ghermanno

I checked mine and most of my training is in there. It says I completed Safe Swim Defence in Jan/2008. It does not say that I have taken it three (e) times in the last three months as the training page says that I am still "in progress" on the course. I did not find a "contact us" button nor do I know "who" to contact about the training page so I'll live with it as I rarely go on swimming outings here in the desert. YiS, Rick

Ditto. It is a Scoutcraft. Make one. The pattern/directions are online. YiS, Rick

Ev, I have allways stated that partials were fine. I am talking about a boy showing up once and scheduling but not showing up again type. Wasting a persons time is not someone trying. It is someone NOT trying. I am not sure how you got partial as wasting time but I never said that partials were wasting anyones time. YiS, Rick

Twocubdad, We agree about who the gatekeeper is. I just believe (s)he should serve BOTH interest and yes, the boy comes first. But, if a boy shows up at my door to learn "First Aid" and doesn't have a blue card, yes, I will send him back to his SM. YiS, Rick

Eagledad, I will not go into depth as this has been discussed previously in-depth. The MBC is volunteering his/her time to train/assist boys to earn the specific MB that they have training in. The SM is responsible for NOT wasting thier time with boys that have no chance/time/ability to complete the MB. The SM is the "gatekeeper" in the aspects that (s)he needs to sign the blue card prior to the boy contacting the MBC. If the scout is wasting the MBC's time, the gate has allready been passed and the MBC will be inclined not to volunteer again. My $0.02 as a former DAC/MBC

Short version: When the Scout does not have a plan, or is incapable of leading the project. Who decides? The Scoutmaster and the Scouts Troop Advancment Committee. The District Advancement chair should NOT be the heavy. They should she pre-approved, verified plans that the Eagle candidate is ready to proceed with and has a high probability of completion. Maybe it's time to allow the Eagle candidate to FAIL, after informing him and the Troop about the probability of failure. Maybe the embarassment to the BSA, the Troop, and the Scout would open some eyes (yes I am being sarcastic

Twocubdad, I'm not so sure about them meshing as much as the thought "crafts are crafts and fun is fun". As a previous DCPD (day camp program director) I also know that we try to integrate the crafts, skills, & sports into the CSDC Program. We also know that some stuff is just fun and doesn't matter if the Cub did it before because it is just fun. As for the GS side of the house, that is where the GS personnel will have to assist/lead the DCPD with those items. Hopefully, they can find a happy medium. (The flyer did state that it is a "Partnership".) This is not BS showing G

Looking at the advertisement, cost is exactly why they are doing this. They need more campers to keep the cost down per camper. Regardless of why though, I am for it as it is a baby step to full intergration. Maybe someday, we will catch up to the rest of the world. YiS, Rick

Welcome. Pull up a log to the virtual campfire and have a cup of coffee (hot choc., water, ...). YiS, Rick

Markvp, I'd love to comment on the MBC rules (I hope you did NOT mark "Troop xxx Only") but I will stay on topic. Committee meetings, with full committee, are OPEN. There may be times, such as stated by John-in-KC, where specific members of the committee will meet with other personnel (IH/SE/COR/...) that are not public. The meeting, as I interpret from you, was a "normal" committee meeting and therefore should have been "Open" to the public, even the parent that brings up matters that the CC does not want to cover. The parent should be given an answer so that it does not come up

WOW!!! Does anyone know who their UC is? I am curious as to where the Unit Commisssioner is in this. No one has even stated using the UC. the UC is NOT a "spy for the District" s/he is their to HELP the Units. We (the Units) need to stop treating the UC as the "enemy" and start using them as they are inteded (Unit resources, Guides, helpers, inputs to District/Council,...) These people have volunteered to assist, let us help them do their job! How it should work should have been that the UC, during Monthly visits, is informed by the CC that the Unit will have a problem rec

Moosetracker, Welcome. It depends on what YOU want from the position. I will give you a background: I just spent a year as DAC (District Adv. Chair) for my District. I was told who would run what Eagle boards, I was told I could not interfere with Eagle boards, and I received NO support from District/Council when I reported violations of the Advancement guidelines/regulations for BSA. That being said, I did receive great satisfaction from the Scouters that did want to "do it right" and wanted to learn. I have held many Merit Badge Councellor courses since I started teaching it

norules, Congrats on completion of step #1 of WoodBadge (final steps are when your own taps are played). As to the "artifacts" found, hand me a "church-key" as I need to open my can of soda. (Predates "Pop-top" and some of us remember them!!!) Good luck. Rick .... I used to be an Owl, a good o'le owl too,...

Thanks John. YiS, Rick

Welcome, Pull-up a log at the virtual campfire. I must say, I miss the camping and beauty of New England (orignally from Worcester County, MA) but I do prefer the winters here. :-) Again, Welcome. YiS, Rick

TwoEagles, After reading your post, I have two concerns/questions: 1) What is the project? 2) If it requires skilled labor, does your son have the skills so as to manage the project or is he just hiring a crew to do the project? The major point to the project, in my opinion, is that it benificial to an organization and be something that the Scout can show the planning, funding, and execution of. Yes I am being a bit vague your description sounds more of a "I will hire a crew to do xxx and manage it" type of project. Based soley on what was posted, I would have rej

Scouters, As has been posted, the MBC's are a DISTRICT asset. They must be approved by the COUNCIL Advancement Chair (can be delegated and ussualy is). As a DAC, I strongly reccomend to the MBC applicants, while taking the required MBC course, that they do NOT sign up for Troop only. I wish the MBC application did NOT have that option. I also feel that the Troop should be charged for MBC's that select Troop Only. If they are to be a Troop asset only, the Troop should fund them. Bearshark: Have the young lady apply directly to the Scout Office in your arrea. There is no charge

Your Den Leader probably never wore a garrison cap either. Looks strange.

Nope OGE, the candles get wet in pie.... LOL HAPPY BIRTHDAY BSA!!!! Rick

... Singing "I used to be an Owl, a good ol'e owl too... Welcome. Rick WE1-803-2-08 (Owl Patrol)

It is an unfortunate turn of events when todays "trained scouts" could be left in the middle of a fuit orchard/farm or in a heavily (animal) populated area and starve to death because the parents fear their babies knowing that the food was once alive. Watched as parents signed their sons up for wilderness survival merit badge at summer camp and we had a military survival instructor teach it. The complaints we received because he gave them a chicken, showed then how to kill and clean it, and showed them how to cook it astonished me. I asked them where they thought KFC came from and they

Basementdweller, I stand by what I said. The following is from the official BSA site: How old (or young) can a boy be to join Cub Scouting? Cub Scouting is for boys in the first through fifth grades, or 7 to 10 years of age. Boys who are older than 10, or who have completed the fifth grade, can no longer join Cub Scouting, but they may be eligible to join the Boy Scouting or Venturing program. Here is the link: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/FAQS/joining.aspx I am not sure where the "...whichever is later" came from. It may be in the book as I have not

Basementdweller, Unless the boy is a "special needs" scout, the boy should progress to Boy Scouts at age 11. He has "aged out" of Cub Scouting. This of course can be waved for "special needs" scouts. My $0.02 YiS, Rick Cormier

One word of caution on fundraising/donations. Be sure that the Council/Distict knows that you are doing this (if doing this as "Scouting"). It has happened in the past that someone would get a donation for some small item (camporee/project/training) and not realize that the donor would consider that the companies donation to Scouting vice the normal $$$$ that they would donate to either Council or District. May not seem like much but could definately increase the cost of/decrease the frequency of camporees/summer camps... This is another reason they reccomend you ask for the donation i

DeanRx, The military member (and spouse) ussually have other military friends in the area. they also have access to the LegalCorps. They can get "Limited Power of Attorneys" or any other document you'd like to allow the boy to go with another adult. Now, if the parents do not have anyone they would accept to watch/care for thier boy during a campout, it is thier responsability to attend. I have never had to refuse a boy a camping trip due to parents deploying or having duty. We were allways able to get another parent permission and the boy had a GREAT time. Don't forge