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LATEST POSTS
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By Eaglewarr7 · Posted
Thank you all for your replies. Great information. i will pass this on. -
By InquisitiveScouter · Posted
I have been Scouting since the 80's and have never heard of a "Service Troop." However, when I did an internet search, a Service Troop is described as an ad hoc unit formed to address a specific task, and is liken to a "Service Corps", formed at and for specific events, like a council camporee, national jamboree, a county or state fair, etc. --------------------------------- As far as I can remember, no Troop is ever "required" to help their CO with CO events. But it is just good policy. A Troop is a guest in the CO's space, so it expected they would provide some help to further the CO's interests, insofar as those interests are aligned with those of Scouting. Adorning veteran's graves with flags for Memorial Day Observances is a clear cut example of that alignment. ---------------------------------- The adult leaders' responses are correct... it is the Scouts who are supposed to run the Troop. But, this could also be a convenient excuse for them to ignore or sideline your request... ------------------------------------ So, is your COR a member of the Legion? If not, that is a mistake, IMHO, and should be corrected post haste... If the COR is a member of the Legion, then the Legion Commander (the Institution Head) should ask (tell) the COR to set expectations with the unit for some service to the Chartering Organization. That is a negotiation... zero is not the right answer, and weekly is not the right answer, either... so, you have boundary limits. Find your happy place in there. We try to do a quarterly service for our CO (a church). Scouts will often set up tables and chairs for church events, remove fallen tree limbs from the adjacent cemetery, and clean/decorate (with flag) veterans' graves for Memorial Day. We also advise Eagle Scout candidates about their opportunities for service projects with our CO. We have built playgrounds and prayers gardens for our CO, or helped staff fundraising events like bake sales and bbq's. Our Scouts also participate in the service and put on a kit for each Scout Sunday. If you get pushback from the Scouts, unit leaders, or council, then simply terminate your charter.... which begs the question, does your COR have a current (signed) charter from the council for your unit for 2026? http://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/524-95626-Annual-Charter-Agreement.pdf Take a look and read line II A. 3. the CO must "Refrain from using the Scouting brand as a means to imply Scouting America’s endorsement of the objectives of the Charter Organization, except with respect to youth development, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Scouting program." [Underlining added for emphasis.] To elaborate more on this... part of the Legion's reason for existence is covered in their Preamble https://www.legion.org/about/organization/preamble If you at just three of those principles: "To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all wars; To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; " , then you can rightly draw the conclusion that placing flags on veteran's graves meets those objectives, AND that planting flags is also "consistent with the goals and objectives of the Scouting Program" So the Legion is fully within it's Chartering Organization rights and duties, under the Annual Charter, to require their Scout units to participate in this event. ---------------------------------------- Six months lead time is not bad, because many units plan their calendar that far in advance. Since you know when Memorial Day is going to happen, you can put in a standing request that (for example) the Scout unit must support flag planting on the Saturday before Memorial Day each year. You can work out the wording of that with them. Now the real question comes... If the Scouts refuse, does anyone in the Legion have the courage to terminate the unit? If you do not have a current signed Charter for the council, then you can terminate the unit immediately, and refuse them from using your facilities or property (trailers and unit gear belongs to the CO.) If you have a signed charter, then you must abide by that agreement and wait for it to expire. You do not have to renew 😜 ------------------------------------------- Kilts are not a part of the official uniform. "Heritage thing" is the wrong answer. If someone at Council actually said this, they are way out of line and do not know what they are talking about. See the Guide to Awards and Insignia, for example ; https://www.scouting.org/resources/insignia-guide/ Part VII, Official Uniforms ; "The official uniforms authorized as evidence of official relationship to Scouting America are those approved by Scouting America from time to time, as illustrated and correctly described in the handbooks, catalogs, and other official guidelines of Scouting America. The official uniforms and parts thereof may be issued only as authorized by Scouting America and sold either directly by the National Service Center through responsible local merchants designated as local Scouting distributors or through designated local councils. Local Scouting distributors may be appointed and licensed and the licenses revoked only by the National Service Center, but chartered local councils may make recommendations for such actions. Imitation of United States Army, Navy, or Marine Corps uniforms is prohibited, in accordance with the provisions of the organization’s Congressional Charter." So, again, I ask... does anyone at the Legion have the courage to hold the unit accountable? It is your unit after all... Good luck -
The Chartering Organization is under no obligation to continue. I would think service to the CO, while not "required" seems like a good way for the scouts to maintain goodwill with an Org which provides space, support, and likely $. Also a provides a means for scouts to demonstrate living a primary value of scouting as stated in the Slogan and Oath. Lastly participation in service checks off advancement requirements. I think this situation is ripe for the SM to sit down with the PLC and pose the question, and provide some guidance. Personally I would "seed" the conversation by spinning relevant yarns at a prior meetings using my SM minute. I would probably do at least 4 or 5 with the same theme. -
By Eaglewarr7 · Posted
I've been told by my COR for our Troops and Cub Scout Pack that the old service Troops are no longer available and that the Troops are no longer required to help their Charter Organization. Is this True? As the 2nd Vice and District Scouting Chairman for our Legion district, I have asked our scouts to help the posts several times, and my membership is now upset with them because when we need the Scouts, they do not show up. Period. We do flags on Veterans' Graves as well as Flag retirements. We were asked to help them do Scouting for Food. They did not do it at all. I've got over 30 years as a scouter. The adult leadership seems to me to have lost its way because it will not even ask the boys about doing things. It kinda seems to me they are afraid to ask the scouts to do anything and when the Scoutmaster is asked, all replies are that the adults do not run the Troop, the Boys do. And if they do, ask for a request for 6 months out. Also, the boys voted to wear kilts instead of Scout Pants. The colored kilts have been added to the Scout youth promotion package now, too. My membership is not happy about that either because it violates the national Policy. I've asked my Council about that, and they told me it was ok because it was a heritage thing. And our adults get offended when they are asked to be in proper uniform. Our Troop is getting big but I think they need to focus on doing things to help out their Charter, too. -
They didn't cut far enough to account for the debt. It seems like they picked backup business as usual.
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