Den Chiefs & Troop Affiliation

[ChuckSt8er]

I'm looking for common practices on getting Den Chiefs from an affiliated Troop versus sourcing them from nearby but non-affiliated Troops.

 

If your affiliated Troop can't meet the demand, do you turn to neighboring Troops?

Do you have an open policy where all Troops have equal opportunity to fill DC positions?

Does this policy change when the scouts reach their Webelos years? Would the affiliated Troop get preferential treatment as the boys come down the home stretch towards Crossover?

 

Backstory, for perspective: One Bear Den in our Pack has a DC from a neighboring Troop who has stepped up and is doing the job well. Senior Pack leaders are insinuating that our affiliated Troop has 'dibs' on the Webelos year, and that this DC will need to fulfill his POR elsewhere next year. Comments? Insights?

 

I have a strong opinion on the subject, but want to open myself to the wisdom of the crowds and policies of BSA. What sez you?

(This message has been edited by chuckst8er)

[gwd-scouter]

If your 'affiliated' troop will not provide a Den Chief, it is their loss if boys in your pack decide to crossover to another troop that. A lot of folks out there think that somehow when a CO has both a troop and pack, they are joined together. The troop gets angry if another troop tries to poach scouts from 'their' pack. Hogwash.

 

If the Den Chief is doing a good job with the Bears and he wants to continue, keep him through their Webelos years. Then, if all or some of those boys decide to join his troop, it will be great for them to already have a friend there. Maybe he could be their Troop Guide at that point.

 

As a Scoutmaster, if a den needs a Chief and I have a scout who is willing, off he goes. Hopefully at some point the boys in the den will join our troop. If not, no hard feelings. We lose so many scouts in the transition from Cubs and Den Chiefs are a fantastic way to get boys excited about joining a Troop, wherever they choose to go.

[scottteng]

My recommendation is always to get den chiefs from another troop because in this area most troop/pack affiliates meet on the same night of the week and at appx. the same time. A den chief from your affiliate troop misses a lot of troop meeting time. I tell cub leaders to seek out scouts from troops that meet on a different night. This is a fairly densely populated suburban area so there are lots of troops and packs to pick from. Cub leaders should also get buy in from the den chief's transportation system (parents usually) or be prepared to provide same.

[Scouting Mom]

If the boy is doing a good job, don't penalize the boy by taking him away from the boys he has a report with. If the affiliated troop has a boy they want to provide as a den chief, let him cover the bear den, and then promptly take the Webelos over to the affiliated troop for a troop visit, so the troop can make their case for joining them.

 

Our affiliated troop has gone downhill over the years. In the last 4 years, we've only crossed over one Webelos to them. The rest went to another troop. They sent us two den chiefs in that time and one of them ended up switching troops to go where we've been sending our Webelos all this time. The unaffiliated troop has not sent us any den chiefs, yet that is where our Webelos choose to go because the affiliated troop failed to provide a good impression during troop visits.

[gcnphkr]

As a SM that is happy to "poach" cubs from any troop that is not helping the pack at all levels I think this is short sighted. I want the boys in the troop that will be best for them. I get a call from a parent about once a month asking about the troop. I tell them about it and then also tell them about a couple of other units in the area. To me, the important thing is that the scout find a troop that he will be happen in for the next 5-7 years. When I start thinking that my affiliate pack owes me new scouts then I've stopped wanting what is best for the scouts and am only out for ego.

 

This Den Chief should stay with the den as long as he is willing and able. His is their friend and should know what his is doing at this point. Why mess that up by bringing in a stranger who may not even care?

 

 

[SSScout]

I see much truth in the above posts, but remember this:

A DC is not an "assignment". The SM cannot "assign" a DC to a Cub Den except that a BScout WANTS to be a DC. What the DL wants is a DC that #1 wants to be a DC, #2 has the proper spirit to be an example and leader to the Cubs and #3 is willing to BE THERE. If the affiliated Troop has no one of those qualities, then by all means seek elsewhere. If the BSs of Troop #1 are not enthusiastic about that Troops program, your Cubs won't be either. Go to Troop #2, where the BSs are happy and of the proselytizing mien.

 

Oh yes, make sure they take the "On Line" training at www.olc.scouts.org and /or the "live" training when offered by your District/Council.

[IM_Kathy]

my son is a den chief for the town we live in, but he is a troop in another town.

 

He crossed over a couple years ago and started out with the troop in our town... he was very unhappy with that troop and was talking about quitting and I asked if he wanted to quit scouts or that troop - he said that troop... so we went troop shopping. 3 other scouts (2 from his old den and 1 a year older) left along with my son and joined this other troop. They are all enjoying this troop and it is what they expected when they moved up to boy scouts.

 

My son still loves all the things he did as a cub scouts and enjoys the program we offer here for them. So when his SM asked if he'd be interesting in being a den chief he said he'd love to, but wanted to work with his old pack. The currect cubmaster is also the Webelos den leader and was wanting a den chief. When he heard my son was interested he jumped on the chance.

 

I think it's a great opportunity especially for troops/packs that are "towns" So often they think that if they live in town x then they need to be with troop x. My son does not push the boys to join one troop or the other, but he does let them know what his troop is doing and if it's a webelos welcomed event he invites them to come along. If they ask him to come along to attend an event that is with his former troop then he will go as well... although he's not as happy about that, but he knows he's there for the boys and saying he won't go because it's that troop would not be the "scouting way"

 

I know 2 years ago there was a den chief from the local troop for a local den. Currently I don't think there are any - only 2 dens have chiefs one is my son and the other is also from my son's troop.

 

[Eagle92]

I was a POACHER

 

When I was a CS, my DC was from a troop that was not chartered by the same church as the Pack. My church's troop wasn't interested in the pack except around graduation time. needless to sat they were hurting for members, and when they heard about 30 Webelos gradutating, they were excited. Unfortunately for them out of 30 Webelos, 10 went to their DC's troop, and the other 20 quit becasue they thought that AOL was the end of the road as they had NO troop support.

 

A few years later and a transfer to another troop, I wanted to get involved with my old Pack as a DC because I rememeber the impression my DC made on me. While I did not promote my troop, especially since it was an out of town troop, I promoted Scouting in general and some of my Webelos did join my troop, and the rest joined my old troop that I transfered from. By that point the church's troop folded.

 

So it doesn't matter what affiliation the DC's troop has, it matters if he can do the job.

[John-in-KC]

Here's my take:

 

If a Troop doesn't furnish an ASM for Pack support, and doesn't furnish quality Den Chiefs, then it deserves the recruiting results it gets.