carebear3895

Friends, it's looking very, very bad. I have a complete lack of trust in National right now. I'll see if I can somehow get the link to the town hall last night.

This organization is going to destroy itself. My boss passed down some info from the National Key 3 town hall last night. Membership fees are expected to go up again THIS YEAR. Then slight increases for the following two years.

Scouting/USA coming back from the dead?! Get your red berets, gents!

We are losing money left and right. Council leadership is pushing us hard to collect with FOS and it's really starting to mess with me mentally. I can't keep going into meetings where people have nothing left and have the gull to ask for money. If our council go to the program fee, which I think they will, then I'm out. they can nickle and dime the scouters, but I won't be the one they send, not anymore. EDIT: Also, it's much for than 18%

This is a garbage take. I'm sorry people were dying and we closed our offices, like almost every other business did, because there was a tangible danger to Scouts and Scouters. This is a really far reach to push the "professional evil" idea. We were trying to come up with every virtual idea out there because almost all of our units decided themselves that it was too dangerous to meet. It that was BP envisioned for the BSA program? heck no. But I'm sure he also didn't envision a global pandemic shutting down the country either. Virtual meeting are a heck of a lot better than no meeting at all. you're basically saying "The volunteers were out there saving scouting while the professionals were cowering and destroying the program because they didn't wait for the proper guidelines that came out 2 months too late". I think that is one of the most silly things i've read on this website. Can you imagine the liability lawsuits we would face? Moderate yourself.

Interestingly, Professionals have a knot award for training. That's what the Black knot on a white background with a black border is. (not to be confused with the quartermaster award, which has a white border). Commonly called the "Vader" knot by Professionals. It always concerns me when I see SE's who don't have one. Like "buddy, in your 15 year career, you're telling me that you never completed 5 training courses..."

My points exactly. 5 days of sales training doesn't prepare you for the unique volunteer environment of the BSA. The absolute FIRST thing i did i got into my district was ask units if I could tag along on their next camping trip. To this date, in my whole career, that was probably the best thing I could've ever done. Plus, how can you "sell" Scouting if you don't "know" Scouting. And the gold loops bang their hands trying to figure out why our turnover is so high. would've loved your old lodge. Oh how the OA has strayed from its roots. National officers caring more about how clean their fancy pressed uniforms are than actually doing any real service. (obviously, that is a conversation for another day)

"trained" is an interesting word for Professionals these days.

Correct. Being a trained Cubmaster is no longer a requirement. ScoutingU needs a complete overhaul of ALL it's professional training.

Merit Badge Counselors must take YPT and have a background check completed. For youth protections sake, they fit the bill.

Black button uniform? I see the new Big Boss is a man of class and style. Truly, I feel for him. I imagine it's not exactly a welcoming environment for him at the National office either. National pros...well let's just say they have a certain ego about them.

@elitts Pardon me for being short, but I have very little patience for Scouters who feel like Youth Protection standards are unnecessary. Not sure what "fun dying" happens when their is an adult present. In my experience, if a group of scouts suddenly changed their behavior when an adult leader is approaching, 9 times out of 10 that group of scouts was doing something "un-scoutlike"

Very strongly disagree. An online environment, in my opinion, poses many unique risks to youth than being outdoors. That is unfortunately just the world we live in. That two deep leadership is needed now more than ever. Downplaying the risks are irresponsible and immature. Our job, first and foremost, is to make sure youth are protected. Yes, sitting in on a one hour video call might provide a slight inconvenience for adults, but that is our responsibility.

No offense, but I feel like a lot more went on here than "asked too many questions".

To your point, this began happening as soon as the stay-at-home orders started. Most of the Unit-Serving Executives (DE's, Senior DE's, District Directors) survived any furloughs. Most of the fundraising and program folks have been not so lucky. If you're a national employee, the writing was always going to be on the wall. It's been fascinating to see, and it's not even with the just the Boy Scouts. Many companies are seeing their lowest paid, usually worst treated employees, are the ones most "essential" to the business.

Insetting? Was he attending for a high risk program? (aquatics, cope, shooting sports)

Correction: ALMOST all the May Schools. The one at the end of May at the Summit is still happening.

Well national just cancelled all the May National Camping Schools. I don't see them budging on NCAP standards (for liability reasons), so I think this will most likely effect your summer camp status.

ah. We agree on this. The more time I've spent around national Professionals, the more and more I don't like them.

hmmm... Two questions for you, Sir. 1. What do you believe is the role of Professionals? 2. What do you believe SHOULD be the role of Professionals.

To be fair, the Professional has always been that way. That was by design by Mr. West himself.

Honestly, probably all the Assistant Chief Scout Executives. Trying to justify their enormous salaries. (normally i don't complain about pro salaries, but even I think a lot of the national folks are overpaid. Mostly because I personally am not a big fan of them) Kind of a sad fact, Bryan hasn't been a full time employee of the BSA for some time. He's just a contributor now.

I imagine many Cub Summer Camps will be submarined just from this alone.

This is where I'm at. At the end of the day, our job is to protect youth. Delaying camp is just delaying the inevitable, not protecting against it. Also, not to be rude, but many Scout leaders are not exactly spring chickens.

It is not. Officially cancelled a few days ago.