click23

John, I used both of those sources to come up with my current list. Just wanted to post it here to make sure it was complete and I did not miss anything. Thanks Robert

I am looking for every award that a youth can receive and wear as a knot on an adult uniform, so that will include (1)awards only for youth worn by adults and youth, (2) awards for youth and adults, and (3)awards for youth that the knot can only be worn by adults. Examples: 1. Youth Religious Emblem 2. Honor Medal 3. Eagle Scout Robert(This message has been edited by click23)

I am registered to start Wood Badge next month. At work I have a goal of attending a "time management/organizational skills" course or seminar. Do you think attending Wood Badge would satisfy this? If so does anyone have a copy of a syllabus that shows where this is covered? Thanks, Robert

I am trying to compile a list of current issued youth awards that are represented by a knot. Here is what I have so far: Arrow of Light Eagle Scout Heroism Award Honor Medal James E. West Fellowship Award Medal of Merit Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award Quartermaster Award Venturing Leadership Award Venturing Silver Award William T. Hornaday Medal Youth Religious Emblem And from what I can tell the William T. Hornaday Badge can be worn with knots. If you have any others please let me know Robert

As a unit commissioner I have A mix of units, 2 troops, a pack and a crew. I like the set up that I have because one troop is chartered with the same CO as the pack and the other with the crew. But I could of taken 12 unit if I had wanted because when I joined there was no active unit commissioners. But on the other hand it has been a long time since I was involved with cub scout and sometimes wish that I had taken another troop(maybe one without so many problems:-) Mark, I know you are being sarcastic, but if your district is anything like mine you wouldn't even get to count handing out the recharter pack, this was done by the DE. I try to call for a check up every month with my units, and call again to see if I can attend a meeting. I will also see the cubmaster or scoutmaster if they show up for roundtable.

I sent an email to the DE just to let him know that this idea is floating around, and he replied "I think that sounds great"! I met with Troop B last night, the new scoutmaster has laid down a plan to increase membership, so now I am going to support them with this. John-in-KC, I do not have an ADC, none in the entire district, so I have been reporting to the DC. Beavah, All of the troop leaders get along great now. The scoutmaster at Troop A that the former scoutmaster at Troop B is long gone. The cubmaster of the pack is the WDL and the bear DL, his son is in the bear den, I think he will make a great scoutmaster. As for other adults in the pack I am not sure we will have any luck looking there, the cubmaster has not been able to find anyone to take over as WDL, but it is worth a look. I think that the crew might be able to find enough boys to recharter, but the main problem is lack of female adults. The boys in troop b are not old enough to join the crew, I am not sure about troop c. Eamonn, The reason that I was assigned these unit is that at the time I contacted the district commissioner she had no active commissioners, and she had ties to troop A, and since a pack started there I got it too, she also had ties to the crew, and since troop b and the crew were operating as one I took it on too. In the last month or so she has got two more UC's. The visit from the troop leader was a planned visit, and the cubmaster had OKed it. Last year the pack had went on a few events with Troop A, they just basically wanted to reaffirm their commitment for help to the pack. And fulfill my duties for Webelos transition "Be a catalyst in developing good relationships between troop and pack leaders" This was not my idea, just one I think could help. It started with the committee chairman from troop A, and pastor of its CO likes it, I plan on just offering my support as they run the show. And if some one comes up with a better one, then I will support it.

I am a new UC,4 months, in a district with some serious membership and leadership problems. I have 2 troops, a crew, and a pack. Troop A: Ten or so active and semi active boys, all but one are 14-17 and first class-life, with 2 or 3 about to "Eagle out". The Scoutmaster is wanting to step down, his son is no longer involved and a lot of outside commitments, we have done the "how to select quality leaders", 2 names came up and both declined. They have plenty ASM and committee support, but none of them want to step up. Pack: Very strong, close to 40 boys. But only 4 Webelos, 3 will receive the AOL in the spring. Same CO as Troop A, but this only happened a few months ago, after moving from a fraternal lodge. CM has moved the Pack meetings to his church and stated that he his going to recharter there, he has been told that he cannot do it unless the current CO ok's this. The DE and myself are meeting with the Pastor of the current CO in a couple weeks. I brought in leader from Troop A last night to offer help with camping, activity pins, etc. to the pack. Crew: Down to 2 girls and zero boys. Surveys have been handed out in the schools and had no interest. They have a male Advisor, but are having problems getting a steady female associate advisor and no parental involvement. At this point they are not planning on recharter. Troop B: Same CO as the crew, the crew advisor is stepping up as scoutmaster. They have four boys, one is about to Eagle. This troop split off from Troop A several years ago for some personal differences, SM that is stepping down. This church is basically across the street from the church that charters Troop A and the pack. Pastor is an Eagle that wants to help in anyway he can. We have two other troops in town: Troop C: Basically the only adult leader is the scoutmaster, and very few boys. Troop D: This is the strongest troop in town in membership and leaders, but they have lost a few boys. Troops A, B, and C have been camping as one troop at a few district events to cover 2 deep and to have enough boys for a patrol. For the crew I am not sure what else they could do, if they do not have the members and cannot get anyone new to join I guess the only thing that they can do is fold. With the pack I am going to wait until the meeting with the pastor of the current CO. The membership and leadership issues in the troops are the biggest issues I have right now. We have had some discussions of the COs of Troop A and B, and possibly Troop C and the proposed CO of the pack joining together and forming some sort of scouting support group that would charter one troop and possibly a pack. The pastor with Troop A is in favor of this idea. Our DE is new, I think the third in four years, and no scouting history. He realizes that the boys should come first and we should do whatever needs to be done to give the boys a quality program, but he is being hard pushed for numbers, not only membership but units and if we do this we will have a lose of 1 or 2 troops. Sorry for all this rambling. I would like to know what you guys and gals think about all of this, and if anyone has joined troops like we are talking about. Thanks

I got it 269 Me-She-Kin-No-Quah http://www.oaimages.com/cgi-bin/buildpage.cgi?pp=269&dd=2&ii=7418 http://www.oaimages.com/269.shtml Looks like that is at least a 30 year old patch you have. 19??: Changed name from Akonequa sometime around 1950 1973: Merged with Ojibwa 173 and Tipicon 425 to form Takachsin 173 Robert (This message has been edited by click23)

Only one for me Only do what you feel you can do well, I would much rather do one or two jobs well than do five and my work is poor. Being a WDL is a lot of work if it is done right by the den, pack and district- 3 den meetings, a pack meeting, a roundtable, a distict activity, and a den activity every single month scoutldr, It is a national policy that "Commissioners must not be registered as unit leaders. Although some commissioners may be registered on a unit committee because they have a son in the unit or because of previous personal history in the unit, their principal Scouting obligation should be with commissioner responsibilities." But this is rarely enforced.

Good catch Hunt. I guess that these would be considered equipment patches.

When I was youth I remember proudly wearing sash with my two merit badges. I am a unit commissioner now, and after checking my copy of the "Insignia Guide" I can find no mention of a minimum number of merit badges on a sash, only a max of six on the sleeve. As for the 50 Miler and the Historic Trails awards, these are considered equipment patches and not to be sewn on the uniform or sash. A backpack, patch blanket or vest is where these need to go along with the Paul Bunyan Woodsman award. The newish Firem'n Chit and Totin' Chip for boy scouts and the Whittling Chip for cubs are temporary patches and should be worn on the right pocket, back of the sash, etc. The only thing that I know of that goes on the right pocket flap besides and OA flap is the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award and its pins.

Can a IH be nominated for the district award of merit? The nomination form states- "A nominee must be a registered Scouter". This IH is also registered as a ADL, If a IH cannot be nominated could he be nominated under his ADL position for work under his IH position. Robert

I dont have my TLT handbook in front of me but I believe that the policy is like this: To wear the "Trained" strip, the scout must complete TLT every time he is elected or appointed. It is not mandatory for the POR just for the "Trained" strip. Sounds like your troop is going for 100% training for the boys, but I believe that this should be a goal not a requirement.

If you know who your UC is, make the call and let him know that you would appreciate some contact, after all that is how the UC is supposed to do the job. If the UC is not willing to make monthly contact (If your unit is doing well a call one month and a visit the next, if not a monthly visit in my opinion) I would speak to the D. Commissioner and ask that the UC be motivated to do the job or have a new one assigned. If that doesn't work I would speak with the DE, then the D Chairman. If all else fails I would call the council commissioner. I stongly believe that a good UC can be a units best friend, and a bad one can really hurt a unit.

This is from the Fieldbook "Commissioners must not be registered as unit leaders. Although some commissioners may be registered on a unit committee because they have a son in the unit or because of previous personal history in the unit, their principal Scouting obligation must be with commissioner responsibilities."" I believe this is also from the same "Please don't assign unit commissioners to their own units or chartered organizations. A commissioner needs an objective view as an arm of the district and council. Avoid potential conflicts of interest." The way I take it is that a UC may not be registered in a position that has a unit number on the sleeve, other than a MC, period. If a UC is a MC, that unit is not to be one of the units that fall under the UC hat. The UC may not be a UC to a unit that that is chartered to a CO that the UC is affiliated with, such as being a UC to the troop at the UCs church, or to a Crew at the UCs place of employment. Or a former SM may not become a UC for the troop he was the SM. The UCs registration does not need to be the primary paid one, but the UC job does need be the hat on top of all the others, the UC job should come first. I am one of the few lucky UCs, I only wear one hat. The reason that I think it is set up this way is threefold. First, look back at the first post, the problems that Jake327 was having in his pack. A power hungry UC that can't be told to hit the road because is is a MC.( id you have a problem with a UC you do not have to let them in the door, but I would reccomend talking to the ADC or DC before it comes to this.) Second, you can have a UC that is blind to the problems that the unit is having, because the UC is close to the unit. Third, wearing too many hat can lead too burnout and poor service as a commissioner because of not enough time for the job.

None of the commercial caves, that I am aware of, in TAG( Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia caving area) offer any sort of vertical program. You might want to contact a Grotto (chapter) of the National Speleological Society, http://www.caves.org/ at the bottom, if you are set on a vertical trip. There is a rather lengthy section of the G2SS on caving, http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/gss09.html , right under the Sweet 16 section. For a commercial cave I would recommend a "wild tour" at either Raccoon Mountain Caverns in Chattanooga, TN or the Lost Sea in Sweetwater, TN. Mammoth Cave National Park, near Bolwing Green, KY is absolutely great if you are looking for a good time, but not very many formations. ItIm not too big on Ruby Falls for scout trips, to me it is grandparents out with the young grandkids type of place. From your profile I take it that your near Greenwood Sc From Greenwood to the Lost Sea, about 6 1/2 hours "" "" Raccoon Mountain Caverns, about 8 hours "" "" Mammoth Cave, about 10 hours You might also want to check out the caves listed here http://www.cavern.com/caves.htm

I found this on my coucils website http://www.bsa-gsmc.org/store/index.htm Here is the link to national site with my councils banner at the top, you might want to try and change the 557 to you coucils number, some of the randoms I put in worked http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/?cncl=557

These two forms are what commissioners use to sum up the health of a unit. http://www.scouting.org/forms/34126.pdf http://www.scouting.org/forms/33618/33618-27.pdf I would also suggest bringing in your unit commissioner, district commissioner if you don't have a UC. Their job is unit health and will be able to help you with some ideas.

I would like to know how chapters use the position of Associate Chapter Adviser. Thanks, Robert

The DC is working on the non-active commissioners, start doing the job or loose the title.

I am heading to the annual combined roundtable tommorrow, so I will get to meet a lot of leaders. I was planning on asking a few of the scoutmaster and cubmaster of the strongest unit if they would mind me coming in and just watching. These are units are the ones the DC felt needed the most help. As for getting together with other commissioners, there are only thee of us that are going to be active, the DC/cub scout round table commissioner, the boy scout roundtable commissioner, and myself. I am also attending basic next weekend at the commissioner college.

I am a brand new UC with only a year of adult leader experience, I was an ASM about 6 years ago. I have plenty of experience as a youth, AOL, Eagle, Brotherhood and so on. I am really looking forward to getting started helping these units: One crew that has dwindling membership, it currently has two girls and three boys. Its Advisor is also Scoutmaster in a troop, same CO. They are considering folding the troop and it's members joining the crew. It does not have any boys too young to join the crew, as of now. A pack with a new Cubmaster that needs some help getting started. And a troop without a Scoutmaster, plenty of ASMs but none are willing to step. This troop has the same CO as the pack. I actually will probably working with the troop that has the same CO as the crew, until that situation gets straightened out, or it gets its own UC. My district has plenty of UCs on paper but I am the only one that is going to be active so it might be a while until the troop gets its own UC. (This message has been edited by click23)

I know some of you might not like this, the unit and all of its assets belong to the CO, so unless there is some agreement between the CO and the unit this the was that it is supposed to be: A Scout transfers to an ohter troop (or Crew)-$$$ to the troop A scout ages out-$$$ to the troop A scout is dismised-$$$ to the troop A scout leaves-$$$ to the troop If the troop moves-$$$ to the CO If the troop loses it's charter or dies-$$$ to the CO If the troop "splits"-$$$ to the troop from the scouts that "split"

10. Unit commissioner uniform inspection