Crew21_Adv

Brew, Greetings! There are a few BSA (and GUSUSA) programs abroad, through Direct Service and overseas BSA councils. The G2SS rules are the same, there is no more boldface in the G2SS and they are guidelines, but should be read and complied with wisely. In many other national Scouting organizations, often parents are titled Commissioners and the Scoutmasters are what the BSA would consider BSA College Reserve or Eagle Alumni. When camping with other Scouting organizations, it is sometimes wise to discuss the American traditions so that other leaders become aware of our separate sleeping and sanitary concerns, or restrictions on alcohol during events, and our program safety concerns. Many other nations Scouting organizations would assume we administer the program the similarly. Such as, rappel without belay, dive without a buddy, sleep/shower in the same facility and enjoy a beverage around the campfire. After learning a few of our similarities and differences, most other Scouters are happy to abide by our G2SS for a brief weekend. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Scouters, A late reply, but if I can offer my comments about Why Wood Badge. I attended WB for Boy Scout Leaders 25 years ago as a young ASM and have served five staff experiences with WBforBSL and WB21C, one staff for JLTC and two staff experience for NYLT. I'll reserve my opinions about the changes between the old and new courses for another post. What I have seen. Some elitism and some forget the bottom line, with too many games and clubs recently. Some serve their Pack, Troop, Team, Crew or District, bringing new programs that may have been completed skipped by unit leadership or reviving advancement programs that were forgotten. Similar to DanBrew's post, it is the effect a WB learner has on the Scouting unit. It is not the leadership courses that a person may have already experienced or outdoor skills which they have already mastered. For some Scouters, WB21C is a waste of time. Their Scouting unit will benefit very little. But... For other Scouters, Wood Badge has benefited their youth! Where the percentage separation is, I cannot estimate. I can state that I have witnessed lack of positive results and selfish agendas, and also witnessed some tremendous work with Scouts learning Citizenship, Character and Fitness. Some Scouts experiencing unique learning for the first time. Some Scouts considering future careers they have been exposed to, as a result of a dedicated leader attending Wood Badge. Why Wood Badge? In my opinion, Wood Badge is worth it, when it benefits a youth. Crew21_Adv

Eaglemom2b, Greetings! You didn't ask a question, except behavior - how common? There is various behavior, I hope bad behavior is not very common, and more the rarity. I hope good behavior is the normal status, with few errs in judgement bahavior. At least that is my view. I discuss similar topics with fellow Scouting adults every so often. Not to discourage any past or potential Eagles. I state Eagle Scout and Venturing Silver demonstrate what a youth can do in their own future. At least once they've stayed on a very narrow trail demonstrating independent skills, leadership skills, and citizenship, character and fitness traits. From that "trails end" they can go off on many new paths in their adult lives. Many will go on to do great things, their adult path may be a little easier for them to stay on tasks, they will be respected members of the community, if not community leaders. But there will be some Eagles and Silvers, that will be in jail, that will become corrupt. Chances are, from the narrow trails end, the majority with follow a more ethical path. Then in comparison, I've stated. There will be any regular youth that had a difficult time, educational drop outs, minor crime, angry and hostile. Their future path will not be so easy, but a few will struggle to reform and make something of themselves as an adult. Chances and percentages are that many will continue down a conflicted path, but just a few will acknowledge their past and make themselves better. Unfortunately, we cannot precisely predict the path any specific youth Eagle Scout or Venturing Silver will take. But I believe there is enough evidence to show most Eagles/Silvers are respected (while a few stray very far from the path), and most difficult youth regretfully become damaged adults (while a few become responsible adults). Other friends will comment. The Eagle Scout and Venturing Silver is like a school/college diploma. Looks great on the wall, but what is the Scout going to do with it? Only that youth can decide. The best a parent, mentor or Scout leader can do, is illustrate the benefits of staying on a positive and moral path, and show them where their own journey begins. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Scouter, Greetings! I've hit an issue, and now asking the forum for some comments. Probably more related to Scoutnet. I am recently assisting a unit that went thru significant change. At recharter time there are current only four Scouting families which are all recently new to this specific community. All of the other families have departed the community. We are attempting to get the minimum adults &youth to fit in one multi-age Den/Pack. The adult application has a paragraph on minimum adults as well as the unit recharter application instructions. I've viewed a few other units charter and seen a few times the COR was multiple registered as IH/EO. Seems like online rechartering and ScoutNet allows this to occur. The instructions allow for the COR to be multiple register, but only under specific positions.(EO/IH not being stated) I know 2-3 other units that will experience similar future changes. I also know in my community that a handful of CORs understand Scouting, but the small remaining population of the "chartering org/institution" do not desire to register or apply for membership. So with a minimum amount of adults, can I place the COR and IH/EO as the same individual? Instructions appear to say no, but ScoutNet appears to say yes. Scouting Forever & Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Great link Schiff. It's great to see small communities of Americans sponsoring Boy Scouts of America (as well as GS and other youth organizations) in some far corners of the globe and equally good to see deployed US troops hosting a visit. I try to check out the Direct Service webpage on occasion. Reading their newsletter just a week ago, I saw that there is a BSA troop actually in Iraq. For a few recent years, there have been US Servicemembers-BSA members whom have volunteered some off-duty time with Non Government Organizations encouraging local national Scouting to be revived in some difficult areas. But I was pleasantly surprised to see actual BSA youth in northern Iraq. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Scouters, Only a few years back, I enjoyed reading and participating with other online Scouters, flipping thru the Scouting catalog. Sometimes the staged photos would have uniforming or G2SS errors, and other times the photos were just humorous. This is just for the irony and humor of it, but I was flipping thru the online pages of New Items, from Scout Stuff. Most things were nice, some things I thought "Really?!". But....... I don't know who would spend $1799.99 to bring a solar generator out camping. I know Scouts/Scouters are more connected than before, but seriously? And thank goodness, the G2SS allows married couples to share the same quarters, otherwise I don't think the double hammock would be a good sale. Good items, but I laughed wondering why BSA is even selling them. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv(This message has been edited by Crew21_Adv)

Graham, Greetings! Chapter chiefs are also members of the district committee. From the 2010 OA Guide for Officers and Advisers. "The lodge adviser and lodge chief serve as members of the council camping or Boy Scout committee, while the chapter adviser and chapter chief serve on the district camping or Boy Scout committee." Scouting Forever & Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Scouters, Years ago, I would have been against this concept. Today, I support it. I understand there may be seamless "One unit" family of units chartered under an institution, (Church, Community center, etc). And other times, there are multiple stand-alone packs, troops and crews, without associated units. In my opinion/view, the current system does work. It is not broken. As Packs, Troops and Crews, sometimes chartered by the same organization and sometimes an independent unit. But when evaluating a One-Unit approach. Are there benefits? Will "One Unit" work even better? I'm fairly sold there are tremendous benefits in committee productivity and youth retention. It seems like many units are doing "more with less" as families juggle work and leisure time. That being said, I have seen parents question why a Pack/Troop/Crew is participating in a specific program, which is counterproductive to another Pack/Troop/Crew many of the same scouts/families are in. Sometimes it is just scheduling and families need to decide which takes priority, but sometimes it is enormously separated agendas. Sometimes the exact work is duplicated by two or three committees, which financially may cost some families. Within the BSA. It appears to be such an enormous crevice/facture during Webelos cross over. This has been a huge loss for many years. I expect there will still be some loss. But if a Webelos den just became a patrol the next school year, the loss would decrease and more Scouts would probably remain with the program. Rather than ending their trail at Arrow of Light. I certainly don't expect a 14 y/o boy to participate in identical activities as an 8 y/o. But the unit management, record keeping, advancement, transportation, training, health physicals, finances etc may be seamless with a One Unit approach. The program administration may be more closely aligned and Scouting families (Scouts and Scouters) may be able to do more with less. Where ever a Scout may end his personal journey, hopefully he(she) has made achievements in becoming a better citizen and character, and possible those completing their trail to Eagle or Trail to Venturing Silver may increase more than 4 out of 100. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Leaders, Greetings! Good letter examples, but I like what Brewmeister said. You don't need to be cruel, don't need to be nice either, but you should be honest. Some families do join Cub Scouting, and may not be able to afford dues/events, others are just irresponsible, but there is another category that enjoy the euphoria at the beginning of the school year, but soon become disenchanted (without stating so). My Scouting units have invested money in a few Scouts that never returned. I've invested my own money for a few Scouts that never return. But I've slowly changed by attitude and desire cash up front by recharter time. Hopefully they will catch up in dues. But if not, the youth or the parents must not be intertested in their son's activities. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

WestCoastScouter, Greetings! You've gotten the answer from the forum already. My district doesn't like to advertise it, but we will be honest when asked/challenged what the minimum is. While some units attempt to earn a quality recognition each year, it seems some units actually aim for the minimum rather than allowing it to be the rare exception. We state what is JTE Quality, which is different than mandatory leader training, and is different than the checklist on the tour plan. At least one person needs BALOO (outdoor training) to lead a Cub Scout family camping, along with YPT. For a troop to go on an overnight camping trip and for Boy Scout leaders, reviewing the checklist on the tour plan it seems like YPT, minimum of two adults (one registered) and one person has to complete weather hazards (online). Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Backroads and Fellow Scouters, There was a recent Youtube video on the Scouting Channel from the National BSA Conference in May. The topic was advancement. Without replaying the entire video, they seemed to talk this very subject 20 minutes into the session, and seemed to relate that Scout leaders and merit badge counselors should be realistic in the depth of their knowledge and what they do know as a profession, avocation or hobby. Also that part of the MB program is for Scouts to meet and dialogue with a variety of people in various hobbies and professions, beyond returning over and over to just one person/counselor. But I recall the bottom line was no established limit of how many MBs a person may counsel is set by national; and also a Scout may return to the same counselor for multiple MBs. As I said in a recent post, check the Youtube Scouting Advancements conference session out for validity and I hope I'm correct in my recall. (haha) Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Oak Tree and Fellow Scouters, I still believe Roundtable is fairly valuable. Let me reflect on my experiences with Roundtable "training". I do profess to be very experienced, but not an expert. I often speak in front of R/T, and tell my colleagues, "Check my facts!". At least I know when they are checking, they are reading the literature themselves. I don't have a problem if fellow Scouters go directly to the book after my statements. I joke with my Roundtable Commissioners. Administrative remarks and general training needs to be kept short, fellow Scouters attend Roundtable for an experience of program ideas and program materials, not for lectures. For myself, I have a short attention span; so I try to stand up, speak up and shut up, and keep the Roundtable moving to the next agenda item. Regarding Recharter training. As easy as it would seem; I have seen scores of Scout units go delinquent 2-3 months beyond recharter, because the treasurer never moved the finances or the membership chair never completed the traditional paperwork (or went online to Internet Rechartering). Meanwhile Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and their Cubmasters and Scoutmasters thought they were okay, when parents/committee members let them down. Equally, I have seen units that thought once advancements were typed into an advancement chair's laptop computer, the job was over. Meanwhile, they have to be reminded to send in the advancement report or to synch their (Troop/PackMaster, Scoutsoft) third party software to Online Advancements/ScoutNET2000. Well intended adults and respectable professionals in the business world, but some Scouters just don't take the time to read the basic instructions and need remedial training nearly annually. Sometimes a blanket mandatory Roundtable session may alleviate having to repeat a custom training session, 2, 3, 4, 5x.... times. As painful as it may be to participate in a session which may seem common sense, sometimes a Roundtable topic may be the best time to distribute information which seems to cause Scouters the most problems. Now I do agree. It is disappointing when district policy is declared to be a national policy, or when national literature is misquoted. (Such as liquid fuel white gas, are they to be reduced usage or absolutely banned?) And when fellow Scouters are too stubborn to dialogue about interpretation or possible mis-interpretation. I will normally say, lets go to the book. I could be wrong, but I could be correct. Lets go look.. Hopefully, your Roundtable staffers will attempt to distribute the best and needed info and accept challenging questions. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Scouters, While I do like the idea of a District and Council Religious Emblems Coordinator, and encouraging youth to participate in learning more about their family's choice of religion. BSA has had a Chaplain's position for years. Wouldn't a Unit Religious Emblems Coordinator be a Chaplain? And couldn't the Troop or Pack Chaplain refer the youth and family to the District Coordinator? Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Tim, Greetings! Unfortunately, the boys probably love the uniform, but don't have an idea about patch placement. I'll guarantee you, no cub scout is sewing on their own patches, it is the parent that is stapling or baby-pining the patch onto the shirt (and incorrectly too). I would wager a unit created uniform guide/sheet would be found on the floor or in the garbage at the end of a meeting. Personally, I would waste time creating a single sheet pamphlet that already exist. There are other methods that may slowly improve "irregularities". Sometimes families cannot afford a complete uniform. Albeit, I have seen families lay down $600 for only two months of baseball, which the families claimed they could not afford a $75 uniform. But you and your pack would have to determine the economy and for which family(ies) uniforming is beyond their financial reach. Some years ago, some of the leaders would bring in seamstress/tailoring business cards. A few of the local tailors knew the Boy Scout uniform and would do "a dollar a patch" deals. There was no family connection, no kickbacks, no free sewing for leaders. It was all just to tell new parents, that there is a fast, easy and fairly cheap location to get patches placed on correctly. Of course, hand out the cards to the parents, not the boys. Like Basement said. Offer rewards for good uniforming. Similar to his idea. I knew a Scoutmaster that would place his scouts against the wall. Quite a few feet away, he would set a bowl of candy bars. He would say, "All those in a Scout shirt take one step forward, all those in scout pants take another step forward, all those wearing scout socks take one step forward. etc etc." Finally maybe a quarter of the boys would reach the candy bars. He would then put the remaining candy bars away, and ask the SPL to continue with the meeting. Over the span of the school year, the uniforms would become more and more complete and better in appearance. Finally, maybe you may see a hometown pack or troop that looks good. Possibly during Scout Show or Cub Day Camp or founders day parade, you may loudly comment (within earshot of parents) "Would you look at those boys, WOW they look sharp!". Good Luck and hopefully your Pack will really look sharp in a few months! Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv

Fellow Scouters, Greetings! I gotta defend the notebook idea. But it is only one tool. My goodness, the amount of times, I have seen boys write down a campout menu or a duty roster, on their hand or what ever scratch paper they could find the trash. Only for a parent to call the Scoutmaster and ASMs to inquire what the parent needs to purchase for grub (sorry ask your son to recreate the entire menu at 3:30 Friday, one hour before departure.) Also for Scouts to argue and fight over who has the wash duty, since the scrap paper of duty roster didn't make it from the Scout meeting to the actual campout. Of course, I always get a kick out of the boy's genius idea of "Let's make brunch!" "So we only have to cook and do KP once!". A notebook is one of the tools. Page 83 and 121 of the Patrol Leaders Handbook has a list of tools/resources. I would recommend youngmaster and his Scoutmaster and Committee to invest in Patrol Leader backpacks. With notebooks, PL handbooks, SPL handbook, Fieldbook, roster, menu planning sheets, duty roster, patrol advancement, as well as some of the essentials which can be shared by the patrol; rope, first aid kit, map & compass, pocket knife, flashlight, matches, sun protection. Place a patrol patch or patrol name on the backpack. If your SPL and PL go to ILST and NYLT they should learn this and other youth leadership techniques. Now as far as enforcing. Rather than punishment, how about a reward. Punishment just won't reap any benefits. But rewards may just do the job. It sounds like youngmaster has only one patrol. This is more effective with multiple patrols. After the patrol hits an announced benchmark of success (measured maybe every two months) the troop may provide a pizza party or ice cream during the meeting. Or for a larger troop, how about the best patrol receives the pizza/ice cream while the other patrols are in patrol corners. If they are just not hitting the mark, then the parents/committee can have a pizza party/ice cream while the boys are in patrol corners. I bet the boys will work harder/smarter for 30-60 days to become a better working patrol. Communicating, planning and advancing. Scouting Forever and Venture On! Crew21 Adv