John-in-KC

WRT the weakness of the other troops in town, I recommend a friendly lunchtime conversation with the District Commissioner and the District Executive. Healthy units are their direct responsibility. Others here said it: If the unit isn't healthy, the parents won't let the boys go there (granted, all too many see "perceived" health). Otherwise, I'd follow the advice already given in the thread.

A friendly thought to all... Your "humorous" comment may actually be very hurtful to someone of a particular faith community. While this is I&P, be thoughtful in what you post. Remember the last third of the explanation to the 12th point. Thank you.

Call me cynical. The General Counsel needed more latitude to stick the bat up the volunteer's ### when a situation arises.

Moderator's Friendly Note: If you wish to discuss a specific topic, please use the appropriate forum. This thread is about the matter of the National Council allowing families who identify their child as male, regardless of birth gender, to join the Boy Scouting (in particular) program. Thanks, in advance.

OA for adults is not an honor. They definitely should be asked before they are added to the list for membership. The basis for adult membership is his/her ability to contribute to and support the OA program. That may mean a form of being an Adviser, or that may mean the ability to get Arrowmen to events, or that may mean a special skill, trade, or craft needed by the lodge or the council Scout Reservation.

Girls who join Boy Scouting, when the door is opened, will have 1) a desire to camp. 2) an understanding (at least by their parents) of the cachet of Eagle. 3) a desire to play with boys. Those will be the biggest three reasons girls join.

Advancement is not a method in Venturing. Recognition is the method. I know Crews which use their specialty basis (debate, theater, music, sports) recognition system, not BSA's.

NJ, It's confusing because this is arguably the most confusing youth membership decision along the historic trail. Volunteers in my Council believe the next step will be full program gender integration, and it will happen before 2020. Those same volunteers are hoping National plans all the training and support before rolling out the change, but they are expecting it will be the usual charlie foxtrot from on high.

This is just a friendly reminder: On December 31, 2016, all rank advancement requirements in the Boy Scouting program expired. They were replaced in toto by a set of requirements issued in 2015, but now mandatory. Bryan on Scouting lays the matter out for all of us.

The ADVANCEMENT REPORT and your upload to internet advancement is the official record of advancement. The only thing required by BSA from the unit, other than inputs of data, is signatures for a rank advancement BOR. Relax. All is well. If needed, have a friendly cup of coffee and talk with your District Advancement Chair at Roundtable.

Remember a few years back? The comment from leaders around the nation: "What does "Be active in your Troop." mean?" Well, I suspect we got the professionals and national volunteers in "they want to be told how to suck eggs, then we can tell them how to suck eggs." mode. We all said this at the time "Be careful of what you ask for..."

The issue is the recognition of the Summit award by the Armed Forces, colleges, employers, ad infinitum. Eagle Scout is a recognized and secure brand. Other top ranks ... not so much

Welcome!

The correct method is for the Scout to approach his Scoutmaster, who will issue him a merit badge application (blue card) and the name of at least one Counselor. Merit Badge Counselor is actually a district registration, not a unit registration, though Counselors don't wear silver loops. Contact your unit commish, district advancement chair, or Professional to find out how the District manages its roster of Counselors.

As noted elsewhere in the thread, National policy is "once the paperwork has returned from Irving", then he may wear the patch.

Stosh, WRT to the artillery, I suspect the short version is: Legal counsel have said NWIH. Thus, for Scouting, it is non-negotiably off the table. I've seen military service weapon inbore explosions and their aftermath. Then again, I was paid to be an artilleryman. Banana peeled 203mm howitzer tubes are ... If a re-enactor wants to do it, it's on his organization liability policy. Scouting? They've laid it out. if that wasn't a Scouting incident, it was enough for the General Counsel to give "directive in nature" guidance.

@@RichardB, There is information in the health and medical section that looks like it belong strictly in a "Guide for the Council Surgeon" or in National Camp Standards. Go here http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss05.aspx Scroll down to protection considerations. That paragraph looks like it points entirely to professional health care providers serving on pay or volunteer status at our camps, not leaders in units who would be dealing with an emergency in real time. I also question the utility of the section on membership and participation guidelines for people with communicable diseases. Might that not better be in a membership/joining set of documents, and in COR training?

You knew it as STEM. Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Well, the buzzword is changing. Caught this from a professor of physics at Marian University, Indianapolis, today. She caught it from The Planetary Society: We're Building the STEAM Team Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics I don't know how long it will be before Scouting catches up, but the day is coming...

I'm not a fan of "school" at camp. Summer camp should be time to have fun, to chill, to grow. Yes, I took a couple MBs each time I was at a resident camp (my 12th, 13th, and 14th year summers were spent on the trail on week long backpacking expeditions). I only camped my 11th and 15th years. I spent lots of time at the range, lots of time at the pool, but I did earn Forestry and Conservation of Natural Resources. Youth teaching MBs? Some can be done. A 15 YO HS varsity swimmer? It's time for him to learn to teach as well. HS musicians? They can teach fifth and sixth graders... SIGNING OFF ON MERIT BADGES? Read 33088. Counselors must individually examine and sign off. If this is not happening, then leaders need to be talking with Program Directors and Camp Directors. More than once, on this forum, I've advocated pulling a boy out with a partial instead of letting him get a MB earned crappily, because the counseling sucked.

Admin note: Split from Retirees at Camp.

Moderator's Note: I stayed out for a reason. My fellow moderators made the right call in moving this to I&P. It's staying here. We now return this to a hobgoblin witch's brew of apologetics and dogmatics, with more than a little isegesis.

From Scout Source Campmasters: Key Scouters in Weekend Camping There are several drill down pages. I've been a campmaster. We are there to allow the Reservations to open up on the weekend, and allow Ranger some down time. Council provides us office space, power, heat, and a kitchen. We do the rest, and have fun doing it. My Council also has volunteer labor weekends. We come in, use our skills (plumbers, carpenters, electricians, painters, IT guys, ad infinitum) to help do the mantenance and repair projects that keep the camp at 100% season to season.

I happen to like the unit BOR with District Guest method. It allows the Scout to choose the place. I happen to believe EBORs should be rather memorable. It allows me to choose his board, as a CC. I've been able to create some rather character filled boards for youth. Some great conversations happened. I won't say our troop did it best. We did it. My two cents.

Unless he's on the short slide to 18, I say let him take his time, get to know his unit, and become a part of it. Then, it's a good and solid call by the gaining SM. My thoughts only.

PING @@WAKWIB. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am Warrior Freedom's Defender from Eucalyptus Groves in the Tribe of Mic-o-Say (H R Bartle or HOAC branch). Wakwib, a regular on this board, is a Sachem. Let me correct something: Organizationally, the CHIEF of the Tribe is the current Scout Executive, either of HOAC or the Pony Express Council. As I recall, former Chiefs, including such good men as Jim Terry (retired as the Deputy CSE) become Chieftains after their tenure as SE. As far as membership goes, those who want to ask, may ask myself, @@WAKWIB, or other Tribesmen by private message. Like the Order of the Arrow, the information is freely available to the adults, we use mystery and sleight of hand to keep the youth members excited. I will say this: HOAC has one of the highest camping attendance rates in the nation. We camp 1500 youth and adults each session for 5 sessions, and 1000 at our sixth at HRB, for a 9 1/3 day camp. We camp 600 at Theodore Naish (where OA has predominance) for each of 3 6 day sessions (the rest of its season is Webelos Camp, AND it runs 16 sessions of Bear Family Overnight Camp. Geiger in Pony Express, home of the other branch of the Tribe, has the highest rate of Eagle Scout attainment in the Nation, as I recall. Our Professionals and volunteers have to be doing something right.