CubsRgr8

Thanks for the prompt responses. However, your answers lead to new questions (often the case when educating the newbie troop adult leaders). 4) Does the scout have to serve in the same leadership position for the required time? 5) It makes sense that the patrol leader position qualifies. What about assistant patrol leader, patrol quartermaster, patrol cheermaster, etc? 6) Would either of you esteemed gentlemen be so kind as to please provide me with a citation to an official BSA publication that spells this out for me?(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

Here's my recommendation: committee chair, asst. committee chair, COR, committee member (who is not a den leader), asst. cubmaster, cubmaster, then last a den leader. In any event, never a person who is related to the committee chair, the COR or the Cubmaster.

To earn Star, Life & Eagle rank, the scout must serve in a leadership position for six months. Can someone please point me to a written BSA reference for these questions? 1) Does it have to be six consecutive months in the same position? 2) Does it have to be since they earned their current rank? 3) Does it have to be a troop position, vs a patrol position? Thanks in advance.

RMV, Thanks for the detailed response, especially the reference to the quality unit award. This helps me to better understand why there can be such a wide range between councils in the quality of their training, camping, and other programs.

OK, I'll bite. What are the ten essentials?

BW, since Scout Spirit is about living the Oath and Law in everyday life, how would you, as a SM or a BOR member, evaluate that requirement in this particular instance and/or in general? As a BOR member, I find it very difficult, as I don't see the older scouts outside of the troop context. We live in an urban setting where the troop draws from many different neighborhoods, schools and municipalities.

Has anyone taken or taught the troop committee challenge course? I'm on my older son's troop committee and want to know if trying to get the committee to do the challenge is worth the effort (and believe you me, it will be an effort!) or if I should settle for the two hour District course in early April.

The PLC decided the existing patrols needed to have their membership scrambled. Then they decided to choose new PLs through a troop election. The new PLC will then "draft" scouts into new patrols, balanced by age and rank. Each scout is to provide the new PLC with his list of four preferred patrol mates and is guaranteed placement in a patrol with at least one of those listed. I'm not sure where this method came from and I'm a bit skeptical about its success. Comments?

A bump to OGE. Slontwovvy, show this Scout some pictures from your past to make the point that photos outlast fashion. Just last night I spent some time with my son looking at stuff from the 70s. What a hoot! Pastel blue tuxedos with 10" ruffles! Polyester leisure suits!

BW, I'm pretty sure I will follow my younger son into his troop in two years, so the Webelos course sounds like a better choice. Unfortunately, I already have a conflict that week. Is that the only week it is offered? Is there a Philmont Training Center website we can visit to check out the offerings this year?(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

I have been invited to attend the Cubmasters course at Philmont this summer. I'm a Bear den leader now, and plan to stick with the den through their Webelos experience. Is this course a good match for me?

To join a troop, a boy must meet one of these requirements: completed 5th grade; turn 11 years old; or receive the Arrow of Light award from a pack. So, technically, it is possible for a 9 year old to meet the joining requirements of a troop. I can see extenuating circumstances where this might work out, but IMHO it's not a good idea. What reason does this mother give for making this demand of you?

Eagledad, great post! Wish I'd had it when my older son and I were looking at troops a year ago. kwc57, just because "that's what we always do" doesn't mean that's what your den has to do. As long as there are troops willing to take webelos in Feb/Mar, I say go for it! Your absolutely correct that a few months in the troop before summer camp really help ease the transition.

Check out ScoutTrack.com. We're using it for the first year for our pack and it includes the loops and pins. I think it's great because, as the advancement chair, it allows me to easily generate both consolidated reports (for picking up the awards) and individual reports (for handing out awards during the pack meeting).(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

littlebillie stated, about the UUA religious award program: Basically, the BSA has said that if the church teaches that gays are ok, then the church can't give sponsored youth a religious award... Umm - how to put it politely? - littlebillie, you're incorrect. What BSA actually says is that the UUA religious award is not recognized by BSA, and therefore is not valid for wear on the BSA uniform. Nothing prevents an UUA scout from earning the award. In fact, "the UUA is unilaterally conferring the award on those Scouts who seek it and meet the requirements." (see www.uua.org/ga/ga01/5052.htlm) The process of earning and giving the award is completely controlled by the issuing religious body, not BSA. (This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

bmchugh, I have been invited to attend the Cubmaster course this summer. I'd appreciate a few more details about the course and how you've applied what you learned to your pack. I was a cubmaster for two years. Now am a Bear den leader and love it, also I'm in charge of advancement ceremonies at the pack meetings. I'm planning to serve as my son's webebelos den leader for the next two years. What do you think? Is this a good course for me?

LauraT, sounds like it's time for a rummage sale extraordinary. Let me know when it is and I'll come down from Wisconsin. OGE, my son's troop owns eight canoes and trailer; an enclosed trailer; canvas scout tents; patrol boxes, stoves and cooking gear; several large tents; and misc. gear. The CO provides the troop with a large room in the basement and a parking spot for the trailers. I'm wondering about the effect on a troop that establish a venture patrol for the older scouts who want extreme activities. Does this retain scouts, or even attract new ones? Do the members of the venture patrol stay involved with the troop or do they go their own way? Does the venture patrol provide troop leadership (SPL, etc), or are they "taking orders" from younger scouts?

Well, last night's troop meeting came and went without my son's attendance. He contacted his PL, who said there would be no alternative activity, so my son chose to stay home. Not exactly the result I hoped for, but at least his PL knows that my son didn't enjoy last week's troop meeting. My son is looking forward to next month and cabin camping, so I'm not worried about his enthusiasm for scouting. ASM1 suggests that I join the troop committee. Well, ASM1, I have to admit that I'm already on the troop committee. However, the January programming was not reviewed by the committee because we didn't meet in December. Eagledad suggests that I call the SPL directly. I think I'll hold off on that for a little while and give the PL a chance to convey that message. What I do plan to do is raise the issue of troop planning and the need for alternate activities at the next committee meeting. As always, thank you everyone for your feedback. This forum is a great resource.

Thanks for all the feedback. I've replied to the parent and expect I'll be continuing the discussion Tuesday night at the Pack Meeting. NJ, it's a little off the original topic, but perhaps you could share the steps you have taken (or are taking) to choose a troop for your son.

A parent sent me (and every leader in my pack) this email earlier today. Dear Leaders: I would like to express my opinion of bridging the cub scouts in February. I realize this is standard procedure in the BSA organization, but I now feel (my son) has a foot in each part, and our family doesn't really have time for that. Knowing how I feel, it makes me wonder if Pack (XYZ) will lose the participation of the Webelos at a time of the year when we need them, basically during the Food for Scouting event. By bridging the boys in February, our Pack has basically said good-bye to them. Why would the Pack want to do that before the end of the school year? Why would I want my child to make this change before the end of his last year in Cub Scouts? I may be feeling strongly about this because losing a significant number of our active cub scouts makes me nervous for the Food for Scouting activity, however, I am not personally in favor of this change. I really don't think the issue for this parent is S4Food. This is the first year my new pack is going with a February bridging, which I enthusiastically support, based on my older son's experience last year. As a newbie to the pack, I'm looking for succint words of wisdom to reassure this parent that it's to her son's benefit to bridge over now instead of at the end of the school year. Hope to hear from folks tonight.

Thank you all for your feedback. When I asked my son what he thought, he said "boring", but I failed to ask the follow-up question "what are you going to do about it?" I will discuss this further with him, and attempt to lead him to the conclusion that he should contact the PL, then the ASPL, then the SPL to voice his opinion. The class and age restrictions only apply to this campout and, given its physical demands of the scouts, I don't disagree with them. I object to the lack of an alternative activity during the troop meeting. I also object to the the troop meeting devoting its entire time to just one topic. Where's the patrol meeting, the game, etc? I'll see where this goes and report back after next Tuesday's meeting. Thanks again!

There was a similar situation at the University of Wisconsin, where a law student sued because his student fees were being used to support student groups which he did not like. I believe the Supreme Court ruled that it's an all or nothing proposition for the university. The university must allow all student-run non-profit groups access to its facilities and a share of the collected student fees or it cannot allow any. Similar to access to the public schools by BSA, et al. NJ, does this ring a bell?(This message has been edited by CubsRgr8)

http://www.crossroadsbsa.org/resources/forms_camp.htm works! Apparently I added an extra period at the end which mucks things up. Moral: always test your links before posting.

My 6th grade son is second class scout in a large (75+) troop which produces 1-3 Eagle Scouts each year. Prior to last night, both my son and I received email messages that the PLC had decided to spend the first three troop meetings in January prepping for the upcoming Polar Bear campout. That's ALL that happened last night, aside from presenting and retiring the colors. Oh, and by the way, you can't go on the campout unless your at least 12 years old and first class. Over half of the 32 scouts who attended last night are 6th graders and very few are 12 and first class. There was nothing else for them to do so they all had to sit there through 60 minutes of detailed discusssion about winter camping - and they aren't even allowed to go! So, am I off-base in thinking this was a really poorly structured troop meeting? Or am I suffering from Cubmaster-itis?

I found this website and was very impressed! Looks like you and your Webelos are going to have a great time this summer! Be sure to download the PDF file for Webelos Leaders. www.crossroadsbsa.org/resources/forms_camp.htm.