ScoutNut

Per the BSA Local Tour Permit, Hazardous Weather training is good for 2 years, and at least one adult on any trip requiring a permit needs to have completed it. Council's will verify the people on the permit have had, and are current with, the training they are listed for. Individual councils are free to make their local tour permit requirements stricter (Haz. Weather annual instead of bi-annual).

You can find poly/cotton blend sheets at any department store. Check Walmart or JC Penny. JC Penny online has a polyester microfiber twin sheet set on sale for $20.

The monthly Pack Leaders Meeting (there is no separate committee and den leader meetings) is run by the Committee Chair. It should cover a review of the last Pack meeting (roses/thorns type of thing), and an update on plans, and ceremonies, for the next one, or two. Dens advancement/award needs for the next Pack meeting are gone over. Upcoming Pack/den activities, and plans for future activities are discussed. Any upcoming monetary issues, and deadlines are discussed. The various chairs (outing, advancement, publicity, popcorn, etc) all give reports, and discuss any needs. Any other important issues are discussed. A meeting at this time of year should include summer activities (what they are, who is in charge of each, and how plans for them are progressing). Plans for next program year (including getting all new leaders trained), and the date/time for the Pack's annual program planning meeting (if it has not been held yet) should also be discussed. Basically anything and everything connected to the running of the Pack, and its dens, is discussed. Activities are planned as far in advance as possible, and plans updated monthly. Improvements to the Pack, and den, program are discussed, and implemented where possible/necessary.

Folders for handouts, name tags, charcoal, food prep materials. Insurance might come into play if you are at a private, non BSA facility. They don't need a hard and fast cost right now. An educated guess broken down into areas, and a per person cost is what they re looking for. Districts have budgets too. While your District might be in disarray, other Districts might well have their stuff together. Give the Training Chair from one of your Council's other Districts a call. They should be able to help with an idea of cost, and what is needed.

While there is no specific BSA rule against Tiger/Wolf/Bear dens from choosing a den name, there IS a restriction on who can wear a den emblem. Per the BSA Insignia Guide, den emblems are "Optional for Webelos Scouts if Webelos dens are named." Den emblems are only for Webelos.

So, you want to move to another Pack because the CM has no enthusiasm, and the CC does not get the changes made that he says he wants? Just how is this all affecting your son so badly that you must move him to another Pack? How is the CM not showing enthusiasm? Why? Is there an Asst CM? Is the ACM of any help to the CM? Does anyone help the CM out? What changes does the CC want to implement that are not getting done? Why are the changes not being implemented? Does your Pack have a full committee? What does your Charter Organization have to say about the potential CM burnout, and the changes that the CC wants to implement? Did your son have a good Tiger year? Did the rest of your den have a good year? Are they all enthusiastic about returning in the Fall as Wolf Cub Scouts?

From the Venturing Gold Award Application - "Certification of Candidate: Since becoming a candidate for the Gold Award, I have planned, developed, and completed the activities and projects required for qualification for the award. I SUBSCRIBE TO THE VENTURING OATH, AND I CONSIDER MY CONDUCT TO BE IN KEEPING WITH THE PRINCIPALS OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA." How can this young man attest to the last line? How can you, and your CC approve this based on the fact 1) he sexually harassed young women in the Crew at least twice, and 2) he assaulted a boy and put him in the hospital? It does NOT matter that one of the assaults happened with the Troop and not the Crew. Does the Venturing Oath, and the principals of the BSA apply only to select activities?

JoeBob was specifically referring to "Archery at Day Camp". That is Cub, not Boy, Scouts. I will grant that his council/district has unduly broadened the range to "any living thing", when BSA clearly allows Cubs to shoot at images of insects and monsters.

Yes, leave this mess of a Pack, and report why to your COR, and your council. And just a note to remember for future summer camps - If ANYTHING happens that you feel is wrong (urinating in public, towering infernos, etc) hike yourself off IMMEDIATELY to visit the Camp Director and let him/her know what is going on.

From "Shooting Sports for Cub Scouting" no 13-550 2002 printing - For Archery - "The 48-inch standard target face is recommended for use on outdoor ranges." "The target is made up of five concentric color zones. Each zone is divided by a thin line into two scoring zones of equal width." Targets for Archery games and activities - "36-inch, 4-color face" "18-inch/12-inch black and white face" "three rows of three balloons on a target mat" "Place a strip of l-inch masking tape over the target face from top to bottom" "shoot at a monster face attached or painted on a one-gallon plastic bottle, suspended with shock card within a tire" "a barrel that is placed as the bull's-eye of a horizontal target on the ground. Outer rings may be formed with chalk, string, circles of small pennants, etc., at five-feet intervals from the barrel" "A picture of an insect is glued to a piece of plywood 12 inches square. The plywood is fastened so that it will pivot freely around a centered bar set from post to post" "shoot at bells through the open end of swinging tires" "A scaled-down goalpost is erected behind a four-foot high canvas sheet" Fun Target Activities for BB's - "Make 8 1/2-by-1l-inch targets with several squares on each" "Place dots on a target, then shoot at the back side of the target" "Suspend table tennis balls in a box" "Create a target by taping round candy to the back of a box" "Set up balloons as targets" "Set up crackers as targets" "Place three rows of three balloons on a target mat" And finally, from the "Other Shooting Sports" section - "Targets may be made similar to those for archery and BB gun shooting. Creative targets may also be made that relate to the camp theme. TARGETS SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE HUMANS OR ANIMALS." (EMPHASIS is mine) So, NOT A MYTH at all. While BSA has no problem with insects, or monsters, being used as targets, they do seem to draw the line at animals.

"Hunting is not an authorized Cub Scout or Boy Scout activity." Obviously your council decided that hunting paper targets of deer is also not authorized.

It is in the Guide to Safe Scouting, which every BSA leader should have available, and be familiar with. Look under "Unauthorized and Restricted Activities".

Just about any of the online multiple group rank award ceremonies can be used for graduation with just a bit of adjusting. Since you will be at a campground an Indian ceremony of some kind would fit nicely. Something involving the campfire, or even a painted face ceremony, would work well. We also give our Scouts their new Handbook, new neckers, and a new necker slide. Webelos get a compass. The changing of neckers, and the presentation of handbook/compass, are included in our ceremony. Here are some sites to check out for ceremonies - http://www.macscouter.com/Ceremony/ http://www.netwoods.com/cermonies/cub-grad.html http://www.scoutingbear.com/Ceremony/cerecub.htm http://insanescouter.org/c/44/ceremonies.html

From the Training Updates on the BSA National Web site (which is the most official notification available), it appears that between 11/09 and 05/10, BSA has backed off a bit on their schedule for the NATIONAL rollout of mandatory training. There are 20 councils who are currently in a BSA mandatory training pilot program. They are doing one thing, the rest of us are doing our own things. There are some councils who are not waiting for a National training mandate, and are implementing their own. Some councils are not doing any mandatory training at all yet (my council is one of these). I would highly recommend that despite what various folks (including paid Scouters like DE's and FD's) have to say about when BSA will roll out mandatory training to the entire 300+ BSA councils, that the best we can do, RIGHT NOW, is to follow what OUR OWN council is requiring of us NOW. If your council is requiring all of it's registered volunteers to be trained for their position by 12/31/11, then THAT is what you should be focusing on. It does not really matter what the rest of the country is doing. CNYScouter - Training records in my council have been notoriously inaccurate. The last year or so they have been making a concerted effort to clean them up. What we have been doing is that the DE gets a printout of the training status of the volunteers in each unit. This printout is given to the District Training Chair, who shares it with the District Commissioner. The District Commissioner then gives the District's Unit Commissioners the lists for their units. They are required to go over it with their units and make any corrections as needed. We are NOT requiring any kind of "proof". Dates are good if they are known, but a guesstimate will be taken as well. These corrections are then given back to the council Secretary/Registrar who makes the updates in ScoutNet. We are hoping that if done regularly, we will be able to clean up old records, and catch any new problems as they occur. Training records are also included in the unit recharter packets each year. Unit Commissioners should be going over them with their units at that time also. With much of the training going online, and problems with the ScoutNet interface with councils being corrected, many of the record keeping problems should go away - eventually. Unfortunately, those folks in mandatory training councils like yours are stuck having to do a mass clean up almost immediately. While councils like mine have more breathing room to clean up their act.

Moosetracker stated - "I thought all councils had to have all leaders fully trained in Required courses by Dec 2011 rechartering.. Not just ASM/SM or CM/ACM.. But also all den leaders, committee, COR's and other positions like pack trainer and what not.." It what BSA publication did you find this information? I have not seen this posted/printed/listed in any BSA source. As I have stated before - This may be what YOUR council is doing, but it is NOT a NATIONAL requirement for ALL councils - as of YET. From the BSA National Web site - May Training Updates - "The plans for a national effort are still UNDETERMINED, as the outcome of the 20 pilot councils will greatly affect the direction we take in 2011 and beyond." As a District Trainer you MUST be VERY careful about NOT spreading rumors, and unsubstantiated BSA "rules".

You are not a youth member. Hats are optional for adult members. What kind of an example would you be setting to wear something you obviously dislike, that is not a required part of the uniform (even that of a CM)? To me, it would look pretentious. If you don't like to wear hats, then don't wear one. If you like hats, then there are plenty of BSA options out there. It is about the boys in the Pack, not about a showy hat on your head.

If you have a DE who is a good talker, have the DE do "boy talks" at the school (hopefully the DE can get this set up with your principal/school district). Send home a flyer advertising your registration night in the school note packet 2 weeks before, and again the week before. The day of registration, have someone stationed at each door and put reminder stickers on each boy as he comes out of school at the end of the day. For your new Bears, your best recruiting is with your 2 current Scouts. Have them talk up the fun they are having to their buddies in class. Have their parents talk up Scouts to the other parents in the class. Have the boys and their parents invite the buddies to a den meeting or two.

Since this is your "sister" unit, I would talk to the COR, along with the CC. The COR is the bottom line for BOTH units. Just a final note - You have already let the girls in your crew down by passing over this boys sexual misconduct. His assault in the Troop says that this kind of behavior by him will not simply go away with a good talking to. Placating this boy, and his family, should not be your top priority right now. Please, do something to show the youth in your Crew that their safety is important to you.

From the Guide to Safe Scouting - in BOLD TYPE - "All members of the Boy Scouts of America are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles set forth in the Scout Oath and Law. Physical violence, hazing, bullying, theft, verbal insults, and drugs and alcohol have no place in the Scouting program and may result in the revocation of a Scout's membership in the unit." and - "The unit should inform the Scout executive about all incidents that result in a physical injury or involve allegations of sexual misconduct by a youth member with another youth member." There have been 2 incidents (that you know of) of sexual misconduct in the Crew. There was a physical attack that resulted in a hospital visit in the Troop. Per BSA rules, the SE must be informed. The COR should also be brought into this. It is their responsibility to protect the youth in ALL of their units. This is not an isolated incident. This is a pattern of behavior spread between two units. Personally, if I were the COR, I would get the boy and his parents in for a talk about his ONGOING behavior, and I would be HEAVILY leaning toward suspending him from ALL of the CO's units for a period of time. Just a note - If these types of behaviors have truly been being basically brushed off, or ignored, both the Troop and the Crew need to take a good hard look at the behavior of all of their youth, and see how their response to that behavior should be changed.

From NJCubScouter - " (Cub Scouts is similar with CM instead of SM, plus every age group of boys (Tiger, Cub or Webelos) must have a separate den leader.)" Actually this has not been the case for quite a few years now. Packs only need ONE(1) registered den leader, who can be at any Cub level. This was done to help small Packs who did not have the youth, or adults, to have multiple dens, and ran their program with one combined den of all levels.

From Moosetracker - "I have been told over the years of scouting that only the COR can hold two jobs in a single BSA unit." and - "A person being Committee chair, and ScoutingParent Coordinator" It USED to be that only the COR could be REGISTERED in 2 different positions in a single unit. Since September 1, 2008, however that has not been true. This is from the BSA Adult Application - "No one may register in more than one position in the same unit, except the chartered organization representative (who can multiple only as the committee chairman (CC) or a committee member (MC)) and the ScoutParent unit coordinator (who may multiple as chartered organization representative (CR), assistant den leader (DA), assistant Webelos den leader (WA), assistant Scoutmaster (SA), assistant Varsity Scout Coach (VA), mate (MT), and Leader of 11-year-old Scouts (10))." The bigger question here is how did these people all show up on your District roster REGISTERED in multiple positions in a single unit? Often people will wear multiple hats in a unit, but they are only actually REGISTERED in a single position. ScoutNet should not let multiple registrations go thru. Is someone at your council offices manipulating volunteer registrations? Or were these people actually registered in multiple UNITS? As for the roles of ScoutParent Unit Coordinator, and ScoutParent - A ScoutParent is not an individually registered position. It is simply a dot filled in on the BSA Youth Application designating a parents commitment to be actively involved with their Scout. Most parents simply pass right over this area because they have no idea what it's purpose is. A ScoutParent Unit Coordinator does not coordinate ONLY those parents who fill in the little dot on their Scout's application. A ScoutParent Unit Coordinator is there to help ALL of the parents in their unit. Per BSA, the job of a ScoutParent Unit Coordinator is the following - The ScoutParents unit coordinator welcomes all parents to the unit and keeps them informed by doing the following: 1) Assign parents to help with at least one specific task, assignment, or project annually. 2) Provide an orientation for all parents about how the unit works and the benefits to their family. 3) Keep parents updated on the units program and their childs involvement.

Yes, this is official. It is posted on the BSA National Website on the Youth Protection page As for mandatory training nationwide, that too is no rumor. However, per the May Training Updates on the BSA National Website, BSA seems to be slightly backing off from their earlier statement that all councils will have top leaders required in 2011, and direct contact in 2012. The May Training Update states - "The plans for a national effort are still undetermined, as the outcome of the 20 pilot councils will greatly affect the direction we take in 2011 and beyond."

Actually, it is not a "National thing" just yet. There are 20 councils participating in a pilot program for required training. During this year (01/01/10-12/31/10) they are required to get all top unit leaders (CM, SM, etc) trained. Next year (2011) they will be required to have all direct contact leaders trained. There are also many councils who, INDIVIDUALLY, are starting to require trained leadership. National had noted that they were going to go nationwide (all councils other than the 20 pilots) with the top leaders in 2011, and then direct contact in 2012. Basically putting the rest of the country 1 year behind the 20 pilots. However, based on the quote I posted from the May BSA Training Updates, it seems that BSA is holding off from committing to nationwide required training until the results come in from the pilot councils. That rather makes sense. That is, after all, what pilots are for. It would be nice for BSA to work out the kinks BEFORE jumping headfirst into the deep end.

Moosetracker stated - "With this years registration comes new rules that Leaders need to be trained to re-register." While this may be the rule in Moosetracker's council, it is not necessarily the rule in Bear Dad's council. There is currently no national training requirement for all councils. Per the BSA Training Updates for May - "The plans for a national effort are still undetermined, as the outcome of the 20 pilot councils will greatly affect the direction we take in 2011 and beyond."

I really don't see how purchasing a one-man tent is confirmation of anything. Why would he NOT sleep in his own tent? Why would you expect him to tent with some one else? Most leaders that I know (myself included) do not share their tent with other adults (unless it is a spouse). Have you talked to this young man about what you were told? I suggest you do that before jumping to any conclusions about inappropriate relationships. I would also recommend following Lisa's advice, and do a parent/leader meeting, laying down the BSA rules of behavior. As for training, you have every right to tell him that until he shows you the trained card from the end of his online training, he will not be allowed to attend any outings with the boys. If you want to get real serious, do not allow him to attend any den meetings either. (This message has been edited by Scoutnut)