Jeffrey H

We did the same thing with another pack in our district that was without key leadership. It worked out well and we built a friendly relationship between us. Eventually, the other Pack folded but many of the boys joined our Pack and stayed in Scouting.

Yep. We schedule one or two pack events a month. June is planned our Cub Day Camp and Webelos Camp. July and August will vary depending on what we decide, but we are planning an overnight campout. We always throw in a trip to the local pro baseball game. We keep the planning simple and low stress and the results are successful. The attendance numbers to our summer events vary but usually we can expect about 30% attendance to any one event. The Pack Summertime Award does not require a minimum number, it only requires that you plan the event and do it.

Our Pack's approach is to let the parents (Akela) sign-off on the "Faith" requirements. We might discuss our Duty to God with Cubs at den meetings on a high-level, but the remaining requirements are done at home. If the scout proclaims he is an "atheist", I would ask the parents to talk to him about this as they work on the "Faith" requirements at home. I agree with other comments, let him stay in the Pack if the parents agree, but with a warning that the "duty to God" expectation will become more prevelant as he gets older in Scouts.

Our Pack encourages participation to earn cub knots but I don't force it on anyone. The changes and consolidations being make to the Cub Scouting knots are really a return to way it was about 30 years ago and I like the change because we have too many knots today. Take a look at some of the older pictures of scout leaders - you will be hard pressed to find anyone that had a "fruit salad" of knots on their uniforms. I have 3 knots on my uniform but I have made a commitment to myself to keep it at a maximum of 3. Less clutter looks better.

My Church CO does not like the direction the BSA is taking but is comfortable that the CO's keep their authority to select leaders. This one factor was key that helped us to recently complete our re-charter.

There is so much concern about a CO and it's leaders being sued. Assuming that happened, what would be the basis of the plaintiffs lawsuit? Force the Troop to give them membership? Monetary award for emotional distress because they were denied? Combination of the above? If for some crazy reason the plaintiff got their way, I don't see the Troop opening up their arms to welcome them after causing so much contention.

".....I am looking for enlightenment from "the other side" as to why they will be running and screaming away from BSA due to a piece of paper in Texas. not to call people out, but I am looking for responses from those like: ASM59, airborneveteran, Jeffrey H and raisinemright why would you leave? What has so catastrophically changed by a piece of paper that still allows you to run your unit EXACTLY THE SAME WAY??..." We will continue to run our Pack in exactly the same way with the continued blessing of our Church CO. At this time, I have not heard anything from my CO and/or COR

The response from AHG is what I would have expected at this time. I wish them well.

For our Pinewood Derby, we had one den assigned to bring fruit and vegetable trays to balance out the "foods". Guess what, there was plenty of fruit and veggies left over and the chips and cookies were gone. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink it. It's not just the Cubs that choose the fun foods but it's also the parents. We will keep trying. Gotta' practice what you preach.

Scouting tries to be alot of things with good intentions but trying to do too much always has the potential to lose focus. The BSA wants to appeal to boys that love the outdoors and those that hate the outdoors - You can't have both and be successful at both. So what is most important to the BSA? I'm still trying to figure that out. Is it "STEM", backpacking, hiking, wilderness survival, primitive camping, indoor merit badge colleges, flag ceremonies, service projects, etc. While Scouting talks about the outdoors, the reality is only 23 nights of camping are required for Eagle - (20

"If your pastor wants to keep the ban on gays, you can keep the ban on gays. That is what the new policy says. I don't see it conflicting with the mission of the Church. " You may not see it as being a conflct but many COs will. Part of our CO's mission is to align with organizations they can partner with that support their mission and the BSA, up until now, has fit well in that partnership. Public perception of the National organziation does trickle down to the local Troops/Packs.

Our church CO will not agree with National's position. Yes, I realize COs will still be able to select and approve their own leaders and members but I'm not sure our CO will want to be aligned with a National organization that approves of membership standards that conflict with the CO beliefs. If the BSA is looking for a smaller organization, they have found a quick path to get there. I've been a active scout leader for a small 7 years now and currently serve as CM of a great Pack. I've enjoyed the ride and the friendships I've made. Today, I'm not feeling good about the BSA an

"So why don't they resurrect the old belt-loop program in Cub Scouts? Those were designed to be MB like and could be used to foster some program with little effort on the part of National to set them up..." It never went away. Belt loops are the most popular awards in our Pack. Our boys wear their belts and display their belt loops.

"...After 15 minutes I asked him: "And how will this directly benefit our Troop?". " Good question. I would be interested to know how he responded. The purpose of the WB ticket is to have a positive impact on your unit. I have not drank the Woodbadge Kool-Aid. I can't seem to get myself to pay $300 for a course that will inspire me to do things for Scouting when I'm already inspired to do positive things. Something must be wrong with me .

Honestly, I would not be willing to go that far, but some things I look for to make my decision: Overall attendance of the scout at den meetings. Is he active? Was there a hardship/conflict that kept him away from key den meetings? In my overall asseessment, if he is an active scout, I will work with him the best I can as my schedule permits. At this point, expectations must be set with the parents and scout. If time is running short, I would have him complete some or all of the reqirements at home and delegate the sign-off to the parents. Before I would award him the badg

I know a couple of Scouters that seem to be at all things all the time. As far as I know, they are still married. I enjoy enthusiastic leaders, but we all need to take inventory of our time. Re-balance and re-focus on the things that are most important. You know, it's okay not to attend that "event" again this year. I have a daughter that has no interest in the things of scouting, whether GSUSA, AHG, or Venturing. She has other fine interests and I better stay in her world and take interest in things she is doing. I would enjoy Scouting more if it were not for the administrative

"...There seems to be a lot of anger here, and a rhetorical, why is that? We are almost all adult volunteers in an Organization whose local professional component hardly ever obtains our respect. It appears there is little regard for "Irving" or anything that is done at the National level. And yet we still spend time and energy with an Organization we appear to despise and have little regard for, why do we do what we do?..." I sympathize and agree with the above statement. I don't see the Professionals as the advesaries but as partners in this great organization. As far as FOS is con

"...There seems to be a lot of anger here, and a rhetorical, why is that? We are almost all adult volunteers in an Organization whose local professional component hardly ever obtains our respect. It appears there is little regard for "Irving" or anything that is done at the National level. And yet we still spend time and energy with an Organization we appear to despise and have little regard for, why do we do what we do?..." I sympathize and agree with the above statement. I don't see the Professionals as the advesaries but as partners in this great organization. As far as FOS is con

"Now honestly if he was truly inactive for three years, why was he kept on the charter." Hard to tell. Maybe his parents continued to pay his "Dues" but he was not really showing up for anything during that time. For some units, "active" means Dues paid. I don't agree with that, but I'm sure it happens in low-quality Troop programs.

My CC and I (CM) do the re-charter together. I handle the internet recharter portion and the CC handles the paperwork, YPT, and money that needs to be turned into council. As CM, I may not be responsible for the re-charter but I am responsible to assist with it's successful completion. It's on my list of position responsibilities. Keep in mind, that many units have "less than active" CC's and completing the re-charter often falls to the SM or CM. It is problematic if the CC is the one that needs YPT. In any other case, if a leader will not do their YPT in time, I would tell t

It's a good idea for a Cubmaster to be present on Den Meeting nights. You get to know and interact with the DL's more often, meet the boys and, interact with their parents. It also makes you available to DL's and parents for questions and concerns. You can do all of this and still stay out and away from the Den Meetings. An added bonus is you begin to recognize and know the boys on a first name basis. In the end, all of this depends on your Pack culture and expectations placed upon your CM. As CM of my Pack, I'm expected to be present on most Den Meeting Nights unless I have a sched

The vast majority of Scouts do not obtain Eagle. Even among those that are goal oriented and focused, they don't always make it. As I've heard some Scouters say, "I'm a Life for Life." Service projects were not required for Eagle until 1965. So, one could argue that getting Eagle for the first 55 years of the BSA may have been easier. I don't think it was, but one could say that.

I enjoy Scouting, but I also balance time with my family. I don't do everything, don't try to, and I delegate what I'm not supposed to be doing as a Cubmaster. If the delegated person does not do it, then it does not happen. Leadership is to be shared with others and not taken up by one "control freak" leader. I seriously DO NOT admire those that do their positions "full time" at the expense of family - That's stupid and foolish. Paperwork? The only administrative stuff I enjoy in Scouting is advancement records. The other stuff I simply tolerate.

Memorial funds can be set up to defray the costs to the families - funeral costs, unexpected burdens on the family, whatever is needed. At a minimum, it communicates to the families that "we care" and our thoughts and prayers are with you. This whole matter is a tradegy and the heavy, heavy gravity of it goes beyond my comprehension. I get hearbroken when I think about it. Any well-meaning response made by any organization or person, including the BSA, will never be perfect in a tradgedy of this magnitude. I appreciate the National Office of the BSA reaching out even if it risks

Agree with ScoutNut. Non-profits need to raise money to offset expenses. That's just fundamental ecomomics. The year 2015 allows for transition not only for the Scout Shops but for the units as well. Our Pack has quite a few handbooks in storage that we need to use before the the change is implemented. I'll be able to hand out those books and they will still be good to use for the next 2 years. If they implemented the change immediately, I would have to throw out those books and what a waste that would be. BTW, I'm okay with the change. This change is not fixing anything, just