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I've noticed that the quality of the OA has gone down. It's become more of the BSA party society. My youth experience was only at the chapter level, the chapter covering all of the UK, Iceland, and Norway. We held our own Ordeal and Brotherhood ceremonies. I remember the entire chapter essentially did the Ordeal with the candidates. Some conducted OA business, but the other remaining few were out there working. In the evening, everyone was present for the ceremonies. I think it officially has changed form the honor society to the service society, but every rank requires some sort of ser
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For anyone who uses Troopmaster: when viewing a scout's advancement, and you click on "Palms", the participation requirement shows up with a notation about # and the year 2024, and it lists 90 days participation. Does this mean the requirement to wait 90 days after earning Eagle before being awarded Palms is back in place? Or is this just Troopmaster weirdness? This is my son's record. He has 30 completed MBs (one not entered yet, so 29 "officially"), so with instapalms he would have had at least a bronze.
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Venturing has been in decline, our entire District is down to 1 crew. There w as a rumor that a new program Rovers? that could replace venturing. I think Rovers would be pushing the upper age limit of Venturing. Edit... Rovers look like option post Venturing.. https://tidewaterbsa.com/rovers/
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Maybe that is why the Venturing Director made that announcement. To quote Han Solo:
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Another random thought... When we offer the option of fully coed Troops, will there be an ongoing need for Venturing?
- Today
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The OA has lost a lot of meaning in my neck of the woods. And now that everybody who wants in gets in. None of my Scouts are interested. In the past 6 years, only 1 person wanted in, and he was pushed by his dad who was an Arrowman in his youth. He did the Ordeal, and went to a meeting, and it was so bad he never went again. As for 2 of my sons, despite telling the OA election team they were not interested in joining the OA and remove their names from the ballot, their names remained and they did get elected. But never did their Ordeal. The reason they told me was that the OA is no longer
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There is no different training for Cub Scout leaders. Lions/Tigers/Wolves/Bears den leader is the same as Webelos/AOL. And for a Cub Scout to earn AOL, they only have to participate in one outdoor activity. They don't even have to camp anymore. That's not enough practice to bridge up to a troop who camps monthly. So the scouts are doing a lot of the transition after they join a troop.
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With respect, I would start with the 4th grade Webelos. I was around in the old 3 year Cub Scout program, when you had 9-12 months to earn both Webelos and AOL and cross over. One year was not enough time to prepare for the differences in programs. When the 18-24 month program came out in the 1990s, it was based upon research, and the training of the time emphasized the differences between the two programs and how Webelos needed to start transition in 4th grade. When the training got updated circa 2009, that information was not emphasized as much as the older training. IMHO separating al
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In his soul, every young man longs to know he is worthy... that he has "the right stuff". And he seeks this approval from other men whom he admires. (It is a profound evil that some men use this trait against a youth.) Unfortunately, all men are fallible. One day, the young man is mature enough to realize his approval of himself is what he ultimately needs. He is his own measurer, and harshest critic, because only he and his God know the whole, true story of himself. (And that realization will hopefully lead him on to a deeper truth.) The sooner I can help a youth to realize this, th
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@AwakeEnergyScouter, I appreciate your thoughtful reply. At that age, there wasn't anything that made me want to retreat from girls. In fact, my developing brain was probably pushing me toward them. Scouting gave me an opportunity to turn that part of my brain off for the weekend and enabled me to better absorb my troop experience. I didn't have to worry about body odor, acne, getting my hair just right, or "peacocking" (strutting around with my feathers out to ward off competing males). I don't think I was any less prepared for my adult life because I had been interacting with female pee
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We really old guys likely chuckle, or get annoyed by the complaints about that type of thing. I was 15 and a Life Scout when I was sitting on a log at campfire at old Camp Arataba and guys in nice regalia were moving about in the crowd. All of a sudden a very loud yell in my ear found me being jerked to my feet and pushed to the front of the area where I was "tapped out", and I mean TAPPED OUT. All of us were then taken to get sleeping bags and went off to the woods. Of course that was when most tap outs were done heavily and you might hear the shoulder tap a long way away. We all wore th
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Your mention of a lack of adults wanting to be in the outdoors reminded me of a post I saw on an OA FB page. A guy went through Ordeal and described it as the toughest thing he had ever done. I was rather shocked. He looks to be about mid-30s. I went through Ordeal at 17 and found it to be easier than a day at Philmont. Frankly, the Ordeal these days is easier than the Lodge induction at my old Catholic camp in southern Illinois. I think it was based on the OA when the camp opened in the 60s and was never really updated.
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The key point here is that fewer scouts (and likely their parents) want to camp ... ... as illustrated here Barry, I used to see that but not anymore. The parents I'm seeing aren't interested. One example is an eagle scout who worked at a high adventure base as a youth. When I said great, we can't wait to have you come on our next campout, he hemmed and hawed and said he doesn't do cold weather. We can take his kid but he won't come on that trip. I used to not worry about what the BSA did because I figured the parents would take up the slack and do scouting, one way or the
- Yesterday
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The obvious answer is that we haven't changed the name of the organization enough. I'm certain people will be knocking the doors down now.
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We haven't been doing great working with our packs. In the past, the Pack leaders were much more responsive to our invites but recently most kids are dropping before getting to Boy Scouts. So, this is a bit of a Hail Mary. If we fail to recruit by fall 2025 our Troop will likely fold. Also, we have gone from 4 feeder packs 4 years ago to 1 this coming fall. 3 of the 4 packs have folded.
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That's not a bad idea. I wish our troop was as invested in the pack as yours. Our troop has the same CO but no interaction. Most of the kids came from a pack that folded due to the CO dropping them. Of course, our pack will probably fold at the end of the year due to lack of parental interest and my son crossing over to a different troop.
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As a Troop, we have seen massive losses before crossover, so we are looking to pilot running the 5th grade AOL program. Our plan is to hold AOL meetings concurrently with Troop Meetings had have our Troop Guide and a ASM run the den meeting. Basically take over for the den leaders. Not sure if it will work, but we figured it can't be worse than what has been happening the last 3 years.
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So far this appears to be the only direct, unfiltered presentation to us from NAM 2024. Thank you and Scout Salute to Scouter Selby (note Assistant Scoutmaster patch) -
The Cub program was pretty simple. I think it started too early, but I get the need to get kids interested before they get into sports. It really just took an evening of study to fully grasp it. Taking away the beads and arrowheads simplified things a bit, but then adding in the belt loops made things worse to me. Most kids don't have a waist big enough to carry all the belt loops. Adding back the beads in different colors and ditching the arrow head and belt loops would be an improvement. I think that moving AOL to its own 5th grade program is a bad idea. Puts extra pressure on the DL
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Get your thoughts on the riding segment... Riding. A Scout, Sea Scout, or Venturer may earn the National Outdoor Badge for Riding upon successfully completing the following requirements: Earn the First Class rank, Sea Scout Apprentice rank, or complete Venturing Ranger Award requirements 1-6. Complete the requirements for at least one of the following: Cycling merit badge or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective and 100 miles of cycling Horsemanship merit badge or Ranger Equestrian elective and 20 miles of horseback riding Motorboating merit ba
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As I recall, that was also following the disastrously poorly conceived SCOUTING USA rebrand. Rebrands are highly problematic. BSA needs to be smart about this. (I know, I know).
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A lot of people get spread thin; but if more leaders just asked people to step up it wouldnt be such a problem. I see a lot of troops in my area suffering from low scouter numbers; however, they are doing it to themselves. Heck I mentioned troop resource surveys at my sons troop and I would be dead right now if looks could kill.
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Not required, although some may like to (my son doesn't like the feel of the scout shirt on his torso, so wears an undershirt or a performance "activity uniform" shirt underneath). I wear a performance shirt underneath if camping in cooler weather, etc Reference top button, as the ASM in charge of Trail to First Class said, "You're not in church, so undo that button!" 😄
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rallybug changed their profile photo -
Less willingness, or less ability/time to do so? My wife and I are already having talks about how far down the Scouter rabbit hole do we go. I'm an ACM for the pack with our youngest (just got his Wolf), and an ASM for the Troop where out eldest just crossed over. My wife is the Wolf (now Bear) DL and Pack Treasurer. (Our CM is also an ASM, and our pack CC is also an ASM - the joys of kids split by age, and the CC, CM, and our sons are all in the same Den, so that could be "fun" for the pack in 3 years...). I did the NRA RSO training last weekend as my wife works with one of the Coun
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See? This is what happens when you don't ask your Highway Commissioner if she ever was a Cub Scout....
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Posts
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I've noticed that the quality of the OA has gone down. It's become more of the BSA party society. My youth experience was only at the chapter level, the chapter covering all of the UK, Iceland, and Norway. We held our own Ordeal and Brotherhood ceremonies. I remember the entire chapter essentially did the Ordeal with the candidates. Some conducted OA business, but the other remaining few were out there working. In the evening, everyone was present for the ceremonies. I think it officially has changed form the honor society to the service society, but every rank requires some sort of service hours. I'm not sure how the kids will find that to be a draw. It's no longer anything special until you reach Vigil. -
For anyone who uses Troopmaster: when viewing a scout's advancement, and you click on "Palms", the participation requirement shows up with a notation about # and the year 2024, and it lists 90 days participation. Does this mean the requirement to wait 90 days after earning Eagle before being awarded Palms is back in place? Or is this just Troopmaster weirdness? This is my son's record. He has 30 completed MBs (one not entered yet, so 29 "officially"), so with instapalms he would have had at least a bronze. -
Venturing has been in decline, our entire District is down to 1 crew. There w as a rumor that a new program Rovers? that could replace venturing. I think Rovers would be pushing the upper age limit of Venturing. Edit... Rovers look like option post Venturing.. https://tidewaterbsa.com/rovers/ -
By Eagle94-A1 · Posted
Maybe that is why the Venturing Director made that announcement. To quote Han Solo: -
By InquisitiveScouter · Posted
Another random thought... When we offer the option of fully coed Troops, will there be an ongoing need for Venturing?
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