John-in-KC

I'd be less concerned about JTE if ScoutNet could auto-send to each SM/CC the dashboard data for their unit each month. It's not rocket science, it's a query into the database, some formatting, and an email. Oh wait. BSA does it's IT in-house. IT IS ROCKET SCIENCE BTW, I'm no longer at the unit serving level. I do the commish and volunteer labor for the District thing.

So... The National Council prohibits a patrol from doing overnight activities without adults present. The National Advancement Team is mandating only use of the Blue Card ... which invalidates modern database record-keeping at scout camps during the summer season. There's a gajillion more things the Professionals in Irving are doing which make the Grand Game less fun. The National Council has gone to metric-based success for units in Journey to Excellence. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What are other youth serving programs doing in the area of French Bureaucracy? Is it the same as, worse than, better than BSA? When I'm doing as much paperwork for my volunteer time as I am in my day job, I have to wonder if there is still value added to volunteering? Thoughts? John

When the bureaucracy of my volunteer position, which I give time to for joy, is greater than the bureaucracy of my day job, then maybe it's time to consider the causes I give my time to.

The person to have a quiet cup of coffee with is the District Commissioner, Kathy. You may be asked to pony up someone in your unit to serve as a UC to other units. Not all that many people want to step to the second level and be a layer removed from the youth.

WHO CARES about the MB application beyond the Troop? The BSA Source to the System of Record (ScoutNet) is the Advancement Report or Internet Advancement. The BSA System of Record, as I say above, is ScoutNet. There is not one bloody word in GTA which requires records retention other than the Counselor maintain his records at least one year (In the training I give to new counselors in my District, I recommend 7 years as a best business practice, because that gets 99.95% of youth members to age-out at 18.)

From the 2011 GTA: It is important to note the blue card is the nationally recognized merit badge record. That is descriptive, not prescriptive, in nature. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/TheMeritBadgeProgram.aspx

Please cite chapter and verse on this: "3) The ONLY authorized merit badge application is the blue card. Any other form must be specifically cleared by the National Advancement Committee "

Gee. I'm in agreement with JM, Barry, and OGE. Why does that not surprise me?

OGE, given some of the quality control stories I've heard about, I think there are some DAC's/Council Registrars who clearly do not do their part of the lifting.

Pole vaulting over mouse turds. The form does not matter in the slightest. What matters is the quality of mentorship presented by the various merit badge counselors. If a Scoutmaster knows a "weak brother/weak sister," don't send a youth to him/her. If a Scoutmaster wants to keep Mom and Dad from signing 126 MB apps and turning them in (ok, shooting sports and aquatics are harder now that self-selection is no longer the standard), then he makes sure to assign Counselors to youth. This is not rocket science. It's Scouting. It's Character Development (gee, an Aim).

My two cents. Keep firearms in the BSA program. I learned to shoot through BSA, I had fun, and I learned to respect my weapon. As far as special needs management goes: National Council should consider looking at certain diagnoses and prohibiting them from firearms training. There are patterns out there. As far as single shot v magazine load goes: I learned the hard way, from my Scouting shooting, to get a consistent stock weld and shot picture from firing single shot.

My two cents... As long as the single largest National Chartered Partner of the Boy Scouts of America, with the most units and youth under charter, remains so... And ... As long as that Partner has its internal policy on the character of homosexuality... Then... The National Council is not going to change the BSA determination on the characteristics of leadership standards. Or else... That National Chartered Partner, and its youth, will be gone from BSA like a laser in laser tag, never to return.

One issue will be the "contracts" issued to Commissioner staff. Of course, the deal is you walk and talk and support, and in return, you get food and tent space...

BSA24, It's only been since 1957 that the service coat and tie and the field uniforms were completely different in the US Army. I still have my Dad's OD wool pants. He wore those in the field to the time he retired, and they're still going strong 51 years later. Amazing what 6oz wool serge will go through.

Our partnership for Double H was good... while it lasted...

Generally agree with Beavah. JM, The problem I have with what you did is the depth of learning on a single weekend. It was forever ago that I took first aid, but it was 8 weeks of learning, learning reinforcement, and finally testing before my counselor (a dentist) said my mates (it wasn't quite our patrol) and I were ready and signed us off. Of course, back then constriction bands were approved standard practice, and tourniquets were a viable choice for lay first responders (like Boy Scouts first on the scene at an accident)... ;-)(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

It's going to be really interesting to see how a lot of leaders deal with pods, pads and phones at the coming Jambo, since National is fully wi-fi-ing the place with the intent of communicating with and to Scouts electronically...

@ The Judge (nldsScout) That's when the boys learn a one gallon jug in their tents as a chamberpot is a good thing...

Perdidochas said: "Also, base, using and entering data into Troopmaster shouldn't be your job. Your Advancement coordinator should be dealing with it. I second that. Ideally, it should be the Troop scribe, the Advancement coordinator, and (if different from the advancement coord) the Membership coordinator. (This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Mozartbrau, Feedback is a gift: "Minuses: - had lost the camp director two weeks into the summer - many of the staff seemed to be just going through the paces - hygiene was an issue in the mess hall - virus spread through camp (origin unknown but thought to hav e originated from latrine overflow near the pool) - food was bad - leader guide contained program offerings they had no intention of having" A business letter from your IH/COR to the Council SE of the this camp is in order. Spreading the word, through your Professionals/Commissioner, that this camp does not pass muster, may well be in order. News of good customer service travels a bit, and not very fast. News of bad customer service travels far and swiftly.

Council website. Word of mouth. Ad in Scouting Magazine. Ad in the local paper, even. Private website. Google will find it... Ask the Council Commissioner for his list of good people.

My copy of my 1965 Handbook (67 printing) is still in good shape, and it came on more than a few campouts and camps. My son replaced his copy because it was worn out and falling apart twice. On content ... the older editions (the 1959/65 ones) had all the basics you needed. I've not been impressed with the last several editions on content. Quality at the printer/binder's shop is not Job 1 ...

eisely, As you know, and has been the case since Gov Moonbeam defeated Houston I Fluornoy (remember him) back in 1974 in the first go-round... The California Legislature has never met a tax it did not want to impose, nor an entitlement it did not want to give out.

Why are we pole vaulting over mouse turds? My friend and brother in Walika 228 WWW Trevorum said it for me. Read his comments. Fin.

My opinion: In Cub Scouting: The Den Leader. That's the point of program delivery. In Boy Scouting/Venturing: It's two: The Program person (SM/Adv) and the CC. If the program side and the support side do not have each others back, there will be problems in River City. SM/CC have to share a common vision and goals. IMNSHO, they should be able to meet somewhere away from the madding rush, have an adult beverage or two, and talk honestly about where things need to go and how they want to influence the youth to get there.