EagleJCS

Re: ISA’s As far as I know, troops keeping track of their scouts’ individual fund-raising is not against the rules, but that may have changed. I haven’t been active with my troop due to my work schedule. I think part of the objection is the use of the word ‘account’. To some people, an ‘account’ would be a checking/savings/investment account, with a specific number, and rules by which each type is governed. For most units, an individual scout “account†is simply as you have described – a means of tracking each scouts’ fu

My first reaction would be to get that NYLT course director at a council function and do the same thing to him/her, then hand them a letter barring them from any future council activities. That sort of 'example' is wrong from the get-go.

When I was inducted into the local lodge as a scout, I put my name on the list for several areas in the lodge requesting help. Never got a call or a letter (this was in the pre-internet days) to follow up. Most of the lodge officers and active members were from one or two districts in the council, just not the district my troop was in. (This was before the concept of chapters was introduced). Fast forward 15 years, and a council and lodge merger, and the same was still true. After becoming an adult leader, I decided to try volunteering with the OA lodge again (thinking that maybe with the m

Another couple of bugs while I was browsing this thread and then attempting to post this comment... When I clicked on the ‘go to first new post’ on the sub-forum page, I was taken to the first post in the thread. (I waited to be sure the thread was finished loading.) The first page shows only 16 pages of thread posts, but the last page shows there are 17. After logging in, when I was trying to type in the quick post field to note the two bugs above, my quick post Auto-saved, then what I was had just typed disappeared and I was unable to bring it back up. (I have resorte

OK. Suppose you're working security on arrival day. You see a group of kids and/or adults walking around in civvies and/or partial Scout uniforms - maybe just their BSA uniform shirts and a mix of jeans, shorts and greenish slacks. They don't have their Jamboree identifiers yet because it's arrival day. Do you stop them and keep them there until their identities check out, or do you let them continue to wander around? On one of the big arena show days, even though the camp will be closed to the public (i.e. no visitors), same thing. No Jambo identifiers readily seen. Do you stop them or let

That's Venturing crews. They're not under the same uniforming conventions as Boy Scout troops. Crews are allowed to choose their own uniforms (for the most part) for their regular meetings/activities and are encouraged to wear the suggested Venturing uniform (Green shirt and grey pants/shorts) for larger meet-ups (council-rees, Jambo, etc.). My troop's CO has investigated sponsoring a Venturing Crew, and I've spoken with several Venturing leaders since Venturing was introduced.

If everyone were wearing their civvies, or just a partial uniform, how would you be able to tell just by looking at them whether they were supposed to be there or not?? That's all the folks running security have to go by unless they screen everyone there. The lanyards help, but having a complete uniform helps as well.

I imagine part of the reason for requiring the regulation uniform is site security. It's not that difficult to get a Scout shirt from Goodwill or the Salvation Army thrift store or something similar, especially in larger urban areas (even though BSA National has asked those organizations not to sell BSA uniform items). There are a lot of odd folks out there, and there are some individuals/organizations that want to get some ‘dirt’ (whatever that happens to be in their minds) on Scouting, and they try to get into events looking like a participant. If every registered participant is

A couple of issues I’m having... One: After reading a page, when I click the Back button to go back to the previous page (or use my mouse ‘back’ button), I hear a few clicking sounds, then I’m right back in the on the same page – it doesn’t matter how may pages I go into a thread or sub-forum. I have to go to the upper left corner, click on the drop-down ‘previous page’, and click on the sub-forum or forum title to get out of the thread or back to the main forum page. (This was occurring with the previous forum software as well, which

Point taken, skeptic. As an amateur genealogist, I understand the need for primary sources. I don't know how many people would be interested in seeing the hardcopy of some old advancement records 100 years from now (though I would like to see my father’s, but I don’t know which troop he was in). The docs themselves would have to be stored much more carefully than they are likely to be now, and by then would have to be handled carefully (cotton gloves, etc.). That’s why I suggested simply scanning the docs and saving the images. A high-quality scan of the original is

Make it a project for the Troop Historian to digitize all of the records - maybe allow some service hours for volunteers to assist. Either create a database (Computers MB requirement 6h or 7a?) and do data entry or just scan the original docs and save them as JPEGs on a flash drive (all of the records) or CD-ROM (by year). Be sure to put some sort of descriptive file name as to what the image is. (e.g. '2013 Summer Camp attendees.jpg' instead of 'DSC45001.JPG'). Then you can get rid of the hardcopy.

In response to Beavah, I wasn't suggesting a lecture about the consequences, etc. at the time of the interruption/infraction. All of that was written out as background/explanation for the folks reading it here. What I would tell the Scouts in the example I described is simply "We don't leave until it gets done". It's during the travel time to the event/activity or at another time that I would explain to the Scouts the whys and wherefores about actions and consequences, or maybe do it on a one-on-one basis (keeping to the rules of Youth Protection, etc.) with the ones that complain. The

One thing that may or may not work: explain to them that there are consequences for their (in)action/(mis)behavior. Positive outcomes may be rewarded (extra free time, a special treat, exemption from KP, whatever the reward may be) and negative outcomes are often their own punishment, though extra duties may be assigned (missing an activity, extra KP, exclusion from a treat for those that did perform, etc.). For example: if theyre asked to do something on a camping trip before the group leaves the campsite to go do an activity and they dont do it, then explain that the group wont go to th

When my troop bought 5 new tents this year, I used a laundry marker instead of a Sharpie (Sharpies tend to fade/wash out over time) and marked all of the fabric bits with the same number. (Tent, fly, tent bag, pole bag, stake bag.)

I told the committee to find someone else to do the job by the end of the year. They did, bought him a new SM patch, and the "new" guy (he'd been an ASM for 3-4 years) took over the first meeting of the new year. I took some time off from attending for about a year or so (only went on a couple of campouts), then gradually started back in.

Mr. Boyce, is it really necessary to disparage someone's preference of attire simply because you don't care for it? That's considered a subtle form of bullying in some circles. I wear a kilt from time to time, though usually not as part of my BSA uniform. The few times I do wear it with my uniform shirt, I'm playing my Great Highland pipes for a ceremony of some sort. (I've played for a couple of Scouter's funerals, a couple of Eagle Scout Courts of Honor, and at Summer Camp at the closing campfire. I've also played reveille on my pipes on several campouts and summer camps, but don't usua

I was actually tagged with this nickname by a couple of the older Scouts (15-16 y.o.'s) when I became active with my home troop after college, just a couple of years after the character's debut. (I suppose because I exhibited some of the traits of the character - young, knowledgeable, somewhat shy). Even though I didn't know anything about the character at the time (I rarely watch SNL at all), I made it clear that it wasn't an acceptable nickname and didn't otherwise respond to it. Eventually, they got the message and started using my name (Mr. ----). As an aside, I'd been tagged wi

Regarding organization of the trailer: My troop's trailer is an older model 5'x8' trailer. It has just one small storage box (I built) to contain the wheel chocks, support jacks, lug wrench and a board for the tongue jack. The rest is open storage. In the past we've discussed adding shelving/racks/hooks, etc., but we also don't want to be puncturing the skin of the trailer (introducing additional points for leaking) or adding a lot of additional weight. It currently does not have any interior lighting. We don't always use the trailer for every trip. Mainly it's for summer camp - hauling

Hi folks. Just joining in the forum from Louisville, KY. Part of my Scouting resume: I've been a Scout/Scouter since I was a Cub (Tiger Cubs wasn't available in my Pack at that time). Passed up through the ranks, earning my Arrow of Light, then later Eagle. Transitioned to an adult position with the troop as an Assistant Scoutmaster. A few years ago, I was asked to be Scoutmaster, and held that position for a little over 4 years. I then handed it over to another leader and returned to being an Assistant. (This is all with my home troop - the troop I grew up in). I have also been