John-in-KC

Our Crew Advisor does just that: ADVISES parents and boys on the pieces/parts that compose a decent ceremony. Location: Youth/Parents. Date: Parents/youth (deconflicting 4-7 kids is a challenge) Program: Youth/Advisor. Guest speakers provide one paragraph bio summaries. Invitations: Custom made after location and date are set. We use our Council CSP, our unit custom patch, and the Eagle medal on the front, the inside is pretty standard out of any etiquette guide. Program brochure: Advancement coordinator, youth and parents. Advancement coordinator makes a Scouting summary for each Eagle from Troopmaster. Youth supply one or more photos of themselves (some use portraits, some use things they did). Parents check the info. For our next COH, one of the Eagles is an artist, he has a charcoal sketch we scanned in for the cover. Reception: Parents lead. "What I did" tables at reception: Youth. We've seen Eagle COHs where it's all about the unit. We've seen Eagle COHs where it's all about the guests. This is a day celebrating the young men. We want those coming to help them realize who they are in life!

Overall, I agree with Beavah. In any business, selling a capital asset, and obtaining one-time monies, does not fix a structural problem in operational finances. That said, a camp that supports

Is it raining on the parade we want to rein in yet, or are we just marching in poop?

Glad to see the commitment to training. I'm sorry your COR did not make this first meeting. This would have been a good one for him to attend. A COR need not go to all the committee meetings, especially if the Chartered Partner has more than one unit. He'll be sampling from program, committee, and outings. He or she keeps an eye on all the units, and unlike a Commissioner, can PRESCRIBE actions needing done. As far as Troop Committee Challenge, I remember it taking the major chunk of time of position specific training for the Troop Committee. GWD, if you can, get an external person to present it ... then you as the SM can actually give your appropriate inputs to the process.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

In absolute agreement with the folks who've posted earlier. We're in the late stages of planning a 7 Scout Eagle COH. Program is locked in, am waiting on one boy to email me his artwork for the cover of the program. Other than a specific guest speaker having some "how he does this" things, this is about the young men and their families. Anyone else should be directed to the SM or CC without any other comment

I've seen some very successful data tracking where: - Scout is accountable for what enters his BS Handbook. - Scribe is responsible for posting data from HB to the BSA Wall Chart. - Advancement Coordinator: --- Transcribes data to the database --- Prepares Advancement Reports --- Prepares individual and group reports for the SM and CC.

Do Fast Start with them as part of your agenda tonight. If you can, bring in your UC, COR, SM, SPL and youth QM to explain their roles in the unit. Have fun honing them into a troe tool of service to the program

Speaking as a COR here (vice my role as advancement coordinator)... There are an array of INTIMATE personal information fields for families in any software package. - Social Security Numbers - Drivers License data - Insurance Data - Special Needs definitions. - Familial relationships. I have a family in my Troop; broken home. Mom absolutely insists Dad not have access to her contact information. THINK THROUGH, REALLY CAREFULLY, WHAT INFORMATION AND ACCESS WILL BE DISSEMINATED TO ADULT LEADERS AND YOUTH PROGRAM MEMBER LEADERS. You do not want to get your Chartered Partner involved in a data privacy or data theft accusation. Remember, the Chartered Partner is accountable for the actions and failures to act of its units.

I love Troopmaster. I've kept my Troop and Crews records for two years now; enables me to manage advancement, support, and activities. At the end of the day, the software is ONLY AS GOOD AS a Scribe's and his Advancement Coordinators desires to keep the DATA CURRENT.

There are tenure times associated with training to earn various Scouter knots. As one example, the working Scouter (green knot) has two years after training tied off to it. As I recall, SM has a 3 year tenure to earn the knot.

If a Law Enforcement agency charters a Learning For Life Law Enforcement Explorer Post, that unit becomes part of LFL, and does not enjoy the benefits/privileges of line (CS/BS/V) BSA program. If, on the other hand, the LE agency chooses to adopt the Venturing program and use law enforcement as part of the program delivery, that is fine by me. Part will depend on the advancement goals desired by the youth members. BSA is trying to get Venturing Silver the same cachet as Eagle. There may be young men who want to finish their Eagle. Much depends on the Chartered Partner and its desired outcomes from Scouting.

To Chief Decorah, THANK YOU for posting the link on Bernidji Woolen Mills. One thing Supply Corporation does not do is size stuff for tall folks ... my son is on the small side of adult Large, but he's LONG, and he outgrew the standard Large in the sleeves a year ago. I trust the Uniform Police here will understand if they ever try to confront me when I say "May I see your arrest warrant please? Oh, you don't have one? Excuse me, I'm going to go serve some youth, thank you."

Life to Eagle Coordinator Committee Chairman COR Roundtable staff Maintenance volunteer at scout camp Woodbadge staff NYLT staff What do you perceive would be rewarding to you next???

Two comments. First, what you've described is a good reason to have at least one Associate Advisor. You need to be more than one deep in program leadership on the adult side of the depth chart. Second, HS kids are tremendously busy these days. You may not be able to do the Friday-Sunday gig. It may have to be Saturday overnight to Sunday, if you're going to do anything at all. You need to help the youth "think it through" and see what they can do! My newly minted 11th grade Eagle has the following weekend ahead of him in less than a month: Friday Night: Home FB game, he plays in the marching band. Saturday Morning: The band marches in a community parade. Since band is coursework GRADED(!!!), it's not negotiable. SCHOOL TRUMPS SCOUTING. Saturday Afternoon: Eagle COH. Saturday Evening: Out to scout camp for OA fall fellowship. The question is, can you and your Crew (ship) officers turn the lemons into lemonade? If the answer is no, especially for the weekend you want to staff, tell them you'll be out of the loop, serving other adults who will be serving youth.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

We have a multiple layer cross-conflict this year. HS Band parade is same day as sons' (he's a tubist) Eagle Court of Honor is same day as Fall Fellowship. Gonna be a busy day for my son!!! We're going to go out next weekend for Fall inductions. His Camp Director's husband is going through the Brotherhood. We'll be there for friends

Welcome to the Campfire Mr Grayray. I have a problem. BSA National should be the folks who are putting Requirements online. Paying $x.xx for a book should be Plan B anymore. Unfortunately, BSA National doesn't. USScouts does. The document of record, we should all remember, is Requirements. I'm just glad USScouts copies it for the wired world.

Chippewa: OK, feedback is a gift, and listening is another gift. Part of the service a Troop should give to any Webelos Den looking ahead to bridging is accurately describing who and what you Troop is. If expectations on the Troop side reasonably match expectations on the boy/parent side, then there is a fit. If those expectations are not mutual, boy/parent need to keep searching. Ed: I agree with you, but the conversation you describe is first and foremost between a boy and his parents!! It's also between the boy and the PL, SPL, TG and SM, but it belongs first to the family. I've noticed, over the years, that the Scout who has a Scouter parent has a better long-term chance of success than the drop-off.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

RANT MODE How does being "selective" fit with the Aims of the Boy Scouts of America? - Character Development - Citizenship Training - Personal Fitness Every Troop is a little different, just by the youth who are the program members. That said, if one Troop is not a fit, another may very well be. IT IS OUR JOB AS SCOUTERS TO HELP THE YOUNG MEN AND THEIR PARENTS FIND A TROOP WHICH WILL BE A FIT TO THE FAMILY. Why do we have fellowship opportunities at Roundtable? Why do we have fellowship opportunities at training events, such as Woodbadge, or at OA events, such as inductions? SO WE SCOUTS AND SCOUTERS CAN KNOW OTHER FOLKS AND OTHER TRAILS TO THE DESTINATION. Our job as Scouters is to set the Scouts up for success. Once we've done that, they have the freedom to succeed, and to have good failures, on their own. /RANT MODE(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

I have to agree with Beavah... you have to train the youth in the process of planning a trip. When they know how to plan it, the blanks on the tour permit come naturally. The culture of committment is a key priority for you as Advisor in the Crew's leadership education

H Roe Bartle Scout Reservation Osceola, MO: - 6 x 10 day, 9 night sessions of Boy Scout Camp per season: Camp Piercing Arrow: 600 campers/leaders per night. Camp Sawmill: 550 campers/leaders per night Camp Lone Star: 550 campers/leaders per night. We typically fill to capacity all but 6th session, 6th session typically we run about 1200 campers. Theodore Naish Scout Reservation, Bonner Springs, KS: - 3 x 7 day, 6 night sessions of Boy Scout camp; 400 campers/leaders per night - 10 x 3 day, 2 night sessions of Webelos Camp; 550 campers/leaders per night - 24 x 2 day, 1 night sessions of Bear Resident Camp (a family (parent/child, 1:1 camping program under Council professional management), 200 campers/parents (100pr) per session. Plus a short Venturing program, NOAC, Council contingents to Philmont, NYLT, and Powderhorn... Life is good in the Heart of America Council

LongHaul, You and I appear to agree, but that does not sound like how Scoutldr's Council Advancement Committee is interpreting the policy. I'm not going to speculate, instead I shall patiently wait for ScoutLdr to give feedback to my active listening (reading) of his input.

I see three challenges: First is leader recruitment. Especially at Cub and Boy level, leaders are required, if for nothing else than driving support! ONE FIX: Welcome every child to the unit, require an adult to register and take (FS, YP, MBC, NLE and Troop Committee Challenge) as part of the bargain. Parents have to understand that support of the program is not-negotiable. Second, especially in Boy Scouting and Venturing, is letting youth have program ownership. If they decide on the events, then they will want to go to them. There is nothing wrong with having the Committee(s) tell the youth (PLC, Ship Bosun's Mate, or Crew President) that X-15 days is "FRIDAY AFTERNOON" and that the go/no-go decision gets made by the (President/Bosun's Mate/SPL) at that point. It may also mean collecting basic funds furter out. Last, who is making the deadline calls? In Cubbing, it has to be parents, but in both Boy Scouting and Venturing, why aren't the youth doing it? THEN, the youth have the responsibility, get the glory if the event goes and goes with fun!, and get the accountability if the event doesn't go.

I'm a COR. I attend. I look for my Chairmen to attend. ... and they usually do. I look for my Program Officers to attend ... and they usually do. I look for my Life--->Eagle Coordinator to attend whenever a young man is going to the District Advancement Committee with a project for approval ... and he usually does. I look for the Troop OATR to attend Chapter Meeting (part of our RT) ... sadly, he does not. Annually, we have Life-Eagle 101. Lots of young men attend that month ... when I have a new L-E Coordi

Eamonn, Blame the management fads we've been through in the past 30 years. Some PhD in Business Administration did his dissertation on PURPOSE vice MISSION.

Our Council (and thus all the Districts) also does Early Bird. Early Bird is real close to actual cost. Standard fee is something like half again more expensive. Exception is NEW TIGERS JOINING UPON COMPLETION OF 1ST GRADE. A copy of the app is required to get this.