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I usually find this when people go by what someone told them, instead of actually picking up the book, manual, whathaveyou. Some people seem to encourage this attitude by NOT emphasizing actually reading the manuals, or keeping people ignorant that such manuals even exist. Me, I prefer to make sure people are aware that such works exist and that they should get them and read them. (things like the insignia guide, advancement guide, training guide, etc). Since we are in uniforms, I get sick of see people wear stuff they shouldn't or in the wrong place because someone told them this. Two examples are all the people wearing the World Conservation Award either in place of or next to the World Crest. I've heard all kind of excuses for this. A common one is 'my scoutmaster told me to wear it here', usually with a claim that he got a letter from National telling him it goes there. Another is I was talking with a young ASM and was puzzled that he was wearing a JASM patch. Come to find that his troop thinks a 18-21 ASM is a "JASM", instead of a full ASM.

I would say putting the name and address on the inside of the sash (where it won't be seen when worn) would be the way to go.

FWIW, I feel the class A uniform is the full uniform. the wearing of medals is part of a 'dress uniform'. Yes, an adult can wear up to 5 pin-on medals. Most limit it to things like Eagle, Silver, QM, training medals, religous medals, and the like. You could wear trail medals. (I wouldn't put this GCA medal in the trail medals class, btw) Just be mindful that some may think you are showing off wearing a bunch of trail medals. They wouldn't be seen as being as prestigious as the others.

Actually, several of Dan Beard's books are available in inexpensive paperbacks from publishers like David Godine and Dover. I have American Boy's Handy Book, reprint by David Godine Field & Forest Handy Book, reprint by David Godine Camp-Lore and Woodcraft, reprint by Dover Press, 2006 Shelters, Shackes & Shanties, reprint by Lyons Press Boat-Building and Boating, reprint by Dixon/Price American Girl's Handy Book, Lina and Adelia Beard, reprint by David Godine There are a few more out there. I have been scanning various older Explorer materials and putting them up on my website, www.seniorscoutinghistory.org. A lot of its is great program materials that could be used by todays Venturers and Sea Scouts (or even older boy scouts). Also, look for the various Boys Life reprint booklets. Lots of great materials reprinted in them. I've been scanning some of my materials and thinking about prehaps adding it to my site.

"Too bad the current manual got rid of Davy Shellback." They dumped him back in the 50s. They also need to bring back Slim.

it was my understanding (after speaking with one of the scout shop employees in my area), that the badge and pamphlet were coming out THIS Fall (Fall 2010), not next year.

"3) What effect, if any, does it have on "competing" or other scouting organizations in the USA. For instance, the GSUSA, or other boy or co-ed scouting programs?" The BSA HAS used the fact that had a federal charter in going after the other boy scout groups in the US. It was used against the US Boy Scout (the remnents of the Hearst-backed American Boy Scout), and led to them renaming themselves. I have heard its help the BSA in going after other groups who tried to use the work 'Scout' (such as the "Youth Scouts" and a couple of others). AFAIK, they've never used legal action against the GSUSA. West wanted them to rename themselves "Girl Guides", but it never happened. I believe they later came to an understanding, and both groups 'share' (somehow) the rights to the word 'scout' as it relates to youth program (BSA for boys, GSUSA for girls).

"Is there a Swiss scouting association you can affiliate with?" If ScoutBox is a US Citizen living in Geneva, he would be setting up a Venturing Crew within the US community there and would be part of the Transatlantic Council of the BSA. Don't know what resources they have over there to support Venturing.

"The copyright in my manual is 1998. That means the content hasn't been updated for 12 years now. About time for a significant revision." I actually collect all versions of the venturing literature. Here has not been a significant revision since day one. there has been a few little tweeks and changes, but that's it. But major revisions only happen about every 5-10 years or so. (I actually think the OA Handbook is overdue for this. Its largely the same manual I had when I was a youth in the early 80s...)

Am not aware of them being pulled. They may have run out of stock, but some Scout Shops may still have some. I have heard some talk of some minor tweaks for the next print run, but nothing definet. There has been some talk on the Venturing Yahoo Group, and an upcoming meeting in Dallas this will hopefully be asked and we can get an answer.

"Too often, Venturing Crews are simply nothing more than Boy Scout Troops with forest green shirts." What see in my area are Crews that are pretty much nothing but a 'troop auxiliary'. Or crews in which all the boys are in the troop, so the crew seldom gets to do their own stuff, as when the troop is doing anything, that's were all the boys in the crew are.

"I dont agree with having a pre approval for spending money. Unforeseen things pop up. We had a discretionary limit for unforeseen items. It still requires two signatures, just not a committee preapproval." Then be prepared for the issue of someone going off and spending a lot of money that others may not agree with (or feel it was too much). Hence the need for budgets and approval before spending money. I know of groups that were torn apart because an officer decided to go make purchases without the approval of anyone else. If you have a 'petty cash' fund with discretionary limits, make sure the limit are low enough to avoid issues, and it takes more then one person to spend from it. (which it sounds like you have).

"Hmmm, the WB course I was on staff last year was told by the CD, even after earning your beads, you can wear the plaid, Troop 1 neckerchief. It is a symbol of service.. initially to the ticket process, but even after the process is complete. The combo of the leather woggle and tartan looks good." Sorry, but I don't understand why one would want to wear the participant neckerchief after completing WB and receiving your beads, woggle and WB neckerchief. To me, the WB neckerchief is much more important then the participant neckerchief. My participant neckerchiefs are put away with my WB stuff. The only WB neckerchief I wear is the WB one (reddish tan with square piece of tartan). Wearing the participant neckerchief would give the impression one hadn't completed WB.

RS gave you some good advise, let me enunciate a few points. I am involved with other clubs, and can tell you from experience that issues with money (people misusing or misappropriating funds) is a sure path to an org's downfall. * get a hold of ALL the old records (band statements, financials, etc). * get a handle on the current bank account. Change signatures, make sure bank statements are going to you. * start preparing a monthly financial report for the unit. This report should give your opening balance for the month, what money has come in and from what/who (dues paid by xx, fundraising from yy, etc), where all the money went (check #, for who/for what), and the closing balance. These reports should be kept by the treasurer in their records and by the committee secretary for the committee's overall records. These reports will be used for your annual audit. * DO AN ANNUAL AUDIT. This audit should be done before a new treasurer takes over the position. NO, it does NOT need to be done by an accountant. Get 3-4 people from the group, NOT the treasurer, and review all the records. They just confirm that everything is ok. * Work on a budget. * NOTHING IS PAID OUT WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEE. Doesn't matter if you're paying for something previously approved, before any check is cut, bring up the matter for the committee. This insures the group is aware of all financial matters, and puts this in the minutes of the meeting. With that, NO ONE should spend any money without FIRST getting approval. If someone things that more supplies are needed, and figures they can go buy them and get reimbursed WITHOUT prior approval, sorry, but thanks for the donation. First bring this before the group and get approval, including a limit on how much to spend. Also, require receipts. * get a handle on these scout accounts. If you can't figure out Excel or something, get a ledger book and record them in that. I would record when any money is added to the scout account, and if any money is paid out, how much, when, and for what.

"Area VOA was getting into the habit of calling Venturing area gatherings "Summits". That noun fit nicely. But it is now being used for a specific lattitude/longitude where boy scouts will gather every four years starting in 2013." News to me. But if they called these "Area Venturing Summits" I think that would distinguish them from "The Summit", etc. I've also argued for the reuse of the terms "Encampment" and "Rendezvous" for Venturing events, as they used to be for Explorer events, and don't seem to be used much today other then by Sea Scouts & some Varsity Scout events (Rendezvous).

"In the original thread, RDClements said, "Sometimes Venturing Crews form in order to do a single outing. The crew plans to disband when the outing is over. Sometimes they decide to stay together." Is this true?" YES. In my council, we had formed a Venturing Crew whose only purpose was to be to form a contingent group to the Irish National Jamboree. When I was a scout, I went to Philmont as part of an Explorer Post that was formed just to be a co-ed crew for Philmont. This group was formed by 6 boy scouts & 4 girls scouts (ie they were not BSA members), under the leadership of the parents of some of the members of the crew. You would just need to have your minimum # of youth & adults to do this, as in any unit, plus a sponsoring org, which could easily be a "Friends of" group or even a company.

"Is there a rank requirement for the Venture Patrol?" The only National requirement is being atleast 13. Any rank requirement would be set by the local unit.

Oh, a couple of terms that are rarely heard in the US. Moot, a gathering of Rovers/Rover Scouts. Indaba (sp?), a camporee of adult leaders.

Scout Show is usually what most people hear of council events bringing units together to show of scouting (hopefully) to the general public. Sea Scout Regattas & Rendezvous. Regattas are usually built around sailing competitions, rendezvous are gatherings that may not be as sailing oriented, but prehaps more skills oriented. Encampments was the term used for Explorer Scout/Explorer/Air Explorer Camporees back in the 40s & 50s. Flyins was the term used for Air Explorer/Aviation Explorer Camporees in more recent years.

Have to agree with others. There is no, and AFAIK, there never was, an OA award for this. Be aware that there is no such thing as "co-SM"s. There can be only one SM, per the registration form. The SM Award of Merit had specific requirements to be met, and it is no more. Its been replaced with the new Unit Leader Award of Merit, that ALSO has specific requirements. Only THE unit leader (SM, CM, etc) can earn it. An assistant unit leader can't get it. There is no 'save a unit' award out there. There is the above ULAM. There is recognition for people who establish a unit. But AFAIK there is no recognition for people who save a unit. Should there be? Maybe. But that's for others to decide.

Actually dropped by one of the local Scout Shops here. They seem to have but a subset of the Jambo stuff at ScoutStuff. No patches or pins, for instance. I'll be checking another local Scout Shop tomorrow. Will curious to see if they are different.

"Well, I agree to a degree. We are a civilian organization but we are a uniformed civilian organization. A comparison might be the Catholic Church." Well, I would have compared us to other uniformed civilian organization then the Catholic Church, as the church volunteers don't wear 'uniforms'. Better to compare us to groups like the US Power Squadron, CGAuxiliary, CAP and the like.

"The truth is that National is so disorganized since the restructure that no one seems to know what is going on anymore, not even the CSE. A friend of mine at National told me that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing anymore,very little inner office communication going on compared to the past, and a general lack of focus and direction by the powers that be." Huh. And the funny things is, is the re-org was supposed to fix some of those same problems that existed in the prior organization... Personally I thought the whole re-org was screwing, and wondering if the group that made the recommendations really had any track record in this area.

When National rolled out the Venturing zip offs about 2 years ago or so, all the old style pants & shorts were deeply discounted and sold off. The local scout shops here were selling them off, but I think they are all gone. As many of us have said before, you do NOT need to get the charcoal gray pants/shorts from National. You can get them from any source you want and still be in uniform. I get 2-3 different styles from Bass Pro Shop. You can get similiar from Cabelas and other sources.

Kind of surprising by what's NOT on ScoutStuff. Only one patch (sublimated one). You mean that's it? They sold out of EVERYTHING ELSE??? I believe they sold out of all the regional & subcamp patches/pins, but you mean the visitor patch, all the backpatches, staff patch, etc are all gone?