FormerProfessional

I’m not a Surbaugh fan or hater. In his picture he wears 3 knots on his uniform. Eagle Scout, District Award of Merit, and the professional Darth Vader knot. I know professionals with a DAM but they were awarded before they became a professional. I have never heard or met a professional with a DAM that was awarded it for being a professional.

Some politically right leaning scouters left in 2013. More of them, their units and Charter Partners that told the units to go find a new CP because we will not recharter you left in 2015. LDS is soon to leave. I think the politically right leaning have left already. The LDS numbers are known. The unkown number of losses are how many “red coats” and scouting alumni with children in the program now will leave due to their thinking this new BSA is unrecognizable or foreign to me and I don’t want any part of it anymore is the real question. A poll on this forum might give an indication of the red coat/alumni loss. How many of you will stay or leave with what we know now about girls, “boys” life, and OA changes?

There will be additional membership and unit losses that are council or grant funded, Scoutreach, Boys and Girls Clubs, after school programs. The more the membership fees increase the harder it is to find funding. Don’t forget that many councils pay paraprofessionals to be the leader for those units.

Ask the professional in private, or electronically what they meant and if you get the run around go see management. I would take “conditional scouter” as a threat that a low level professional can’t back up.

Hard to speak on any situation where the specifics, people, relationships, history etc. are unknown. I would guess they are not on the naughty list since they were asked again. However if whomever asked that person to teach may not know if that person is on the list or not. University of Scouting hosted by Council is a large complex event. Many volunteers involved. The same is true with large MBU’s. Your friend may have got lost in the, lack of a better word, bureaucracy. It happens. We all make mistakes. Sometimes the coordinator may think an instructor was secured but the instructor didn’t think they were. Another possibility is 2 people were asked and your friend didn’t get a follow up call when the other accepted. There are always people that back out. Many reasons. That’s usually why you get the frantic calls. I know you signed up for this but I really really need you to do that. Please help me. Hard to know why.

Exactly Rarely did I have a contact with a Den Leader or ASM unless they also had a key district function. Den Leader also Day Camp Director. ASM as MBU coordinator etc. I had an ASM who was District Commissioner. Talked to him a lot about the district but his Troop stuff was in passing

I should add I was referring to unit/district volunteers. Council Presidents, Council Treasurers, and other executive board members are not Commissioned like professionals but have other authorizations that unit/district volunteers do not have. There were times such as Summer Camp where I had to get authorization from the SE, and Council Camping Chair.

Well said. I agree 100%. A DE should go to a training in Westlake TX after 3 months of hire. When I went it was 2 weeks. I understand now it is only 1. If they successfully complete the training, some DE’s have overslept the commissioning ceremony and do not have a job when they return to their council, the DE will be commissioned as a District Executive. I am not a lawyer, and do not claim to be but part of the commissioning the DE is a legal representative of the council and can represent the council to Charter Partners and future CP and other organizations like United Way etc. This is one example where the DE “fills the gaps” and volunteers can’t do per National BSA membership standards.

Every council has a list of “blackballed” scout volunteers. If you do not think there is one you are naive. You may be registered and in your unit but DE’s are told what volunteers are on the “naughty list” and cannot have district or council level positions. I was told in each council I worked in you can use anyone except...... When I was OA staff adviser the Lodge Adviser term limit expired and he was placed on the do not use list for having an argument at an Ordeal with The Supreme Chief of the Fire a few months before his term ended. The blackball naughty list may have been what the council employee was referring to.

I don’t want to start this again. I never said, if I did it was not my intention, that volunteers feel Scouting as a hobby. Absolutely not. Many of the volunteers I know have a deep love for Scouting, a passion. It’s part of them. It’s embedded in them. I understand that. My previous post, My point is if the district doesn’t do well it has no effect on the volunteers personal well being or the volunteers family. You still can pay the bills, eat, all of the basics of life. For the DE it could cost them their job and therefore effect their family. The DE has more on the line in the big picture than a volunteer. Volunteers can walk away, drop the ball, don’t complete the task and life goes on for the volunteer. For a DE their job may not.

Bad meaning opposite of good...every district has had the DE that you are glad they are there and miss them when they are gone. The bad ones you just wish they would quit and then you have the hope of getting an enjoyable one. Know what I mean?

Unfortunately many with that attitude are the ones that get promoted and become sr managers, Scout Executives, or work at national

I worked with many of those kinds of DEs. There are bad ones. I agree. In every district I served there were Red Coats that had been there for 20+ years and are probably still there today. Some vols step back and wait till the bad professional leaves and get back into it.

Let me clear something up. I have no hate for volunteers. Scouting can’t work without them. I did not mean to offend anyone. My point is if the district doesn’t do well it has no effect on the volunteers personal well being or the volunteers family. You still can pay the bills, eat, all of the basics of life. For the DE it could cost them their job and therefore effect their family. The DE has more on the line in the big picture than a volunteer. Volunteers can walk away, drop the ball, don’t complete the task and life goes on for the volunteer. For a DE their job may not.

Ok a passionate hobby A hobby is an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. By definition you are telling me Scouting for you is not done regularly, not in leisure time, and you get no pleasure out of it? You may have an argument about leisure time but you make Scouting a priority in your leisure time. For DE’s it’s not in leisure time and sometimes it’s not pleasurable

In the other thread I was confirming there is a generational loyalty theory in council management.

You miss my point of the professionals do this for a love of the program and a job. When you work for BSA as a professional it’s in the contract that the DE has no outside employment. DEs work 8-5 m-f plus nights and weekends. Do you have a paying job that is not Scouting? Do you do Scouting for free, no you pay BSA to do it. It costs you $$$$ to do Scouting. Call it a passion, call it your ministry, call it your calling, call it whatever. It’s not your livelihood, how you pay the bills. Theres a difference.

I understand that and completely agree but there are some vols. That call the SE looking for the DE.

The 3 councils I worked for demanded each DE to make monthly unit leader calls. Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor. Just to ask what can I personally do for you and is everything ok. I would talk to everyone at round table or training. Sometimes unintentionally toes got stepped on Just part of the job.

Whether you have time or make time, it’s still an extracurricular activity...a hobby. Volunteers with contempt for professionals make the career of Scouting not very enjoyable sometimes.

Do you think only volunteers feel this way? That professionals don’t? If you do believe that you have offended every professional that cares. There are many that care.

Think of it like this, Troops should be youth led. The same is true for districts in a way. Districts should be volunteer led with the DE serving as an advisor. The DE should be at ALL district functions/events/activities. The DE should be approachable to anyone including youth in an appropriate situation. For a district to function well there has to be a solid Key 3 District Chairman, District Comissioner, DE. They need to meet frequently. I met with the best district chair I had multiple times a week, the 2 of us for lunch, sat by him at rotary, and would see him in his office to talk about things. He then would visit with the district committee members and discuss with them what was appropriate for their position. Then the chair reports back to the DE. The same relationship applies to the District Commissioner for commissioner duties. It is a tedious process but it’s volunteer led and keeping the DE informed. The DE and the chair should have a relationship so that the DE can talk to the membership, finance or whatever chair on occasion and no one gets offended or feels like toes were stepped on. The system seems antiquated with modern communication. One thing vols need to keep in mind, Scout Executives, the more tenured and in larger councils feel there is a chain of command. They want everyone including staff to follow the chain. Please do not overstep your DE.

It’s unspoken but yes there is a belief those that “drank the kool aid of Scouting” will always be paid members and give an annual FOS donation even if they arent active. Same goes for enrolling their future children.

A DE is responsible for Membership Money Manpower and dont read to much into this but the face of scouting within the district. The DE is the council representative to the public. Charter Partner visits, Charter Partner Agreements (Goldenrod), United Way, civic clubs, new unit sales calls and building relationships with the public. Any current or former DEs please add to this post on what you do that I may have overlooked. As for a problem solver, it’s always best for another volunteer to resolve volunteer problems if possible. It could be a vol from another unit, UC, DIstrict Commissioner or Council Commissoner if necessary. You need to be aware the DE, or council management will counsel whoever goes to help. Managent May tell the DE who in turn tells the vol what to say/do.

Some Scout Executives are overpaid. Google your councils 990 tax form. It has senior management salary on it. It will be a few years old but it’s public info. Some councils post it on the council website. Sam Houston Area Council, Houston TX does. I am saying there are some volunteers that have an ax to grind because professionals get paid and they do not.