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I had a girl troop last weekend at the camporee I was a planner for. They were full uniformed, excellent attitudes and were within the top three scores on every event. They also knocked it out of the park on the other optional point items and took home top troop of the district for the event. Definitely a big thumbs up from me on girls in scouting.

Wasn't allowed when I was a scout (I will hit 55 years in November), although I would much rather see them on the back of a MB sash (neatly) than see someone with 6 or 7 temporary patches all dangling from the button on their right pocket.

I favor the "other" MAGA ::: Make America Grate Again... Support the Parmigiana Initiative … Bon giorno ... Seriously, the original episode has much to discuss. Scouts leading a city council opening ceremony, good. Poorly uniformed, not so good. "Taking a knee" to protest something, very American in my opinion. But was the venue appropriate for this? Maybe not. Maybe speak to the CCouncil about their (lack of or need for or present) policies to combat racism or prejudice? better.

Well explained, willray. The navigation system in a car uses GPS, but it is not the same as a handheld unit that can give you a specific set of coordinates describing your position on the planet. Unfortunately, the whole topic of navigation is not well understood by most scouters. Even basic map and compass skills bewilder many leaders, never mind asking them to explain how to read a topographic map. I would like to see a good navigation class offered at my local University of Scouting. Lord knows I'm bored senseless by all the bureaucratic nonsense about the politically corre

I think you mistake what it means to be partisan. To allow individuals to express their political views on non-uniform gear is not partisan. That opens the door for productive debate. One kid brings a MAGA hat, another a Hope-and-Change hat. They invite dialogue upon themselves. Partisan is using your associations with an organization to misrepresent an organizational endorsement of a particular candidate. Most people know that if one scout is wearing a hat or even a campaign pin, and another is not, that the scouts are expressing individual -- not organizational -- aspirations.

That seems like a responsible way to arrive at the right conclusion. Hopefully if they ever start to diverge from that, you can nudge them back in the right direction with some well-placed questions! GPS units tell you where you are. Compasses tell you what direction you are facing. Both require maps, and being able to use the information regarding where you are, or what direction you are facing, to find and follow routes. It seems disingenuous to ask a computer built into navigation system, to use the maps built into a navigation system to find and follow a route, and to then cal

This has been a problem with our troop for the last few years. Our older scouts did not have this requirement and have no idea how to teach this. Typically they (first class and above) sign off on requirements and we had a few sign off on the use of a car GPS using a street address. As SM I feel that the BSA is an outdoor program and a handheld should be used in the back country or while camping for 4b. Our solution was to have a meeting with the scouts and discuss what they felt should be taught and learned in this requirement. The consensus was to learn waypoints, lat/long, working the inter

The NPR program “A1” broadcast today was a generally balanced one hour discussion. The BSA National executive who appeared shared that we now have 1,800 all girl troops, which sounds good to me. This is definite evidence of 2 things: we have a program that is clearly relevant to and demanded by girls and we still have a splendid National organization that can execute on important priorities in an effective manner. Things to be very proud of.

If you would discourage a scout from wearing a Hope T-shirt then you should also discourage the MAGA hats. Politics dont really need a place in scouting there are many other things to focus on. As a conservitive I bite my lip and shoo away parents from talking politics as I get enough of that from working with progressives. We have much too learn from each other outside of politics and its a lot more fun learning scout skills or just doing scouting.

Yep, repeating the same program over and over drives out the older scouts because even though they have achieved all the advancement requirements, they end up teaching them over and over. They want to be role models, not babysitters. Scouts want adventure and the adults want (should want) behavior growth. The 8 methods do a very good job of guiding the scouts in a fun and rewarding program. I find that while most young scouts aren't very interested in advancement, they become more ambitious as they get older. From a Eagles per Scouts perspective, our troop after five years was producing t

You are not a poor instructor. The FAA found in their research that Aviation GPS manufacturers needed to develop some commonality in their user interfaces so pilots didn't have to relearn a system every time they jumped into a different airplanes. Most pilots rent airplanes, so flying a different airplane each flight is not unusual. Barry

I imagine that typically a group of new scouts has been a bunch of fifth-graders, not a bunch of teenagers. Being half again as old (as the 16-year-old in that troop is) makes a difference. I have been impressed by the enthusiasm of the girls that have joined our troop. They did not just drift into this because someone signed them up for cubs (or for brownies) years ago and they've drifted along with their friends. They really want to be there. We have around a dozen girls drawing from four towns, three school districts --- it is a very self-selected group. And yes, I've got a

Putting temporary badges on the back of the sash is per BSA uniforming guide. Page 11, "Excess Insignia" ... "Scouts may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank) on the back of the merit badge sash." I know scouters can posture on many different issues, but this is really one that we should celebrate and not ridicule. There are way worse uniforming creations than what is worn on the back of the sash. I have my hot button ones too, but our role is to celebrate the scouts and not look down on them.

Are you saying that the normal natural talents of these girls in a patrol method program were enough to earn them the highest skills awards in the district, in just one month? Somebody was trying to prove something. Was it the girls? The list was warned about this. There is a reason single gender is preferred for growth in this age group. Not just scouts, but any area where growth is the primary objective. When one gender has an advantage to gain recognition or power over the other gender, the other gender naturally feel disheartened and belittled. The natural reaction is retreating away

Only if every den has a stove, etc. It's really a different situation. Cooking for 50 is different than cooking for 8 groups of 6.

no, no parental assistance scout should do it on his own, if he cant drive, he can bike, walk, or find some other method

@Eagledad, That's like saying our patrols' consistent victories at Klondike is discouraging other boys in the district to join scouts. Let's face it, this isn't an absorption of GS/USA. This is a recruitment of scouts who care about skills the way many boys who drift into a troop actually should. In the short term, we can expect them some of these Scout's BSA for girls troops to give the lion's share of established patrols a run for their money. In the long term, we can expect the boys in the district to step up their game if their SM's are half the coaches they should be. Why is thi

Yep, definitely a great motivator to encourage more boys to join. Barry

They do that one thing well.

Thanks for all the great feedback. Sounds like the consensus is: Keep it FUN and don't make the requirement too burdensome! Suggest to the PLC that they consider teaching GPS skills using a simple short course at a local park or CO campus (maybe use geocaches as motivators?) Smartphones, dedicated GPS units, and fixed units all have pros/cons; learn them Incorporate GPS skills into campouts/activities to encourage mastery (not required for advancement) See if you can find a pilot to take you flying!!!

Any CO can impose its preferences on its units. If a group of LDS members wish to form a "community-owned" unit and generally follow the previous practices of formerly-LDS units, they certainly can do so.

Another thought is Ask another Troop if you can camp next to them. Separate programs, but additional adults in the area. Barry

I love my uniform. It think it's pretty sharp looking. I like how everything is neat and has it's place (assuming everybody matches) . But one thing I hate, is trying to get my neckerchief to lay right at the collar. Now, I tuck my neckerchief under my collar. Why? Well, that's how I have always seen everybody else do it. But I have seen others wear theirs over the top of the collar. So here's my thing: I do think itb looks neater under the collar, but it is the biggest pain trying to get it to lay flat under the colar and to lay evenly under the cllar on both sides. The

Maga hats are both a partisan political prop and are a symbol of white supremacy. I would instantly drop from any unit that allowed them.