ScoutNut

We do milk, juice, fruit, and sometimes popcorn, ants on a log, cookies, etc. We try to keep it healthy, and low on the sugar content. The snacks are up to the den hosting that particular Pack meeting, and are served at the end of the meeting.

GSUSA also tried to push it back to Pre-School. Are you suggesting BSA do the same?

Calvin, time to bite the bullet, stuff happens. When your BOR was stopped due to your badge, the BOR members had to have rescheduled it with you. Take the next few days/week to make sure the badge is firmly sewn to your pocket, and any other bumps in your trail are smoothed out. If you go to your rescheduled BOR, prepared, and remember to live the Scout Law, you will be fine. Good Luck.

>>"Life will go on ! He looks completely foolish to anyone in our Troop that I share the details with"

"Yes, the COR is the same" "our CC and COR went to Council today, threw a fit and Council revoked our Tour Plan with the Crew." "I will be calling our Program Director tomorrow to see where he was confused, such that he changed his mind." I find it very hard to believe that you really do not understand why your council did this. Your council revoked the Tour Plan because the COR - THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OWNER OF BOTH THE TROOP AND CREW, told them to. It does not matter whether you agree or not. It does not matter if you like what your CC, COR, or council did. It does not matter how many examples you can find that you feel support your position in some way. It does not matter if you feel that you know the COR's mind better than he does. The COR said NO. The Chartering Organization OWNS the Troop and the Crew. The COR represents that owner.

Lion was the den name being used in the Kindergarten Cub Scout trials. I have not heard that the program is out of it's trial phase yet.

Who is leading you to believe this, and where, specifically, are they getting their information from? According to the BSA National Web site basic training, like Scoutmaster Fundamentals, does NOT expire. BSA encourages leaders to stay up to date on training of all sorts, even those that do not expire, however it is not required. BSA Spring 2011 Training Updates - http://scouting.org/training/trainingupdates.aspx Your problem could be that, for a variety of reasons, your basic training is not showing up on ScoutNet. You can check what training of yours is in the BSA system by registering on MyScouting, on the BSA National site - http://myscouting.scouting.org/ And then checking under "Training Validation".

One thing to keep in mind - you must always have a buddy with you at any merit badge session. You are not allowed to meet with a counselor by yourself. This buddy can be another Scout from the Troop who is also interested in earning the merit badge, one of your parents, brother or sister, another relative, or even a non-Scout friend of yours (who knows it might get him interested in joining the Troop!).

Doesn't it ever rain in your neck of the woods? There is no way that I would leave my tent with the flaps rolled open. No tent inspections here. The inside of their tent is their own space.

Starting a brand new Troop is a big job to take on. Work with your church leaders, and your DE. Follow the process outlined on the BSA National Web site - http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/Media/Relationships/TheNew-UnitProcess.aspx Good luck.

Talk to your Scoutmaster. He/she will give you your "blue card", and contact information for the merit badge counselor.

The "Jumbo Emblems" would be the largest Cub Scout emblem offered. However, I believe it is a stick on label, not cloth. If your wife is handy, she might try enlarging, and transferring, the image to two pieces of fabric.

Actually your issue is pretty much the same as that in the original thread. Parent wants son to earn Eagle, son not doing the required work, parent upset. As others have said (in both threads) it is the Troop's job to provide it's Scouts with opportunities to advance, and the Scouts job to take advantage of those opportunities. It is the responsibility of the Troop to make sure it's families understand how the program works. Beyond that, it is not the responsibility of the Troop to get involved in family squabbles. I suggest you talk to your wife, and suggest she back off pressuring your stepson.

>>"closely affiliated"

It depends on what you want to do in Scouting. How you want to volunteer your time. At the very least you will have to go here - http://myscouting.scouting.org/ Create an account, take Youth Protection Training, and print off a copy of your completion certificate when you finish. Then you will need to visit your council offices. Talk to your District Executive about what you would like to do. A good way to start back up is to register as a Merit Badge Counselor who is willing to counsel Scouts from the entire area. A Merit Badge Counselor does not have to pay National dues. If you would like to volunteer in any other position, you will need to pay the annual National dues of $15. If you are interested in working with a Pack/Troop/Crew/Ship, your DE can put you in contact with unit leaders. If you are interested in volunteering with the Commissioner force, your DE can put you in contact with the District Commissioner. Fill out a BSA adult application, attach a copy of your Youth Protection Training certificate, and give it to your District Executive. Good luck, and welcome back!(This message has been edited by Scoutnut)

No need to attend is VERY different from not allowed to attend. Sorry, but my response to being told I was not allowed to attend ANY committee meetings would be that you are not allowed to expect me to volunteer my time. When ALL Committee meetings (not just sensitive, confidential ones) are closed to parents, and ASM's, it does not give off a very Trustworthy feeling.

>>"the Committee Chair leaned over to me and told me that ASMs were NOT to be at committee meetings, and that he had recently verified this with the UC."

A Crew is a separately chartered BSA unit, not an extension of a Troop. If you want boys to be active in the Troop, form a high adventure/Venture PATROL within the Troop. A Scout who is 1st Class is not required to earn Eagle thru a Troop. He can continue his trail to Eagle thru his Crew membership. BSA's definition of "active" is very clear, and it trumps any other definition in your Troop's manual. If the Scout is still registered with your unit (on your Troop's charter) he is considered by BSA to be active in the unit.

Try asking your Webelos parents. Perhaps one who did not follow their son into his Troop and might enjoy staying active at the Cub level while their son gets his feet wet as a Boy Scout.

I explain the Tiger Program, and Shared Leadership, at the very first meeting. A sign up sheet is passed around then and Teams are asked to commit to at least one meeting/outing. I usually lead the first few meetings so that everyone has an idea of how it goes. As the year progresses I ask the Teams to add meetings, and I pick up any open dates. The key is to totally involve your Tiger Partners from day 1. Impress on them that they are Scouts too, and that with their Tiger they are a TEAM, and teams work together on everything. Do not have adults sitting at a table on one side of the room while the Scouts work on stuff at the other end. Every Partner sits next to their Tiger. Every Partner does the craft, game, song, skit, pledge, etc, right along with the Tigers. When they do the den cheer I want every voice in the room, Tiger, adult, and siblings, loud enough to shake the rafters. After working with my Tiger Teams, getting to know them, and getting them enthused about the Scouting program, by January, or February, I usually have a pretty good idea of who works well with the boys, and who will make good leaders. I will then start to give those Teams more to do. In April I will start talking to the adults I want as leaders one on one. I let them know what is involved and offer my help in whatever they need. The new den leaders will be introduced at our Graduation Pack meeting at the end of May. It works for us. Of course we have a truly great bunch of families! Most of the families who do not become den leaders will continue to volunteer in some way for the Pack.

>>"What kind of training has your district or council offered?"

I never said that the Committee should take over a COH because a Scout stumbled over a word. I said that the Committee should take the lead in a COH because a COH is a recognition by the adults. The Scouts recognize their fellow Scouts at ceremonies held during each regular Troop meeting. I see no problem with working with the PLC on planning a COH, however, in my opinion (and it seems BSA's), a COH is the ADULTS taking time, a few times a year, to formally recognize, to the community, the accomplishments of their YOUTH. You, and others, of course, are free to handle COH's as you see fit.

Actually, a recognition ceremony is not strictly "program". Boys plan, and lead, the weekly meetings. Boys plan, and lead, their activities, and outings. Awards should not be held until COH's. They should be awarded at the next weekly meeting after they are earned. Since the boys plan, and lead these meetings, they also plan, and lead, these award ceremonies. A COH is a formal recognition ceremony where the Troop (and it's Charter Organization) recognizes the Scouts for their accomplishments in front of their friends, family, Charter Organization members, and the community as a whole. BSA recommends that a COH be planned/chaired by the CC and/or the Advancement Chair, with input from the Scouts.

At Council/District Cub Scout Camp, I wear the uniform for opening, and closing ceremonies. The rest of the time the Camp t-shirt is required to be worn. While we have discussed purchasing Pack t-shirts, we have not done so as of yet. For all Pack/den activities I wear my uniform, even if we will be outside in sub-zero weather, and it is layered over. At Pack campouts, I wear the uniform for flag ceremonies, and when doing activities outside of camp. In camp I will usually wear a Council t-shirt of some kind. I like wearing Cub Camp staff shirts as it promotes questions about the camps.

Personally, I feel there is a big difference between a car, and an airplane. Your CC, and your COR obviously feel the same way. Would I push to force them to require 2 adults in every car, for every outing, from this point forward. No, I would not. You state - >>"It's really not that important to me, such that I would ever want the boys to affected by this squabble.">"and will be making me and my son miss this trip."