Bob White

I think scouts of all ages as well as former scouts remember the words and their meanings. The real test is "do they live them in their everday lives". That answer is as varied as the number of people who are in, and have been in, the scouting program. Remember that these are promises you make to yourself, not to others.

Ron The answer is yes. See the info in the link I offered in my previous post. Units may not go to businesses and ask for direct donations of money.

If you are losing 50% of your Tigers, or any rank group for that matter, you should be seeing a big red flag waving. Something is wrong in the deliver of the program. This is not a program designed to chase kids away. Something isn't right. I resommend you asked for the help of an experienced Cub leader who has a history of membership retention to review your program with you. This first year in scouting there is a lot to learn so before you determine nothing works realize that there are no new problems in scouting. Everything you are experiencing has been experienced before you, and someone has found the solution. There are numerous BSA resources available to help you with those answers. Ask your unit leader, unit commissioner, district trainer, or district professional for their help. There are solutions in print for every scouting problem. Don't give up, get info.

In an average size troop or larger where the program is being followed, it would be impossible for one person to keep abreast of all the advancement taking place around them. Part of the growth of the junior leaders is the responsibility to train AND test other scouts. As BP said, "Train them, Trust them, Let them lead".

The answer is Yes. Either is acceptable. What should happen is, at the beginning of the scout's 3-month time period he should meet with the Scoutmaster and determine his goals for meeting this requirement. What should not happen is for the adult leadership to wait until the Board of Review and then determine that the scouts actions have not been sufficient without ever agree on what "sufficient" is.

HMMMMM Maybe it's time you get your son a current Boy Scout Handbook jbroganjr. On page 142 he will find two illustrations of the Shear lash, each with two clove hitches. On page 22 he will find a description of the Patrol Leaders position and responsibilities. No book gets a scout to Eagle. Cheating the kids would be to have them read the Scout handbook and then the adult unit leaders not keeping the promises made to them by scouting. It is unfortunate your son has not had the benefit of a current handbook to use.

Do not confuse Boy lead troops and patrols, with adult lead programs. Dont assume that boy lead troops and patrols cannot be organized. Keep in mind that it is the adults leading the program who are responsible for training the scouts to be organized. Will a boy lead troop or patrol be perfect? Of course not, but you can be organized and not be perfect, but still be fun and effective. Based on average population demographics you can expect a community of 12,000 to have approximately 1650 youth who are eligible for members for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing. You should be able to have at least 18% membership. That would be about 300 scouts in town. On average a community your size would have 10 to 15 scout units (DSteele can check my figures but I think Im close). Unit size will vary based on many elements. Boys dont choose troops and stay in scouts based on whether it is organized or not. They join and stay based on one thing. Is it FUN? Boys will join and stay if they enjoy being there. The scouting program is designed to meet the needs and characteristics of youth at various ages and stages of development. Size does in a way help to determine the effectiveness of a units program. But it cannot be used as the sole barometer. There are a number of other elements that must be considered. Growth of membership history, program, leadership, Charter Organization resources and goals, unit tenure and development stage all play a role. So size does tell part of story but only when viewed with the total information on the unit.

Units may apply for fundraisers. That means the Pack, Troop, or Crew mayy apply. If your Den is the only one that participates out of the Unit that's fine. But you as a parent or Den Leader are not authorized to apply for a fund-raising project. See the conditions on the Unit Money Earning Application form. http://www.scouting.org/forms/34427.pdf

GreenSM I do not know what the other poster has written as I choose not to read his posts, However, if you revisit mine, you will see that all I said was... had the same information on CPR been included in the new handbook it would have soon been outdated and incorrect according to current practices. By emphasizing the need to know CPR and encouraging the scouts to seek certified and knowledgeable instructors the BSA has helped to reflect current methods and insure the abilities of its members. I made no quality comparison to the past or current methods, other than one is current and one is not. Please do not link my statement to anything another person may have written or inferred regarding the quality of either method.

I would hope it would help explain where to go to for help. Since the DC selects the UC and you are having problems with both you have the choice of turning to the Council Commissioner who approves the DC or try to influence the decision of the selection committee. Your DE or District chair will tell you who is on the committee, it is not a secretive thing. You can also look for ways to influence the actions of the UC. Remember they are volunteers like yourself, trying to do a job. It may just be they misunderstand that job, or how they can be of service to the unit you serve. One thing that would help the forum members help you more is an example of the problems you are facing. If you do not wish to share that publicly you could private message posters whose opinions you trust. I am sure they will keep you concerns confidential. Bob White PS I really hope you are not enjoying exchanges between me the other poster you mentioned. I for one have not written to him or in reference to him, or even read his posts, for quite some time. So any interaction is quite one-sided I assure you.

A rare event, I am going to disagree with my esteemed colleague KoreaScouter. It seems to me that by folding only a small amount of the foil to the outside of the box and using a minimum of duct tape for anchoring the cardboard dissipates heat into the air more rapidly allowing the box longer life. I also like the side door for accessing the food. Since heat rises, removing the food from the top can be quite uncomfortable at times. Here are just some of the things we have prepared in a Cardboard box oven. Hot Sandwiches Pizza Garlic bread Bread loaves Pie Turkey Chicken Baked Potatoes (there is a better way however) Fish Baked Apples Meat Loaf Corn Bread Brownies Coffee cake

The District Commissioner is selected annually by the District Selection Committee and is approved by the Council Commissioner. He or she serves for a period of one-year at a time and then is either re-selected or replaced. All Unit Commissioners, Assistant District Commissioners and Roundtable Commissoners are selected and approved on an annual basis by the District Commissioner.

"is there a wrong answer?" Yes, if you don't tell the truth, that would be wrong. The BSA wants to establish that the scout met the membership requirements at the time he joined. The best thing to do is to answer all the questions honestly and completely.

The previous uniform was not green it was called khaki. It took days for some, and years for others, to make the transition. It really was a non-issue as I remember it. When you needed new threads, or wanted to make the change, you did it.

We have had them up to 450 interior temperature and cooked a turkey. The trick is to have every square inch of the interior covered with foil, and to have a small opening at the bottom to allow for fresh air to enter to maintain combustion.

"I understand the policy against military-style disciplinary actions" I know of no policy that refers to "military-style discipine". Are you sure such a thing exists in the BSA? Where specifically?

None that I know of. It's not that scouts can't choose to march, but that doesn't mean they can't or that they should, and it certainly isn't a sign of weakness in the program.

If you have a scout uniform designed by Ralph Lauren it is a rare one indeed, handle it carefully, it's a collector's item. Everyone else's uniform was designed by Oscar de la Rente. "it was designed to get away from the military image" No, it was designed to be different from the previous uniform, be more appealing to the youth of that day, and be inexpensive to adapt to various programs simply by changing the color designation of the shoulder loops. Scout troops got their name from the military, the troop colors are based on the old cavalry flags, the uniforms have a military flavor, the National Jamboree's permanent home is on a military base. Nearly every military base in the world that has families on it have scouting. An Eagle Scout gets an immediate promotion and pay raise on completion of basic training in every branch of the armed forces. 70% of graduates from US military academies were scouts. And you think that we have a weakening relationship because ...why? We don't in parades. I was a scout in the early sixties and we hiked in parades. Our Scoutmaster a retired Navy man said soldiers march, Scouts hike. So if you think not marching is some new affectation you are incorrect. The current uniform is different from the one we wore in the 60s and 70s, and that one was different from the one my grandfather wore as a Scoutmaster in the 20s. He didn't think the uniform would never change, why do some people act like this is the last version of the uniform we will ever have? It will change and when it does some will like it and some won't. If anyone has a design for a Scout uniform that they believe will please 6 million people from every social, educational, economic, and professional background possible, please send it to the national office. I'm sure they will be interested. And Dave, "your BSA" of the 50s was nothing like Baden-Powell's Boy Scouts of 1907, or the BSA of the 1930s, and yet you enjoyed it. That's because it changed to respond to the youth of your day, just as it continues to respond to the needs and characteristics of today's scouts. Bob White

Now, I understand where so many of us went wrong all these years. I thought doing it right was the best thing we could do for the kids. But then I have never had to fold a unit so what do I know?

Venturescout, To make sure you are wearing the uniform correctly you should get a copy of the current Insignia Guide. It should provide all the info you require.

Laura7, I think you have all the right reasons but the actions don't quite match. My recommendations are these: Leave the parents at home on this one. If you don't want it to feel like cub camping then don't have it look or fell that way by being adult heavy in participants. Take them out with just the new scout patrols and their junior and adult leadership. You notice I said patrols. 14 new scouts in a new situation with new skilss is too many. I recommend for ease of operation that this becomes at least two patrols now preferably three. Set your activities up as modules and rotate the patrols through one patrol at a time at each station. It will be easier for the scouts to learn, administrate, and socialize, in smaller patrols. I would have two patrols of 6 and one of 5 (including a Troop Guide in each patrol. Make sure every activity they do for the next year is related to learning, practicing or applying the requirements of tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks. I'm sure you will do fine. Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

There ias a helpful BSA document fro training Mariet badge Counselors called the Merit Badge Counselor Orientation. BSA publication #34542. I have e-mailed a copy to GreenEagle5.

While I agree with KS about the role of the committee, the problem appears to be that the originator of the thread is a Committee Member, yet does not want to deal with these issues, so the question posed is appropriate, if he does not want the committee to handle these issues who does he suggest should? It could that Whomever has the chance to answer his own question.

Big difference Mark, Cliff made things up. My father served for several years as a Permanent Deacon in the Chicago Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church.

Hi Mrs. Smith, Training could be a got tool for you in this situations, as it will help you to understand the structure of the organization and that is the key to your question. You have three paths to choose from. 1) Go have a non-confrontational meeting with the Scoutmaster. Ask him to help you to understand his methods and ask specifically about the actions that concern you. Then ask someone knowledgable in scouting methods if the scoutmasters actions are correct. You can communicate privately with most members of this forum without revealing your name or you e-mail adress by clicking on the Send Private Message link in the left column next to an individuals post. 2) Read the Youth Protection policies found in the Guide to Safe Scouting here http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/ If you feel these policies are being violated you should contact your council's Scout Executive immediately with your concerns. 3) The troop is owned by the Charter Organization. take your concerns directly to the head of that organization, Thay have the authority to remove any adult at any time for whatever reason they choose. If you need more specific information just click on the link to the left of this post and send me an e-mail. Good Luck, Bob White (This message has been edited by Bob White)