Leaderboard

As we saw through the pandemic, it was/is through the volunteers who carry the fire that scouting continues. Quoting A. J. Kierstead opinion from recent Concord (NH) Monitor "In moments like this I am unbelievably grateful for the decentralized nature of the scouting program. Councils, districts, and units hold the most responsibility for what the scout does when they show up to an event or meeting. Tips are given to help leaders navigate the extensive curriculum, but there are many online resources we rely on that expand upon that base... In my experience, councils, districts

With the CC's approval, another committee member could sign on his behalf.

Took a glance at SB tonight. One of the requirements for the Bear Bobcat adventure is "Learn about the denner position and responsibilities." That will be interesting with 2 kids. I also noticed that the youth protection part that used to be just part of the rank requirements is now one of the required adventures. Bears no longer have to learn about knife safety or how to tie knots. The only outdoor activity required is a 1-mile hike. There is no requirement to observe nature during this hike. You could probably do it on a track. Oh, and there's exciting stuff like reviewing your medic

Just one example of transparency. UK Scout Association annual report attached. BSAs last report 2019 is here https://ar2019.scouting.org/ UK Scout Association has 3.7% youth and increasing vs Scouting USA has 1.2% and falling. scouts-annual-report-2022-to-2023.pdf

Considering National has all manner of training available on line, the obvious gap are NAM presentations. Which just happen to be the most current National policy and therefore the most important to disseminate widely. But Noooooo! “Truth, is the most precious thing we have. Economise it.” --Mark Twain

This is what happens when educators take over the program. BP said it best: "Boys can see adventure in a dirty old duck puddle, and if the Scoutmaster is a boys’ man he can see it too." “See things from the boy's point of view.” "A boy is not a sitting-down animal." "A fisherman does not bait his hook with food he likes. He uses food the fish likes. So with boys." We need folks writing advancement requirements who can see things through a kid's eye, remembering the ex

Reading your post, and thinking how National will be "simplifying" the Scouts BSA program, It's as if multiple voices in my head are saying

May 31, 2024 Update: The civil lawsuit filed by the family of an 11-year-old Boy Scout Manuel Carvalho killed August 28, 2022, at the Camp Honokaia Boy Scout Camp range has been settled. The terms of the out-of-court settlement are confidential. Neither the Carvalho's family attorney Kris LaGuire nor the BSA attorney Lincoln Ashida would comment further. "There have been no arrests or criminal charges filed in connection with Carvalho’s death." "Capt. Rio-Amon Wilkins of the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division said at the time all the charges under review for potential f

May 30, 2024: National Executive Board (NEB) election results from National Annual Meeting from 3 weeks earlier were announced by Brad Tilden. New NEB members: (The NEB has 40-48 members.) "Laurie Champion, managing director at Marsh & McLennan Companies, has served as the Michigan Crossroads Council president and on numerous BSA committees and groups, including the National Program Safety Subcommittee, Insurance Advisory Group, National Governance Task Force and Scouts BSA Committee... Anne-Marie Lamarche is a strategy consultant at Lamarche & Associates with 35 years

Realistic National Leaders Willing to Take Action. Those who served as principal national BSA leaders in the last two decades have addressed simultaneous diminishing membership, financial decline, an angry cultural left, and angry cultural right, hostile litigation over membership standards and child sexual abuse, a worst-case relationship with the press, angry volunteers with every imaginable complaint, disappointed councils, departure of national chartered organization membership, diminished brand equity, hostile youth service competitors and reorganization bankruptcy. With perfect hindsig

To help the organization survive in a state that they want (instead of looking for ways to change it for the better), BSA professionals expel dissenters. Although dated, here is a blog which elaborates on this: (not a Daily KOS fan, in general, but I do read stuff there to learn how others think...) https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2006/3/4/191709/-Supressing-Dissent-in-Boy-Scouts-a-model-for-the-GOP From the writing: "The combination of lap dog boards and control of senior and middle volunteer management positions give the pros an immensely powerful position from which to

1. Legacy members and Volunteers. I grew up in the Scouting program, and the SM and ASMs were the "father figures" I looked up and sought advice from. My fellow Scouts were like brothers to me. In essence Scouting was my surrogate family. I continued on as a Scouter even when I had no kids, because I NEEDED to give back. There was no way I could ever repay my SM and ASMs for every thing they did for me. Closest I could do is give back. When I did have kids, I wanted them to have some of the same experiences and joys that I had as a Scout, and if possible even better ones. But t

Better/finished picture of the rain garden and bocce court behind it.

Interesting. Filling out the application today and having it signed tomorrow anyway, but very good to know. For those who were following son's project woes in the other thread... here are a couple photos. He had some problems with drainage of the court after the beneficiary changed the location, and there was a 3-4' diameter mud puddle. (The first location would have had the drainage trenches leading directly to a ditch.) So he got to fundraise a little more and add a rain garden to the project. Behind the rain garden is the other scout project (gaga pit) that was referenced before.

Eagle application deadline is not when the scout turns 18. BSA Guide To Advancement; section 9.0.1.5. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf The scout has up to 24 months to complete the Eagle Board of Review; BSA GTA section 8.0.3.1. Assuming three months to schedule the EBOR, the Eagle application needs to be submitted within 21 months after the scout turns 18 ... but ... just turn in the Eagle application ASAP. The Eagle rank "REQUIREMENTS" must be completed before the scout turns 18; not the application. https://www.s

Not a huge issue. Someone representing the committee signs, maybe with a notation as to why. DO not hold up the youth.

If we wanted you to have an opinion, we'd give you ours 😜

Did you check the leader guide? Bear Habitat Outdoors REQUIRED Requirement 7

Safeguarding Our Youth General Session presentation (46 min) with Glen Pounder whose job title Youth Protection Executive appears renamed and NEB member Frank Tsuru who also serves as Chair of the Youth Safeguarding Committee. IMHO, presentation gets interesting starting at 19:00 when Mr. Tsuru talks about transparency and policy. Mr. Pounder continues and expands on that discussion. Why NAM presentations can't be broadcast (live and archived) online to all of us remains a puzzle to me. Better yet lets have a two-way dialog, maybe discuss pitfalls of perp profiling, the need for rep

Internal, external, Aluminuminum, magnesium, bushwah... Bring back the universally useful, eminently adaptable war surplus plywood M4 Pack board:

I think that you are right. Internal frame packs were designed for climbers, day or weekend campers/hikers, but not serious cold weather camping (where bulky gear is needed) nor extended hiking (Philmont Treks, anything over 2 or 3 days). Kelty Tiogas and Super Tiogas are very lightweight and superb external frame packs. Dana Designs (the old school versions on eBay) are Backpacker Magazine Award winners. Specifically, the K-2 Long Bed. There are other versions and virtually any external frame older Dana Designs pack is a gem. All of them were originally retailed at about $300.

Precisely and absolutely true.

Sadly, the time when the Government offered much free, or at cost help, is long gone. One of the reasons for the Summit was the increasing outside pressures from some political individuals against the government allowing BSA on military bases, especially AP Hill. It did not matter to them that while yes, BSA was getting expensive services at cost, or in some cases under, the military was getting major training opportunity in their support at the events. Again, little was completely free the Base personnel or its property, only at "costs". A different perspective and a different world

Very council-dependent, and age of scout etc. In comparison, for my scout who just crossed over: $86 registration (no dues), summer camp is $100 this year (troop covering the remainder through fundraising), other monthly local 1- or-2-night camps are $10 per night, his uniform was bought for Webelos with much room to grow into, so that will be a while. As a family, we've bought, for him, a tent, hike shoes, hike boots, wet weather gear, going to need a better sleeping pad than my 20-year old Therm-a-Rest 😄and we'll gradually upgrade stuff as we need to (for him and me..)

I am an editor by trade -- or at least by one of them. For many years, I edited peer reviewed medical journals in a variety of fields. It was part of my job, with the help of medical review boards composed of national and international experts in their fields, to assess the validity of research in articles, or the citations used to support a recommended standard of care. With sometimes millions or even billions of dollars at stake, major pharmaceutical companies often employ strategies similar to what BSA did to produce or highlight favorable research or recommendations. These strategies are o

100% this. Our council just announced that they'll be doing a council fee that matches the national fee so now before one single activity, it is $170 to be a scout. As far as I can see, this gets you zero fun. My family has two scouts and two leaders. We're looking at $470 before a single camping trip, rank patch, anything. Maybe the small expense was once a draw (When my boys started in 2018, it was $33 for national, $42 pack fee and that wasn't even very long ago!) but that's in the past.

I will challenge this one. If your scout is active, scouting has significant cost. If your scout and you are both involved, it's very significant. IMHO when both scout and parent are active in scouts, the cost is at least the same as most sports; if not more.

BSA using the legal system to deter other organizations from using the terms Scouts and Scouting.

Tradition. There are a lot of people who were in scouting as a youth and want their kids in it to share the tradition. Americana. There are people drawn to it from the aspect that is iconic and part of the overall American experience. Oath & Law. People are drawn to the oath and law. There is a certain thing about wanting your kids practicing certain principals/ideals and being around other kids who are also practicing those principals and ideals. Outdoors. There are youth and adults who want their kids to learn outdoors skills.

Scouter - we will tell you what you need to know and when you need to know it....and be happy we are engaging with the peasant leaders at all Signed BSA National Leadership