Does National Care?

[The Blancmange]

I tried to spin-off a new thread, but couldn't get that function to work. In another thread, Beavah wrote:

 

Word on da street is that da risk adverse legal types are runnin' da show on the new round of documents coming out, so I expect we will see some more potentially restrictive wording.

This got me wondering, Does National care what the average Scout and Scouter in the field thinks about the program? I know many skeptics will say no, but there must be some at National who care. Our National Commissioner occasionally chimes in on the Scouts-L list. I don't know if any monitor this board. I think most of us recognize that **** ing here isn't going to accomplish anything (but it does relieve stress, sometimes).

Keep in mind that I do not venture much outside of unit-level scouting. Meaning that I go to RT and council events, but I am not involved in the district or council committee and have no idea generally how those on the committees want to steer things. Politically, I am not "connected."

So, my question is this: what is the best way for someone like me to convey my opinion on issues like the one this is spun from, patrol issues, or other broader issues like the inclusiveness of BSA. Writing letters to the CSE? Talking to my council president and hoping my thoughts move up the chain? Or would I have more luck if I just sat here and banged my head off my keyboard?

[sherminator505]

My advice: bang your head on your keyboard. It will probably be less painful, and you will at least achieve a measurable result.

[AvidSM]

The best way to convey your opinion on issues is at your Roundtable meeting. If your Commissioner is not giving you a chance to speak up and raise an issue or concern during that meeting, shame on him. A Roundtable should not be only announcements and presentations - there should be time set aside for open, productive discussion.

 

Do your district volunteers care about your issues and concerns? They should, especially if it's not just one person with the same problem. Also, they can help you understand BSA policy and paperwork changes and suggest ways of dealing with them.

 

Do these concerns make their way up to your Council and perhaps beyond? Some do - again, it depends on how many people are affected by the issue. And, there are some things within the purview of a Council that unit volunteers may not be aware of - each Council may interpret BSA policy in different ways.

 

Does National care? I hope they do. I can't function as a volunteer without some faith in what the BSA is trying to do. I guess because of my background as a civil servant working for the US Navy, I am used to working in a large bureaucracy. And, that is exactly what the BSA is.

 

All bureaucracies work in the same way - the stuff flows downstream. The people who do the actual work must overcome, improvise and adapt. As volunteers, in a unit, district or otherwise, we must all help each other cope with it. There should be at least someone who will listen to what you have to say and understand what you are going through.

[John-in-KC]

What AvidSM said, and one other point:

 

Have you talked to your COR lately? The COR is the person on the voting spot; he can raise all kinds of issues with the Council Board and the Professional Service. He represents the licensee of record for your unit.

 

Has your COR talked to the District Committee and the Council Board lately?

[ScoutMythBuster]

Does National Care? On the most part, I say yes.

 

When I have found things that need to be addressed I have tried talking to my DE, SE and my District / Council Committee. They tend to smile and agree with you or tell you how things won't change. For example, getting applications processed or having Trainers input Training Records as soon as the Training is complete. Almost always you get the excuses but no resolution. Recently I also discovered that National is more inclined to change program content or operation protocols when a volunteer Scouter calls in rather than a Proffessional Scouter calls.

 

National has gone so far as to create an Innovation Team to investigate our concerns and the feasability of our ideas in regards to program, operations, record keeping, ect.

 

Still, all change is slow coming and by time it happens the change maybe obsolete.

[Beavah]

I'm a big fan of lookin' at incentive setups in organizations, eh? Generally speakin', where they put their money is what they care about.

 

And, sadly, in general there is no incentive in da organizational structure of the BSA to listen to the consumer, nor really any incentive to listen to da customer (CORs), who are in fact pretty well insulated from da decision making structure unless they really go on da warpath.

 

So you'll get some good fellows and ladies who will do so because they happen to have the time and are good fellows or ladies, but it's somethin' that's extra, eh? Not somethin' that's expected or that they're evaluated on or rewarded for. So mostly, it doesn't happen.

 

Best place to catch such people is at regional or national conferences and talk to 'em in person, or get appointed to one of da national committees. But yeh never know. The right mail or email might just be da lucky one that tweaks someone's fancy on a slow day.

 

B

 

[kbandit]

I would have to vote no to the question. Have you ever tried to find an answer to anything on the National website? What a nightmare!!

 

One question I have right now is where is the Outdoor Adventure patch that replaced the National Camping Award to go in a box or on the uniform? Waiting patiently for my DE to get back to me (sent him an email last Friday) checked National site, that was a waste of my time. If someone knows please post the site where it is available.

[NJCubScouter]

National has gone so far as to create an Innovation Team to investigate our concerns and the feasability of our ideas in regards to program, operations, record keeping, ect.

 

Really? What's their e-mail address? (...he asked innocently. Let's see if my suspicion is correct.)

 

[ScoutMythBuster]

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/430-016_WB.pdf This is the application for the National Outdoor Challenge Award. Yes the national website is very confusing. The information for this Award can be found here http://www.scouting.org/jamboree/sitecore/content/home/boyscouts/adults/awards.aspx

 

National Outdoor Badges? http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/Youth/Awards/NOA.aspx

 

Talk about confusing, In the beginning of 2010 we were introduced to the Geocaching Merit Badge. Go to a Private Company's Website (Geocaching.com) for information but there is NO Merit Badge Booklet. I believe its the only MB without a booklet.

[BartHumphries]

Yes, of course National cares. The real question is not whether they care, but whether they care about the same things that you care about and whether they have the same priorities that you have.

 

I found the application for for the National Outdoor Challenge Award to be particularly straight forward. I'm not sure what you found confusing there. It's a series of Yes/No boxes -- you must be able to check Yes to get the Challenge Award.

 

The National Outdoor Badges are something different from the Challenge Award and have different requirements. Again, I saw nothing confusing there.

 

As to the Geocaching Merit Badge book, who cares -- I rarely ever buy the actual merit badge books. If I want a book explaining something, I can usually find better books in the local library. For instance, the shotgun merit badge book -- why would we use that when the merit badge requirements are available online and we have professional shotgun instructors to teach us? I hope nobody is teaching a boy that the be-all and end-all of a subject is wholly summarized within the thin walls of a merit badge pamphlet. There's a whole lot more to any subject than can possibly be printed in one small book. The merit badge books are more like basic guidelines that tell you where to start when you're beginning to learn about a subject.

 

Anyway, let me sum up. Yes they care, but maybe not about what you care about. I don't see what's confusing about the websites you linked. I don't see the bloody point in buying any of the merit badge books except as a starter pamphlet for a subject so I really don't see a problem with no geocaching merit badge book.

[kbandit]

What I am confused about the Individual National Outdoor Badge is where is this worn on uniform or is it placed in a box? I am looking for some guidence to pass on to our scouts who have earned a part of this award as to what they are allowed to do with it.

 

I may be missing something in the printed materails that I have but I do not see where they can wear it.

 

The National Outdoor Challenge Award is a troop award and different from what I am asking about.

 

Bart since you see nothing confusing please point me to the printed materail that says what scouts are allowed to do with the award, wear it or box it.

[emb021]

"What I am confused about the Individual National Outdoor Badge is where is this worn on uniform or is it placed in a box? I am looking for some guidence to pass on to our scouts who have earned a part of this award as to what they are allowed to do with it."

 

right pocket.

 

If something doesn't have a specific location, you can't go wrong putting it on the right pocket.

 

Some items are equipment decoration (Historical Trails Award, 50 Miler, Paul Bunyan) or swim trunks (mile swim, snorkeling, etc), but those are spelled out.

 

Don't expect National to list EVERY possible patch and a location for it.

 

 

 

[emb021]

"Does National Care? On the most part, I say yes."

 

I'd say no.

 

If they did, they:

 

* try to be more transparent (communicate with us, be clear on structure- national committees, who are one them, etc, interact with the 'rank & file', etc).

 

* do a better job of getting good people from the 'field' on national committees, instead of money people, or allowing committees to be exclusive cliques.

 

 

[BartHumphries]

There's really very few patches that can actually go on the uniform. Take a look at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34283.pdf If it's not listed or shown there, it doesn't go on the uniform. The exception is the right patch pocket -- you can basically put about anything that fits (a patch put there can't go outside the edges of the pocket or cover up the button flap). Mix and match, whatever, switch it up every month, whatever you like. The insignia guide shows a blank portrait-oriented oval there, but not all temporary patches have that shape. The Warstone patch I just picked up at the local 100th anniversary campout where we set a Guinness record for the most people playing a game of marbles at once is landscape-oriented oval shaped and I've seen squarish ones too. I don't have anything on my right pocket right now, but it changes depending on my mood. Can you wear the National Outdoor Badges there? Sure, why not.

 

Now, if you go so far as to earn the National Outdoor Medal, you can wear it where you wear your medals, centered above the left pocket (above knots if you're wearing any), with the caveat that you can't wear more than 5 medals on your shirt at once. Also, you don't wear both the medal and a knot for something, like if you're an Eagle you don't wear both the Eagle Medal and the Eagle Knot, you pick one or the other.

 

If you'd like, you can wear temporary insignia on the back of the merit badge sash as well. Once that fills up, though (or if you're an adult scouter and thus don't wear a merit badge sash anymore), any other patches would go on a brag vest/jacket or on your backpack (and most swimming things go on your swim suit). They shouldn't have to relist these things with every new award that comes out.

[sherminator505]

"Yes, of course National cares. The real question is not whether they care, but whether they care about the same things that you care about and whether they have the same priorities that you have."

 

If this is even an issue, if this question can be seriouly entertained, and if there is enough separation between goals and priorities of National and those at the unit level, then our organization has BIG problems to address.