jhankins

I'm a former DE with 70% LDS units, and currently, I'm a Baptist serving as committee chair for 4 LDS units.

"Age banding. Patrols are age specific, probably to coincide with the Church's YM program. Patrols do not span 11 to 17 year olds, but 11/12, 13/14, 15/16 etc. All non-LDS do not do that. Many would consider it counter to the goals of the patrol method."

Patrols and programs are supposed to be run in a textbook fashion like this:

11 year olds (Their own troop)

12-13 Boy Scouts

14-16 Varsity Scouts

16-18 Venturing

Many wards don't have enough boys to run their program this way, so with the blessing of a Bishop and/or Stake YM President, the setup can be different to fit the needs of the ward (Charter Org). Currently, we're running our 11 year olds as 3 patrols, the 12-13 year olds as a patrol, the 14-18 as a patrol. If we have enough boys in every age group, we'll run it as 3 separate programs, but we don't right now. We still register the program as all 3 for the sake of the paperwork, but we run it as all 3 programs for the "older boys."

"The requirement of priesthood to hold the SPL position in a unit. How can a non-LDS member become a SPL in an LDS unit? This is directly against every non-LDS unit I've been associated with where every member of the unit is eligible to become SPL, independent of his stature in the CO. They are elected by their piers."

The SPL isn't required to be a member of priesthood. Yes, the COR appoints the SPL with guidance from the Scoutmaster, but currently in my LDS units the patrol leaders are chosen by the boys after the list is approved by the Bishop, and the SPLs are nominated for by the boys then interviewed by the Young Men's Presidency and Bishop. Right now, our SPL is a non-member.

"The need for LDS units (at least in my council) to reserve our BSA scout camp for LDS exclusive summer camp use. No other CO demands that. When we are at summer camp, no LDS units are there."

This isn't a program difference. This is a request of the COR because it's important to have the boys in Church on Sundays. Some units, once in a blue moon, can get permission from their Bishop to attend camp on Sundays, but they must also meet their religious obligations when doing so. We do not attend LDS week camps every year. This next year we're going to an out of council camp with no LDS weeks, and we're missing the Sunday night camp report night and leaving early Monday morning.

"I'm not saying these are negative things, but they are significant alterations to the standard BSA literature. Can you explain why that is?"

The only specific alteration you've mentioned is the appointment of the SPL. What else are you referring to.

There is no difference in LDS scouting program and "Non LDS" units. The CORs have different rules, but it doesn't affect program.

That's awesome attendance, John.

By basic training, I mostly mean Specific training. This is Scouting and YP happen quarterly, more as a way to get new scouters introduced.

National policy, guys. Your charter owns the money in your account. Any money you raise is yours, none of it goes to the BSA. Ever.

All 3 of the LDS Little Philmonts in my district are being devoted to basic training.

It's sad. Little Philmont implies that it would be advanced leadership training.

I won't do basic training at RT as training chair. It's not the place.

Our UoS is in March. I'll be glad to see it not entail basic training.

Getting back to basics requires effort, but not at the expense of those who have put in that effort already to get trained.

http://www.praypub.org/

All religions that have a working relationship with the BSA for wearing religious awards.

For a religion to be recognized by the BSA, they have to charter at least 25 units and write their own material for every age group.

The only people being hurt by this nonsense are the boys we're trying to gift the values of Scouting.

I'm a Baptist Scouter with a Lutheran Lamb award and I'm the committee chair for an LDS Ward (yes, all 4 units). My experience is, the more diverse your organization, the more challenges behind the scenes, but also the more reward and life lessons for the boys. An LDS troop with Hindu, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Wiccan and LDS is a powerful and unique place to be.

This church is being short-sighted by not allowing the parents to be leaders, but the boys could still participate without parents being leaders.

The very fact Kudu posted this here and not in the Council relations thread shows yet another way he'd like to blame Wood badge for all the problems in the BSA.

What's the big deal about the rules? Seriously? What's verboten or anathema in there?

If the boys can't take care of the gear, they shouldn't get a tent unless they bring their own. It's that simple. On a 4 day canoe trek, a few boys vandalized a tent the first night, and they had to clean their mess, then they slept under the stars the rest of the weekend. Oh well!

As far as replacing gear, if the troop has the funds, it would be worth it to have some high quality gear for the boys who are responsible and could use it for say treks and other lightweight gear, but as far as every day tents, I wouldn't waste the money anymore.

Hello from two councils over! Good luck with your ticket. I'm sure you'll knock it out of the park.

I know many people who wear shorts under their kilts. It's not a big deal. Why not just wear shorts? Because kilts represent a cultural heritage, and are just plain fun to wear.

I do wear something under my kilt.

Shoes and socks.

I remember hearing that, too, Eagle92. It couldn't hurt to email the Laird and even ask, now.

When I went to a Highland Games here in CA with my son wearing our MacLaren, the gentle people at the family booth even shook our hands with the left.

I take pride in my honorary membership into the clan, and in honoring the traditions we're invited to participate in.

Stillwater Kilts make a great Thrifty kilt for under $30. It's got no frills or belt loops, but it's great for occasional wear.

On WE4-45-2-10's Troop 1 staff, we all wore kilts. Some wore MacLaren, some wore the official Leatherneck USMC tartan, others wore family colors. It was loads of fun! My son and I both wear our MacLaren kilts for special occasions.

The Clan MacLaren society has a neat web page dedicated to wearing scottish attire with the MacLaren tartan.

It's mauve, not tan

The only time I wear my Troop 1 neckerchief is during staffing experiences on course. The rest of the time I'm in mauve, woggle and beads. On course until the final closing ceremony, I'm in beads, participant woggle and Troop 1 neck gear.

When I first received my Wood Badge, I wore the neck gear to every event, but as time has gone on, I wear the beads mostly, and save the mauve for special occasions and staffing events. Usually we have one Wood Badger that gives "Field Uniform Beads" to people that are animal beads in the shape of their critter as a staff gift, so we even have "class b" beads.

Western Region goes:

WE (Wester Region, Weekend)

4 (Area)

45 (Council Number)

2 (2nd Course of the year)

11 (Course year)

I'm surprised it's not standardized.

Does your council use a wholesale food company for purchasing? We use Sysco for our food stuffs and when I call to talk to our area sales rep, he's able to quote me prices for how much to feed how many people and I build my budget from there.

I would ask your ASM-Physical or your Quartermaster for a list of duties and a list of meals you'll be cooking for as well. A written list. Some courses the QM cooks for staff developments. Others still only have the QM cook for the staff breakfasts and the last meal for the entire course on the last day... It's good to know what's expected ahead of time.

It also helps knowing your line item allowances in the budget? Have they let you play with the budget yet?

The tradition in my council is to have the QM bring in a caterer who works with the AQMs on the first weekend, then the QM and her staff cook the second weekend. The caterer asks what we want to cook, and he works with the Sysco rep on prices.

A professional isn't going out begging money for their own salaries, they are selling the morals and values for future generations. Donors are making an investment in the future of our country.

I would assume to staff PLC you have to have already served on staff of a WB21C. Is this correct?

If that's so, you've got a third bead.

If you want a fourth bead, course direct a WB course, or even a NYLT course.

Just my 3 beads on the subject.

I try to focus my committee on the fact that we're working towards the Vision of Scouting, to instill the morals and values taught by the scout oath and law more than anything else. Yes, Eagle Scout is a worthwhile goal, but a boy doesn't have to make Eagle to learn the life lessons he needs to succeed in life.

If a boy wants it, we'll be there to support his efforts in any way we can, but I ask every committee member, merit badge counselor and ASM to not push the boy unless the boy asks for it.

First of all, welcome!

I work some of the advanced leadership training programs in my council. When I first attended Wood Badge, I met a 50 year old man that had been stricken with a fever when he was only 11 years old. He's permanently stuck with the mindset of an eight year old, and has seizure, balance, speech, fine and gross motor issues. I see him now at every event I attend. He's staffed Wood Badge 5 times now. He is a Vigil member of the OA. He even staffed Jamboree.

He earned his Eagle at the ripe young age of 35. He embodies scout spirit to me, and I always seek him out for a spiritual battery recharge.

But I also work with an Autistic boy. He has sensory and social issues. I've seen him grow from a boy that was too shy to even speak more than 10 words to a boy that now speaks in public and trains other boys in Leave No Trace. Every lesson he gives, every spoken word is something we cherish as leaders. We see that he's embodied the scouting spirit, and we can take pride in his accomplishments, too.

I'm sorry you had such a sour experience, but I hope you know that more and more boys are getting a chance to learn and do and find ways to enjoy the outdoors. Just look at this kid:

My thoughts and prayers are with this gentleman's family and pack.

When I was a DE, we had a leader from a local pack pass away due to a freak archery accident. He was a college professor, cobra kit car fanatic, den leader, and asset to the community.

It was a beautiful service filled with uniforms of every kind: Explorers, Cubs, Boy Scouts, and military. His kit Cobra was parked out front with a funeral flower piece on the hood. The boys, once they heard of how the accident happened did need some counseling, and we brought in a council board member/retired Salvation Army counselor to assist.

Our county health code is cracking down on bake sales. Food Handler's cards and the whole bit to bake stuff at home and sell it to the community.

Travis! You're an awesome Antelope, dude. I enjoyed watching you work and hear good things about you from your Troop Guide

Just finished staffing the first weekend of WE4-45-2-10 on Sunday! We go back on October 1st.

Much more tiring than being a participant, but very rewarding.

It's one certified adult for every 8 boys.

Anyone can help on the range, but it doesn't change the number of certified range safety officers.