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JTE is definitely a corporate Lean type site measurement that was brought it. We typically get Gold status, but not sure it's something we focus on, but moving on... In JTE measurement the challenge I have is that Budget for the unit has the same equivalency as Short Term camping. A troop can be a Gold unit and in a year do only 4 short term campouts and going to summer camp. The JTE certainly does hopefully move units to do certain things, but clearly (IMHO) any unit that is "GOLD" should be camping 9 -12 times per year as short term, some of those campouts should be backpacking or

Some of my best Scouting memories have been helping Scouts to earn the Rifle and Shotgun merit badges.

I am Scoutmaster for a 22-member all-girl Troop that is "stand-alone" and not linked to an existing unit. In fact, we are the only youth program at the church that serves as our CO. I'm a 30-year Scouter and have done it all. I will observe that the girls attracted to our group represent a normal cross-section of girls in our city in terms of income, race and interests. 8 crossed-over from an all-girl Webelos den at anther CO, which they just loved. 5 came over from GSUSA for a variety of reasons. Two remain dual-registered. We have had four troop meetings, one day hike and go on our f

We are giving consideration to that very idea with a twist under current rules. We are considering a Webelos-only cub pack for girls to link with our all-girl Troop. Same meeting times, girl den chiefs, participation in Troop activities when it makes sense under the current structure. Maybe this fall, but the following year if not then.

As long as we're dreaming about changing national, here's another option for cub scout burnout: Take webelos out of the cub program. The first year of scouts could be mixed in with it as well. The idea is to have an intermediate stage between cubs and scouts. The only purpose would be to develop teamwork and start doing a consistent outdoor program. Adult led patrols would be fine. The mantra would be "as soon as you get to scouts you'll do this on your own, so learn." Before anyone says that's what webelos is supposed to be, I agree, but for the simple reason that a webelos den looks a l

One might go even further. Simply holding 9 - 12 camping trips a year might be insufficient if only say 10-20% of scouts are attending. Some percentage of scout-nights-camped would be a better pure metric to track.

I'm sure litigation was the motivation, but we had a scout break his arm during an activity that we forgot to submit a tour permit. When I reported the incident and that we forgot the tour permit, the response was "No Biggy". I was told later that the professionals knew that any good lawyer could hold the BSA to their word of taking responsibility. I can see that you are skeptical of councils big brother approach to forcing units to follow a check list, I was too. But when I volunteered at the district and council level, I learned that more adults than you would think are very thoughtles

I like your idea. IMHO, it sounds like a great concept. IMHO, troops should offer a similar program for boys.

This immediately came to mind.

At some point it got back to parents that there was a rule, no first-year scouts allowed on the ballot. I have to imagine that just as easily it could get back to parents that SM recommendation is one of the several requirements (alongside rank and nights camping). This still feels like just a case of the wrong info being put out there. If it becomes known in the troop that the SM has to recommend a scout to get on the ballot, that's what will circulate among scouts and parents. The problem seems to be coming from the seemingly broad rule that scouts and parents think this SM created abou

...and I'm imagining a "kinder, gentler" U.S. Marine Corps drill sergeant, telling a motivational story to a barracks full of privates who may not see the wisdom of rolling out of their bunks at 5am to do a 5-mile jog in the rain with full backpacks.

I guess, but in our area OA suddenly shows up at a meeting to do the election. Oh we may get a couple days warning, but it's not like there are months of preparation and counseling before the election. I'm not even sure how parents find out about it. If I'm counseling any scouts about qualification, it's usually the night of the election because it suddenly came up. And as I said, when it comes to first year scouts, I counseled more parent than scouts. When did not getting elected become a bad thing? Not getting elected should be normal because it's a program for elite scouts. Or was.

I think that's fine as long as that is communicated. Maybe this whole thing is just a failure of communication at some level. Re-reading the OP, it sounds like parents were under the assumption that to get on the ballot, a scout simply had to meet the qualifications, those qualifications seemingly being the more quantifiable stuff, rank and nights camping. If SM recommendation isn't viewed (or communicated) as a "requirement" to get on the ballot, it could just be a matter of making that clear. Again, if this is presented as "no first-year scouts allowed", that doesn't speak to the S

Contact your council to see if they have a Chair for International Scouting. Many do. Particularly this year as it is World Jambo year. If they have one, then they can assist you in connecting with Troops from other countries. If your council does not have one, then perhaps they can point you to another council in your Area that has such a position.

Is it this? https://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/International_Activity_Badge It's been replaced by https://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/International_Spirit_Award

https://www.reddit.com/r/scouting/ is full of posts from scouts from various nations saying hello.

I was sitting with my 5 month old grandson and his beautiful mother last week just chit chatting about her new life experiences. In the discussion, she told me, "you are right dad, boy are different from girls, even at 5 months." Girls do have more freedom than ever to make their own choices, but our culture has overstepped it's bounds and force equality against nature. Nature always wins in the long run. Barry

I still turn my collar under, just as I did as a youth member in 1968