DuctTape

IIRC, at one time Star, Life and Eagle were awards and 1st Class was the highest rank.

Nice they clarified. However I would like to see the requirement have some (10?) of the nights not be in shelters provided to the Scout. IMO part of the experience, perhaps a significant part, is the choosing of the tent spot, preparing the site, and setting up one's shelter. Same with using summer camp as nights when all the food is prepared for them in the dining hall. Camping is not just sleeping away from home. This is a mB after all.

Conflict is natural AND a growth opportunity. Help the scouts figure out solutions to the conflict. The SM is not the referee. Your background has prepared you better than most to help guide the scouts to resolution. I have found using the Socratic Method to be an invaluable tool to help scouts find solutions. Having a few "tricks to try" is also useful when they are stumped. But presentjng them as a question allows them the opportunity to decide.

Expect chaos and embrace it. You are in the storming phase for the troop under your guidance. You will be great.

We all turn the page to new chapters of life. Enjoy the time with your grandkids. I do hope you stop by on occassion.

Pick up a copy of the PL Handbook from the 1950s for ideas of Patrol Activities, games, etc... Also a 1940s Fieldbook, it is organized to be basically a manual of patrol activities. These will be a good resource for you if the SPL asks for ideas of "how to..."

I do not think you are too impatient. The forming of patrols is the first step. I would say give the SPL the goal of having the patrols by the end of the first meeting. Anyone not there can join a patrol when they do show up. Suggest some games the scouts could play which will help them get to know each other differently. Like 4-corners games*. Or other type of grouping style games. After the games, SPL hands over the "create your patrol" challenge. Have SPL provide the purpose and minimal boundaries 1. Patrols of 6-8. 2. Patrols will be the teams for games. 3. Patrols will be the group you camp, cook and hike with. Etc... The SPL can use the corners as a way to "gather your patrol". If the the SPL (or the scouts) are having difficulty, start with pairs. Choose a buddy to be with in a patrol. Then the buddys find another pair to join up with. Before they "commit" encourage them to talk about why they want to be together. Common interests? Common goals? Etc... (this goes back to the games played earlier). After a 4-some is created, they can join up with another 4-some, or a pair which did not join another pair yet. No real rules, the idea is to break down the "create a group of 6-8" into a simpler first step. The SPL and scouts will probably surprise you with how quickly they can self-group. *4-corners. Scouts gather in center of room. SPL says the category and points to the different corners with "answers". Then scouts run to the corner of their choice. Ex. SPL says "Category is breakfast" points to each corner and says "bacon, sausage, ham, no-meat" ... "and go". SPL continues with another category...

The metriics in the performance evaluation of the DE are what the DE will focus on. Until and unless the items we discuss as important are the primary measure of a DEs performance, they will never get done.

Yeah, either way. Although blue cards are typically preferred with outside mB counselors as we then keep the mB portion for our records. Regardless of which tracking method is used, some of the hidden growth outcomes for scouts in the process are: 1. Scout initiative. Choosing which badge, setting and achieving personal goals. 2. Communication skills. Scout contacting mB counselor and setting up times to meet. 3. Record keeping. Scout responsible for their handbook/blue cards. I only mention these b/c too often well meaning adults take over much of the process which denies scouts' these growth and learning opportunities.

I remember that exact project as a kid. I recall my NatGeo picture was of a bird. Either a cardinal or blue jay. 99.9% of my cub memories were doing stuff like that with my den. The pack rarely met as a group except for the B&G dinner. I agree KIS, the "S" is for "simple", and also "small". Dens meet and do stuff, get rid of pack meetings except for once/twice a year at most. Don't even start as a pack meeting, then split off. This rarely works well.

I sometimes find them at estate sales.

And this is where the problem begins. National has zero interest or motivation for scouting to be a quality program. By design councils (and units) exist for the benefit of HQ. By extension units exist to benefit councils. The system needs to be flipped. National HQ primary responsibility should be to support councils, and Councils primary responsibility should be to support units. National should be using big$ donations to fund the basics of the councils. Councils should not be begging scouters and parents via FOS. Camporees should not be used as a means to generate revenue b/c HQ refuses to fund their own system. At present, IMO, National HQ serves no purpose to scouts, units or councils.

I don't think so. I am suggesting they do, 100%.

Perhaps BSA should fully fund their councils, instead of requiring councils to fundraise (FOS) to pay for the lack of $ from HQ and let CO/units do local fundraising. BSA can do national fundraising. just a thought.

Right. My point was it is no different than any other CO.