Tampa Turtle

Thanks Back Pack. NJ thanks for the link, it actually had some info.

Son#2 will age out soon as is considering joining a Venturing Crew. I found one (a bit of a drive away) that seems to share the same interests (backpacking, hiking, canoeing) and he knows a guy or two from the OA lodge. So far so good. But he really does not know much about Venturing and the BSA website does not seem to have a good over view that I can share with him. Anyone know of a good FAQ? Son#1 did the ASM thing for awhile but the training requirements were a bit much and it is an awkward transition at best. Son#2 really just wants to squeeze in a little more fun before going away.

Russia.

Pigs, I hate those wild ones...

Mrs Turtle saw the article and just emailed me "Your sure got some stupid leaders".

I find it interesting that females did not seem more in favor.

I think a binder is a good idea. A lot of boys end up with binders for their Merit Badge paperwork anyway. Good if helps some get better organized.

I find it hard to believe they would not re-charter a unit since it means they will lose a unit and members and that speeds up the inevitable Council merger when they collapse and some jobs are lost. But I am not privy to this sort of 'inside baseball' as some others in this group. One danger of this approach is that it can poison the relationship between local units and Council; we are all volunteers ya know? I have seen a few strong arm attempts like this (and we are a wealthy area) turn off enough leader-parents to drop scouting and turn to sports (even though they have there set of demands as well I am sure). We see our DE at three or four meetings a year and camporees, etc so it is hard to turn him down. He has sat in on an occasional Committee meeting and we tasked him on getting an 'official' answer on something.

I would have older boys do a presentation. I have seen the same trend...Summer Camp and Merit Badge Academies have eroded the will of many boys to do it on their own. Each year it gets worse. It seems that they will only do a MB if it is Eagle Required and if the Troop does it at a meeting class room style because that is what they are used to at the Camps and Academies. I am sure their are other issues going on as well. Sure feels like swimming against the current of late. Am I the only one that thinks if BSA made a rule that Eagle required MB's could only be taught outside of Camp and Academies I think the Eagle numbers for would sharply drop? On the upside I really appreciate the boys who seek me out as a MBC and it is a pleasure to do the one-on-one.

Interesting, thanks for posting. I am sure they asked a lot of people with no skin in the game or not likely to enroll kids if they have them. I get that BSA is gambling on the future --maybe they have no choice-- but at the risk of cannibalizing the support in the meantime. It will be interesting to see how what actually occurs in the field shifts public perception much. Regardless I fully expect National to shoot themselves in the foot somehow. I will make one prediction-regardless of how much money Friends of Scouting actually takes in this year it will be proclaimed an all time success!

I had 19 Tigers...don't do 1 big den....

One of our 1st campouts was at a water management property--very isolated, very primitive. There had been a massive deer culling operation there a few years before so when you went down the trail you would come across massive piles of deer skeletons...one was taller than I and had to be more than 100+. Occasionally there would be an old leg with a bit of bits still on it. Felt like camping near an old concentration camp. We did a night hike and those skulls gleamed from a distance away.

"Some scouters were surveyed about these changes. Were any surveys conducted of the rank and file youth?" Oh you silly boy!!!

I got it. I think that is not much of a 'thing' anymore.

Son#2 Pending-Eagle finished up his Bugle MB as his swan song and so he could hit 40 on his sash because it was a nice round number. It was nice to see him playing in the court yard with the old-old Scoutmaster who came out just to let him wrap up the incomplete started in 2011!

We had a Mom (prob about 40+) join our AT Crew this summer and did 50+ miles over 4-1/2 days. Included 3,000' ascent in one morning. She said it was hard but did it. I have seen many, many Scouters who seem to struggle from walking to the parking area to Dining Hall.

Hawkwin, I believe the perception will be that if by only the fact is IS separate it will be seen as slightly "less". It will be judged by the same yardstick as a Civil Right. I am not saying that it should be but that is how it will be by many people. The general public will see it much simpler than how BSA is trying to fiddle with it. I think the subsequent turbulence, if any, will be totally dependent on the demand.

For boys who are barely pass or are weak swimmers or 'swim avoiders' we keep working on them to improve their skills. Too important a skill to be 'once and done'.

I got the positive-feelies from helping a Life Scout the other day work on one of his final Eagle required Merit Badges. He was also struggling with some tough personal issues and we had a long talk about how that was going. I felt it was really worth my time. So I get what you say.

NJ...thanks. I am pretty sure his EBOR will take place after his 18th as he is running into the holidays. As for item#2 there are work-arounds.

Back Pack, Back Pack *sigh* how dare you challenge the ire of the Old Scouters Association...I mean what youth organization with declining numbers would bother to ask their own youth for their own opinion? We can't do that!

We had a few boys really struggle with this requirement. We had a Scoutmaster jump in at camp and swim along side the boys coaxing, coaching, and encouraging them the whole time. It took one boy (my son) three times to complete it but he did. He knew he was not going to drown because his leader was right next to him. So that is another method.

Background- My son never went away and came back...he spent the last two years being heavily involved as SPL, Quartermaster, and OA Rep. He went hard core the whole period.

I am now confused again as is our awards chair. Here is my question again: (1) Son #2 has completed all his Eagle requirements, paperwork, and application. He has 40 Merit Badges. Council has approved and sent on to National. He will age out in 1 month. However, due to scheduling his EBOR will likely be AFTER he turns 18. Should he be awarded Eagle Palms? Our awards chair's interpretation is no. (2) Council clerk has told our Life to Eagle chair (who picks up the Eagle award kits for the ECOH's) that from now on Eagle Kits for boys getting their award AFTER 18 will NOT contain the Eagle Patch but the Knot. Really? Is this true or a clerk over-reach. (We figured we sew on the Eagle patch on his old scout shirt for a memento). He never cared much about it before but thinking he might get them/not get them is leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Which is a shame since he would like to stay on as a ASM or do Venturing....

Mrs Turtle's point all along is that does not seem to be part of the conversation at all. Maybe it is a strawman but GSUSA does not think the single-gender/mixed gender issue is.