explanation of EDGE method and application to business as well as an invite to this Community Breakfast. https://televerde.com/get-an-edge-in-business-with-this-scouting-lesson/