Eagle94-A1

Yes, I've never heard of a practice EBOR until I moved to NC. Only reason I can think doing it here locally is that when the council went from troops holding EBORs with a district rep to district level EBORs, the troops kept doing them anyway, calling them practice. Personally I think it's a waste of time. But that is me.

We did the one fundraising event (two fundraisers at the event; 1 involving Scouts, second involving adults) because it was enough to cover 100% of the troops expenses (the adults selling food) and anywhere from 50% - 100% of the Scout's expenses, pending the number of hours we worked, and activities they did. Yes, Individual Scout Accounts are no longer acceptable, but this was back in the day. Only time I had to do extra fundraising was when I did a big trip.

We haven't gotten that far yet. Highest ranking Scout is Star. However, our district advancement committee, which is really the Eagle BOR as they don't really handle all the other stuff involved, does a yearly meeting for all Life Scouts, parents, and leaders interested. Don't know if Star Scouts are invited, but if they are, I'm hoping to have one particular Scout attend if he can finish up one requirement for Communications, and have a BOR this month.

I've had both, and prefer KK over DD. HOWEVER, after experiencing DUCK DONUTS, a mid-Atlantic chain, I go for them, hands down. Duck Donuts' Maple and Bacon donuts are "da bomb." And yes, real BACON on the donuts.

Basically MD, DO, PAs, and RNPs are the only ones who are authorized by the BSA to provide physicals. Basically those with a standardized medical degree. Some DOs are into the allopathy field, it goes alot with the DO field of study from what I've seen and heard.

I admit, I've not taken the 1990a WB course or the new WB21C one. Back in my time, there was a specific Boy Scout leader WB, designed for adults who had completed training and had 2 years tenure in Scouting as an adult ( 2 years tenure could be waived on a case by case basis, but it was rare.) There was also a Cub Scout Leader WB designed more for CS trainers. Before my time there was an Exploring Leader version of WB. Having one size fits all training does a great disservice to the Scouts in my opinion. For one thing, because you have different training requirements, when they are enforced, you have adults with different levels of experience and knowledge. I think it would be hard for a Cub Scout leader from an LDS pack which is not allowed to go camping, to have an understanding of Boy Scout patrol camping. Terminology gets watered down or changed into something that can make it intimidating or confusing for some, i.e. Course Director = SM, Also because all three programs, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Venturing, need to be incorporated, real life, applicable situations are shortened. Instead of an entire week as a Boy Scout, Cub Scout, etc, you only get a few days to get ti together. Again you needed to have completed basic training and have tenure unless waived. First course I was approached to attend would have waived the tenure requirement because a) I had 20+ months in as an adult and b) I was staffing JLT. That tenure allowed me to grow and get mentored in my role as an adult. Yes I was "trained" taking the old Scoutmaster Fundamental's course as an 18 year old ASM, but the tenure allowed my fellow adults to mold and counsel me when I reverted back to Scout mode, specifically SPL. I needed experience as an adult. Which is why i like the tenure rule when it was around.

This may sound cold-hearted, but I would make him work for stuff. I would look for more fundraisers to do, and make sure he works them, and if parents can help, his mom as well. Don't let the lack of equipment stop him, but don't give him anything, let him do things to earn it. I say that because i was in that situation after my father walked out. My troop did 1 fundraiser a year, and I helped all weekend, and my mom helped as she could too. When I went to Canada and jamboree, I worked every fundraiser I could. There were some that only the adults could work, and mom worked every single one of them. And I was given lawn mowing jobs by the SM. I really appreciated what I had. Good luck

I'm quoting the 9th Doctor, "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" If SPL hates the troop, that's a major problem. Unless he is trying to change the troop around, he needs to leave. And even then he needs the adults support, otherwise they will do as they are doing. My troop is not as bad, but we have issues of adults running things when they shouldn't be. My son is not 100% happy and wants to change things. Luckily there is some support for that. But if things do no change, he is transferring.

Regarding AOL and Scout and Tenderfoot Rank. At one time a Cub Scout who earned AOL could automatically get Scout, and his time requirements for Tenderfoot was waived. That was noted in the BSHB of the time, and I was one of those new Scouts who had it applied.

Regarding the Scout Requirements: #1. Should be easy as it is an AOL requirement. #2 Tedious but doable # 3 should be easy, but may vary from troop to troop since some have NSPs and others do not. #4 These are Cub Scout requirements for the lower ranks #5 is Whittling Chip, a Bear requirement. Regarding Tenderfoot requirements: #1 and #2 are easy if you are a hiking and camping troop. AND Let the PLs sign off; TG if using NSP #3a-c Again Cub Scout requirements revisited D Totin Chip. I'm cool with it. more later

If they are in a Pack, they are still Cubs.

If memory serves, only the 1972 edition of the BSHB has all the requirements. The way national changes requirements, think Cooking which changed twice in 3 years, I think the separate requirement book is a goo idea for the most part. Better would be to not change the requirements as often.

My major negative is the amount of data that the app has access to. It has access to EVERYTHING just about.

I know some of the specialty outdoor organizations came up with their versions of WFA, But the Red Cross got a foundation for their course from a local chapter in the mountains of NC and the BSA. The standard 16 hour WFA was pretty much standardized by the BSA. National was the ones that got the experts together to come up with the course. Interesting thing to me is this: the bulk of what was covered in my WFA class was stuff I learned in First Aid MB back in the day.

I have concerns. http://wtvr.com/2016/07/11/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-privacy-and-pokemon-go/

Don't know if it started as an Eagle project or not, but there is a troop that has taken responsibility for a local "park" next to a branch library. The "park" is rather small, about the size of a house lot, but it is well maintained and has benches and table in it. Also a sign stating it's maintained by the troop across the street.

Does anyone remember the time, when all you needed to go camping as fill out the form, and your First Class and above Scouts had First Aid Merit Badge, so you didn't need to worry about having folks with first aid certs? I do, and I miss it.

Don't get me wrong, I am an advocate for training. But I do wish the certs with expiration dates lasted longer than 2 years. And I wish that those certs that have prerequisite certs, i.e the Aquatics Supervision certifications (3 year certs) require Safe Swim and Safety Afloat (2 year certs), would automatically renew and extend to the higher certification's expiration date. If you got an active unit, or involved in multiple units, it is extremely challenging to attend training, heck even schedule it. I'm now a WFA instructor, have been asked to conduct a WFA training, and I have no idea when I can do it before the end of the year. Between the pack, troop, and district, I can barely balance Scouting activities.

Sometimes folks will get waivers. I know of one instance, the person served in multiple roles. 1 role he completed all required training and BALOO. One role was missing ITOLS, and a 3rd was the online training. he got in under his CS role.

A few questions for you. 1) What does your son want to do? 2) Where are his friends at: the Webelos I den or Webelos II den. 3) IS HE READY FOR BOY SCOUTS IN 6-9 MONTHS?!?!?!?!?! (caps for emphasis) My middle son was in a similar situation last year. Originally he decided to skip Webelos I and go straight into Web II since he would have been eligible to Crossover in May. He eventually decided he wanted to remain with his friends, and will be Crossing Over in December with his den. I want to emphasize the last question because it is VITAL. We had 4 Scouts from 3 different packs cross over early. 1 Scout had no issues as that pack begins the Webelos to Scout transition as soon as they become Webelos in June between 3rd and 4th grades. They also have a year round program. 1 Scout had some initial issues as that pack really incorporates the Patrol Method after December of 4th Grade Year. The issue was the last two. Their pack did NOT begin the transition process until the Scouts actually crossed over. They were very ill prepared for Boy Scouts, and held back their patrol to the point that the patrol was abolished and the patrols were rearranged after them being in the troop a year. They are FINALLY getting their act together.

One of the challenges in the unit is that the CC/COR does things his way, and that has led to some things I do not like or approve regarding BORs. And it's permeated downward to other committee members. Apparently the troop has done multiple Scouts in one BOR for a long time, and everyone on the committee wants to keep it that way "to save time, otherwise we will be here all night." Trying to do the BOR by the book was another "challenge" I had with Gunship last month.

I've been to 1 camp where if the Scout brought the book AND was able to do the skill, the director would sign the book. Director was a crusty retired Marine, who was firm, but fair. This incident was one of the reasons Gunship and I had a "discussion" mentioned in the other thread. While I do not think the Scout deserves the rank, the BOR passed him off, and it is a done deal that we can do nothing about. We cannot withhold it from him, revoke it, etc as some would like. Worse part is that he is now gone, and there is nothing we can do to get him up to speed.

As others have mentioned, the unit belongs to the charter organization. The COR is the liaison between the IH as head of the CO, and the troop. So the only person who can remove the COR/CC is the IH. Better have good reasons to do so and have a convincing discussion. From personal experience, IHs are reluctant to remove unit leaders unless forced to, i.e. Youth Protection reasons. Unit commissioners may be able to help, but the professionals will say "It's a unit matter and it needs to be discussed with the (IH)." When I was a DE, we had some folks asking me to remove a CM. Long story short, this CM drove people away, both youth and adults. One of the parents/leaders asked for my assistance in the matter, and I was told to tell them the quote above, changing IH to COR/CC/IH. Eventually the COR/CC/IH was approached, knew exactly what was going on, knew the troop was suffering because of the pack's retention, and was unwilling to remove the CM!

I agree, SM should have caught it prior to the SM's conference. So some responsibility is on him,as well as the rest of us who signed off in his book. Easy. Because of family situation, Scout is at meetings and outings 1/2 the time. And instead of going to summer camp with the troop, he went provisional. He did First Year camper at a different camp than the one we went to. The SM thought the FYC director was the signatory, when he was reminded that one of the ASMs signed off on what was done at camp based upon the paperwork sent from the camp. Yes, the adults do bear responsibility for this fiasco. But I do blame the Scout for some of this. He was told several times that parents do not sign off. And when asked, he deliberately lied about it when asked. It was only when he was asked if his mom signed the book that he admitted she did. An aside, I honestly believe the Scouts would have caught this if THEY (emphasis) had the ability to sign off in my troop.

We had a situation recently where we had a Scout pass his Second Class and First Class ranks in 1 BOR. After the fact, we discovered that Mom was signing off on the requirements, and parents that attended the orientation meeting, which she did not, were told that the Scouts are no longer Cubs. We also told the Scouts on several occasions that parents could no longer sign off. Again after the BOR, when the adult in charge of the records went to update the troop's records book, one signature didn't seem right. We asked the Scout 2 times who signed it off and he "can't remember." When it was recognized as his mom's, we asked him a 3rd time if mom signed off, and he said yes. Unfortunately we could not revoke his Second Class and First Class ranks. And we didn't have time to work with him to get the skills up to par since he missed meetings between that night and when he moved. I feel for the troop he will be transferring to.