FScouter

"... I begin to feel ill when I think about the form-hungry nature of bean-counting bureaucracies like National. Good Grief! The reason that we volunteers keep getting all this bean-counting stuff piled on ..." ??? The new "rules" make for an easier and more streamlined process, and fewer TPs needed. Sounds good to me!

Where does the form say two registered leaders are required?

Yeah theres a sentence OGE quotes about bylaws in the Venturing Fast Start. Read further and you find another one sentence that mentions bylaws in the context that the crew president (a youth) should come up with a code of conduct. Now, where does it say anywhere that bylaws are not recommended for any other units? Answer: nowhere. Thats the weakest argument possible, false too, that because bylaws are not forbidden, therefore they are recommended. Any troop or pack or any unit that wants to write up bylaws is perfectly free to do so. Lets just be honest about it and not make any

No, BSA is not lying. Someone posting here perhaps? Where does BSA say a Cub Scout pack needs bylaws? Where is the template provided by BSA for troop bylaws? Where does it say a Venturing Crew needs bylaws? Of course BSA has bylaws. They are a national corporation with millions of members. Does a troop in Podunktown with a few kids need bylaws? This stuff isnt rocket science, and reasonable adults working together dont need some archaic legalistic written document to govern their actions. Adults having trouble working together arent going to solve their problems by writing bylaws,

"Council's request..." This is nothing new. The council has always had the right to require tour permits for anything and everything. The point is, this new tour plan is not some onerous and oppressive new regulation designed to roadblock units from doing activities. Patrol camping is not banned. No activity is banned by this. Since a TP is not required by BSA for an in-council outing, that would seem to be cause for rejoicing, not grumbling.

Looks good to me - not required on ALL trips and outings, only out of council or over 500 miles or specific higher risk activities. The current TP is required on ALL outings. Patrol activities is not listed, thus they would continue to be exempt. I would say that any troop that isn't planning a trip more that 3 weeks out has bigger problems than filling out a TP. By then you ought to know where you're going and who the leaders are. Exact numbers is not required. No roster is required. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/TourPlanFAQ.aspx

Opinions will vary, and different folks will adopt different practices. Personally, I would never drag a bunch of kids out of camp to a hospital emergency room. There is no BSA rule or requirement that an outing must end if an adult has to leave. What is there to be afraid of exactly? I can see curtailing a swimming or rock-climbing activity perhaps. End it if you like, but it is not "required". Den meetings and troop meeting do not require two adults to be "covered". An assistant is always good, help is helpful, but there is no requirement.

Committee Chair: I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Scoutmaster: Why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them? Committee Chair: Why, I can teach you, cousin, to command the devil Scoutmaster: And I can teach thee, coz, to shame the devil By telling the truth. Tell truth and shame the devil. Bylaws serve no purpose save that as fodder for those that would seek to control.

As was said, use common sense. The "Rule" is stated very clearly in the Guide to Safe Scouting - two adults on trips and outings. There are no additional rules for 101 what-if scenarios. No rule that says two adults in every vehicle. No rule that says kids must tag along to the hospital. No rule that says the campout must end. No rule that says you need another adult if one has to go to the toilet. No rule that "2-deep" must be maintained every hour, minute, or second. Plan the outing with two adults, as required, and if something comes up use common sense. Simple.

"In Boy Scouts, the official definition is that registered=active" That is not entirely correct. Entire threads have been devoted to this topic, but whenever that idea comes up, also comes the obligation to repeat the rest of the story. BSA says: Question: How is "Be active in your troop and patrol" defined? Answer: A Scout is considered to be active in his unit if: 1. He is registered in his unit (registration fees are current). 2. He has not been dismissed from his unit for disciplinary reasons. 3. He is engaged by his unit leadership on a regular basis (Scoutmaster co

You noticed it too?

Why not just get a sweatshirt from the Walmart instead of the official BSA jacshirt?

I don't see any attack on anyone posting in this thread. If you all want the thread closed, they all you all have to do is stop offering more and more comments about it. The power is in your fingertips, or restraint thereof.

Sheesh people, listen to yourselves.

"Winston, please step away from the alcove."

It would be helpful if the PTA would read the charter agreement they signed. Obviously they think the pack is some outside group that just wants to use the school multipurpose room.

I served as district training chairman for several years and as you can guess, there is NO day or time that won't generate complaints. Folks can't come on a weekday, and other folks can't come on a weekend. We just find times that have the fewest conflicts and put them on the calendar months in advance. The RT day and time is a conflict. You can do one or the other and not both. From a training standpoint I'd never schedule training on RT nights because the attendance for training would be LESS. And the RT people squeal like stuck pigs for causing their RT attendance to drop. It is lo

There is a training element to Round Table - Small stuff like how to utilize the troop meeting planning sheet, or how to make a pitalator. It would be rude to folks that want Round Table to find it turned into a basic training event. It would also be rude to folks that want to be trained that they cannot take advantage of Round Table. Concurrent events at the same time and same location just forces folks to choose which they will attend. Or, they find out that RT was gutted in favor of a training event and they've been cheated. I've found that the ONLY reason the training p

There is the "proof" that a den of 13 boys, or 18 boys does not work. BSA discovered that years ago and that is why the "book" recommends only 6-8 boys per den. The best constructive advice is to simply fast forward beyond reinventing the wheel and go form two dens with two den leaders.

Maybe the local Scout troop could man the radar in exchange for a cut of the proceeds.

"Also knew a gymnast who was "fat" at 146 pounds and 5'2" according to the charts." 5'2" and 146 is in the "recommended" range. 178 pounds is the maximum. According to the current chart.

Kudos and congrats to dah Beavah for reading and now agreeing with the BSA references posted by OGE and Acco40 and moosetracker earlier in this thread. We can all learn a thing or two eh? Welcome to the sunny side of the street!

That's da BSA program. The BoR is not retesting, but the Board is asking questions about the learning of skills to make sure they have been learned, and doin' it in a way that encourages the boy ... Now, maybe, if da board is seein' a lot of lads who are weak in cooking, they come back at the SM and let him or her know that they're seeing a spot where the program needs some attention. Well it heartening to see that dah Beavah is coming around to the BSA way of thinking. The board of review certainly does have an element of troop program review as the BSA publications tell us, and a few

I post to clarify misinformation, counter incorrect facts, and in this case to defend against straw man arguments directed against other forum members.

Hey Beavah! There you go again! Youre being a little rough on OGE, eh? Hes got it backwards, eh? No one contributing to this thread, or anywhere in these forums, ever, has advocated 10 minutes of practice followed by a test of short term memory. No one has ever advocated test first, learn later. Theres really no need to make up false statements, attribute them to someone, and then use them to bolster your position. If youre going to argue the merits of what someone said, at least start out with what was really said. Eh?