jhankins

I got mine this year. What an ordeal (no pun intended) to get leaders to go to training! What did make it easier was a CO willing to make training mandatory. Record keeping was a chore at first, as I was coming into an established pack that didn't keep records. It took some begging, but my DE was able to print me out records for each individual leader, which helped heaps.

My district has major issues with boys getting to Eagle boards that we find out during the board or later have major issues with their scouting experience. Boys who don't know what a Senior Patrol Leader is, boys who can't explain what points of the Oath and Law mean to them, boys with their merit badges stapled on to their sashes, brand new books with nothing marked, project books incomplete... When we get a boy like that, as a board, we send a letter to the Scoutmaster and the Committee bringing up these issues. These things have to be addressed at the unit level, and seldom are. It'

I took a group of cubs and a few boy scouts out today to place some flags at a memorial park. This park is new with only 150 or so veteran graves, but we had a good group of 15 boys and their parents there to participate. It was so neat to see the parents explaining the military symbols on the stones, what a purple heart is, what a bronze star is, and what service really means. It didn't dawn on me how moving and what a lesson this could really be to a young boy until we saw a grave of a young man not even 20 that died in the line of duty in Iraq. His long list of military awards

They aren't needed, however, a CO can institute bylaws so that the unit is run according to their wishes and policies. They aren't a bad thing.

Ours is called Megaversity. We usually hold it at a school where the leaders joke about being in High School again. Here's our flyer from last year: http://doubleknot.com/openrosters/DocDownload.asp?id=26446

I'm next to his district and would be happy to get it back to him. I'll private message you!

My commissioner shirt has 1 knot -- My Tiger Den Leader Achievement. It's what started it all for me, and it introduced me to the concept as an adult that Scouting is all about those wide-eyed and excited little guys that are the future of our country and world. Yes, I have a district shirt with my others on it that I wear to official functions, but when I'm with the units, that's the statement I'm making about me -- Tiger Cubs was the start of something wonderful for me.

Private message me your email and I'll send you a set of a pack I'm a commissioner for.

I was looking in the handbook... would be nice to have a NOAC on the left coast sometime again too

We had an Eagle candidate like this last night! His Family Life, Personal Mgmt and Personal Fitness were all signed off in his book, but when we looked at his scoutnet printout -- they weren't done! He claimed it was a clerical error, so now we're waiting to see what's up with that before we accuse him of anything wrong.

So this is the national activity instead of NAOC this time around? The post I read from the OA Facebook page made it sound like this was going to be an annual event akin to the OA service/paddle at Norther Tier...

The insurance usually is a sticking point for the flight, and that the plane isn't an experimental kit plane. Our boys were offered flights for free from the Young Eagle Association, but because the YEA didn't want to cough up their insurance information, we had to cancel the event and have the families call for their own appointments.

What works for me? "Thanks for your email. Have your son make sure he follows the procedures to get his blue card and read the book, then have him give me a call." The parents usually throw a fit, but when they find out it's a BOY LED program, they usually back off.

Unfortunately in our society today, "your gender is your gender" isn't as true as it used to be. Transexual issues are pervasive across the country and in every generation. It's common to see boys say "I'm a girl trapped in a boy's body" and vice versa. Gender identity is becoming a huge issue, and I think the more we polarize the gender lines, the more difficult it's going to be for kids. Seeing Scouting leaders united for the same goals, both male and female, will continue to supply a positive balance for any youth in our program.

Our RT attendance varies. Some months we'll have 80 or 90, others maybe 20-30. Door prizes have helped. Local restaurants or gift cards from Wal*Mart -- having our OA chapter meeting at the same time... A Venturing Crew holding their meeting at RT and inviting other Crews and parents to participate... We have over 1,000 registered leaders in my district, here's hoping in the next year our attendance can reach more than 10% or less!

I'm a single mom, with a son in Scouts. He's surrounded by many talented men and women, but I think naturally, I find him gravitating towards men who care for their boys, put forth effort to act like a 13 year old yet still command respect. Without a dad in the picture, this sure is a blessing to see. Yes, we as women can be role models, even inspire the men in what to look for in a lifemate and how to respect women, but the ideal of a "model" is that the boys see what they like in other men and take those qualities with them throughout life. After my Ordeal this past weekend, one

I saw this on someone's patch jacket after my Ordeal and thought it looked cool, placed alongside the button line of the jacket. And yes, the person wearing it could recite the legend from his chapter chief days.

It's great to hear success stories! I moderated a Trainer's EDGE class for our NYLT staff and heard some amazing presentations from the boys. One SPL from his troop did an outstanding job and impressed me to no end. It's great to see our youth in action.

One troop in my district does a crab feed every year where the tickets are $35 each. The adults mostly sell the tickets and the boys work the event, but in some cases a boy will be trusted by his parents with 1 or 2 tickets at a time. The idea is that the parents are also in the loop of responsibility with that kind of money.

.22s are only listed because it's meant as an introduction to shooting sports. Accuracy and familiarity are alot easier to master with a lower caliber firearm. If you've got a group of Venturers that are crackshots and the guns are available, let them all shoot .45s!

Hmm, my lodge let us take photos from across the way of each other getting our sashes. We didn't disrupt and didn't take pictures of the ceremony outright tho, just the bestowing of the sash.

The COs own your unit assets and gear and number, so it's up to them if they want to merge. If you can't permission for the merger, just meet together and do things together as two different packs, one vision and mission. Either that, or just leave the current unit.

I can email em to ya.

Not all boys have 7 years to complete the program advancement. Boys that didn't join scouts until later have to do some careful calculating to make sure they can do it. Others have different priorities during their scouting tenure. One Eagle we've spoken to in boards-- his mom committed suicide after he received First Class; of course the young lad took a break! Another was removed from his first troop for bullying, but came back two years later ready to try again, and he's one the most impressive changed young men I've seen. Other boys surely won't make it for whatever reason, bu

I don't like the idea of being told I can't do something, but who does?? That being said, every charter has the right to choose who they want as leaders in what positions. I respect that belief. But what it boils down to for me as a mom and a scouter, I want what's best for my son. My boy is currently interviewing a SPL and Scoutmaster of a LDS troop. I will be able to serve on the committee, but I could only go camping on the troop's family campouts. And that's okay with me. I trust the leaders and I'm signing off on this decision. If at any time I don't like what I hear comi