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Must a boy join the local unit?


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The small town that I live near has just decided to transfer to another unit instead of trying to run this one with 6 boys and 3 adults. Neither of my sons are part of this unit. My oldest is a boy scout and the other scout is a Wolf. My oldest joined the Troop that he is with 4 years ago. I signed the other up with the Pack that meets in the same church on the same night (just different times) just so I only had to drive and ask off work one night a week. This was also very important because I am the Wolf leader and ASM. At least this year, I will have an assistant Wolf leader. The other mother from my town has said that she will help me.

 

The parents of at least 3 of the boys have decided to transfer their sons to the Pack that I am associated with. There is a Pack that would be considered our local Pack because it is the only one in our county. The parents don't want to transfer to that one, but I have been told that I was wrong in sharing about this Pack and that the boys should go local. One unit is 12 miles and the other is 18 miles. There thinking is that we are all from the same small town and that the boys already know each other. It would make more since to keep them together than to seperate them.

 

I was also told when we joined this unit that as long as I was willing to transport them it didn't matter what unit I put them in. Which is correct and thank you.

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The deicision on what unit to join is totally up to the boy and his parents. As long as you meet the membership requirements of the BSA and the Chartering Organization (some CO's may limit membership to certain groups, such as members of their own faith). Your DE may try to "steer" members to certain units who need more members, but that's only a "suggestion".

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Kittle - sounds like you are getting advice from either district, council or some Scout leaders who wants to run things their way.

The unit you have choosen and are happy with is the one you should stay with. Your boys are the main thing.

Stick to your guns.

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Kittle Apache Bob is right in stick to your guns, in my trainings I've never heard the term local unit. Anyone can join any BSA unit as long as they meet BSA & the COR requirments, and no pack or troop are always the right fit. I transfered my youngest son to a different unit because of issues with a helicopter parent in his den. He has enjoyed scouting more and will get his Arrow of Light this year. Enjoy the pack & troop your part of and sharing info is a service not a crime.

 

YIS

Doug

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I drove 34 miles each week to attend a scout meeting of my choice. Each parent/boy can make that same decision.

 

I drive 57 miles to attend a crew meeting and I have boys that come the day before the crew meeting, stay over night so they can be ready to go at 8:00 am. Otherwise they would have to start driving at 4:30 am to make it in time. Fortunately the crew meetings are only once a month. I have boys from 3 different states involving 6 different councils, and we're looking to expand even further.

 

So in your case, count your blessings, find the pack/troop you would enjoy the most and sign up!

 

Stosh

 

 

 

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It is possible that the people who are advocating staying "local" are trying to keep Scouts who see each other at School and in their daily lives together which is often a good strategy for keeping them involved with each other and in Scouting over the long haul.

 

However, you may and should join the Troop which best serves your needs.

You are not wrong for putting choice out for other parents to look at different Troops - their son might not stick with the "local" troop but might continue on with a different group. Each Scout and their parents should be able to decide. :)

 

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Add me to those who agree that you can, and should, join the unit that best meets your family's needs. We are members at my son's school but could have joined at our Church, or at the school closer to our house, or several other choices. We decided on the one at his school because it fits our family's needs best.(This message has been edited by docrwm)

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BSA has an open enrollment policy... ;)

 

 

The only place I've seen where the unit you participate with is determined by your zip code are the LDS units, which are typically structured to serve a specific ward, branch, or stake (depending on how urban or rural the setting is...).

 

Even there, I've seen a few examples where boys decided to move to a traditional troop for a better program.(This message has been edited by eolesen)

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