John-in-KC

CNY, As I understand things, one task of a Commissioner is to assist in obtaining or presenting training to cover specific shortfalls in a units' collective skillset. To the extent your Crew needed to learn how to run a BOR, that could certainly be taken as unit service by a Commish.

There were rare occasions when I called the Committee into Executive Session... usually meaning the SPL and any other youth were excused.

The Scout, Considering a properly outfitted troop library can cost hundreds of dollars, I submit the Scoutmaster (program officer, these are program materials), the Troop Treasurer, and the Troop Equipment Coordinator have a vested interest that the libary is maintained, run and stored properly. The Troop Librarian can be the man on the ground, but he needs to seek guidance and approval for his actions. Even the SPL should defer on technical equipment and storage issues.

GWD, No, I'm just saying my mom looked HOT in a Den Mother's uniform...

Hunt, As I recall the Internet Recharter Adult Position Alignment checkpage, you need a COR, a CC, 3 MC, and 1 SM. No assistants required. That said, what National prescribes and the minimum and what's right are two different things, as are what happens when you have a small Troop. I'm glad you found additional folks to be Members of Committee. The youth need the divesity of meeting lots of different adults. Last time I checked, we were not automatons

SN, You and I seem to be in solid agreement with each other. Reading Eamonh's post in Open Discussion Program, I think we're in agreement with him too. Active listening is as much a gift as is Feedback

At my course, the staff gave each other hand done leathers of their own patrol totems. The idea, as my TG told me, was the time and the thought... not the bux.

When I was a Pack CC, and Den Leaders and I were at various recruiting opportunities, I made sure parents read that stuff. I will disagree with ScoutNut at two specific points: Tiger Cubs. There, the options for an Adult Partner not his direct relative are pretty few. He might just have to wait for Wolf year. Is that such a bad thing? I joined Cubbing when I was 8. Council sponsored resident camping: Most of these cases, per National Camp Standards (and reiterated in the G2SS) require a 1/1 environment, usually the childs' parent. If the parent were to be so extreme they wouldn't sign an alternate adult release, well, at that point, the Cub cannot do the camp.

Is this a counterpoint to the "Mandatory Volunteering" thread in Cubbing? E, we all have our own place and level. Yours was ready for that much more independence. You gave it to him, but had there been a phone call, I suspect you'd have answered the need.

I think we should focus the theme to the outing. I also think we should backward plan from the outing date. To be able to do X on the Y of April, we have to complete: A by G of March B by H of April C by J of April It's a great time and process tool that I've noticed a fair number of Eagle Candidates have not encountered before...

I'm shoulder to shoulder with ScoutNut on this one!

gwd, My MOM wore the blue and gold (back then no pants option, she wore a skirt!) 40 years ago. Looked pretty good in it too! There were worse titles in the world than that of "Den Mother".

Beasties Mom, For the moment, I will recommend you attend RT and make sure all your leaders attend the various trainings afforded by your District for Cub Scouting. We can go forward from there By the way, which side of Reno are you on? South towards Carson City and the Carson Valley, or North (which I've not really explored, since my folks live in Gardnerville)...

Actually, it's 168 - another hour per week.

Rikki, In everything you have talked about here, the first several layers are, to a man and woman, VOLUNTEERS ... just like most of us. If a member of the professional service got involved at an early stage, it's because a volunteer or a non-Scouter parent called and complained. Most of the volunteers I know and work with do their very best to run the program honorably, and to run it as volunteers. Generally, the folks who should see the professionals the most are the other two members of the Key 3 (commissioner and chairman in each district), certain staff advisers for operational matters, and when money gets involved. If you know a Scout who is a parent, then the matter is how he accepted responsibility. Has he started earning money to pay child support? Has he wed the young woman? Has he moved from mainline high school to GED track so he can work to support them? BTW, how does Scouting at this point fit into the responsibilities of his new life? Every one of those is a legitimate question for either a Scoutmaster Conference or a Board of Review. Now, how does your Chartered Partner feel about youth who are wed, particularly ones who are still in the Boy Scouting program? The Chartered Partner is the licensee of record of Scouting, not the Pack, Troop, Team or Crew. If they say the Scout has to go, there is no recourse vis a vis that particular unit. Who has your Scoutmaster shared these situations with along the way? The COR? The Unit Commissioner? The District Advancement Chair? What have they given as feedback to the SM?

Rikki, Like others, welcome to the Forums. From your posts here and in another thread, we can see there is some "gut-check" level disconnect between you and the folks of your local Council. I agree with the others, there's a lot of missing backstory. We can't use our own judgment if we're assuming the story as we respond to you. Be forewarned: You'll get a range of responses, and you may not like what folks tell you. There are very, very few folk here who do not shoot "from their heart." We don't always agree, but we've come to respect each others opinions. We'll be happy to listen, help us understand the context of your challenges. YIS

I am very blessed. Eagle Son is 18, and the strongest thing he's tried is the wine at the Lord's Supper. Using drugs either under the proper age floor or when they are outright illegal is wrong. There are no two ways to say that. Now, what should the consequences be? If it had been my son, I would want... - The Troop or Venturing Crew to yank him from any position of responsibility he held. - Time stopped and the counter re-set for Scout Spirit. Like Beavah said, if he's using it at a Troop function, he's probably using it somewhere else. He's not doing his duty "to his Country." He's not "trustworthy." - Me, as his parent, required to attend any meetings and outings he participates in. I asked Eagle Son about this... he reminded me he got an underage Camp Staffer fired because that young man was smoking a cigarette of tobacco. His take is less tolerant than mine, if the Scout has any leadership POR, he should be "flat out gone."

I refer the Honorable Cubmaster Mike to the reply ScoutNut made directly above.

Maybe that's the source of that wonderful quote (everybody say it with me....) ... It's only an hour a week!

In spite of Council thinking I'm an FOS presenter, The first and foremost job I have as a District level Scouter is to serve the front-line unit leaders. In my case, I'm an RT staffer reporting to an RT Commish. In my district, she is considered an ADC by the DE, the DC, and the District Chairman, as are the Venturing and Cub Scout RT Commissioners. Our charter, as told us by those who approve our apps year to year, is "prepare leaders by providing program resources. Follow the National plan. It's the contract between Scouting and the Chartered Partners." If your Key 3, and the units you serve, consider you to be meeting the promise, then keep doing what you're doing by all means. Whatever works isn't a bad philosophy. OTOH, pargolf44067 said: One thing that John brought up was the resources that the council/district is supposed to provide. Our RTs have nothing to do with the theme for the month. We talk about general program issues but not anything about specific themes. To me, his District RT is not delivering the promise to the unit and the Chartered Partner as the contract defines it. Hence, I believe he has a right to ask for the resources he's supposed to be given. YIS

I heartily agree with ScoutNut and LisaBob. The registered Scouters (DLs, CM/ACM, CC, MCs) are already giving of their time, energy, and most likely funds to make the program happen. Mandating they do more is a tremendous method...to drive the good people right out the door As far as parents: There's a huge body of wisdom which says "ask them to help with a small task. Be gracious and effusive when they accept. Ask them again when another task comes up. At the right moment, ask them to come onboard to be a Scouter." If someone had told me I had to do this, I would have walked right out the door and not looked back. Some other youth serving activity would have been where I sent my son.

Bill, Following is a direct quote from the Boy Scout Roundtable Guide, BSA Publication 18-942B: "The mission of the Boy Scout roundtable is to provide quality resources, knowledge, and skills to unit leaders to enable and motivate them to deliver an outstanding program to their Scout troops. Roundtables focus on program highlights for upcoming months, not on the current month. "As you develop a vision for your district roundtables, keep it focused on generating fun, excitement, and practical Scouting skills. Learning by doing and watching, not just listening, is essential. Scouters want to be active participants. When these ingredients are present, roundtable attendance will grow." If your Roundtable is not delivering the promise, you as SM together with your COR should be making lively comments to the DE, DC, SE, and Council Commissioner. Program support is part of the contract (license/charter) Scouting makes with your Chartered Partner In fact, here is what BSA, through the Council, contracts to provide the Chartered Partner (BSA 18-182P): The council agrees to Respect the aims and objectives of the organization and offer the resources of Scouting to help in meeting those objectives. Provide year-round training, service, and program resources to the organization and its unit(s). Provide training and support for the chartered organization representative as the primary communication link between the organization and the BSA. Provide techniques and methods for selecting quality unit leaders and then share in the approval process of those leaders. (The Scout executive or designee must approve all leader applications.) Provide primary general liability insurance to cover the chartered organization, its board, officers, chartered organization representative, employees and volunteers currently registered with Boy Scouts of America. Coverage is provided with respect to claims arising out of an official Scouting activity with the exception that the coverage is excess over any insurance which may be available to the volunteer for loss arising from the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle or watercraft. This insurance is only available while the vehicle or watercraft is in the actual use of a Scouting unit and being used for a Scouting purpose. The insurance provided unregistered Scouting volunteers through the BSA general liability insurance program is excess over any other insurance the volunteer might have to his or her benefit, usually a homeowners, personal liability, or auto liability policy. Provide camping facilities, a service center, and a full-time professional staff to assist the organization in every way possible.

I'm getting it when I go www dot scouter dot com slash forums , which is how I usually start to drill into the site. Time is 1714 CDT Sat Aug 25.

Having been a Cub Committee chair, I have to agree. Den Leaders are the front line of the program. They need all the support they can get, and as much administration taken off them as possible. Cubmaster has a big role in integrating the Dens at the monthly Pack meeting. A good Committee (Treasurer, Activities Chair, newsletter editor, Chairman, and helpers) is an absolute Godsend to the folks delivering the program.

Scoutldr, Annually, we have a class at Roundtable called "Life to Eagle 101". Either our District Commissioner or our District Advancement Chair runs it. How our Council and District interpret and execute the content of various BSA policy is part and parcel of the material. We invite Scoutmasters, Life to Eagle Coordinators, and Life Scouts to attend.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)