Leaderboard

I wonder if there's not a couple of things going on these days. First, I think there are a lot of folks that knew or remember how the Vietnam vets were treated when they came home. There's some desire, at least in some parts of society, to make up for that societal disgrace. It can't be taken back, but, a different attitude can be shown moving forward. I think the second thing that's happening is we're now what 40 years into the all volunteer force. There are two generations of citizens that realize they didn't even have to consider serving. I wonder if some folks are coming to terms wit

The Short list: My mom's sister, who gave me my 1st Cub Scout uniform for Christmas. Best scout I ever knew: aged out at 2nd class. Recruited me into his troop. Was APL, then PL. My Webelos DL, who took us out and taught us to shoot his 38 special. The SPL who patiently showed me how to start a fire from coals when we were the first people up in the morning. My Jamboree SM. First time I ever knew an SM could be so young ... excited to get back to his wife and baby. The Jamboree ASMs. Guys who always were there for everyone. My oldest brother. Some of w

So you are doing some backpacking. Cool! Call some packs and ask to visit their Webelos dens to show off pictures of their adventures and bring their gear to show off. Boys (not sure about girls) like gadgets. Best way to get boys excited about adventure is to listen to boys talking about adventure. We have in the past taken dutch oven and made cobbler. Cobbler is fun because it so easy to make in front over everyone. But if time is an issue, you can start cooking before the Web's show up. Or ask a den or two to meet your scouts at the park where they will talk about their troop (adventures) a

Interesting NY Times article regarding the lawsuit. What I find interesting is that some GSUSA leaders are expressing frustration with their leadership not listening to the girls with GSUSA. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/us/girl-scouts-sue-boy-scouts.html

Once they have a calendar of events. Your guys have to get in one school assembly where you and them present it to boys their age. Search this forum for "boy talks" or "scout talks" to get an idea of what works and what doesn't.

First - lots of adult drama seems to be in play, but let's power through that Scouts are the best recruits for Scouts. The best way to get boys who are not involved is PROGRAM. Not advancement, not meetings, not citizenship, etc etc, it's PROGRAM. Get your 3 active scouts to clearly set a calendar of OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING. That is the selling point for other boys to engage, what will THEY be doing, what is in it for them. Go Do Stuff. Get the dates set and get a plan to go do things. Not sure where you are but that is what will get the boys to show up. Canoeing, kayaking. hiking

We all have role models growing up. They can be our parents, friends, or Scouters. Who is your Scouting role model and why? As I was growing up, I spent many summers in Middle Tennessee with my grandparents. In many ways my grandfather influenced me, especially in camping, hiking, and the outdoors. He took me to buy my first handbook, Bill Hillcourt's Official Boy Scout Handbook, 9th edition. That summer I spent many, many hours reading that handbook and practicing the outdoor skills at my grandpa's cabin in the woods. Even though I never met Green Bar Bill, he is one of my Scouting

Many of us crossed that bridge a while back.....helps while unpacking gear back at the house on Sundays

Hah - now I'm going to see the word Scouts and think Bourbon.

Possibly Bourbon may be a good example If it is produced in the USA, made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn, aged in new, charred oak containers, distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume), entered into the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume), bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof or more (40% alcohol by volume) it can be called Bourbon. Do the same thing in Canada, guess it is called whiskey. It's all in the name though the product is or could be identical Also as this suit may drag on, the use of bourb

Perhaps Cola. "Coca Cola" started it all but it wasn't long before there were other "Colas" like Pepsi, RC, and others throughout the world. While Coke can claim ownership of Coca Cola and Pepsi can claim ownership of Pepsi Cola, I doubt anyone would face serious legal challenges to simply offering a generic "Cola" or perhaps a more accurate of a comparison, "Cola BSA."

I don't know his name and I probably only met him once but I'll never forget him. I had just moved to town and joined a scout troop (Devon 50 right outside of Valley Forge). I didn't know anyone, I was struggling with everything, new school, new neighbors, and then there was the Scout Law. I just couldn't get it and I was frustrated. I was at this gentleman's house with a bunch of other new scouts. He was much older than any of the other adults in the troop. He was the epitome of kind. He helped me through memorizing the scout oath and law. If there's anything in scouting I'd like to be it wou

I ask this question because I was reading a 1979 article yesterday in the Scouting magazine archives, and it got my mind thinking about all the thousands of influential Scouters that've come along and helped raise us. This particular article was about a chaplain named Les Shearer. I'd post the link to the article but Google books is missing the year 1979 ☹️

Argh, I HATE hearing about ignorant EBOR board members who think they have the right to question a boy's work when his project has already been passed off! So, I note that your son just turned 14. As a 14 year-old Eagle candidate myself, I know I had a lot of condescending board members who seemed to doubt that a 14 year-old was capable of any "real" leadership, and they seemed to expect that I had allowed my parents or leaders to do most of the work. This attitude is absolutely inappropriate, and I hope that is not the kind of mindset your son was battling. I was fortunate in that I

I have never heard of a scout loosing an appeal. Barry

That was our understanding of what the board of review was for, hence the devastation. My heart just aches for him. What can we do to make sure this doesn't happen at the appeal board of review?

This was in the recent Scouting Wire: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/11/07/an-eagle-scout-board-of-review-isnt-a-job-interview-its-a-celebration/?utm_source=scoutingwire&utm_campaign=swvolunteer11142018&utm_medium=email&utm_content=B And...

Interesting read http://mchattielaw.com/2018/11/09/scouts-trademark-infringement/

Two things: First. When I was a crew advisor with adult drama swirling around me I used the phrase: "I'm not about to be bothered by the burrs up anyone's butt, especially yours." I only needed to use it once per aggrieved adult. It will be a little bit harder for you to do that because of age differences. You could try saying, "I'm working for smiles." But, I'm afraid they won't take that as an indication that you're expecting them to stop jawing, to make peace, and get to the work at hand. Second. Team up with another troop/crew. Go to roundtable. See who's out there, and see

Recruiting Boy Scout age youth can be difficult but as everyone above points out, there are definitely ways to do it. There is one Troop in my district that has no Pack affiliation and they manage to keep afloat year and year with fresh, new Scouts throughout the year. It's amazing how well they do with word-of-mouth recruiting from the Scouts themselves. In our school district it's difficult getting into a school to make a presentation or do a Scout talk because the principals limit outside organizations. The power of Scouts talking to their friends is truly awesome!

Effective recruitment is an active process. Signs and "come to" events are passive and yield less results. The current scouts need to go to where prospective recruits congregate and do stuff with them, become friends, ask them to join. The adults do the same with the adults. This can take many forms, either engaging with the prospectives immediately, or doing scout stuff to gather an audience. Recruitment is cheap, easy, effective but you can only pick two.

or call the by their individual, patrol or troop name. Hey troop 123, Hey Coyote Patrol, Hey johhny and phil, Hey jane and margaret.

I'm really disappointed in this thread. I clicked hoping for a discussion and recipes for some sugary, gooey, pastry goodness, and you guys are talking about can openers.

My troop chose the beret because of the Army. I was with a troop on base at Fort Campbell, from 1965 - 1974. Back then, the only one's who wore berets were Special Forces. When we saw that we could wear that red beret, we were all over it.

Summer camp this year I saw a ton of different hats. This one is a Military style Garrison cap. The never functional Beret. This is our troop Black Baseball Style cap. When everyone wears the campaign hat it looks very sharp.

I don't know if I am atypical in this but I don't even liked to be thanked for my service. 1. It is rote and meaningless in most cases. 2. I didn't really do it for them. 3. I don't feel like I actually did anything that was of service to the person making the comment. 4. I feel like it obligates me to respond somewhat in kind like with "you're welcome" which compounds my weird feelings on this practice. Maybe I am too much of a curmudgeon when it comes to this topic. Tangent: I don't say "[God] bless you" when people sneeze either. What a weird practice considering the fact t

The two people to contact would be your council's president, though your SE could have been the one to basically put him in this position, and the Area Director that your SE reports to, this is a BSA national position.