jhankins

I finally got a hold of a copy of this year's standards: The shooting sports director is at least 21 years of age and holds a valid certificate of training from the Shooting Sports section of National Camping School. (National Camping School qualifications include rifle, shotgun, muzzleloading, and archery instructor, unless otherwise noted on the card.) The shooting sports director must be present in camp when a firearm range is in use. Standard range operating procedures are developed and posted at all range locations.

I love the bagpipes at scout outings. For Wood Badge, our call to worship for the interfaith service is Amazing Grace on the pipes, then we leave to Scotland the Brave. I've never thought about the pipes to close campfire with though, I like it.

A pioneering demonstration with boy scouts helping them build a few gadgets?

I thought Heart of America also had a Lodge, and they run both programs? Tamegonit, isn't that their lodge name?

I know of one council that doesn't have OA -- they have their own honor society that reports to the SE and that's it. I know of two districts in my area that have a "Friends of XX" group that meets privately to promote Scouting and their own goals, usually scholarships for youth for camp, Wood Badge and Philmont for leaders that can't afford it, and they serve as an influential group of "asking people" when the committee needs something done, like a new Committee Chair, big event or big FOS ask.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the input. Our resident camp director was insisting he didn't need a SS Director and there's only one camp school left to get one.

Yeah, 18 is the official rule for Range Officers, but SS Directors is the qualification I'm looking for. Thanks tho!

I don't like to assign rank classifications to belt loops and pins, although some beltloops can be earned for rank advancement for Webelos to help their general knowledge of a subject. If you have a boy, say taking gymnastics lessons, then by all means he's going to have the gumption and skill to go ahead and earn the beltloop and pin. If you have a family that skis or skates, then the boy could earn that in a month with his family. Some families do beltloops and pins as family activities to help give every sibling a broad base of information and spark their interest in a new subject matter. That can happen at any age, even Tigers.

There's usually a troop or two on post, and the scoutmasters and committee chairs are usually either retired soldiers and sailors, or active duty. Getting in touch with them can be a tremendous resource. I know here, our post even has a campsite for boy scouts and we can use it anytime, we just have to clear it with the Public Affairs office, then they pass it up to the Garrison Logistics commander (in our case this year, he was also the troop committee chair!).

Does anyone have a copy of the Camp School book for Cubs? I can't find mine and was trying to remember the age of the SS Director -- I remember it us supposed to be 21, but I can't seem to find any documentation to back up my memory. I know ROs for Cubs can be 18, but I thought the area director had to be 21. Thanks in advance.

Spielberg doesn't claim to be an Eagle anymore as he handed over his medals during the gay issue debacle. He still talks about how beneficial scouts was for him and his career, though.

UCs are to do just what it says for them to do -- be a friend to the unit. It's not all about policy, it's about being there to offer a hand in any way possible, be there for the annual planning meeting to share ideas of what other events have been done in other units, help with the Webelos to Scout Transition process (finding good troops), share news from the district, and the list goes on. I went to my troop meeting following camporee last month and we faced two issues: a boy issue that had parents fuming and ready to quit over another boys's behavior at camporee, and during camporee, one if the troop's new members passed away from an asthma attack while out of town. I listened, I shed tears with the other parents, I aimed the parents in the direction they needed to go, I advised the Scoutmaster following the meeting when he explained what he had learned that night regarding a Youth Protection issue that to the Scout Executive for reporting, offered up the "Spirit of the Eagle" program to the committee to have sent to National in the boy's honor (as they didn't know about it), and suggested other honors for them to explore. I didn't quote but one policy that whole evening, and that was for the SM to call the Executive regarding a youth protection issue, and I only had to quote it to reassure the SM that he was doing the right thing. Everything else in that meeting was offering support to the committee and the boys.

National has a whole division entitled "The office of corporate alliances" meant solely to establish relationships with organizations to help promote BSA's agenda. Steve Emerick is in charge, and he's been trying to get companies to work with the BSA to promote scouting in a positive light. I remember for a while they were trying to get Scouts in Action on Wheaties boxes, and trying to get Coke to do a bottle. My opinion --I honestly think the car company in question MIGHT have been trying to make a point about boys cross-dressing in a girl scout uniform.

They can run the reports, but ScoutNet is limited in access methods. Many reports can't be copied/pasted, and others only popup for printing with no preview. National has their reasons for information security not all of which I agree with. For instance, any email to BSA email accounts that has a string of numbers is quarantined right now until a help desk employee can manually scan it for SSNs. Why? DEs are distributing SSN info through email. When some DEs leave the business, they have been known to dump all unit rosters, FOS prospect lists, and other such member info into files to take with them to sell or use for other sales positions.

Some councils to hide the true numbers from volunteers will just publish statistics and percentages. Others who have made quality council and finished in the black will publish budget allocations and overall goals. Audits of the books are done after a change in Scout Executive. If you're friendly with the council finance VP, they may show you what's been going on paper.

Yes, it can be done, depending on what you're looking for. Ask your DE to look in MyBSA -- it's an overlay filter for Scoutnet that dumps to Excel. If he can't figure it out, ask him to call the national help desk.

I understand it's not a perfect world, but motivated commissioners will do their best if they're properly trained as to what the job really entails. My current District Commissioner doesn't even expect written monthly reports on the units he serves, so they don't get done. The new guy is taking over this week and oh look -- he's already got our assignments pushing to ScoutNet so we can do our reports online.

Eagle provided what I was looking for, I wasn't just looking for statements of fact, thanks

I'll have the instruction sheet for you this evening, I'm off running errands today.

A good DE will know who his customers are: the volunteers and the community, and they understand their job is a job of service, not dictating

I use a copier paper box put on its vertical side as my box oven, so the only base is the cardboad covered in foil, but the coals are put inside pie pans.

The desirable ratio for unit commissioners in any district is 3 units to 1 commissioner to ensure that every unit has someone working with them. The best way to define the job to most people is that a unit commissioner is the quality assurance arm of scouting -- they are going to make sure the unit is excelling at its job. The ideal way to look at it is that a unit commissioner will help diagnose an issue in a unit -- say a unit not advancing boys. That information will reach the District Commissioner and the Key 3. At the next District Committee meeting, the Committee Chair will provide that information to the advancement committee, who will then come up with a plan of attack to help that unit. Gentle phone calls and suggestions, a phone call to the unit leaders, an offer to come teach a class, etc... That's the perfect world scenario! To do your monthly visits to 3 units, attend a commissioners meeting once a month, and be available to the unit for phone calls, emails and maybe attend 1 outing for each unit a quarter, you're looking at quite a bit of time dedicated to just being a friend to those units. It's a lot of time on its own without another job. That being said, many of us do have other jobs, too. I do serve a pack, troop and crew for a church charter. I attend 1 den meeting and 1 pack meeting a month. Usually at the pack meeting the boys pick a silly song and I help lead it-- usually it's the Elephant in the attic camp song With the Troop I attend 1 troop meeting or COH, and the committee meeting. Right now it's a little less than that as the COR/CC is stepping up into his role and I can just call him to help solve issues. The Crew is more self sufficient and I make a phone call to the Crew President and talk to him on Facebook on occasion. The Crew invites me to attend events and when they need a female chaperon for an event, I'm VYP trained and go with them. All in all, this is another 4 nights a month and lots of phone calls. It's worth it, but it is busy. I'm not a member of any of these units, and I try to remain impartial on all of the issues. My job as commissioner is to be the "friend of the unit." I'm not there to "narc" on them, I'm there to ensure they're doing their best for the boys in the best way possible. I don't sway policy in the unit, I advise on BSA policy, offer suggestions the unit may not have heard of, and help them think outside the box. In reality, a good commissioner listens far more than he speaks. The better the communication you have with a unit, the better you can understand their needs.

So Pixar owes BSA for Wilderness Explorers, and Sweat Lodge 54? rofl

Right, I realize that, but I was looking for documentation to show, as the uniform police say it's a no-no.

Ah there it is, I have the 2008 printing.