Secret DE

No waiting list at Beans. The unit that does that is Troop 45 from Freeport. Their Scoutmaster is the engineer who does all the traffic studies and floor layout designs for Beans. I believe they have a lock on that. SDE

One has to wonder if we are using the Scout "Oath and Law" for their intended purposes or just to pass judgement? For many years the National Council has really not focused on adult health and that is changing. Applicants to the 2010 Jamboree will have to meet Philmont weight requirements and rumor has it that the BSA is about to get very serious about these requirements going forward. As a former smoker I understand who we as a group tend to protect the rights of those who smoke. It is an addiction I would not wish on any person. That said it is legal and some people need to do it. That does not mean that I won't advocate those people quit. I just do it differently. As for being overweight in this day and age any unit casting off a youth or adult for this should be really cautious. After All Scouting is about self improvement. That could be the unit's opportunity to help people change. I have never read anything in our program that says we should force people out because of their health. A better idea might be for a group of peers, be they youth or adults, reach out and help that leader make a change. We all have the power change lives. Scouting is not just about changing the lives of youth. One of the greatest Scoutmasters I know will tell you that to this day he does not know who got more out of Scouting. Even while his sons advanced in rank and grew a youth the program challenged he way he did things and made him a better teacher and Doctor. Great Scouting!

Aquatic, I am not a camp school guy, so I could not tell you what class would qualify you. I think Aquatics, COPE, Admin. Anything that is a week long course, but don't take my word, I have never been to Camp School. Also you would have to do those classes while a professional. They will not count stuff outside of your professional tenure. There is also a Master's Degree program offerred through Murray State University. That program will give you Master's Degree Credit for PDL1,2 and 3. SDE

Basically today all new hires for Executive (professional slots) attend PDL1 within three months of hire. This is two weeks in Texas. When I went through in 2007 it was different than it is now. The decided to revamp the program to make the process more responsive to what actually happens in the field. The team leader for the Center for Professional Development is a great guy and he was really a driving force in this redesign. PDL2 is attended 12 or more months after PDL1 and its major focus is on volunteer recruiting, team building and finance. There is a project required for this class that you must work with your field supervisor on prior to attending the class. This class is delivered regionally. In the northeast we attend at the Tuscarora Inn and Convention Center in Portland, Pennsylvania. You may also attend a session at Philmont or Sea Base, but most councils will not pay for your travel to these locations. PDL3, which I have not yet attended, is again in Texas. This is a one week training course that is focused career development, sales marketing, finance and membership management. This class is usually attended after 30 to 36 months of employment with a local council. Technically to attend this class you must be promotable to a position of Senior DE or higher. Once an Executive (Professional)completes PDL3 they are considered to be trained for their position. After that time you can earn the Professional Training Knot by attending Woody Badge or Camp School for a Administrative position (only one counts for the knot), Take one advanced leadership course from the center for Professional Development and one additional 15 credit course that applies to your job. A professional may apply for and receive the Professional Training Knot after they have completed these classes and 4 years of professional tenure. The purpose of the Professional Training Knot is to give Professional Scouters a training goal and standard that they can follow in their career. It is important that we are just as committed to training as the volunteers are. It is also a way for professionals to show volunteers that they too have a program and path to follow for training in their registered position. I am sure I missed some stuff and probably got some stuff wrong, but that is the basics as I seem them some 27 months into my tenure.

This award is far from a give me. The people I have seen nominiated for this award all all major scouters who are Vigial Honors OA members, Silver Beavers and District Award of Merit recipients. I have signed off on three since I have been a designee and all were big hitters in both the lodge and Scouts. SDE

As a Master Mason and the professional designee in my council who handles these awards this is a fairly easy process. First and formost the individual must be nominated by another master mason. Step one is that the nominating Mason fills out the form indicating who he is nominating and gives his information. Step two is that the Council Designee verifies that the nominee has met the Scouting Criteria for the award. If they do, then the sign off on behalf of the Council stating that they agree with the nomination and verify the nominee's service record. Step three is that the nominee's lodge signs off on the verification of masonic service (ie. that the nominee is in good standing) Step four is the sign off of the Grand Lodge. Because I am a Master Mason I usually personally attend to steps 2 through 4 personally. Ultimately this is not an award that is for the the Lodge to grant or deny. It is intended to recognize the contributions of Masons who actively support Scouting. The final decision ultimately rests with the Grand Lodge of the nominee's and the Gl of Pennsylvannia's Youth Committee. SDE(This message has been edited by Secret DE)

I have a line to the national council marketing office. I am going to try to help him next week when I return from vacation. SDE

""District nominations are between either the District Chairman or the District Executive to make the nomination. The Chapter Adviser approves the nomination, by signing the nomination form."" That is not true. The District Chairman and District Executive have the abilitiy to nominate District Level Scouters for the OA, each in their own right. There is no either or. All Council professionals are allowed to nominate adults to OA membership in thier own right. The District Chairman and the Council President are also afforded the ability to nominate adults for OA membership because of thier positions. Also all professionals are "ad hoc" members of the lodge in the Council where they work even if they have never taken an Ordeal. The Lodge Advisor or Lodge Adult Selection Committee approves those nominations. This is spelled out in the Guide for Officers and Advisors. My Chapter Advisor and I are very close, like family close, and we often talk about which District level volunteers would be best suited to help the Lodge, but when I nominate someone, I sign my forms and they go straight to the Lodge Advisor. In my two years as DE I have only submitted one nomination and my District Chairmen have submitted none. As for professionals being the only adults to be nominiated by the Supreme Chief of the fire, that is not true. That process is usually reserved for board members, council level scouters and new professionals as a way for them to better develop relationships with volunteers and youth within their Council and Districts. I cannot nominate someone who is a unit Scouter. As a general rule you only nominate at the level of your participation. The Supreme Chief of the Fire is a Council Scouter so it makes sense that they would only nominate the people I have mentioned.. SDE(This message has been edited by Secret DE)(This message has been edited by Secret DE)

"You guys have that special in." That is a load of puckey. The Scout Executive can do that for anyone, not just a professional. In fact the Guide for Officers and Advisors lays out in plain english that all members of the professional service are ad hoc members of the OA Lodge in their council just because they are professionals. So what about the adult leader who volunteers with Scouts and builds a career before in Scouting and the OA before he or she 1) had kids or 2) their kids were old enough to be cubs? That is just one more scenario where a cub leader is an OA member as an adult and could then later become a cub parent. All I am saying is that there are lots of scenarios out there that could allow a registered Cub leader to be an OA member without having done so as a youth. Another would be a Cub Camp Director. Because the OA does so much service to Council Camps, it would make sense for the Council or District to nominate them for OA membership. SDE

'"As cub scouters, the ONLY way to join the local lodge is to have been elected to the OA as a youth" It is possible that a Cub Scouter could be nominated by the district, not likely but possible."" What about the guy like me works for the BSA? I was nominated for membership by the Supreme Chief of the Fire. WHat if I leave my job. I still want my son to be a Cub Scout? That would mean I would be involved in the PAck. There are lots of adults in the cub program that were not youth OA members. THere are also lots of scenarios for that possibility. SDE

I would have a hard time with this. Especially because many crossovers in my district happen on school grounds. I am not sure the ceremonies team guidelines allow for a firearm, nor am I sure that carring a firearm, fake or otherwise, is a good idea for OA youth. Not because I am anti-gun, but rather because I worry that society is so ignorant that the situation will cause more trouble than it is worth. And think of all the nightmarish PR possibilities. SDE

I am not really going to site any of the threads where I have picked up on this particular item, but I do want to express me dissappointment when it comes to Scouters and their feelings about the Silver Beaver. Just because a Scouter does not work directly with youth does not mean that they don't perform service to youth. Would anyone argue the Waite Phillips who has been dead for years no longer does anything for youth? I mean afterall he ain't working with the Kids, but we put plenty of them through Philmont Scout Ranch every year. Those guys and gals that work behind the scenes in your Council to make sure salaries are paid, bills are taken care of and planning and endowment development take place are all working for the same things Scoutmaster's and other adult leaders work for in the field. Some of them may have already done their time, while others may not have had kid, but either way those people feel so strongly about what you do for kids that they bust thier butts in the community asking for money to make sure you have the camps, the equiptment, and the staff to make the program work for you. Say all you want and complain all you can, but realize that in many cases they do what you won't and vice versa. Service can take many forms and not every Scouter can work with kids. Just because someone does not work directly with our youth, dosen't mean they are not serving our youth. I am sorry that many here don't seem to feel that way, but in many cases you are biting the hand that feeds you. Afterall they think enough about what you do with our Scouts to go out and ask for money and raise money to enable you to deliver the program. Secret DE

There is a tin of Trail Mix that Trails End makes that all Scouts can sell during the popcorn sale. I believe that there are two or three flavors. A group of Venturers also reached out to Trails End and asked them why they did not custom a product for them to sell? So Trails End did some research with Venturers across the Country and came up with a 9 oz bag of trail mix product that is for Venture Crew Fund Raising. I will be trying and sharing the Venture Trail mix at a major Venture Event this weekend in my District. Secret DE

GW, I understand you question. Have you ever served as a Chapter Advisor, Lodge Advisor or member of an election team (youth or adult)? From what I can tell the biggest barrier for our Chapter Election Teams getting into a unit is how the Scoutmaster feels about the Order of the Arrow. In many cases if the Scoutmaster is not a fan of the Order, an election is not likely to happen. I know, you can always argue that the Committee can force the issue, but you and I both know that many will not. Often times getting a unit's Scoutmaster involved can and does make a big difference in whether or not a unit will hold an OA election. This is also a golden opportunity to prove that the Order of the Arrow is about strengthening the units. Afterall what group of people to expose a Scoutmaster to, than OA? I am sure that there are better and worse ideas that can be had for selecting unit leaders for membership in the Order of the Arrow. I am not going to be the one to tell anyone here that their idea isn't right. What I am saying is that in my Council we have found that Scoutmaster's who participate in the Order of the Arrow are more likely to promote the OA to thier unit youth. Secret DE

SWScouter is correct. Somehow in my explaination I got used standard for District Award of Merit for OA unit adults. My bad, I jumble a lot of numbers and ratios for work. The Lodge Advisor and the Scout Executive as a team may waive camping requirements for non-unit Scouters. Once the Adult Selection Committee meets to approve Adult selectsions, they are forwarded to the Scout Executive for sign off. In many Lodges the Scout Executive will defer, sometimes greatly, to the Lodge Advisor. This is an important item to understand as the Lodge Advisor and Scout Executive have a very interesting relationship. The only volunteer that the Scout Executive has the sole authority to appoint is the Lodge Advisor. So in many cases the Lodge Advisor is the last word by virture of his relationship with the Scout Executive. Secret DE