SM bob

The OA has its own ceremonies that remain clouded in mystery. It's that mystery that makes it special. It sounds like your son is a first or second year scout. Maybe his fellow scouts did not think he is worthy or could complete the ordeal. Not everyone is elected and that hurts kids feelings. Scouting is about learning to deal with real world problems and challenges. Feeling rejected is something he will have to deal with in his life, better now than later. How does your troop deal with scouts that are not elected for leadership positions? If I was at camp I would not have pulled him out of the campfire ring. I would have asked the SM and ASM to go to the campsite and explain to the scout and OA member that a problem happened along and in a way that did not crush the scouts ego. As SM I would have walked the scout over to the commissary shack and ordered three ice cream's. Than have a nice talk about perseverance and how life throws challenges at you.

We use Facebook and Cubscouttracker.com Facebook is for the committee and parents to post. cubscouttracker.com is for rank advancement tracking, emails, and the den/pack Calender.

We set SPL and PL min rank as first class. So that they have the skills to teach and help their patrol/ troop. The ASPL is runner up for SPL. The PL's appoint their own APL. All other PORs are assigned by the SPL.

I have seen troops with a ASM patrol adviser. The ASM usually is running the patrol and SM is acting as the SPL. The SPL acts as a runner relaying information with very little authority. That is just the impression I get as an outsider looking in.

My troop hosts a campout with two packs. We invite the Webelos II to drive up with us on Friday night to the group campsite. The Webelos I come up Saturday at lunch time. The Webelos are split up and form patrols for the weekend. They tent with one or two Boy Scouts. The boy scouts are the patrol leaders for the weekend. Due to the number of Webelos the den leaders cook all the meals. We plan a hike in the morning for the Webelos II and then skill stations for everyone in the afternoon. The stations are taught by the scouts or adults. Our stations are knife safety, knife sharpening, cutting and fusing rope, three different knots, fire safety, campfire prep, magnifying glass fire starting, flint and steel, use of compass, pacing, topo map reading, star constellations shapes, scout oath and law, scout trivia. The patrols practice skits for the saturday night campfire. The adults stay in our area and let the Webelos interact with the boy scouts. We only allow registered leaders (cubs and boys scouts) to come on the campout. The joint campout is held in October. This allows the Webelos and den leaders to get a glimpse of Boy Scout camping (minus the cooking). It also give the adults time to interact and get to know each other.

I'm a big fan of troop tents and tarps. The scouts have to maintain and take care of the tents. If they damage the tents, the tent is assigned to the scouts who damaged it until it's fixed or replaced. Three of my scouts had to camp for two months in a tent without a door, because they broke the zipper and didn't fix it. When the weather turned cold they figured out how to fix the zipper.

Every troop, pack, or crew must have a institution head (IH). The IH owns the equipment, bank account, and union number. The IH is in effect the chartered organization. The IH has ultimate authority and power over a unit.

Helper, who is listed as the IH (institutional head) on the charter paperwork. The IH owns the pack and can remove any leader or scout from the pack at will. They hold all of the power. Talk to the IH. Have them write a letter to district removing the current COR & CC and then name new people. Include completed applications for the new positions.

Evilleramsfar - conflict with the CC is the worst. I went thought it, but did not have the backing of the CO. The CC and CO were old friends. You are in a much better position then I was in. When I started my troop I wrote the bylaws so that the CC and SM have equal but separate powers. CC runs the committee and parents. The ASM's and I run the program. I do not like the standard BSA troop org chart.

My lodge is issuing NOAC 2015 lodge pocket flap patches. I am new to the OA so I do not know the proper patch etiquette. Can you wear this patch on your uniform? Are the patches to be worn only if you go to NOAC? Or are they for collecting and trading?

I ran into a scout from my previous troop. A year ago he was 13 and 1st class. Had issues functioning as a PL. Was elected as SPL but could not setup, plan, or manage a PLC, troop meetings, or outing. Skipped most camping trips. Refused to hold PLC's He would mentally shut down when asked to make a decision. In short a13 yr old. The scout is a good kid. He changed troops when I left. He is now wearing life rank and excited because he is working on his eagle project. He said his dad has been working on the project with him. I feel conflicted. Part of me is happy for him. But the other half knows that his dad is doing the work and setting up the project for him (past experience). If rank is given out for time in grade and parents doing the work, what message does that give other scouts? Is this the BSA program today? Are POR's supposed to teach management and/or leadership? Or are they an excuses to wear a patch?

I would have a sit down with the CC and and the CO, preferably over lunch. Try to come to terms with him. Also get your CC on more campouts with you. The CC will get a better feel for the program that you run. The CC wrote the policy to get complaining parents off his and your backs. The policy will not fix the parents complaint problem. You and CC need to have a parent meeting and spell out the realities of the program. My troop bought troop tents for the scouts. The parents just don't know enough to purchase good economical sturdy tents. If a tent is damaged on a campout the scouts that slept in it are required to fix the tent. The damaged tent is assigned to them until it is fixed. If malicious damage was done the parents are required to reimburse the troop. Scouts sleep in tent as assigned by the patrol leader.

We ask that at least one of the scouts parents fill out an application and do YPT. They serve as scouter reserves. They are drivers and stay with the scouts during fundraisers. When the adult shows promise they are asked to help with a specific task. As they get more involved we move them to committee members and their job becomes more permanent. Drivers who do not get In the way during campouts can be ASM's only if they go through training.

Checking out Saturday morning and driving home works. The scouts have a last night to think about their experiences after the Friday night closing ceremony. The drivers are not tired from a full days activities.