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  1. I just completed a scouting survey. It included standard questions and asked for recommendations. It has additional questions for Scoutmasters that dug into collecting feedback about how girls troops are run (are they really independent or integrated and if integrated how integrated are they). It then had questions about recommendations if BSA should consider coed Troops and if they were coed, how integrated should the integrated Troops be managed. Hopefully this is really a survey to get input before decisions but I know that is not always the case. However, I can say that BSA must b
    7 points
  2. For you, maybe. Some survivors (including myself) do find on balance that it is healing. It got me back to therapy and there will be some sort of finality. How many people actually post in this thread regularly, 20? Are even half of those stating they were abused in BSA? It's just such a small representation of the number of victims. I'm glad to see @Bzzyadding a voice and it's crushing to know this is not the case for everyone. That was me for a good portion of the bankruptcy process (mad at the underfunding, inequity of distribution, the lousy lawyers, the amount of time, etc.
    4 points
  3. GS/USA might have and issue. You see, BSA likes to tally up all the service hours of every scout, multiply that by some dollar wage amount, and claim that they provide that many millions of dollars of service to the country. Now you're saying that maybe some of those $ might also be claimed by another organization!🙃 As far as the scout's advancement, however, I'm in favor of double-dipping. There's something to be said for doing the kind of work that multiple groups want to recognize. Besides, I'm sure in ways that nobody's observed this scout's done more good that went unrecognized.
    4 points
  4. I am new here, and I read this discussion from the start. There are a few very important points that have not been made clearly, so I will attempt below, as they are. These are isolated points, and make sweeping generalizations, so there are many edge conditions and exceptions I will not address, as I do not want to write a book. I attempt to present "fact", but others may have divergent views of these same "facts". I'll not argue. 1) The BSA reincorporated in DE specifically for purposes of bankruptcy because DE permits non-consensual 3rd party releases in bankruptcy while Texas does
    3 points
  5. I often think the reactions of some of the scouters on this site to certain things might be due to the fact that they perhaps no longer have younger kids involved in a public school district themselves. Or, if they do, their involvement may be limited to a more insular community like a scouts/church continuum. Some simply may not be exposed to things that seem very commonplace or mainstream to others.
    3 points
  6. The term upstander versus bystander has been used in anti-bullying programs for probably 15 - 20 years in many school systems. Exactly what we would hope a Scout would be if he or she witnessed bullying.
    3 points
  7. The OP’s question was “So, can anyone explain to me the difference between these groups and how having segregated events develops the concept of DEI among Scouts?” when he sates his opinion that a lot people see woke and DEI as not beneficial. And that special events for minority groups versus majority (white males) in scouts is counter to DEI in BSA. That is what I gave a down arrow to. My response was to ask “What do you disagree with in the Cit in Society MB? Not talking about the political BS, "woke" or rest of it. What part of the requirements of the MB do you disagree with?
    3 points
  8. Winter birding highlights are over in my neck of the woods, but spring migration brings plenty to look at, even at night: Birdcast went live March 1 for the spring migration season. As noted in a fall post, it uses radar to track what is flying overhead at night and what kind of local fall out might occur in the morning. A good forecast, combined with full moon and clear skies, means scouts can birdwatch after sundown: Binoculars trained on the moon can see silhouettes of hundreds to thousands of songbirds migrating in night skies. https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migrat
    3 points
  9. Since 1955, with a few gaps. Sequential since 1975 when reupped as adult. I mean, we even marched with dummy rifles in local parades with a VFW sponsor, and we rode in the backs of trucks, mostly open. Pack frames were often home made, or heavy wood, and bedrolls, rather than sleeping bags were fairly common, especially in our unit with VFW who furnished us all wool mummy bags. Yet, most of the past that I remember is familiar to today, just with modern adjustments. Moaning for the old days is nonsense, other than the disappearance of common sense and taking responsibility without be
    2 points
  10. I've always believed that if you address the little things, it typically prevents bigger issues from happening. I wouldn't have to be rude about it, but it should get addressed as long as you are comfortable with the possible pushback.
    2 points
  11. Sadly, I expect that this will drag on for several more years at the least. I wish all survivors receive just compensation but has been pointed out, there will be inequities. There are lawyers and firms that just saw $$$ signs and didn't care if claims were factual or directly related to BSA programs (while most are) but just wanted to sign up as many people as possible and increase their slice of the pie. Certainly the corporation BSA has to do what it can to limit the damage and try to remain viable. The program did and still does serve huge numbers of youth and adults. While the total numbe
    2 points
  12. And this is a surprise? It was written on the wall from the outset almost. Human frailties and too much time were bound to run the train off the rails. And when it is engineered by many questionable lawyers, impossible expectations, and media hype, it should have been obvious. Sadly, the most injured will, as noted, possibly end up with little, while others, find a way to take advantage with little or no proof. There is no equitable way to assure the best outcome, but that will not stop the scammers and carrion birds.
    2 points
  13. Welcome Bzzy. You may have just joined, but you have covered enough in this post to have been here all along. Yes, so much of this is patently unfair. I did some significant research and found that the Matrix is clearly inequitable. In the state of my abuse, CSA cases are being allowed far past the SoL but are treated in the Matrix as discounted by 75-90%. Tolling of the long expired SoL's on the basis of concealment and fraud are moving right along in civil court, yet the drafters of the Trust slapped arbitrary limits by state. This has indeed pitted scout against scout and has left me
    2 points
  14. Do what is best for the YOUTH- always. Trust your gut here.
    2 points
  15. I go to camp to get away from music, cell phones, the internet, etc. Enjoy nature and solitude
    2 points
  16. I'll admit the egg hunt is a bit outside the box, but I would imagine adults only fundraisers are common in most councils. Golf outings or wine tastings have obvious appeal to parents. Mom and Dad have money. Kids don't. 😛
    2 points
  17. 2 points
  18. I have done that section of the AT! This may not too much for WEBELOS who have never backpacked, if you limit their pack weight by having a good gear shakedown, and limit their weight to about 25% of their body weight. This means others may have to help carry gear. Or, you could let them join you for just one night on the trail! Have them backpack up with you to the first campsite. In the morning, they pack up and go back down to trailhead. This means you'd need two more adults, but they could ferry your cars to Crater Lake, and save you that logistical pain on the first day.
    2 points
  19. I first heard it when Citizenship in Society came out in draft form. I don’t feel out of touch, but at 47, it didn’t make its way into my lexicon until recently. With many feeling they don’t want to get involved or that something is none of their business, it is a useful term to name what it means to stand for what is right.
    2 points
  20. I guess. It’s a new term to me. And it’s sad that standing up for someone today is considered noble. In a time when being offended is considered a right and safe places are the norm, acting scout-like requires courage and is truly noble. Barry
    2 points
  21. RIGHT - "An affinity group, while potentially helpful could perpetuate the same colorist and euro-centric bias that exists by making those problematic views a necessary status quo in the fight against white supremacy." The important part is that the article does not say all affinity groups cause these issues. I gave you an example of one where membership was voluntary, where is a view where it is not. To bring this back to scouting and not just about how all affinity groups are evil, how are they used in the BSA? Is there any actual evidence that they are operating like the article?
    2 points
  22. 03.12.2024 U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Story by Sandra Wilson Participation in girl troops has increased on Benelux installations. Girls attend the weekly meetings and campouts, just as the boy troops, where they find camaraderie and build upon skills and leadership. Additionally, the standards and merit badges that the girls achieve mirror those of the boy troops. “Before we didn’t have the numbers to have our own girl troop so the youth that were involved had to meet with an online troop,” said Chris Stewart, scoutmaster of Troop 100 G in Brunssum. “I came in a year and a ha
    2 points
  23. I doubt I am interpreting what you said here the way you meant it, because I just heard "Yes, atheists that don't belong to an organized religion are still being excluded from scouting with the BSA, and so we should remedy that".
    2 points
  24. 100% agree. It is inappropriate to remove the US Flag to add the flag of another county. How does he reconcile that with the citizenship aspect of scouting?
    1 point
  25. A lot of Scouters need to think long and hard about how they are modeling the Scout Oath and Scout Law for their Scouts. That Scouter should reflect on what he is teaching his Scouts about Duty to Country. Others need to take "I will keep myself physically strong" a little (ok, a LOT) more seriously.
    1 point
  26. Quick reacting women cyclists fought cougar and pinned it down with bike to rescue their friend. SCOUT SALUTE! Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/women-pinned-cougar-hand-hand-combat-friend-trapped-jaws-rcna143806
    1 point
  27. "Raluca Popa, serving as the Peace Education Team lead for the European Scout Region, brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role. Her journey started in Romania with a simple curiosity that blossomed into a profound understanding of the Movement's broader impact through her active participation in jamborees and various projects. However, he onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine ignited her interest in human rights. Stepping into action, she coordinated first responders at the Romania-Ukraine border, showcasing her dedication to humanitarian efforts. This pivotal moment propel
    1 point
  28. Upcoming Jana Marie Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) virtual courses. Register: https://janamariefoundation.org/bsa-qpr/
    1 point
  29. Definitely a violation of the Uniform Code, and in my view, a poor decision. It seems obvious it is a personal thing, and it does not belong as a part of the program directly. Is it worth arguing about? Probably not.
    1 point
  30. @Bzzy welcome to scouter.com I cross-linked your post in a more active topic.
    1 point
  31. Yes, all scouting is local. But scouting has a particular value foundation (Scout Law and Oath) that forms the shared ethical and moral framework within which we scout. The types of approaches and styles in scouting that vary from place to place can be substantial, but can't really include whether the pack or troop is doing their best to follow the Scout Law and Oath. Assuming that they are should always be correct. Why is this relevant? Because being untrustworthy, disloyal, unhelpful, unfriendly, uncourteous, unkind, disobedient, sour, wasteful, cowardly, dirty, and irreverent for any a
    1 point
  32. Wunderbar... erste Klasse. Luftschiff hoch !
    1 point
  33. For scout's personal use, I would recommend anything with a folding blade. I remember the old Swiss Army Tinker knife when I was a kid. Enough tools to be useful. Not too many to be a distraction. For a gift, it even comes in a cool BSA design: https://www.scoutshop.org/swiss-army-with-universal-emblem-tinker-multi-tool-pocket-knife-3-blade-618438.html Currently my personal favorite is the Leatherman Rev. It's a little smaller than the full-size Leatherman, comfortable for growing scouts. Sturdy and a good tool selection. https://www.leatherman.com/rev-832127.html I don't want scouts
    1 point
  34. I would say to anyone who is making a decision about Scouting to not pay attention to posts on a website that is not official. And that ALL Scouting is local. So check out your local Troop to see if it is a good fit. I honestly do not believe anyone is so naïve as to think that way. We can (and do) have any number of people here who are not even involved in Scouting, yet post their ideas in conversations about topics. Just because you do not like people's opinions, or how they express them, or the way they pose an idea or question doesn't mean you are the hall monitor who has
    1 point
  35. I agree. It's likely too much for the new crossovers with little experience backpacking. How does your troop define high adventure, and the limits? I trust scouts know who is ready and who isn't. Instead of a strict age limit, I would suggest First-Class rank or Scoutmaster approval.
    1 point
  36. You're right, I expressed myself imprecisely. Negative affect of some kind. I read downvotes as negative, for example. I believe you do too. Laughing at sincerity I also read as some kind of negative affect. But so is reading what I wrote in such a way that you thought I was trying to dismiss OP. I mean, I presume that you think that dismissing people is bad. When that wasn't at all what I was trying to do, clearly something went very wrong in the communication there, which you also acknowledge. I just want to be clear that it's not you asking questions that makes me think negative affect. I d
    1 point
  37. Those embellishments are your own, not mine. I made what I think is an accurate statement and I was actually trying to couch it so as to not offend. Talk to a cross section of school age kids and parents. Some of the things people argue the existence of on this forum are very hard to process, and this is just the latest that has left me blank.
    1 point
  38. Drei Ecken hat mein Hut!
    1 point
  39. So, a parent of a WEBELOS just asked if his son could attend an upcoming Troop camping trip. The WEBELOS is 11 years old. His WEBELOS den is still working on AOL, with no real end goal in sight. The Scout wants to cross over and is thinking about abandoning the AOL program.... The G2SS says Cub Scouts must attend with a parent. (among other restrictions). So, given that, at any moment, this Scout could join the Troop if he wishes, he should be able to make this trip, and without a parent, correct? (nod to @qwazse, I know, I know, Rule #1 (Don’t ask for a rule, you’ll live to r
    1 point
  40. Yep. And it has been clarified. As regards the clarification...
    1 point
  41. A youth cannot be registered in both programs. They are mutually exclusive. I looked in the Registration Guidebook, but could not find this specific prohibition. But, I do know the electronic systems do not allow this status. So, your Registrar would not do it. In implementation, yes: A youth is unable to earn the AOL once he joins Scouts, BSA.
    1 point
  42. And that is why it cannot be done with a single Webelos.
    1 point
  43. The issue I took on this thread was "segregated events". NOAC was not segregated. Were there optional sessions intended not as "put on a pedestal" but rather as social events? Yes. And the point of those - can't speak for the sessions, as I didn't intend them, but understood the context of the planning- were to bring together individuals attending NOAC together and to hopefully learn how the OA (and BSA in general) could better include them into the program. Female youth in particular are an issue that our Lodge, and those in our Section, have had issues to contend with to assimilate them into
    1 point
  44. I agree completely. Let's do that instead of starting conversations with culture war rhetoric with little connection to scouting.
    1 point
  45. Strange post. Experience cannot by definition be a conspiracy. Yet several members here still push their ideal program as best or preferred despite experiences showing to the contrary. Doesn’t really matter, when left or right becomes part of the definition with one more so than the other, it’s just bias hype encouraging more bias hype. And, it show’s motivation for the post. Loyalty to each other doesn’t mean hyping misaligned program practices over good practices. Expressing, discussing and educating good and successful practices is what this forum is all about. Barry
    1 point
  46. CHICAGO, March 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This March, in celebration of International Women's Day and Girl Scouts' 112th birthday, United is encouraging MileagePlus® members to donate miles to Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) to help fund life-changing experiences for Girl Scouts through travel. United will match the first one million miles raised for GSUSA through Miles on a MissionSM, United's leading fundraising and crowdsourcing program, giving MileagePlus members a chance to use their miles for good. Travel is an essential part of many Girl Scouts' journeys as they are encouraged to ex
    1 point
  47. We as adult leaders should maintain the "neat and tidy" approach to our uniforms but should wear them in full. We have awards as youth, awards as adults, and awards from external parties (like the Community Service Award). Personal memory, and reflecting from my current scouts: Cub Scouts don't really care about what adults have on the adult uniform until closer to AOL. When they understand that what they are about to earn will be on their uniform even as adults they get kind of excited. Older Scouts care a lot about what adults have on their uniform. I remember seeing th
    1 point
  48. His uniform shirt & accoutrements must have weighed 50 pounds 😜
    1 point
  49. I've decided that adult uniforms are really just a test of other adult's patience. Some people like opulence and others minimalism. If it encourages them to keep volunteering then why not? Unfortunately, uniforms are a great trap for people to judge others that are different. "You have to wear your POR patch. How else will anyone know you're the SM?" Honestly, if that's a problem then there are bigger issues, but I digress. People vary, so there will be lots of opinions, all valid to each. A scout uniform is like a book cover, best not to judge it. Think about it, how uniform is our unifo
    1 point
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