InquisitiveScouter

Also impossible to develop a solid set of outdoor/Scouting skills... the decline and fall of the Scouting Empire

Do as I say, and not as I do???

We instruct parents to make and keep a copy (e-copy is their choice), keep their original, and provide the Troop with one paper copy. A registered Committee Member, the "Medical Forms Grand Poobah" (or MFGP) holds and manages our forms, including inputting dates into Scoutbook, and sending out reminder notices when forms are expiring. (It is almost a full time job for our unit.) Prior to every outing, the unit leader designated for that outing procures the binder for all attendees (only), and reviews that binder prior to the outing (sometimes this happens at the very last minute.) If anyone's form is missing or outdated, the designated leader takes steps to resolve with the parents or adult attendee. Personally, I make every Scout/Scouter with an epi-pen or rescue inhaler show those to me upon arrival at any outing. No meds is a no go... He must also show everyone in his patrol where he keeps those items in his pack/gear. (One of them may be the Scout who saves his life.) Before I give any OTC meds to a Scout, I review the form and, if possible, call the parent. This has proven wise on several occasions as we have Scouts who are allergic to ibuprofen, pepto-bismol, benadryl, aspirin, certain topical antibiotics, etc. You have to set your own policies on prescription meds, and whether unit leaders will keep or administer those...to each his own... Highly recommend you set a deadline of one week before Scout camp as the due date for medical forms. Even so, you will always have "the usual suspect" parents scrambling at the last minute to get Johnny's physical done. When I came to this unit, they kept e-copies on a thumb drive to give to the unit leader. Of course, the unit leader could rarely access them if needed. Not really that smart... And as @T2Eagle notes, no medical pro has ever asked for a form... Finally, pro tip...if you ever even remotely plan to do a SCUBA event during the year (many SCUBA shops offer an orientation program that meets SCUBA BSA and Snorkeling BSA requirements), instruct parents to print out and take the SCUBA form with them during their provider visit. It will save you beaucoup headaches down the road... Keep them with the medical forms.

When we had our kids in private school, this was the case. The school said pay an additional fee now, and if you volunteer x number of hours, we will refund you. And it wasn't pro-rated...reach x number of hours, or no refund...

@ParkMan, great points in theory...but I have never, in over 40 years of Scouting, seen a program where the lion's share of the burden does not rest on just a few people begging for additional volunteer (parent) support... And we have the best Troop in our council because of a few overburdened, yet dedicated volunteers... That is what paradigm shift implies, no?? Wholeheartedly concur...but would you elaborate on this one a bit, please? Who abuses the DE, and how?

Why would you hang up your uniform?? If a person spends 40+ hours a week making a great program that benefits the youth in our community, why would you "muzzle the ox while he is treading the grain?" We all know it is a good program which attracts membership. And we all know it is quality unit leaders who ensure a good program. A great unit leader can have a program without help or support from the district or council (except for the registrar...and maybe a local Scout shop, but these days, with Amazon and next day delivery, that could be overcome...)

OK, expand the paradigm shift...hire a Cubmaster, too!

@CynicalScouter, Interesting read... "As a consequence, the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee of jurisdiction instituted a moratorium on granting new charters in 1989. (The Senate generally defers to the House on chartering matters.) On several recent occasions, however, Congress has established Title 36 corporations despite the moratorium." "In 1992, Chairman Frank [I am no fan of Barney Frank, though] called charters “a nuisance,” a meaningless act; granting charters implied that Congress was exercising some sort of supervision over the groups and it was not. “When I first raised the issue, ‘What is a federal charter?’ The answer was, a federal charter is a federal charter is a federal charter.... You could make up an organization for the preservation of Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler. We’d have no way of checking into it.”34 Moreover, the subcommittee understood that the committee could be drawn into public disputes touched off by any controversial activities or statements by a Title 36 corporation or employees or members thereof.

That Congress no longer issues charters begs the question as to why others are allowed to continue... Why can the DuctTape Scouting Association (the DSA) not get a Congressional Charter?? Or, @DuctTape will you call it the DTSA??

The corporation will not cease to exist...it will mostly likely be restructured, with assets sold to cover liabilities at pennies on the dollar...

And, John, BSA has used this "Charter" to bludgeon others, which are legitimate "scouting" organizations, to prevent them from calling themselves any kind of a "Scout".

Here's a paradigm shift for you... Hire a Scoutmaster who mentors young people to create and run a damn good program... Yes

I guess we are the "Sad" council 😰😥😱

5thGen...is that an eye-opener for you?

...who give big bucks to the council. How much does an Execurive Board position cost in your council?

Owls... Here is the link to the 2018 IRS 990 https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/810343177_201812_990_2019103016798949.pdf you can get a lot of info there...see line 10, Investment Income, $1,258,846 ...further broken down into $375,217 investment income...and a sale of $4,358,597 in securities, netting a capital gain of $883,629 (a gain of 25% from their basis of $3,474,968...that's good money, depending on the time held!!) Enjoy the read...

Also Owls...some public information that most SE's don't want to see the light of day...salary info. But, as 501 c 3's, they receive a public benefit of not having to pay taxes, so the IRS requires certain info to be made public in their IRS Form 990 filings...easily obtainable... For example, I see you live in Montana...a quick search yielded the 2018 IRS 990 for Montana Council, and, at the time, Interim Scout Executive was paid $150,208, while the retiring SE was paid $143,691...you can add up to total salary paid... that's where much of your council fees are going. If you dared, you could ask your council office for their current IRS 990, which they are required, by law, to provide to the public upon request. Fair warning...in doing so, you will quickly become persona non grata...

This is the dirty little secret... The other piece of this that many council professionals want to remain hidden, is that the Chartered Organization Reps are voting members of the Council Board, and a grass roots movement among them is the scariest thing in the world to the SE, as they hold a great deal of power that they never wield...

David CO, are you saying that the early guys saw a money-making opportunity in the Scouting movement, quickly incorporated, merchandised the operation, eliminated the competition, and used their influence to garner a Congressional Charter to seal their virtual monopoly? Say it wasn't so!!

Welcome to Scout camp! Well...most of them... I have said it before...DuctTape for National Commissioner!!! This is how it is supposed to be...a Scout reads the requirements and begins working on fulfilling them. When ready (and after a leader consult) , the Scout works with the Counselor to find a way to meet them. The Counselor can help fill in any knowledge gaps or skill deficiencies, or connects the Scout to other resources to learn. This process iterates until all requirements are complete... See above...

Owls... I have some incomplete info about how the SE is selected, but would love to have some of the actual pros here outline the process with more granularity... As for DE's, anyone who walks in the door with a college degree and no disqualifying criminal record will probably be hired. This is a Council decision, so, ultimately SE (??). The turnover rate for DE's is super high. Most come in with great intentions and dreams, and after they find out what it is really like, they leave. I have been offered a DE job in every council I have been a part of (except the overseas councils)...and turned them all down at the advice of my DE friends

Those who want to separate Scouting from the BSA migrate to a grass-roots, no-professionals-needed program. They use the original BP materials, http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/yarns00-28.pdf and leverage modern information-based tools to wiki their knowledge together on how to run a successful program. They run locally autonomous Scouting programs out of their churches, schools, and civic organizations, which provide them spaces to meet. They camp at local, county, state, national parks and do outdoors activities accordingly. They use commercial off-the-shelf (and cheaper) clothing for "uniforms". They use the Congressional Award for Youth as their replacement for Eagle Scout. https://www.congressionalaward.org/ None of the other accouterments. Aren't the Scout Promise and the Scout Law enough?

And now services are being cut at National and pushed down to councils...with no resources to support. I spoke with our Registrar today, and she ain't happy... btw, I think Registrars are the most under-rated, under-paid, and under-appreciated positions in council service centers... https://scoutingwire.org/transitioning-member-care-to-serve-and-support-bsa-council-staff/

I have a Patrol Leader who has asked if his Patrol can have their own hat. There used to be a blurb (I think) in the G2AI similar to the current neckerchief guidance; "Scout neckerchiefs are optional. Troops choose their own official neckerchief. All members of a troop wear the same color. The troop decides by vote, and all members abide by the decision." The only place I can find a reference for hats is in the Uniform Inspection Sheet; "Headgear. All troop members must wear the headgear chosen by vote of the troop." Notice that the headgear entry does not say they have to be the same, as it does in the necker verbiage. I'm leaning towards saying "Yes", but only after the PLC agrees... Any sage advice?

Yes!