InquisitiveScouter

You can enter their miles in Scoutbook, to keep track for later awards in Scouts, BSA. Those miles count towards National Outdoor Achievement Award! Best Wishes!

Many existing CO's are watching these developments intently. I had conversations with two different COR's yesterday regarding this very issue. Both have said their CO's are on the verge of walking away, due to what they perceive as a lack of integrity and trustworthiness from local council and national BSA. After the sexual abuse scandal/bankruptcy, this is the next shoe to fully drop... Might the individual registration requirements be a move toward dropping the CO structure?

I love your post. Here are a few observations and words of wisdom for all... - The Scouts in your unit need you. Being a unit leader is the most important adult position in Scouting. Be, know, do. - When you wear the uniform, or identify yourself as a Scouter, you become an ambassador of the ideals and the movement. Unfortunately, people judge the movement from your words and actions. - Although you wear the uniform, and you are an ambassador, you are not responsible for the actions of others, nor are you accountable to explain them. Do not try. - You will always find those who do not demonstrate our core values: The Scout Oath and Scout Law. Distance yourself from them. Find a group of adults who agree to hold each other mutually accountable, and you and your unit will flourish. - The Boy Scouts of America is a corporation; Scouting is a movement. The two are separable, in spite of the attempts of the former to monopolize the latter in our country. (If the BSA goes Chapter 7, what will you do?) - The more integrity, service, and excellence you are able to achieve, and the closer you align your life with the ideals of Scouting, the more those who do not have those traits or ideals will hold you in disdain. When they hold power, they will attempt to marginalize you. This is true in any endeavor. (See Proverbs 29:27) When that happens to you, go back to the first point.

Although nothing has been announced, I believe they are going to axe this one. There are so few Scouts who earn it, so National may be taking the stance that the demand has not justified the expensive of production and marketing. Dad brag: My Eagle Scout son completed this late last December (completing Wilderness First Aid training was his last hurdle). Most people have no idea how challenging this award is... When we went to order the medal, we hit the same wall... our local Scout Shop folks said there were none available from National Supply, and it appears to be discontinued. So, I had to call up the most knowledgeable supply person I knew (she works in another council we used to be in). She had the ability to query other inventories of shops, found one in stock in a distant council, and had it shipped to us. (I wish Scouting had more people like her.) Yeah, the medal and ribbon are a bit flimsy. But, IMHO, there should be a knot for this one...

Probably nothing that would have helped... good on you for wanting to dive in and potentially set things right. Many times, "discretion is the better part of valor."

The patch and the medal are two different awards. The patch is the National Outdoor Achievement Award (NOAA), and it has six separate areas of requirements for which you may earn a segment: Camping, Aquatics, Hiking, Riding, Adventure, and Conservation. The National Medal for Outdoor Achievement (NMOA) is much more difficult, and includes several NOAA (with devices) as requirements.

It's PA law here. All volunteers must have that, a PA State Police check, and a PA Child Services check. All three documents must be on file at the council office (and with your CO), and be renewed every 5 years.

Just keeping feed in the trough...

FBI fingerprint background check, $23.25 for volunteers. https://www.dhs.pa.gov/KeepKidsSafe/Clearances/Pages/FBI-Fingerprinting.aspx Now, this is a result of the state of PA contracting with the company to do state employee fingerprinting at $25.25 a head. Volunteers (who pay for their own) get a $2 discount.

Just another rotation in the death spiral towards Chapter 7?

Sounds like what we do with Unit Scouter Reserve already, but now the fee could be less... Expect units to latch on to this one for money savings until National & Councils find a way to close that loophole, as MBCs are district/council positions, and do not require approval by the COR. P.S. Look for the "Adults registered solely as Merit Badge Counselors may not accompany units on overnight events." prohibition in the near future...

OK, so, does this mean membership fees will be un-coupled from the unit re-charter process? I'm thinking through that one, and do not really see a down side, yet... But wondering about the implementation of it.

Wonder what the impact will be to our local MBC rolls? I expect minimal, as most MBCs I know are already registered as leaders. But I am sure those folks who are not involved with Scouting in other roles will not pay for being a MBC.

I ran into the former Scout one time not knowing who he was. I was surprised he was awarded an Eagle, until I was informed of the situation. There... fixed that for you 😜

Our Troop assists our local American Legion in placing flags for Memorial Day in those cemeteries in their district. It's a great history lesson for our Scouts as well, as we have some markers here from the French and Indian War!! In fact, just the day before yesterday was the anniversary of the first battle of that conflict, out near @qwazse's way (or what we here call western Pennsyltucky) Battle of Jumonville Glen (a skirmish, really)... where 40 Provincial Troops (accompanied by 12 Mingo natives, including two boys) ambushed 35 Canadiens (French Canadians). The provincials were from Virginia, and under the command of a 22-year old Lieutenant Colonel named... George Washington, and it was his first time in combat. We also talk a little about each conflict we see markers for ... the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War (with Grand Army of the Republic and Confederate States of America markers), the Indian Wars, the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan were all in cemeteries we placed flags in this year.

I'd bet YOU are the evil one 😈

This is great wisdom.

Key 3 and Training Manager (functional position designated by Key 3) can also see exactly what courses everyone needs in your unit. Post if you want a tutorial...

Agreed, but not all state police or state child welfare records are shared in national databases. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubpdfs/xreporting.pdf

Your council should have a DVD or thumb drive with YPT on it, as there are many who do not have a computer at home to use for the training. You can borrow this from them to do your training in-house. If your Key 3 grants you Training Manager functional rights in my.scouting.org, you can enter the training courses for your unit without having to file paperwork with the registrar!!! The only restriction is that you cannot enter training for yourself. Other avenues you can pursue to be a trainer that will be helpful for your unit: - You can do in-person Merit Badge Counselor Training - If you have a STEM background, you could do NOVA and SuperNOVA Training - Get certified as a First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor and teach classes to your unit - Get certified as a Swimming and Water Rescue Instructor and teach Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, and Swim and Water Rescue https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor Program/Aquatics/pdf/430-505.pdf - Take the Leave No Trace Master Educator Course and teach all kinds of LNT curricula - Take the TREAD Lightly Master Educator Course and teach those skills also etc, etc, etc These are also offered sometimes at Summer Camp or Resident Cub Camp. YMMV.

Talk with your Council Training Committee Chair, or your Staff Advisor for Training (a paid professional with that additional duty) It depends on your background. I'll elaborate if you wish. Plus, IOLS is a fairly trainer-intensive program. It takes several instructors and a course director with support managing things to get through the syllabus well. Train-the-Trainer (Fundamentals) D70 Trainer's EDGE H96 ...are two courses your council may wish you to take to designate you as a Trainer.

It's a play on corporate sponsorship. The Bad News Bears were a misfit baseball team that had no uniforms. Probably like a few Troops you might know... the coach took any sponsor he could get to pay for uniforms. It's a joke on the thread 😜

No, you are not the only one.

I have been to camps where the policy is that Scouts must be within sight of adults at all times. How ludicrous! And ignored... It is a balance depending on activity, age, and skill level. And you will never get it 100% right. Will you take risks, or will you eliminate all risk? If you take appropriate risks, Scouts will experience responsibility and personal growth. If you eliminate all risk, you will have a Cub Scout-level program. I have taken too much risk in some instances (with near misses), and not enough in others (with too much "parenting"). Sometimes, I nearly hit the mark. When we do, Scouts get it, and really appreciate it. (They appreciate the greater risk situations, too, but only when there are no negative consequences 😜 )