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Bob, My Committee Chair is the problem. ;( -Mike

I was hoping you'd say that. Is there a document or guideline that more clearly details the fact that ASM's are not a voting part of the TC? Thanks, Mike

I can't find anywhere a guideline stating whether or not Assistant Scoutmasters are eligible to become members of the Troop Committee. While I appreciate that ASM's are welcome and encouraged to attend TC meetings, I don't know if ASM's are supposed to be actual members. The Troop Committee Guidebook says that the ASM for the New Scout Patrol should be conducting the Troop Skills Survey and using that to help the TC recruit members. That would necessarily imply, I think, that ASM's may NOT be members of the TC. Help? Mike

Bob, In the Troop Committee Guidebook, it states very clearly that [in an established, non-new unit] the Troop Committee Chair is elected by the Troop Committee and serves until the charter renewal, they resign, or a replacement is voted into office. As for the deprecation of the Eagle rank, we're giving it to people who don't deserve it. Some of them are profane, denounce adult leaders and are physically rough with younger Scouts, their projects are not Eagle-worthy yet somehow get pushed through by lax leadership, etc. -Mike Eagle Scout, 1996

I'm an ASM in a midwest Troop. I've had the good fortune to be helping with the very Troop through which I rose through the ranks and earned my Eagle badge. It's been with the sincerest dismay that I've seen our Eagle Scouts become more lackluster than in the past (skirting requirements, not living the Scout Oath or Law, etc). I raised this issue with our Troop Committee and we had a meeting over the weekend to discuss it. This meeting turned into a personal attack on me by the Scoutmaster (an elderly man, easily manipulated and unfortunately suffering from memory loss), the Troop Committee Chair and her husband (an ASM himself). Despite this, I tried to be a positive force for change to improve the quality of our Eagle Scouts, restoring the rank to the position of distinction it deserves. However, the namecalling and petty arguments have not ceased with time. Myself and many other Troop Committee members are very frustrated with the Chair (and to a lesser extent, the SM). I have read elsewhere that the Troop Committee Chair serves at the pleasure of the Committee and may be replaced any time the Committee elects someone new. Is that true? If so, where is that spelled out? I'm not a fan of exiling anyone or 'stripping' them of a position they wish to hold, however when an adult leader (or anyone in the Troop, for that matter) raises a genuine concern and is met with animosity and personal slams, it may be time to "give them their freedom", so to speak. Has anyone else had to deal with something like this? I've tried to put the bug in my SM's ear not to resign, per se, but to consider working with someone in order to have a line of succession. Abrupt and catastrophic loss of leadership can destroy a Troop. Thoughts/comments? -Mike