Eagle94-A1

Yes, a lot of people are being competitive about it. And they don't realize they are just hurting their kids.

Regarding the 10-18 year old program. It's going to get interesting. One pro made this comment. "Developing the girl program takes time so if it’s not ready by December, 5th grade girls can easily continue in the pack working on additional Adventures, Nova Awards, other awards, etc. The older program is not absolutely needed by January 1." Does anyone see the PR nightmare if boys can move up to troop as soon as they are able, December 1st, but the girls have to remain with a pack? And how many troops will go rogue?

And so it begins, the race to be the first female Cub Scout, Eagle Scout, etc. Already seeing lots of photos of girls in their uniforms. Lots of folks saying they cannot wait for January first to be the first ones. Even saw one post on FB where dad stated his daughter will be designated the official first female Cub Scout with his daughter receiving her Bobcat from the Assistant CSE, and the National Cub Scout Director. Scouting is not suppose to be a race, but a journey,.

While I did not grow up in that era, I remember seeing the fallout shelter everyday from 8-12th grades as my high school was a shelter. One of my assignments in grad school was conducting an oral history. I interviewed my father-in-law. He talked about some of the things he did as a kid. So glad he hasn't shared those stories with my hoodlums But then it got all serious. He started talking about the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was in Miami at the time. Regarding who owned the nukes, it was the Soviets, not Castro. It was in retaliation for us placing nukes in Turkey if memory serves. A lot of information was released with the fall of the Soviet Union, and especially to celebrate the 50th anniversary a few years back. Just wait until 2037 when most of the classified documents get declassified.

A program for females needs to be in place by December 1, 2018 when the first batch of Webelos are eligible to earn the Arrow of Light and Cross Over.

I talked to a DE who went to Dallas either in January 2016 or '17, I can't remember which. But he was told "Big changes" were headed our way in 2018. Yes National screwed up, and screwed up hugely. The town halls were a farce, ticking off volunteers and pros alike. As for national's survey, I would love to see the results from members and volunteers , even with the obvious pro-girl slant of the questions. And unlike the June 2015 Cub Scout Program, they can't change things 17 months later. Girls and parentswill be ticked. As to "Separate but Equal" it won;t work. And volunteers in the trenches are already stating that. Heck the CSE spoke out of both sides of his mouth when asked that question.

BSA use to sell skorts for female Scouters. They were not popular at all, and hated counting them when doing end of year inventories. So glad when they got rid of them. Only lady I saw who wanted a skirt or dress was my wife. And that was only because she HATES the tan and green uniform, and didn't like the old Yellow and Blue one. When she saw the 1950s/60 Den Mother's dress, she fell in love. Otherwise she wants her Venturing green and grey.

The problem is that National said they would release info in 2018, and I know I and other locally expected the info at RTSs like they did the new CS program. But then National allows council to start allowing girls January 15th if they want to AND packs meet criteria. Council next to us is an early adopter, and I know of at least one girl who is not fully outfitted with her uniform. This announcement and the criteria came out in apparently an invitation only email to a webinar on the topic, and that was just before Christmas. Not only is there a lack of confusion on those of us in the field who are hearing all kinds of different things ( I was told June 1st, what you mean January 15th?), but it seems as if national has no clue as to what it is doing. I don't know why I am shocked by this. I knew national would screw up the roll out. I didn't think it would be this bad.

I have found the Scouts know who is better to do the job than us old fogeys. My son was 10 when he was a PL. Ok it was a New Scout Patrol with other 10 and 11 year olds with an older Scout as Guide, but he was in charge, and in all honesty the Guide didn't do much. At the end of his term of office, he was nominated for, and elected by the troop. Senior Patrol Leader. He was 11 years, 2 months old when elected. You trained your Scouts. You need to trust your Scouts. NOW LET THEM LEAD! to paraphrase Green Bar Bill.

I would love for BSA to publish the actual stats of those members and volunteers lucky enough to take the survey, and not just the info from non-member surveys. If anyone could point me towards the actual member results I'd appreciate it. I keep finding the non-member results. And as someone else stated, BSA has a history of ignoring those of us in the field. After all, 94% of those surveyed thought BSA needed to keep the 3 months for Eagle Palms, and they ignored the near unanimous result, and decided on 'Insta Palms"

Sadly, I've seen so many units do their own thing and ignore BSA policies, that I can believe a unit doing anything. Heck my own troop said they will ignore BSA upcoming policy on separate girls troops, and fully integrate girls with their own patrol. They would be a girls only paper troop. In fact one of the reasons we are now accepting girls is because of rogue units IMHO. SWMBO jokingly said once that she will cremate me and put my ashes in knee socks. I said "YES and bury me at these three camp...." I got 2 pairs in the safety deposit box. Currently 2 camps are within 2 hours drive, and she knows exactly where to bury me. 3rd camp is a wee bit aways,and I hope she remembers where I want to go.

50+ years Scouting veteran, with 40+ years in the troop, with 20 of those as SM. He was buried in uniform, and anyone connected with the troop or district was there in uniform.

Silver Beaver, and other awards, can be worn as "formal wear" at such occasions as Blue and Golds Banquets, Courts of Honor, District and Council Awards Banquets, etc. Sadly, saw them worn at a funeral recently.

I can help. Flag was something that you had to purchase separately. Cubs wore it above the pocket like that. Boy Scouts wore it on the sleeve. There were only two slides: Cub Scout and Webelos. Wolves and Bears wore one that looked very similar to today's Wolf slide, except the background was blue and not red. Distinctive slides came in some time in the 1990s, early 2000s.

Must be 21 years of age or older to be Den Leader. A female 13 and completed 8th grade, but not yet 21 can be a Venturer and a Den Chief.

Actually I'm talking about the Dark Horse Comics and Old Republic books. Yes I know the Rat turned the EU into 'Legends," but Lucasfilm had an entire department whose sole purpose was to make sure EVERYTHING, except for stuff done before they existed i.e. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, fit into all the other novels, comics, and videogames. So stuff that Zahn wrote was connected to Anderson's work. Heck the two even collaborated for a short story. Jedi marriage was in the media written before TPM came out and the celibacy thing came about. Prior to the Rat's take over, only Lucas could get away with ignoring the EU. And he did so with the prequels.

What really ticked me off about the Jedi celibacy thing is that Lucasfilm approved all kinds of Expanded Universe materials that had married Jedi and their children. Heck even Luke Skywalker marries Mara Jade, and they have Ben Skywalker.

That's true. After all, "Arrow Of Light Scouts" use the Webelos Handbook, TriColors, Neckercheif and Hat, etc. And of course will will soon have Girl "Boy Scouts"

I think PINEWOOD Derby Car would make it obvious.

Obviously the author has no idea about the Boy Scouts of America, nor it's history. Boy Scouts served as Den Chiefs, running the dens initially. Then Den Mothers, now Den Leaders took over.

I wear a vintage BA22 patch that I got off ebay. Long story short, I was the last BA22 class my council did, and while they had enough BA22 strips for the uniform, the patch showing completion was discontinued. So the council issued Canadian B-P portrait patches instead. I don't know who earned it, but I know the challenges they wen through to get it.

Ditto on Chess. That is what got my oldest involved with the troop. Other games include Skipbo, Spoons, "Boy Scout," and Dungeons and Dragons. Our D&D game took a LONG time with 19 players, most of whom never played before. But growing up, we played D&D with that many, and it was a little faster.

I wish Sir Ian Fleming would have had a say. I bet he would have picked his buddy from his Naval Intelligence days, Jon Pertwee, aka the Third Doctor, aka "the Dandy," to play Bond. THAT would have been real interesting. At least SOE veteran Christopher Lee got a part in one of the films. I wonder if Pertwee would have given technical advice if he was Bond like Lee did for LotR?

Actually there use to be books on the topic. William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt wrote the 3rd ed. Scoutmaster Handbook, vols 1 & 2. I have his abridged 5th edition which I've been rereading. Wish I would not have lent out my 3rd edition as I never got it back. I'ld also recommend his Patrol Leader's handbook too. There are other books out there too. I'm told Roland Phillips wrote an excellent manual on the patrol methods in the 1910s or 20s that GBB based his work on. And of course BP's writings. But you are correct in that there is no one, simple answer. And that is because we are dealing with people. Everyone is different. Each one has their own views and biases. And that is part of the problem. Until everyone is on the same page, and that can take years, you will have problems.

"Patience, a Jedi must have patience." Very true. Again must think long term and for the entire troop. and not just your sons. All of us wants what is best for OUR kids. But as a Scouter, you must think long term. I know my oldest son has not had the same experience as I had in Scouting. In a lot of aspects, I had it better in that I was in a Scout run troop. I was not dealing with adults interfering, nor having to worry about Scouts not meeting expectations and doing what they were suppose to do. We had our challenges, but they were able to be overcome since it was mostly Scout based, and very rarely adult based. In other aspects his experience is better than mine. He has learned to deal with difficult situations, especially dealing with 'superiors." I have talked to him over the years about the challenges in the troop. He does not like them, and he wants to work to change the troop. We've talked about transferring and starting a new troop. He wants to fix the one he is in. The last 6 months as SPL has exhausted him, because he has dealt with all the problems I've mentioned. Sadly, BSA's current training is worse than a blister on a Scout's foot IMHO. SM Specific is online, how can you get the Patrol experience by yourself on a computer? You can't! Can you ask questions and get advice via an online training module? No! As for ITOLS, you cannot get the Patrol experience in just a weekend. Yes you can mimic it, but you cannot get the experience. Heck even in the old course I took way back when, you could not get a true patrol experience. But at least it was better. You were a patrol for an entire month instead of just a weekend. The key is MENTORING! The new SM will need a lot of it, especially with no experience. "Everything you just said in that...is wrong." Seriously you are now going beyond what a MC does. Regarding Patrol funds, best thing to do is talk to your sons about it. Get them to buy into it, and get them to work it through their patrols. The annual plan should have been made back in August or September, unless the troop is like mine and does it on a calendar year, not program, aka school year. If the plan is made, YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN CHANGING IT! As for the APC, yes the Scouts should be running it and planning it. As for time, I've been involved in some that has taken that long! part of that was working through 15+ different school calendars. Part of it was a cookout was involved. That and swimming were the incentives to get the plan over and done with in one session instead of multiple like it took one year. Very much so, a big chunk. And again as a committee member, you do not have the duty to go after these changes. That is for the SM to do. MCs job is support the troop, not run it. Thatis the Scouts' jobs. On another note, one thing you can do is talk about how Scouting is suppose to be done with your sons and their friends. When I talked to Scouts, it gives them hope and they have pushed for some of the improvements. Good luck.