John-in-KC

Kinda sorta obviates the one of the purposes of Eagle Palms is my thought... Of course, the bigger purpose of Palms (service, oath, law, giving leadership) are probably more important than counting coup on MBs...

I have mine dry cleaned now and again...

???? I've not had a chance to go there, sooooo... Does ScoutNet Internet Advancement only account for youth-related program advancement, or does it support training input? Inquiring minds...

L, Our District has "lost the paperwork" so bloody many times it's not funny. I'd like to think it's as high as 35%, I wouldn't bet against you if you said it was 10%.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Thank you for stepping up and rolling up your sleeves. I think every regular here will promise you the work is fun and rewarding. We all have choices, and if something isn't rewarding to us, we can walk away from this. Enjoy the journey; watch him grow and develop; know how to back away as he does (LisaBob and gwd are great examples of that), and hopefully we've hooked you for a lifetime. We really do love this Scouting stuff, to paraphrase Barry...(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

I point them to one of our Crews... centered around a HS theater program. Their superadventure is a trip to Broadway, to include backstage visits. I could point them to another Crew, centered around one of our camp staffs. It meets and does stuff year round, but its peak activity is during the season.

Pretty much what Lisa said... Of course, all it takes is you bringing home the bacon from 1 good FOS presentation, and your professionals will never let you alone again

Whatver... but you're right on this one. It came on at 3AM on KBMA channel 41, when I'd be pulling duty officer for my battalion. My sergeant and I generally flipped coins for who'd go to the latrine and toss cookies first.

Now I remember Sky King... still backgrounds and movie lips.

FScouter... From the NESA website: As you plan and carry out your leadership service project, use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook to record your plans and progress. The workbook may be downloaded the following formats: WORD: http://www.nesa.org/trail/18-936.doc Rich Text: http://www.nesa.org/trail/18-936.rtf Portable Document Format: http://www.nesa.org/trail/18-927.pdf Why Word has 18-936 and pdf is 18-927E? You got me... All have Mr Mazzuca's smiling face...

Our District Advancement Committee has met with Scouts since at least Y2K, when I started attending Roundtable as an ACM. Around here, the standard for approval is this: Is there enough information (who, what, when, where, why, how) that if the Scout presenting the project were killed tomorrow, another Scout could step in and execute the project: - Gather the donations as needed. - Teach any skills needed at a Troop meeting before the project workday - Set a workdate. - Gather materials/supplies at site. - On the workday, gather the volunteers, issue equipment/supplies, set them to work, and supervise. This works with B/M ELSPs, "mission box" ELSPs, and even music therapy ELSPs. So far, I've not heard of any feedback to the Council claiming the bar was too high. I haven't heard of any appeals locally over project development. From what I read of ACP&P, I think my DAC has the rheostat dialed just about right. Certainly EagleSon got through the process, and he's a better young adult for it.

From your posts, I assume you are an adult, and a ASM/Committee member in a Troop. 1) There are three sources of adult OA nominations: - A Boy Scout Troop - A Varsity Scout Team - District/Council 2) There are two major criteria for adult OA membership. There are other criteria, but I do not have a current OA HB or Officers/Elections Guide near to hand: - Have camped 15 days and nights - Be able and willing to add value to the youth in the program, for which them is an Honor Society. 3) Undertake the Ordeal at your Council's designated place. 4) Maintain dues currency. The 1st year dues are built into your Ordeal fee. HTH, and In Cheerful Service...(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

OK, so the polycarbonates (hard plastic) Nalgenes are out. Are the soft plastic Nalgenes, where the plastic appears to be a heavier version of recyclable #2 (milk bottles) (the ones Philmont sells as water bottles) ok to use?

Bob, I am delighted you have never in nearly 30 years of Scoutering encountered a single MB Counselor, who was a parent, never crossed the line with an integrity issue in giving their kid a pass in earning a MB. Sadly, I have. Once it happens, the well is poisoned for all, and poisoned for a long time to come. Frankly, I pray the National Advancement Committee withdraws the privilege of a parent Scouter counseling their own child.

Received the following message from my Council in an every member contact email: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scout Shop Statement Nalgene Brand Water Bottles Immediately Withdrawn Nalgene Nunc International has directed vendors to withdraw all Nalgene bottles with Bisphenol A from sale. Accordingly, Boy Scouts of America's National Supply Group is immediately withdrawing all Nalgene brand water bottles from sale at Scout Shops, online, and through its retailers across the country. Safety is our top priority. Any parent or consumer who has previously purchased Nalgene bottles at our stores should stop using the product and wait until arrangements are made by Nalgene to receive an alternate product. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I avoided O-chem like the plague in college. Can someone explain the chemical issues? TIA

Karen highlighted a National program, Scoutreach. It's an attempt by BSA to penetrate lower income, rural, and inner city areas with Scout units. In some cases, the Council will provide assistance, including additional volunteers, to help a SR unit run. There is a huge amount of resources available, free, to help you ramp up your Pack. The knowledge base is fantastic; leverage it if you possibly can: - http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts.aspx There is tremendous information available to you. Drill through this website, there are sheets which describe the roles of each person working with youth. - District Roundtable: Your Pack is part of a geographic area called a Council. Within the Council are smaller areas for operations, called Districts. Each District, each month, provides the National program to leaders a month ahead of when they deliver it to youth. I encourage attendance - Training: The National webiste, through the MyScouting portal, has the first (1/world) view of each Scouting program: Fast Start training. It's free, and it puts some tools in the toolbox. You do not have to be an adult member of BSA to register. - More training: Ask your District Executive (he's a professional at the Scout Office) who your unit commissioner is. He/she should be a fairly experienced volunteer who can help you find resources. Hopefully, he can do a grip and grin with the training team and have some folks visit you to help you ramp up (btw, training should be offered fall and spring on a schedule). - Your Council website: Most are full of resources these days. - Finally, the Aims of Scouting are 3: Character Development, Citizenship Development, Personal Fitness. Here's a site with the methods and purposes of Cub Scouting: http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/AboutCubScouts/pandm.aspx Ask away, there are folks who like looking in here.

I defer to the honorable lady from up North

Sigh. We are not a substitute for well executed training. We're a bunch of folk who've learned a thing or two, argue amongst ourselves at times, but who care...

BSA Requirements 33215 is online. BSA Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures #33088 is only available in hardcopy. That said, since it's a policy document, many things it says are available elsewhere online. Here's a superb resource at the National website for MB Counselors: http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors.aspx BTW, just as Beavah said, I preferred not to sign off on my sons' advancement whilst he was a youth member. Gave him the chance to meet and work with others, avoided any perception of preferential treatment. BTW, yes, I have observed preferential treatment by parents of their own children to the expense of others within the program.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

I'm going to invest in one comment here. A healthy Scout unit has a symbiotic relationship with its Chartered Partner. The Partner provides the items it agrees to in the BSA Charter Agreement to the unit. In return, the unit has some service and feedback obligations to the Partner: - The Committee Chair (ideally) or Program Officer (secondarily) should tell the continuing story of the unit to the Partner ... and that's not just to the COR. The membership should hear about the difference Scouting makes in the lives of the youth. The membership should see the smiles, if not in person, at least by photo. Some of the really big items (Pinewood Derby champion) might well be awarded by the IH, helping add to the smiles. - The Program Officer (ideally) or the Committee Chair (second choice) should ask for age appropriate service needs from the Chartered Partner. Litter pickup, greeting and ushering (if a church/synagogue), lawnmowing at the facility... all are little things a unit can do. If the Partner has a major service project and the youth are not age-appropriate, imo it's right and proper to call on parents and Scouters to give the support. - Many groups, including civic organizations and churches, participate in summer activities at Memorial Day and Independence Day. What better way to co-mingle the unit and the Chartered Partner than to participate together. Think of a VFW color guard, and the associated Cub Scouts marching right behind the Veterans. When there's a healthy relationship between the Chartered Partner and the unit, it's easy to ask the COR to make a business call to Council "Please provide the support promised in the Charter Agreement." A dis-satisfied chartered partner, who calls in to the SE, can make life exciting for the DE and the District Key 3. My Council makes a special effort to keep its Chartered Partners happy; I hope yours would too... OTOH, a chartered partner who is left out in the cold usually thinks of Scouting, if they think of it at all, as an appendage, if not a nuisance. The choice belongs to the Scouters of your Pack.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Don't ask me why, I don't understand. The Boy Scout Annual Roundtable Guide is a bin item, but the Cub Scout RT Guide is a pay item. Sigh. Here is a great but non-BSA resource. The themes are indeed from the National program. http://www.scoutingthenet.com/Training/Roundtable/Handouts/ All this goes back to a personal adage: "Knowledge IS power... but only when it's shared." Have fun with your Packs and Dens!

Like Scoutldr, BSA lifeguard. Unlike him... 2003. The pool staff at Camp Lone Star, H Roe Bartle Scout Reservation, didn't cut anybody any slack. I found the course challenging. I found the standards maintained. The trainer was a subject matter expert, not winging it! The trainer also had been taught how to train and develop skills in others.

I will say I remember reading recently in a piece of Scout literature that the training standard for a Pack Committee person was YP+NLE. That said, I think taking CM specific would be a help, as would BALOO. Beyond that, the Boy Scout specific Troop Committee Challenge, when conducted with your whole team, can be a good teambuilding exercise. You don't have to wait for training; attend your District RT and contact your friendly District Training Chair. See what is on the calendar, including in neighboring Districts. If that doesn't work, a friendly call from your COR to the DE, asking for the support promised by Council in the Charter Agreement, is always a heavy-handed dime drop ... so use with some caution and trepidation

Hi Karen, About 5 years ago Scouting went from a concept of "everyone trained for everything in a named program" to "position specific training." There's a common core: - Youth Protection Training - New Leader Essentials Training Both of those apply to every Scouter in all programs. Here's the position specific stuff for the Cub program: - Tiger Cub leader - Cub Scout den leader and assistant - Webelos den leader and assistant - Cubmaster and assistant - Pack committee members If a Scouter is moving within a category (say Wolf ADL to Bear DL), he/she has the training. OTOH, if a Bear DL is moving up with his/her Den to be the Webelos DL, then there's training to be taken. If a Scouter is moving from the Support side (Committee) to the Prgram side (CM/ACM or DL/ADL), then there's a legitimate need for training. It's also just good enhancement to take training to understand what the other moving parts of your Pack are supposed to do. Here are two pages from the National website, and they're the source of most of what I said here: http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/Training.aspx http://www.scouting.org/CubScouts/Training/basicleader.aspx Have I answered your question, Ma'am?

NLDScout: Well spoken, Your Honor!