Eagle94-A1

Yes. There is a document in the lawsuit that proposes a significant reduction in councils, something like 100-150. A small council that provides quality service will meet their finance goals. I know a council that is having membership issues, but they provide quality service to their members, and their financial goals are exceeded. Contrast to another council I know that has membership growth, but poor customer service. I cannot tell you how much they lost donations, but it is significant. One district's goal is 5.3% of what is was 20 years ago when adjusted for inflation.

So you you may have remembered I was depressed because it seemed one of my Scouts had given up. He had about 2 weeks before 18 and still needed a projected and 3 MBs. HE MADE IT! (And yes, I am shouting with joy!) He was able to get his project approved and completed within 10 days. Even had a nice write up about it too. As fro the MBs, he was able to find his paperwork from his old troop on one of them, one was finished at the meeting, and one was finished right before getting everything approved for BOR. He had the paperwork, but could not find it in time for the meeting. Just waiting for the EBOR. And we may be growing We had 2 Scouts visit this past month, and two more are scheduled to visit this week. Life is good.

UPDATE: Since the last post, the Scout has gotten off his duff and busting butt. Project got approved and is completed, he is in the post project paperwork. 1 MB that we both knew he had left is finished. The challenge is two 90 Day MBs. I know he started them prior to transfer, and I think he finished one of them with me back in his old troop. Sadly they do not use blue cards, so know record. The other I knew he started. Going to have a long chat with him at the meeting, but he will be cutting it close.

Even with witnesses, because BSA has the legal right to determine it's membership, they can remove you permanently. BSA pros are more concerned with the public image, and will do anything to protect it.

It has been a very long time since I served on summer camp staff, and a long time since I did BSA Lifeguard but here are my thoughts regarding the 50% rule. 1. At the camps I worked at, not all hired staff were BSA Lifeguards, some were Red Cross and a few, like me, were YMCA. And some were not certified in any program at all prior to staff week. However by the end of staff week, they everyone usually was certified. My camps may have been the exception though. 2. Volunteer staff, i.e. CITs, SMs helping out, Aquatics Supervision candidates, and BSA Lifeguard candidates, do count towards that total staffing number, if memory serves. For BSA Lifeguard we had to do so many hours of lifeguarding duty, and I think the same for Aquatics Supervision as well. I have both Aquatic Supervision certs, and I have volunteered to help out on the waterfront many times. So volunteer staff will affect the percentages 3. Sometimes staff on light duties will be assigned to aquatics. Also some staff will be assigned to help out in peak hours. They usually man the watchtower, the entrances, and putting on life-jackets. That way more lifeguards can be in positions to help people. I vividly remember the long time staffer at one camp who was a non-swimmer, but ALWAYS manned the watchtower, and didn't need a whistle or bullhorn. FYS. And of course these folks also affect percentages.

Has the appeal been ruled yet? Will the money already awarded affect the decision if it hasn't? And is the plan gets overturned, what happens to monies already distributed?

I have a Scout aging out in less than 30 days. He transferred into the troop a while ago, and his former troop was not great with paperwork. He is so close to Eagle, but I think he has given up. The family told me that if he didn't get Eagle by the end of the charter year, he would not be renewing. Then last minute turned in paperwork for scholarship to renew. Waiting to hear back about scholarship, but have not seen him since. I've known the Scout since before Tigers. Families had been close in years past, but something happened between my sons and him, specifically related to some online game they played. And we have slowly drifted apart since. I know it is his decision to pursue Eagle or not with the time remaining. But it still frustrating, and a little depressing. I have gone to bat for him in his old troop, and the current troop. I know the challenges they family has faced over the years and have helped him in a variety of ways to the point that I have upset committee members protecting the Scout. If I have worked with this scout more than any other, except my own kids, over the past 30+ years, and it is upsetting to see him come so far, and not finish. I know Eagle is not the ultimate goal of Scouting. I know he will take the lessons learned, and apply them throughout his life. I know. I know that despite the challenges he has overcome, he will go far. But why I am getting frustrated and depressed, especially when I have not felt like this with other Scouts int he past?

I believe I eventually got the International Youth Exchange Award because of the Canada trip. I think the requirements for the WC and IYEA were identical.

Yeah, they keep changing the name of it. Originally the World Crest was an award for the BSA, then August 1, 1989,rules changed allowing everyone to wear it. Ticked me and the other Scouts on the bus in Canada earning off because that was one of the awards we were going to earn. Adults made it up by giving us the Canadian version of the emblem on a velvet background. They also had international recognition set with necker and patch. Sometime between 1989 and 1995, the International Youth Exchange Award was created. Don't remember the requirements, but i got it. Don't know when the current award came out. Requirements are https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/International-Spirit-Award-app.130-044-Rev.-June-2021.pdf and the patch is below.

Especially since National praised councils that had such events within the past 3 years. I remember watching this done at a NAM that was online. I think 2021.

In all of my experience in Scouting, every single time adults interfere with the Patrol process, they screw things up. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. (major emphasis). There is a reason why Traditional Patrols, aka Mixed Aged Patrol are still around,and begrudgingly mentioned in BSA literature on occasion, 35 years after national wanted aged based patrols to be the new norm: THEY WORK! (again major emphasis) Aged based patrols have so many problems, especially NSPs. I was part of the pilot program, and it failed miserably in my troop. Imagine my surprise when I discover that aged based patrols were the new way of creating patrols. @MattR said it best:

I will be making a trip and hand-delivering paperwork. One quirk in my locale is that one toyed of insurance has a credit that will pay for Scouts. However the paperwork needs to be turned into the council and they take care of it. Over 1/2 of my troop is in that program, so there is nothing I can do online. 2 of my adults show YPT has expired. I have copies of their YPT certificates from January, just need to find them, and will be delivering them with the other paperwork. Since all my folks, save 1 adult, were involved in Scouting prior to the new process, everyone, save that one guy, recharters at same time.

Understatement of the year. I have seen it as well in the multiple councils I have been in. And now I know why so many old-timers no longer over the years stop doing anything with district or council, and focus on units instead. That or quit altogether.

Most Scouters I know do not have a personal attorney, nor can they afford one. As for the CO, most I have encountered are not active. And if they are active, councils tend to give them very little info on the situation in my experience. Heck when I was a DE, the SE kept info from me, and when I called him to tell him something about a situation, was told , " Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you....." And another organization's investigation won't mean squat to BSA. I knew someone falsely accused of sexual assault. There was a criminal investigation, and the evidence they found supported my friend. Even though she was cleared, she was still banned by the BSA.

I guess mine is not enforcing it at all. I knew other councils had mandated training, heck neighboring council wanted you to have the training BEFORE ( emphasis) assuming the role. But was told National won't mandate training, except YPT. You would think that if you had S24 showing, all the online modules would not show up as "To Do's." Why whenever I teach a class, I add my name to the Training Report. Personally prefer inperson training to online. The interactive, personal touch is much better than the monotone online stuff, even if interactive.