Unit Not Rechartering

[purcelce]

I attended a Troop Committee meeting as UC/ADC last night. This troop will not recharter due to only having 2 Scouts in the troop. Troop loses three Scouts due to military transfers in Dec/Jan.

 

SM attempted to get a group of Webelos II to take over that were thinking about starting a troop. But that idea fell through. Recruitment was bad for this Troop, as they only got one Webelos transfer this year. SM states he can't put on a good program for 2 Scouts.

 

Before anybody goes off, the SM, ASM, and Committee members are trained. The troop has an outdoor program, they go to summer camp, have campouts once a month. This Troops even hooked up with another small troop a few miles down the road and did some campouts together.

 

The Scouts that are staying behind will be transfering to other troops on base.

 

My question is "What happens with the Troop's equipment and money?"

 

The CO is a military unit and "doesn't own" the equipment or money.

 

SM is going to call the DE today to get an answer, but I know the DE will be more interested in keeping the unit alive then helping with the equipment/money situation. If the DE has ideas that work then I'm all for it, but the reality is there are not enough boys on the base to support three troops. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appriciated.

 

 

 

 

[Joni4TA]

I am sort of confused as to why the Troop hasn't actively been seeking new members/boys as they have watched their numbers dwindling. There have to be schools in the area of this Troop. You can assume that the Troop should try to recruit about 10% of the local high school's total available youth and about 5% of the local 6th graders in grade school. So did they not conduct a Fall Roundup? Where are the Webelos II going after they crossover in a few months?

 

As far as the equipment, your District/Council may be able to answer better but the nearby Troop that absorbs this Troop should most probably also absorb the equipment, monies and/or debts.

 

Do you have a District Membership Chairman? Perhaps they can help you, also. I would seek the advice of the Unit Commissioner, District Commisioner, Chartered Org. Rep., Scout Executive, etc. Involve people around you so that the ship doesn't sink for that Troop. It's not too late to revive it if you act fast. I assume your recharter is right around the corner?

 

 

[FScouter]

The chartered organization does own the troop, including the money and equipment. They may not understand that, but that is where the ownership lies. If the troop does indeed terminate, just decide how you want to distribute the assets and keep the CO and chartered org representative informed. Maybe you could distribute to the troops that are receiving the boys.

[purcelce]

Joni4TA,

the Unit did everything in it's power to recuit...Webelos visits, school visits, everything. I'm UC for this unit and I've been working with the SM since March...thing is we have two other troops on the base and all the new Scouts went to the other Troops. Dist big wigs have been notified, heck they've know of this situation for weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob White]

What are the membership sizes of the other two troops?

 

BW

[purcelce]

Hey BW! Long time no hear from

 

To answer your question...

 

One Troop has 17 on the books, the other has 7.

Troop with 17 just got four new boys but one in Jan (Military transfer)will be leaving area, not to mention one will be aging out . Looks like there will be an influx of 7 -12 Webelos to this Troop.

 

Troop with 7 will lose one in Dec to Military transfer, and one will be aging out in April. Looks like 3-6 Webelos will cross over.

 

Early 2002 The Troop with 17 had 7, Troop with 7 had 9, and Troop that is not rechartering had 9.....

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob White]

Thanks, (I think)

and how many scout eligible youth are there?

BW

[nldscout]

For those of you that have never done scouts on a military base, it can be hard to understand the turnover and recruitment problems a troop can have. With parents deployed and moving all the time, its hard to keep a stable program.

 

The Troop on the Army base has gone from 35 in 2000 to 15 in 2001, to 40 in 2002 and is almost gone now. The deployments of dads has almost killed them for adults.

[purcelce]

Bob,

 

We have a population of 3000 or so on the base. I don't have exact figures on how many boys age 11 - 17. Base has an elementary School. Some elementary and all middle and high school students go to school in a town just outside the base. And in that town there is one Troop. In all the Troops in our Distirct I would say that 95 percent have at least one kid who has a parent in the military.

 

nldscout sums up our situation best.

 

 

 

 

 

[Joni4TA]

I totally understand about the difficulties facing recruitment of Scouts in a Military environment! My husband is an E-9 in the Marine Corps and has been a Scouter since my oldest Step-Son was a Wolf Cub... he's now a 22yr old Eagle Scout. I didn't become a legitimately registered Scouter until our youngest son was a Wolf and he's now a Tenderfoot working towards Second Class.

 

So believe me when I say I know Scouting can be rough in the Military. I know here on this lovely tropical paradise I live in (Okinawa, Japan) we had a Cub Pack become absorbed by another Cub Pack about 3-4 years ago and the new Pack took over any equipment, monies, debts, etc. However, now that I think about it, the CO agreed that the equipment should stay with the boys, hence the transfer of equipment.

 

In your situation, if the CO doesn't care, I would do the same thing. I also understand your DE probably wanting to revive the Troop but it's better to be proactive than reactive. At the risk of losing the remaining Scouts altogether, perhaps the reality is to have the neraby Troop absorb these boys and possibly work at trying to revive the Troop at some later time.

 

GOOD LUCK!

 

[dsteele]

Joni:

 

Please share with your husband that I hope he isn't angry with me to my reaction to his private question that wastn't directed to him. I'm sure he'll understand at least the question, if not my response.

 

In terms of this military base troop not rechartering -- believe me when I say it goes against nearly everything I've been taught, but not against what I've learned.

 

Sometimes troops die. For a while. Two boys is not enough to run a good program. Sometimes all recruiting efforts fail and it has nothing to do with program, adult training, etc.

 

Sometimes things just fade away.

 

DE's fight it, but learn it sooner or later. It just means that two more have to be created somewhere else. That's the reality.

 

The noble seek to keep the boys who do remain in the program in the program. I'm in that camp (I hope.)

 

Lost unit, kept youth.

 

Do what you have to do to keep the program alive. That's the whole point of membership.

 

DS

[Bob White]

I agree with Joni and Dave,

Conditions do not appear condusive to support this unit at this time. Relocate the remaining scouts and adults and perhaps in the future the troop can be re-established.

BW