CNYScouter

Last night I attended a council-wide commissioners meeting. Although this was not the main topic of the meeting, our council commissioner let us know about some of the changes that he has been told will be coming and mandatory training for all contact leaders will be initiated from National sometime in late 2010 or 2011. This would be YPT, the new This is Scouting that replaces NLE and Leader Specific. In the after the meeting, parking lot meeting, I asked him about mandatory training. He said that he heard this from the NER president in the monthly regional conference call they have. He went to say that up until now the BSA, on the national level, would not discuss or consider mandatory training This was all he had for now as they are just putting together details and he wants all of our commissioner staff to prepare their units for this. There should be no reason that anyone has to travel 4 hours for YPT or NLE. Both of these courses are available not only as an in-person class, but are available online and on a CD that can be done on any PC on your own time. If you cant get this training locally I would call your District or Council Training Chair and ask for a copy of the training. One other item that came out of the meeting last night is that we will be seeing more and more items available online. Training will be moving online through MyScouting. I already see they are working on placing the tour permit on this site.

Since your son is already 18 he should remove the Life Scout rank and JASM POR patch from his uniform. As others pointed out the ECOH is a formality. The date he reached Eagle is his BOR date. An adult can wear the Eagle medal for COHs and other special occasions. For this major council event I would have him wear the Eagle medal and not have him sew on the Eagle knot only to take it off at a later date. As this is for 400 major financial supporters of the local Council I would think about the impression he wants to make to this group and wearing the Eagle medal makes a big impression, much bigger than him wearing an Eagle knot. As far as the ASM patch I wouldnt worry about having it sewn on for just this event and can wait until after his ECOH to have it sewn on.

Crew21_Adv in your scenario with the Aunt and Uncle previously trained in Cub Scout Specifics requiring them to be retrained, IMO, would depend when they took the training. Its only my opinion, but if the Aunt and Uncle had done training 20 years ago they would need to redo training. I started again this year with Tigers. Even in the 5 years since my next oldest son was in Cubs, the Cub Scout program has gone through enough changes that I am glad I redid Cub Leader Specifics. In my council to retake the training you can volunteer to be a trainer for Cub Specifics. I help do this training and at the end of the course the CD filled out a training card for me and I was considered trained in Cub Leader Specifics. I just became Pack Trainer for my youngest Pack. I just had to do the one hour break out session for Pack trainer to be considered trained. I just think that if you are going to be a leader in the BSA you should be current with the training. How often does the training change? Once every 10 or 15 years? NLE and Leader Specific training for a position can be accomplished in one 8 hour day of training. Is taking one day every 10 years or so to become current with the training too much to ask? In no way I am suggesting that with every position change you need to take NLE, but if a new training syllabus has come out since you were in the new position last, I think that you should be required to take the new course. I think we are looking at a perfect example that is coming up. NLE is being replaced with This is Scouting. IMHO, with a "Manditory training" requirement to be considered trained every registered leader should be required to take this new training, no matter how many years experience you have. And yes I will take the 1 hour or so to do this once it becomes available.

If had to make a guess about what is considered a "Trained' leader it would be the same as the requirements to take WB21C which would be the same for a leader to wear the "Trained" patch, NLE (or the new course coming out), YPT and the Leader Specific training for your postion. I don't think it is a bad thing that an adult leader who took training a long time ago be required to take new courses to be refreshed in the current BSa program. After being involved with a Troop that hadn't sent anyone to training in over 10 years because the current SM and ASM's are considered trained, even though they did their training in the "Urban Scouting' days (mid 1970's) or before. Requiring them to take the current training courses and learning the current BSA program would have been a good thing.

While at our councils Scouting University last weekend I heard from 2 different people and at 2 different times, one a District training Chair, the other a District Commissioner (from a different District) that in the next couple of years that National is going to make training mandatory to be a registered leader in the BSA. I asked both of them about the loss of units because of Mandatory Training but both said that that our council is prepared to lose units due to not having enough trained leaders to recharter the unit. I know that our council tried mandatory training in the past but as nldscout pointed out our council would have seen 40% of our units being dropped due to not having enough trained leaders and I dont really seeing our council dropping this many units (~180) Has anyone else heard anything along these lines?

I have read in many postings about a council having a DE just for Venturing. How many of you out there actually have a DE just for Venturing Crews? I asked my DE if anyone at council was handling Venturing Crews and basically said that he had never heard of a council operating that way. In my council Crews are basically lumped in with Troops and handled District by District. The problem I see with this is that only one district has more than 4 Crews in it so most crews get very little support because there a so few in any one District. I received a list of all the Crews/Ships in the council and together we have 35 units but not a single one of professional staff at council has any or understanding experience (nor do they seem interested in learning) of the Venturing program. Being the Venturing Roundtable Commissioner I have heard about the lack of support for Venturing Crews/Ships in our council from a few Advisors. This is only one of many examples I have seen that show lack of support for Venturing in my council. Next month instead of a District Commissioners meeting there will be a council wide commissioners meeting at our council office with our SE, ASE and DEs present to discuss any concerns and issues we are having and I want to bring the lack of support for our Venturing Crews up. With 35+ Crews in my council I think there are enough units to start getting things going on the Venturing side of things.

My son earned the Den Chief Service Award (Red, White and Blue Shoulder Cord) while he was in a Troop and has asked me if he can wear this with his Green Venturing Uniform. I couldnt find the answer searching the Web and would like to know if the BSA says it is OK or not to wear this with the Venturing uniform.

The last 3 or 4 times my son went to the local scout store with me he asks if he makes Eagle will I get him the engraved Eagle Scout Dog tags. Yesterday my son, wife and I went to the Scout store to pick up some Cub equipment and patches for his younger brother. When he went to show Mom the Eagle Scout Dog Tags he couldn't find them and when I asked if they were out of stock I was told they no longer make them. If anyone sees them in your local scout store can you PM me the number as I would really like to get them for him. He as only 3 req. MB's to finish (all 90% done) and his project to finish and 13 months before his 18th Birthday so he should have no problem finishing. Thanks CNYScouter

Our council treats Tomahawk (or Ax) throwing just like archery or BB Guns or sling shots. Over the summer our council ran a Cub Scout Shooting camp where this was one of the activities. My 6 year old Tiger Cub got the chance to try and throw a small Tomahawk at a wooden target. Most of the youger cubs didn't have the strength to throw far enough but a WEBELOS in our group stuck one in the target. Tomahawk throwing is only done (just as BB Guns or Archery) as a District or Council Event. A range similar to an archery range was roped off and only one Cub (or parent) was allowed in the range at a time with the instructor. Treated like this this activity no more dangerous than Archery.

At the Pack meeting last night the DL told all the parents that he expects our Tigers to earn the Bobcat badge at the November Pack meeting. So far we have had only one Den meeting and for the next meeting we are going to a local TV station. The DL admitted that we were a month behind because he didnt get thongs together as fast as he should have. If my son is going to earn Bobcat by the next Pack meeting I will need to work with him a good deal at home. When my 2 older sons were in Cubs they picked it up pretty quick but they were a year older (Wolfs). Any suggestions on teaching the Bobcat badge to a 6 year old?

Thanks for the advice. The majority here said go as a parent so I wore a Scouting-related T-shirt and went. I was there less than 5 minutes and a women came up to me and called me by name. I didnt recognize her but she said that she remembered me as one of the trainers when she took Cub Leader Specific. Turns out she was the CMs wife. As soon as the Pack meeting was over the CM made a beeline for me and asked if there were any Pack positions I was interested in. I asked about Pack Trainer but some one was filling that role. CM asked if I was interested in the ACM position. I agreed. This morning I had an e-mail waiting saying that the Pack Trainer was doing double duty as a DL also so that position is open also.

Sorry if I came off as I was trying to push my way into a Pack Leadership position but I have already talked with the CM over the phone and discussed this with him, just haven't figured out what position yet. This Pack, as with most Packs around here, are hurting when it comes to people willing to step up and take a role with the Pack. Anyone willing to become a Pack Leader is pretty much a done deal. I ended up looking a 4 other packs before joining this one. All I had to say was that I was willing to take on a Leadership role and I was in. Between these 4 Packs I have been offered the job of Tiger Den Leader, CC, Pack trainer, and numerious activity chairs. I have one Pack still trying to convince me to join their pack even after telling them that I was busy on their meeting nights.(Pack meeting is opposite District meeting and Leaders Meeting is opposite Roundtable). They were even willing to switch the Leaders meeting if I joined the pack. If I wanted to, I know of 2 other packs that had their CM quit right before the start of the year and would love for me to become CM for their Pack.

I feel the same way as jblake47 in that it is a Scout function and I should be wearing a Scout uniform as I am a registered Scout Leader (just not in the Pack). But I also think that wearing the Green Venturing uniform will make me standout more than wearing the Tan Scout uniform with no number and will allow me to blend in with the other leaders. I plan on becoming a Leader in this Pack but I just haven't been able to sit down with current Pack Leaders and discuss my role. In talking with the CM they are still getting Tigers signing up and may need to create two Tiger Dens and would need another Den Leader. As I plan on being involved with this Pack as some type of registered leader I didn't bother to get the Adult orange Tiger t-shirt or sweat shirt.

I will be going to my son's Pack meeting tonight. I missed last month's due to a work commitment. I haven't been registered in a Pack position yet but plan to. I am currently only registered as a Venturing Leader. What uniform would you wear to the Pack meeting? I have a Boy Scout uniform with no unit number or postion patch that I could wear w/blue tabs. or do I go with my registered position and wear the Venturing green? or no uniform at all as I am not a registered Pack Leader

There is a Kodiak and Kodiak-X web site: http://www.kodiak-bsa.org/ The Kodiak syllabus, item no. 34193, is available through council in a convient size and spiral bound. On this site you can download a syllabus: March 2007 printing with Materials List update, Sept. 2007. The Kodiak X syllabus, item no. 34106, is restricted because the course is offered only by councils and can only be ordered by a council. There is also a Kodiak/Kodiak X Course Director's Conference web page: http://www.kodiakcdc-bsa.org/(This message has been edited by CNYScouter)

AK-Eagle wrote: Instead of a wholesale change of the Wilderness Survival merit badge, what about creating an award like the current BSA Lifeguard. There is already an award that has the requirements your suggesting (or close to them). It's called the Venturing Ranger award.

these are not "offical" BSA sites but I found these on the placement of the Denner Shoulder Cord: From "THE VIRTUAL CUB SCOUT INSIGNIA GUIDE" Web site: DENNER SHOULDER CORD A gold double-strand shoulder cord worn on the left shoulder with cord suspended under arm. Worn only during term of office and removed when the term is completed. The tab may be worn without the cord to indicate previous service as a denner. Note: Webelos denners with the tan/olive uniform wear the cord, without the tab, under the left epaulet. And from "The Badge and Uniform Site (Formerly the Unofficial Uniform and Insignia Online Site)" under "Cub Scouting Leadership Cords" The Denner and Assistant Denner cords are worn so that the cords surround the left shoulder and the tab is centered where the epaulet would be on the new shirts. The cords may be worn on either the new shirt or the old shirt; if worn with the new shirt, the tab should be worn UNDER the epaulet and NOT on top. Newer versions of the Denner and Assistant Denner cords do not have the attached tab.

From the Advancement quiz questions thread http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=202748&p=8 you can find the Advancement Committee Guide Policies and Procedures in a downloadable .pdf on-line at: http://tinyurl.com/Advancement-Guide (Thanks PeteM)

It's in the Brussels Sprouts thread (Working with Kids) in a post by OldGreyEagle. http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=205587&p=2

The kitchen is closed during the winter months (Dec-April) because the pipes will freeze if water is used. The Kitchen/Dinning Hall is a large building with no heat. Dinning Hall has 1 fireplace and 1 wood stove and is usually not used during the winter. During Feb. when the Klondike is held, temps usually don't get above freezing for the entire month.

Our district is looking for new ideas to encourage units to stay overnight at our Klondike derby. Most units come for the day and only a few stay overnight. It is usually very cold and very snowy. Cabins are available but most go unused. There is a heated buildng available but the kitchen is closed during the winter. So we are looking for activities to do that would encourage units to make this maore than a daytime activity.

From the Scoutmaster Handbook Chapter 4 The Boy Led Patrol Patrol Activities Most Patrol activities take place within the framework of the troop. However, patrols may also set out on day hikes, service projects and overnighters independent of the troop and free of adult leadership as long as they follow two rules: The Scoutmaster approves of the patrol activity The patrol activity does not interfere with any troop function. A patrol activity without adult supervision should be allowed only when it has been thoroughly planned well within the patrol members levels of training and responsibility. If the Scoutmaster has any doubts, he should encourage the patrol to reconsider its plans, or should assign adults to accompany the patrol during the activity in question.

On the web site "The Dump" there are pdf's of Pioneering books that were written by John Thurman written in the 50's and 60's http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/scouts.html I see that these were Illustrated by John Sweet. Are these the same books? i have to say that there are great project ideas in these books

Doing a Goggle search for Monkey Bridge I found the following: http://www.netwoods.com/monkeybr/monkeybr.html Monkey Bridge Construction By William Hillcourt National Director of Scoutcraft Reprinted from Boy's Life for all boys bwlow the article there are links to pictures that show construction

Our council tried to do implement this a few years back and got no where. Any new adult leaders registered after a certain date or registered in a new position had until the next recharter to get trained for their position or they would not be allowed to reregister. The thought behind this was that within 5 or 6 years most of our leaders would have taken training. Our council requires that you fill out an application anytime you change positions so at that time you would need to be trained The only time this would have affected a units recharter was if a unit didnt have the minimum number of adult leaders to recharter because of this. The reasons I saw this didnt work were: I know adult leaders that have been in a position for 10+ years without having training. As long as they didnt switch positions they wont have to take training. The one troop we were with the SM took his training in the 60s and the two ASMs took there training back in the urban scouting period. None had been to any training since. These two items caused a lot of resentment with new leaders feeling they were being single out. I met many Adult leaders who felt that many of these long term people needed to retake training but has been grandfathered in. In most of our Districts the Commissioner Service is not where it should be. So unless this was done by unit leaders there was no real support or push Our council training records are a mess. I think that because of these things our council never followed through with not reregistering anyone. I am looking for a pack for my Tiger son and me to join. I just met with a pack that has 0% trained leaders. They have the same UC when my son was in cubs and we never saw him back then (6 years ago) so its been quit a time since a UC has paid a visit. Right now I know of a few Troops and Crews (and the other ship in our council) that have 0% trained leaders