gcnphkr

Our treasurer likes TroopLedger from TroopMaster.

3. Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete Second Class rank requirements 7a-7c and First Class rank requirements 9a-9c.

They are part of the MB requirements. So if the earned the MB they would have done the requirements.

If the decision to join a particular troop were 100% up to the boy then you would be right in having the recruiting fall to the scouts. But that is not the case.

The youth's parents will be a major part of that choice. Not just does their son like one troop over an other but are they comfortable with it. They look at things like how well organized are the meetings, how well is the program planned (do they have a calendar available to see what the troop will be doing over the next 6 months and what they have done in the past?) and what will it cost. So while the visiting scouts are having fun with the troop you and the other scouters need to be explaining these things, as well as what boy led is and how it works. Remember, all these parents have know is the adult controlled environment of Cub Scouts. Experiencing a boy led activity can be a bit of a shock. IIRC, you have two patrols, imagine the chaos of 50 scouts in 8 patrols breaking up into patrol corners. Heck, I get overwhelmed by it and I understand what is going on. If we aren't explaining to the parents what is going on and why then there is little chance that they will let their son join. If I can show and explain that under all that chaos the scouts are working together to plan and solve problems they might have a chance of getting it, at least enough to give it a shot.

Beyond that, the Webelos Den Leader is a major stakeholder in this. Often she will be the one that determines which troops to visit, camp with and to get a DC from. If they like your troop, and often that will mean if they like you, then they will work with you. If they don't then you will likely get no one from that Den. The same is true of the Cubmaster and Pack Committee Chair as they will often be the people the WDL turns to to get advice about troops. If you don't have an adult actively working with these three people (as well as the other DLs) then it will be very hard to recruit from that pack no matter how hard the scouts work.

From what you describe the source of the unit's negative image is likely closer than the other troop. That you've struggled with working with the pack that shares your CO tells me that. They should know the troop and you well enough to know that the rumors are not true. That they don't is an indication of a dysfunctional relationship which needs to be corrected. I'd start by getting some of your adults to start working with the pack. They can be on the committee, or at least go to the committee and den leader meetings to be available to say, "We can help you with that". That sounds like what the other troop is doing.

We call the new scouts together. Explain what is going on and then go work on something else. That way they are not even given a ballot. They all have understood and not had a problem with it.

More of an issue for us would be if they voted knowing who is eligible to vote. In March, half the new scouts may not have actually crossed over yet, or have not completed the registration.

I disagree with our going to Mars at this point in time. It is a silly next step. The Moon is simpler with more immediate benefits. Then with materials mined on the Moon we can set up at L4 or L5, then we might want to start for Mars.

Resources, knowledge and lebensraum--the sooner we get at least one egg out of this basket the better.

It is either a smoke shifter carrier or a device for attaching a helmet to the backpack.

We don't provide tents. But not every scout has a tent and not all that have one bring theirs. Patrols somehow manage to figure out to just bring enough.

I'd make it:

Hiking boots

Sleeping Bag

Backpack

Gunny: How do you use hammocks and maintain a LNT ethic? Hammocks are tough on trees.

Often the change is in name only, some of the time it is the result of a merger. Most of the patrols keep their ribbons. In the case of a split, the groups will decide how to divide up the ribbons. On occasion the patrol just disappears, generally when they are either aging out or moving on the Venturing.

It looks like this has a different knot, at least if USScouts.org has the correct picture. It is a gold knot on a blue background with a gold border.

I guess this means that anyone with the old, program specific awards can also earn this one as well.

The proper way is around your neck. Unless, or course, it is being used to tie a splint or hold a bandage.

I've had people come up to me a put it under, take it out and even un-tuck my collar. grrrrrh

We go to three.

The troop hosts its own camp, originally meant to teach basic scouts skills. All the T21 skills are taught. This will be our third summer of doing this and as the scouts want to continue to come to this we will be adding a few merit badges. This is much less expensive than the other camps. We budget $150 for the 5 nights, so it is also popular with scouts on a tight budget. Attendance is between 1/3 and 1/2 of the troop. It may be higher this year, registration starts after crossover. We've more quality control on these skills then at a council camp, we've also found that we retain about > 90% of the scouts that go to it. Since almost all new scouts go, it has made a big difference on retention.

We also go to an instate camp. There are three in the state (actually there are four, but we've not been to the other one), two in council. We rotate between them. Most scouts go to these to work on merit badges and do things we don't at the troop's camp (aquatics, shooting sports, COPE, etc.) Coat generally runs about $300 for 6 nights. Typically about half the troop does this, but not this year. We started rotating because scouters got bored going to the same camp every year.

We also do a high adventure camp out of state. Often this is associated with a nearby merit badge camp. Originally this started out as just a high adventure trip, but if you are going anyway you might as well take a contingent to the merit badge camp as well. Attendance is highly variable. This year we are going to Emerald Bay and most of the scouts that can afford it are going. IIRC, about 1/3 of the troop is going there for $500-600 (I don't think we have anyone in Rugged S this year though).

Overall, between 85-90% of the scouts will go to at least one camp this summer. My guess is that if we only went to one this would drop to about 50%.

So has Tim hit you up to be a dean for next year's Univ. of Scouting yet?

It looks like you've made a good start here.

You might try making a wood-gas stove. Here are some general directions: http://worldstove.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/EverythingNice_Stove_Instructions.pdf

I've been working with #2.5 and #3 cans. I've found one example that is using a Trails End popcorn tin. I don't quite have it down yet, using wood chips I get a good fire for about 20 minutes and then I lose my draft and just get smoke. Lots of interesting science involved. Here is one being used to cook kangaroo:

Because they do not use liquid fuel (although I understand they work even better with oil or bacon grease on the dry fuel) they are in G2SS compliance.

Now when I have a scout wanting a PORs I tell them I will be happy to acknowledged their position once they start living it. Anyone that wants to play the bugle is allowed to but doing so does not make him the Bugler. If someone does it regularly he will be recognized at the Troop Bugler. Anyone can teach a skill to other scouts, but the ones that do so regularly will be recognized as Instructors.

The specific rule is parents are always allowed. My experience is that they often want to come on the first campout. Make sure it is not a campout where the can bring their RV or trailer and that they understand that they cannot sleep with the scouts. Keep them occupied and out of the scouts' hair, which means you have to keep them busy with other things. Most will not come again, the rest will sign up as scouters.

Use a clear mono-filament thread.

Congrats! It must have been a mix up.

In the last month I've been to 3 beading ceremonies. One at round-table took about 5 minutes. The after our troop COH was about 20 minutes and we had dutch oven deserts afterward. I then went to a beading for a LDS stake. Nine scouter from a single course received their beads. We had a nice meal, an hour of Polynesian entertainment including hula dancers followed by a 15 minute ceremony. I say this for the LDS, they know how to have a celebration.

90% done. If all goes well I'll get my beads May 17th.

We had a scout like this last year. He came to things as a guest but understood that he could not join until the end of the school year (his birthday was in the Summer). He understood that things like the participation requirements would not start until then, nor would he be tested on anything. He didn't care, he just wanted to be able to have fun with his friends.

We go back and forth between the clips and the ties. The ties are much cheaper and not that much more difficult.

But, there are times I wonder why scouts need the lanterns. Technically they should not be using them without an adult present (GTSS) depending on what "adult supervision" is. Somehow I suspect that it is not adults 100 yards away. We did not use them in my youth and we managed fine with flashlights.

Eventually we will likely switch to solar powered LED lanterns. But I've not found one that has the quality that I like yet.

We would like to to the upload into Scoutnet with the TroopMaster export. We managed to do it once. But the process has issues. If you add a new scout you cannot do it any more until you get his ID number back from council. That is our biggest hold up as we generally pick up a scout of two every quarter which is faster than we get the information back. I try to make sure that Scoutnet is current on our Eagle candidates. If we can get current and stay that way we will use it for filing the advancement report which should save the Advancement Chair some time.

As for updating the requirements more regularly. I'd like to get set up with the TroopMaster web so that we can do it from a smartphone. It is still in beta and I've not tried in on a smartphone. I need to do that when I go in to test drive a Droid.

We do email the history report out every few months so that the scouts have an opportunity to make any corrections.

Our treasurer loves TroopLedger. We are finally getting a handle on what things actually cost and should make our budgeting much better. Dues are annual from the parents and the Scribe is not involved. Activity fees could be handled by the Scribe but are handled by the transportation chair or whoever is chairing the summer camps.

much like sandspur. Most advancement is handled by the advancement chair. He does this when MBs are earned and after BORs when he keeps the scout's handbook for a week. Some things get updated as a group. Five mile hike, swim tests, etc. that may have been done as a group. Although there is a need to make sure that everyone fulfilled the requirement. TM handles the participation and tenure automatically. For upper ranks TM is fairly current, but for lower ranks it can be missing a lot if the scout has not advanced lately. Generally for those scouts an Instructor, PL or (A)SM will sit down and check with them on how they are doing. Occasionally we will update this information but mostly they only need a couple of things so we don't bother. If a scout is taking 6 months or more for each step in T21 then there is some other issue going on.

I've mixed feeling on recording partial MBs. It would be nice if you could indicate particular Camping 9b requirement activities, I make a note in the activity if it does. For the most part, if the scout can't manage his blue card then I'm not opposed to making him repeat the requirement. We generally do enter in partials from summer camp and MB round-up if we get our hands on the information. I'm not convinced the scouts really learn the material at these but I've no idea how I can say, "Sorry, but some of those classes are bogus so we are not going to allow you to take them" without having adults both inside and out of the unit wanting my hide.

---| 6/ A n easy way to identify these leaders is by the way they talk about the Troop; it becomes "My Troop", "My Scouts", "Our Eagles".

Just because a leader takes ownership of a unit it does not indicate that they are an Eagle Mill. I don't see that there is anything wrong with doing so.

---| 7/ Many take great pride in the Eagle Count.

What is wrong in taking pride in having Eagles?

While advancement is only one method of scouting it is still a method. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in doing any of the methods well. Advancement just happens to be one of the more obvious methods. It is also the method that occurs naturally as you do the others well. Lots of advancement may not be an indicator of a healthy unit, but lack of advancement certainly is a sign of a sick one.

I like the idea of wearing your uniform to school or work for the anniversary on February 8th. I'll do it and will encourage my scouts to do it as well. It seems a shame that it has not been promoted very much, at least not here.

I wonder if this one reason why there has not been an update to Troopmaster yet.

trainerlady,

I feel so sorry for you. Inventory can be bad enough without this sort of nonsense. If this is typical of your P&Ps it is a wonder we don't have to pay more than what we do.