Eagle94-A1

Most interesting program I have seen was at a camp I worked at. This camp offered rappelling, or absailing as they called it, off the White Cliffs of Dover. They also had a homemade raft race in the English Channel for the camp. That water is cold.

Not to be a naysayer, I know it is quite possible to Eagle at 12, but I got some concerns. From the article: "Ray said he started the arduous project in September 2014." and "Ray became a Boy Scout in January 2014, then achieved Tenderfoot rank in May 2014, Second Class and First Class in July 2014, Star rank in Nov 2014 and Life rank in May 2015." You cannot start an Eagle Project unless you are Life and it is approved.

I am one of those opposed to paperpushing MBs at camp. Exceptions include Environmental Science (I hated the reports back in the day) Journalism, and Cinematography. The Journalism folks published one camp's newspaper, and the Cinematography folks did the closing campfire slideshow/movie. I've seen it done twice, and that was ages ago. Citizenship in the World MB was taught by an International Staff Program participant. Having an Aussie Scout teach me was cool and fun. m Otherwise i agree. Sadly, my middle son is ignoring me on this one. He's doing 2 paperpushing ones for 1/2 of camp. at least the other half will be on the rifle range and a muzzle loading course.

I will double check when I get home. I believe sometime in the 1950s. I got my first religious Award and knot in 1983 or 1984.

If the ribbon needs replacing, contact a national scout shop. They use to sell replacement Eagle ribbons.

Sadly National changed the election protocols a number of years ago. There use to be a quota on the number you CV ould vote for. Instead of the best scouts getting elected, people view OA more of a gimme than an honor camper society as it was originally. People predicted the lowering of standards would slowly kill the OA.

I am really disheartened by this move. I wish National would remember when the times they have already made things easier in an attempt to improve retention, but made matters worse, i.e. doing away with time requirements for T-2-1 Ranks, changing OA election procedures to allow everyone eligible to be able to get elected, automatically allowing SMs admission to the OA.

The 4 digit number won't be in the reports, it's part of the metadata or coding..

From https://oa-bsa.org/article/national-committee-immediate-policy-changes National Committee: Immediate Policy Changes Ed Lynes June 07, 2019 Announcements Brothers, In recent years, youth membership in the Order of the Arrow has declined significantly — down 18 percent since 2015. These changes have impacted lodges, and their ability to support councils and deliver program. The Order must grow, alongside the Scouting movement, to achieve its purpose. The best way to do this is through supporting a “High Performing Lodge” in each council. To help achieve this aim, the national OA committee approved several, significant policy changes at today’s meeting: Brotherhood Requirements: Effective immediately, the waiting period between induction and eligibility for Brotherhood membership has been reduced to six (6) months. All other requirements are unchanged. Journey to Excellence (JTE): The lodge program is being discontinued and immediately replaced with the new Performance Measurement Program. There are a small number of requirements and clear benchmarks for lodge achievement. The requirements are consistent with the former JTE to align with your lodge planning. Purpose of the Section: Effectively immediately, the role of the Section has been expanded beyond hosting an annual Conclave. Sections share in the responsibility of empowering, supporting, and helping lodges become high performing. The Lodge Ledger will have more detailed information on these changes and other new programs and policies approved at the meeting. They will also be covered extensively during Thrive, the national OA webinar, on October 19. If there are questions on these changes, or feedback on how to better support your lodge, please contact either Vice Chairman of Unit, Lodge, and Chapter Support Dan McCarthy or myself at membership@oa-bsa.org. Thank you for all you do to make our Brotherhood stronger each day. WWW, Ed Lynes Vice Chairman of Strategic Performance National Order of the Arrow Committee membership@oa-bsa.org

Been a while since I dealt with this, so bear with me. Because of the old legacy system, EVERY unit has a 4 digit code. The 1st digit was a program code, and the rest was the local council's number. IF MEMORY SERVES 1= Boy Scout, 2=Sea Scouts, 3=Exploring/Venturing, 4=Cub Scouts. 5= Varsity. Reason for that was a charter organization owns the local council number. For example The First Baptist Church of Hometown, MS owns the local number 935. The Troop in the old system was 1935, Pack was 4935, and crew was 3935. But all wore 935 on their sleeves. Hope this helps

I see your C3-P0 quote and raise you

Glad you were faster.

I do not know what is up with my council, but they are holding 3 invitation only meetings with the council key three. Suppose to be going over news. Media reports, and plans so we can br "ambassadors for Scouting." I hope part of those plans do not include a council fee. My part of the state is hurting really bad, with above national average unemployment, and out of date infrastructure. Me personally it was a struggle to pay for summer camp for the 3 hoodlums and myself. I am already saving for next year. Council raises costs, I do not know how we can afford it.

No, to much like GSUSA. One of the loudest complaints I hear from old Girl Scouts is that they don't have a uniform and the only way to tell someone is a Girl Scout is by the cookies.Besides red has never been associated with Cubs, only Explorers up to 1980, and Boy Scouts from 1980 - 2009. The blue uniform has a long history, and easily identifies someone as a Cub Scout. BADGE MAGIC IS EVIL! I hate the stuff, and have seen too many shirts ruined.

Looks like the stove will need to wait. Mrs. Eagle94-A1 was NOT happy in the least. this would be my 4th backpacking stove (6th if you include the homemade ones i do NOT use on Scout trips) and she does not see a need for yet another stove. The only way I could get it was to use a gift card I had. WELL the local place I have a card does not carry stoves anymore, just the canisters. Oh well.

Why I am an advocate of beginning the transition to Boy Scouts as soon as they become Webelos, just as the program was intended. Start giving them more independence, lewt them camp a few times with a troop, LET THEM HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES AND LET THE PARENTS SIT BACK (emphasis). I have seen the difference between packs that begin the process early compared to late. IT IS HUGE! Ebery single Scout in my oldest son's den from 5 that was in his old troop is still involved in Scouting save one. And he moved and I have not been able to keep up. Compared to the other pack that fed into the old troop, 0 remain. With my middle son's den, all are still active in 3 different troops. The other pack's den has a 50% attrition rate after 2 years.

One reason for the consistancy was because 1 author wrote all those books, and he gave real life examples from the troop he ran as SM. Also, how many editions have we had in the past 10 years? 12th ed came out in 2009. Then the 13th in 2016, and now a 14th this year. It is getting ridiculous.

Sadly, you are correct, BSA publications are full of contradictions. Even G2SS and G2A have issues, IMHO. Biggest issue with the later 2 publications is that they change so fast that Scouters in the field have a hard time keeping up. Is a revised G2SS 3-4 months online really needed? Best example of contradictions and folks not knowing about them was last years rule that Lions and Tigers could not do Shooting Sports. Rule apparently came out in May in some addendum to the G2SS. So it was not in it, nor the Shooting Sports manual. NO ONE IN THE FIELD KNEW ABOUT THE NEW RULE! (major emphasis) Not our brand new NCS certified day camp director, not our NCS certified Shooting Sports Director, whom I believe is on that national committee, and not the pros. I let Tigers do archery, and they did BB guns with the other ranger officer. It was not until September or October that the new policy became publicly known, and everything broke loose online. It was only the second time in my years in the program that National listened to the folks in the field and reverted to the original policy. BUT is was because the new policy caused a storm of protest. Biggest problem with National IMHO is that you have folks who are "experts" in their field via academia or working with other non-profits, but have 0 experience in the field working with a troop, ship, pack, crew, or summer camp. Examples of that include out national training director, or whatever her title is, and the two PhDs doing research on the BSA. These folks are in their little fiefdoms, do not work with anyone else, and are creating policy that they really have no idea how it will work out or affect units in the field.

Sadly my district is dieing. With the various membership changes over the past few years, we have lost 3 packs and 1 troop. We will lose the 2 LDS units at the end of year. One remaining pack is failing fast, and my old pack is 1/3 of the size it use to be. Several troops are barely surviving, including my own. We lost a lost a lot of volunteers, and folks are not replacing them. Folks with history with the BSA no longer have interest. Scouting may survive, but it will take years to recuperate in my area. We share a DE, but we may be merging since we have no district chair and little to no representation at the council level. Forgot to add A small, dedicated cadre of professionals are indeed needed. They need to live in your community, know the folks, and recruit volunteers who are willing to to the work. It has been a endless cycle since the membership policy changes occured: Lose volunteers and Scouts, share DE who has 2 different districts and cannot focus full attention on either, fewer Volunteers shoulder more responsibility and burning out causing them to quit, ad nauseum.

I hate to say it, but the Patrol Method died October 1, 2018. That is when 2 adults were required for ALL activities, including patrol meetings, hikes, and day activities. Also the No more than 2 years apart rule for tents put a nail into the coffin as well. Traditional Patrols, aka Mixed aged patrols, that have been around since 1910 in the BSA, I have encountered have had people more than 2 years apart. Part of the Patrol Method is eating, sleeping, and working with your patrol mates. Older Scouts mentored and trained the younger ones. As for national and their experience with the Patrol Method, I would say less than 2 percent. And the lawyers got to them.

They have worked for me and my hoodlums. I use them for a year of so, then get new ones. No problems yet. Even talked some folks into using a 16-20 once bottle for mixing powdered drinks and keeping it in a cargo pocket so you are not constantly asking someone to get it out of a pack pocket you cannot reach. I made a pack cover out of a contractor garbage bag, and I carry a spare to completely cover and tie up my pack at nite. I do not like wet foam against my back.

Gotcha. When i hear politics, nowadays I am thinking of extremes to each side and arguing/refusing to listen. You mean actual Oxford English Dictionary II definition of politics.

With all due respect, why is this in Issues and Politics? THIS IS AWESOME NEWS!

When I staffed JLT, NYLT's predecessor course, the #1 complaint from the Scouts at the 6 month post-course conference, was that the SMs would not let the Scouts use what they learned to run the troop. Back in the day, the SMs had a precourse meeting they attended with their Scouts going, and they could attend the graduation ceremony and banquet. Most of the problem SMs didn't attend either. Strongly recommend it, especially for new SMs.

@69RoadRunner THANK YOU!