Eagle007

Please excuse my ignorance. I have attempted to do my homework on this subject and maybe just haven't dug far enough. I'd like for my uniform to be correct and wear the appropriate loops with the appropriate patch of office. Silver loops are for the Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner, correct? Also, there would be no unit numbers worn in conjunction with the commish patch as this is a district level position, correct? I believe I'm almost 100% correct but I'd like to recieve confirmation from those who have been in the position or who would know, please. Does the RT commish have a voting role on the district committee? Thanks for all the advice.

I get my impressions from my own observations and what I have seen in the media (which I take with a bag of salt). It seems to me that our nation has taken a flippant attitude toward symbols of freedom. Atheletes wear the flag on their uniforms and helmets but disrespect it by their actions during the national anthem. Politicians stand when the anthem is played but care not to place their hand over their heart. Again, these are just a few of my many observations.

Lisabob, maybe it is you who misinterpreted what I said. I was making a generalized statement about our nation as a whole not this thread as a specific. I gave my opinions and asked for them in return. I respect everyone's right to their opinion. I may not agree with it, but I respect it all the same. I wanted to see what other's thoughts about the subject are. One certainly doesn't have to agree with my veiwpoint. Thanks again.

Thanks for all of the different opinions. My next question would be this. If people really don't give a flying rip about our great country's national anthem, why even bother singing it at all since no one can seem to muster up even the smallest measure of respect for our country or the flag it represents. Do you think there would be anything said if a bunch of uniformed scouts and scouters just decided to sit down or chew gum and look around during the singing of the anthem?

Is it too much to ask that the person singing the National Anthem know the words and sing it in the way it was written without adding all the trills and their own spin to it? Does anyone besides me think that shows a lack of respect for our country and our flag? And yes, I'm referencing the absolutely horrible and disrespectful job that was performed at the Super Bowl.

I would have to ask the scout why they find it necessary to bring the electronics along in the first place. Again, I don't give a dirty diaper until it becomes a problem (loud music, disrupting the activiy, lost, stolen, broken or device needing charged. And when it becomes a problem then it becomes my problem. When that happens watch out!

Tight schedule? Time to look for greener pastures?

Back in the day there were no such thing as cell phones, ipods, mp3s etc. and everyone was able to survive without them - and I do mean survive even if you had half of your leg cut off. Back in the day there was not much mention of the lame excuse ADD/ADHD because kids went outside and played all day and weren't couch potatoes playing xbox, ps3 or wii. Some may truly have ADD/ADHD but I'm very skeptical about most. I see the "need" for kids having these items as an excuse or a kid's pacifier, if you will. Take the toy away and the kid and parent will cry and complain. My son came crying and complaining to me because he got in trouble because of his phone (that the ex got him) at a camp. I wasn't able to make that particular outing or I would have taken his phone. When he came to me about the situation after the fact, I told him that if he had to have his phone then turn it off and save the battery. I don't give a sam hill one way or the other about the electronics except when I can hear the junk they call music or it disrupts with the activity that is planned. And don't come to me about a device that is lost, stolen, broken or needs charged. If stolen, I'll tell you that you've made something that wasn't my problem in the first place my problem and that you shouldn't have brought the item to begin with.

It may be that the CO is in over it's financial head and may need to pass the torch to another entity that can better meet the needs of the pack. These economic times have some in worse shape than others. And until they can get back on their own two feet, they may need to excel in spreading the good word and cut back on extra-curricular activities.

If the churches that are sponsoring the packs are anything like I've seen in my neck of the woods where they pass around the collection plate and continue to pass it around until they are satisfied with the offering then the packs are in trouble. It's called greed around here. Some, not all, of the church leaders want to line their pockets. I've seen it happen and continue to see it happen.

It's either time to have that business meeting or time to find another CO. The CO and the troop should have a mutual respect for each other and understanding with each other. At the same time this floundering CO is the sponsor ( provider of the meeting place ) and has no right to demand financial payment for anything in order to help pull itself out of the red. Maybe it's just me but when an organization looks to become a CO do they have no clue as to the responsibilities of providing support to the troop or pack and not the other way around? If not, why even consider being a CO at all? It sounds like getting the cart before the horse.

Scout like. What about deception is Scout like? That's why it needs to be shut down. This is my final post on this thread because it nauseates me to the core.

Scouter Terry Howerton said, "1. Keep the debate honest. 2. Treat each other with respect. ... basically, act Scout like." These are the rules of decorum that he said he will enforce in the threads. If that is the case then the moderators or he need to close this thread because those rules have been broken. I am imploring the moderators and/or Scouter Terry Howerton to look at this thread as one that has no honesty nor respect in it (if there was the person in question would identify himself to his troop and return his eagle award to the council with a letter of apology to all. 1. Keep the debate honest. BSA doesn't allow for gay scouts/scouters. Yet the person in question led a life of deception and still is. 2. Treat others with respect. I, and many others, am not being respected as an Eagle Scout/Scouter with this misrepresentation being allowed to continue. 3. ...basically, act Scout like. There is nothing about this thread that is Scout like.

Can this thread be closed or deleted by the moderators for being a troll? If yes, please do so. Thank you.

"If BSA says that those are just 'guidelines,'" why bother wasting the ink, paper, and headaches that people are going to get from all of the confusion. Why can't it be a clear cut, black and white, hard and fast rule without it being left up to interpretation by several thousands of people? Either these are the requirements that we're sticking by or they are not.

I always use the cardboard trick for the huge, bullseye badges in law enforcement so the badge won't lean to one side or the other. But I have the plastic dam*its for my name tag.

I've never worn a name tag on any scout/scouter uniforms but I have always had them on my law enforcement/EMS/fire dept. uniforms. I see a great benefit in using these because for those of us with "short term amnesia" (ha, ha) and can't remember the names all of those people that we were just introduced to, it helps. Would the standard white on black name tag that the U.S. Army uses fit the quidelines? I can get one or several of these at the military surplus store that outfits or local military base. One other thing, there are plastic dam*its that I used on my other uniforms instead of the metal ones. These seemed to work a lot better and don't allow the pins to stab you in the chest.

So are they saying that if enough people bend their ears on certain things that they will make changes?

Moosetracker, if it was an apartment building complex, can they be moved to another apartment? Losing everything in a fire is a horrible experience. My heart goes out to them as I've had close relatives go through it.

If the units are folding, do the leaders in question here not see a problem or a potential problem that could be turned around? And if they see this do they not want to turn it around? If the unit has folded, what would prevent a new unit from forming with the same CO and leaders?

Could it be a case of simple miscommunication or misunderstanding that could be cleared up over a cuppa joe?

I gotcha, Beavah. It's kind of like a respectful "to each his own" and hope that each CO makes the best choices in all matters. The end result may be the same but the roads that takes them there may be different.

Maybe it was a total misunderstanding on my part. I agree with you 100%. In a perfect world, all COs should have an active part in the unit. But that's just not the case. Condescending suggestions were not meant.

Hawk, the reasoning behind my previous comments is that it sounded to me like CNY was having rechartering issues due to lack of youth secondary to COR/Unit Leader issues. If that set up works well for a particular CO/IH AND the troop, then more power to them. If it doesn't work well, with the end result being a troop collapsing due to lack of youth, then maybe it's time to take a closer look at what the real issue might be.

Can it be recommended to brand new charters that the practice of spouse COR with the other spouse as unit leader not be implemented? And give them the reasons for the recommendations? I've not heard of this being common around my area.