AlFansome

Oak Tree- My point was that if you don't pull a permit, you're still covered. Whether or not you do the proper prep and whether or not you pull a permit doesn't affect the coverage which will still be in force, as you say. Guess it didn't come across clearly when I typed it.

From a posting by BSA on Facebook: "Here they are! Final requirements for the new Geocaching Merit Badge: http://bit.ly/9eos7v. Learn more about the Merit Badge, Get in the Game!, and using geocaching to recruit and retain members at Geocaching to Promote Scouting, Philmont Training Center June 6-12. Register online at MyScouting.org, under Event Registration. Open to all programs and experience levels." Direct link: http://ww2.scouting.org/100years/100years/sitefiles/1000/YourSource/PlanningTools/Geocaching/Geocaching_MB.pdf I thought the badge was originally called GPS

Scouterclaude- The basic fact still remains that if do your appropriate preparation and do everything that's required by a Tour Permit (and yet don't actually pull the permit), you are still covered by insurance. Not pulling a permit doesn't change that. Likewise, if your Council (not a trainer) says directly that you don't need a Tour Permit for such-and-such outing, then you also don't need a tour permit in order to be protected. For better or worse, right or wrong, there are lots of shades of gray in this area and BSA has yet to make it explicity clear when a permit is needed an

Scouterclaude- The GTSS does not require a Tour Permit for a unit outing. It says that it's "important". It does not say "required", "mandatory", or "necessary". Why is it "important"? So that your Unit leadership follows the process and dots its i's and crosses its t's, as I've described before. It would be nice if there were more specific guidelines from Council, National or both, but unfortunately, that's not the case. You as a unit leader are more than welcome to insist on Tour Permits for each and every outing and make it a Pack policy, since it's a vital part of pla

"high and dry"? Not really. As I understand it, a Local Tour Permit (when required by Council) is a tool that is used to make sure that the tour leaders are following BSA policies and guidelines with regard to training, GTSS, and other safety items as listed on the Tour Permit. If you get a Tour Permit, then you are assured (and Council has confirmed) that you have followed guidelines as prescribed by the BSA and/or your Council. However, if you do NOT get a Tour Permit, yet still DO follow all the guidelines, then (from an insurance perspective) not much changes. Insuranc

Yes, typically a Pack will not duplicate den numbers across levels as you suggest. Is is a rule or requirement? No, but it's convenient to avoid confusion, which is why it's done that way. Also, when done that way, a new tiger den might be den 4 or den 3 and not necessarily den 1 since '1' and '2' may already be used for older boys. As a den ages out or stops using a den number, its number gets used by a new incoming den. This is about the only thing that I've seen people question with regard to den numbers...might be why your group does it the way it does. FWIW...in my son's o

They are a den. The word "patrol" is not in the Cub Scout vocabulary. When they pick a name, it's a den name. If/when they pick an emblem for their right sleeve if they wear the green uniforms, then it's a den emblem. When they make a flag or come up with a yell, it's a den flag and a den yell.

There are 2 types of charters: 1) The BSA grants a charter to Councils to administer the BSA program in a geographic area. 2) The BSA (on recommendation of a local Council) grants a charter to a local organization to use the Scouting program This info from: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/Relationships/TrainingtheCOR/03.aspx Also, here's an example of the charter application between National and a local Council: http://www.wrbsa.org/professionals/miscellaneous/2009%20Application%20for%20Council%20Charter%20Renewal.pdf There's more info on t

I'd wear the brimmed hat if it came in my size. I've got a fat head (literally!) at 8 1/4. Typically need an XXL or so, which that hat doesn't come in. If anyone knows of a close substitute, let me know! Luckily, the centennial green uniform cap fits great, so that's what I wear.

03/17/2010 http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2010/03/update-bsa-historic-merit-badge-program.html "You may have heard rumors that the Historic Merit Badge Program has been canceled. Not true. What is true is that the BSA is putting finishing touches on the program now, and the end result will be well worth the wait. The Youth Development team plans to release the program soon, and once that happens, it will consist of much more than just adding Signaling, Tracking, Pathfinding, and Carpentry to 2010s list of available merit badges. The team wants todays Scouts to get a

You can also combine e-mail and texting as well. In order to send an e-mail out that gets received as a text on someone's cell phone, you can use the following e-mail address formats, depending on the cell phone company. (phonenumber will be the full 10-digit number including area code, so a Verizon customer's e-mail address would be 2125551212@vtext.com) If indeed a youth member prefers texts over e-mails, then ask for his/her cell number and carrier and use that in your e-mail list. US Cellular: phonenumber@email.uscc.net AT&T: phonenumber@txt.att.net T-Mobile: phonenum

CPAMom- From your location that you entered when you registered, you and your son are in the Cherokee Area Council based in Chatanooga: Cherokee Area (TN) Council 6031 Lee Highway Chattanooga, TN 37421-2930 Phone: (423) 892-8323 Web Site: http://www.cherokeeareabsa.com Go to http://www.thescoutzone.org/locator.html and enter your zip code. You'll be presented with a list of troops in your local area. (I've listed them below). Also, check just over the border in Tennessee as well by entering a zip code from up north a bit. If any of these are convenient to your locati

Don't have dates, but there's some info on the changes at http://scouting.org/filestore/training/ppt/what'snewinleadershipdevelopment.ppt which can be found via the link at the bottom of March's training update at http://scouting.org/training/trainingupdates.aspx Also, leadershipbsa@gmail.com seems to be a good contact for info on the new courses.

Check out http://scouting.org/training/trainingupdates.aspx for the March training updates. - draft syllabus of co-ed NYLT available for the asking - Venturing now open to 13 year olds (if they've completed 8th grade) --OR-- 14 year olds - two Powerpoint presentations available at the bottom of the page concerning new/updated training courses and also the required training initiative that's being rolled out. Snippets from the slides to chew on: ------------------------------------ 1) Program-neutral training: - Other than the specifics of how to do your job unit leadership

Oak Tree- Depends on the tax status of the fraternal organization. If 501©(3), then tax deductible as a charitable expense. If 501©(4), then no, not as charitable, but perhaps for a business deduction. My Kiwanis Club sponsors 5 units and we're 501©(4). The process to create a 501©(3) charitable foundation is in process, but until then, donations made by our parents or the community to our units aren't (technically) deductible as charitable expenses. See http://www.lectlaw.com/files/tax13.htm for lots of details. Also, I'm in no way a professional in this area, so feel fre

Make sure to celebrate Pi Day on Sunday with a slice of your favorite... http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/12/pi.day.math/index.html

...and in our Council, we've merged PowWow and University of Scouting into L.E.A.D (Leader Education and Development). Gives a chance for CS and BS and Venturing leaders to mix, as well as the opportunity to take classes across the spectrum, which is helpful if transitioning from CS to BS or from BS to Venturing or to a district position. Going to LEAD counts the same as going to Pow Wow with regard to knot recognitions.

...and LNT Trainer and troop Webmaster are new PORs for Star, Life and Eagle.

SMT224- Hypothetically, what happens when a boy is using a previous book and gets to filling out his Eagle Application and realizes that he doesn't qualify because the requirements have changed? How do you handle older scouts teaching new or added requirements to the younger scouts when they don't have the current books? Do you allow older scouts to use new PORs for Star, Life and Eagle since those new PORs are not in their older books? Seems like things are complicated either way...

From the "Cub Scout Leader Book" 2005, Second Printing on page 33-4: "Webelos Scout overnight campouts introduce the boy and his parent or guardian to the basics of the Boy Scout camping program..... In most cases, the Webelos Scout will be under the supervision of a parent or guardian. In all cases, each Scout is responsible to a specific adult." Further, from page 21-9 of the same book in the "Webelos Den Overnight Campouts" section: "If a parent or guardian cannot attend, the boy's family should make arrangements for one of the other parents or another adult relative to be a

Regarding Lifesaving and Emergency Preparedness... From the Eagle Application, requirement 3: *6 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OR LIFESAVING *Cross out badges not earned. If a crossed-out badge was earned, it may be reentered in 13 through 21. Same thing goes for "*9 CYCLING OR HIKING OR SWIMMING", where one is required for Eagle, and the other two can be used as electives (if earned).

Better yet, check out the Eagle Scout application at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_web.pdf If the young man can fill all the spaces on "Requirement 3" appropriately, then the merit badge requirement has been satisfied regardless of in which order or for what rank the badges have been used before.

You can read Dale's own words here: http://www.salon.com/people/feature/2000/07/17/dale/ Or, send him a message on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamesdale

WCS- It's an interpretation thing. The only sentences that directly address this are like the one that SctDad points out from the award's progress record: "Dates of service used to earn this award cannot be used to earn another key or award." This has been discussed before on the board and the majority opinion then was that if you are in multiple, registered positions in different units (or at the district level), then you basically have two or more tenure "clocks" running at the same time. So, time in as a District Committee member would count towards that knot and time as a

From the BOR Training Module at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/BoardofReviewTraining.aspx: "Some reasons to have a board of review may include a Scout's lack of advancement, perceived trouble in the troop, or a certain event at the last campout or troop meeting. Ideally, a Scout should sit for a board of review every six months, whether he is advancing or not."