John-in-KC

NJ: The force is constantly being surveyed on an array of matters. I'd say I got stuck with 2 instruments a year throughout my service. See my posts above, the punitive articles of the UCMJ. Oral sex is sodomy, period, whether with your wife/husband or not. Adultery is any sex with anyone not your wife/husband. Both are punishable. Gern, The troopers of my generation would say no, all right. The next day, the soldier would be at sick call, having fallen down the stairwell. The training is to forestall these accidents. Just remember that we are dealing with young adults, who probably were not Boy Scouts (literally and figuratively), for whom proving their manhood is marking their territory and proclaiming they are the strongest bulls in the pasture.

Mike, The best approach for your situation is to ask for a friendly cup of coffee offsite with the CC, the COR, and the Unit Commissioner. That should be a private enough grouping to make sure frank airing of the situation happens. I do hope your CC has your back, and you his. That is how matters should be. If so, he'll understand the need to cover your back in short order! I cannot give you advice on what to say, mainly because I think you know in your heart what you want to say and why. I can say that this needs to be done in a smaller forum. Doing a Scoutmaster Report in front of the Committee that sends a message of "Gee, thanks for helping...NOT!" isn't going to help you, them or the situation.

NJ, The survey was the opportunity to ask Troopers "Who do you want to serve with?" The complaints of Senator McCain are, in order: - It was not a mandated instrument. The response rate was around 25%, even though it was sent out, supposedly, to the entire force. - It did not weight the concern of the relatively few Soldiers and Marines who are the "tip of the sword," the men in infantry, mech infantry, cavalry, tank, and artillery battalions. We don't ask Troopers who they want to serve with. They fall into teams, squads, tank crews, gun sections, and platoons. SA: An unwarranted advance is a "TELL." Until very recently, TELLs developed by independent information, such as a Troop coming in and seeing his unit commander or First Sergeant, had sufficient grounds.

JMBadger: The merit badge program is not part of the Adult Association or the Advancement Methods. It is outside the province of the youth. The reason for the assignment of Scout to Counselor is to assure the Scout has a quality experience. I'm the Merit Badge Counselor trainer, reporting to the DAC, for my District. I train 120 new MBCs each year, easy. Not all of them are going to be fantastic Counselors. My role is to give the SM a pool of resources to draw from. I very definitely tell SMs to get to know the people of the District, and to select people they know will adhere to Scoutings MB program.

gwd, Right now, as a Commander, I can hit troops of any gender for: Adultery: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm1342.htm Sodomy: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/mcm125.htm Right there, when Smith admits he did Jones, last night, I've got him dead to rights. I do not put him out because he's gay, I put him out because he broke military law. BTW, military law has a different basis than civil law. Civil law protects the civil peace. Military law promotes the good order and discipline of the force in the field. Now, let's add in: Rape: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/a/art120new.htm BTW, that article covers sexual assault as well. It's a long article now. A clear and unambiguous message will have to be baseball-batted into the heads of hormone-heavy 19 year olds: Don't talk about your prowess and your exploits The force also has to ready the guys in the combat arms. Have you ever had 3 Scouts in a two man tent? Imagine being 10 Infantrymen in a Brad or a Strker. You've got 40 sq feet inside the hull for you and your gear. There is no privacy whatsoever. Some troop with more hormones than brains is going to make an unwelcome advance. There will be a squad that will deal with the matter directly and forcefully. It's called a blanket party. Mark my words, it will happen. It's going to take time in the Infantry, Armor, and Field Artillery for attitudes to change. It took a full generation after President Truman ordered desegregation for matters racial to become a thing of the past in the Armed Forces. It will take that long for matters gay as well.

Sweet mercy. Green, Amber, Red, Black? That's the battlefield information reporting system the Army has been using about 30 years or so to summarize status. Would I put it on paper in public? HECK NO If I assess a unit I serve at risk, I'm going to quietly contact my ADC, my DC, and perhaps my DE. My role in Scouting is to support, to offer resources, to offer assistance ... not to me a bad cop

My two cents: There's nothing in the advancement literature prohibiting a Scoutmaster Conference and a Board of Review on the same night. As always, when someone throws up this sort of comment, ask him to show you the BSA literature. With that said, I do not believe it a best practice to have both a Scoutmaster Conference and a Board of Review the same night. It takes the Scout out of the loop of Troop activities for over half the typical meeting. Now, a Scoutmaster conference and Board of Review at Scout Camp? Different story. Conference can be early in the morning, before breakfast; Board of Review can be someplace quiet after supper.

Scouts don't necessarily get to choose their counselor. Scouts SHOULD NOT select their own Counselor. One of the roles of the Scoutmaster, as denoted in program literature (Requirements #33215) is to ASSIGN the Counselor to the boy. The Scoutmaster is the Guardian of the Methods (since people whined about him being the Gatekeeper).

As a friendly note, over there, we are who we are in real life, sharing all manner of joys, regrets, needs, desires, and even some college sports trash talk. Sr540Beaver and I run the group, shoot one of us (on FB) a message linking Scouter name and FB name and it's a quick add.

As regards boys and BORs... It's really quite simple: - If it's an Eagle Board, youth members on the EBOR won't happen. Any District/Council guest worth his salt will stop things instantly and adjourn the EBOR before the candidate enters the room. - If it's a due course S-T-2-1-S-L board and the BOR advances the Scout, no problem. As long as two adults sign the Advancement Report,... DONE. - If it's a due course board, where the BOR doesn't advance the Scout, but he buys in to the shortcomings, no problem. - If it's a due course board, where the BOR doesn't advance the Scout, and he appeals: BIG PROBLEM. The BOR's formation can be an issue on appeal. The District Advancement Chairs I know would reject the BOR as procedurally invalid, convene a Board at District Level, and most likely advance the Scout ... that is, if they didn't cut to the chase and close the appeal with an advancement anyway. You pays your money, you takes your choices.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

The standard BSA wall tent has a ground footprint of 56 sq ft (7' x 8'), that is sufficient for two cots with a small floor space between them. In fact, the Philmont Scout Ranch website has the engineering drawings for this standard tent platform. I have to admit, when I first took my son to our Scout Reservation, my first words were: "TENTS???!!!??? FLOORS???!!!??? COTS???!!!??? This isn't camping, this is Scout Hotel!" When I was a youth member (1968-73 or so), Camp Whitsett in the San Fernando Valley Council was "bring your own tentage."

Ed, You must have tame press in Pittsburgh, who are fully supportive of youth-serving movements. Around here, they go after everyone, and they work from the basis of the person complaining is right. The investigation target is universally presumed to be pond scum. OK, enough of this. We can both hope nothing happens.

Ed, And then Mrs Y, who bought the undelivered popcorn, goes and complains to her friend, or calls the local newspaper or TV station... ... and the matter spills all out of proportion, with the unit, the Chartered Partner, and Scoutings name dragged through the mud. That happens. I see it happen every year locally during Girl Scout cookie sales. People are not forgiving anymore. A good reputation in the community begins with having a plan for when bad things happen. ScoutNut: Yep, you got it! That's where I was aiming.

That's sad. It's time for the SPL's Dad to have a business meeting with the CC, the SM, and the Chartered Organization Representative. I don't mind honest disagreements. What you describe is not an honest disagreement: Your friend, with malice aforethought, is being set up for failure. That is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE. I'd sure like to see this SM come here and explain his vision and goals... but, sigh...(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

It's absolutely OK for two dens to do something together. It's even OK for two PACKS to do something together. The big thing is making sure the activity is FUN for the kids, supports advancement (a Method) at both levels, and is within the G2SS and the age appropriate activities matrix (appendix of G2SS). KISMIF.

Ed, You're a banker. You understand this simple truth: Perceptions MATTER If the customers come out of the woodwork, the matter needs to be dealt with. A positive impression gets shared 1-2 times. A negative impression, 10 times and more.

WestCoast, Trust me: It won't matter if Mrs X tells Customer Y the popcorn is no longer available. If Customer Y comes to you demanding popcorn they paid for to the Xs, you have a three layer choice: - Tell Customer Y so sorry, the money wasn't turned in by the Xs and there is no popcorn. Hope the Y's don't go public with their complaint and cost you/your chartered partner community good will. - Ignore Customer Y, which all but guarantees the Y family will go public. - Make good on the order. Eat the money. Your CC and COR need to be talking turkey with your DE soon. The reputation of your unit and of your Chartered Partner as honest people potentially can be in the balance. Lord willing, people will understand, but fortune favors the prepared.

Here's the URL to Supply Corporation: http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=BOOKS_LIT&C3=MB_PAMPHLET&C4=&LV=3&item=610765&prodid=610765^8^01RTL& Here's a tinyurl of the same: http://tinyurl.com/2eo63mk I just called my Supply Corporation Scout Shop. It has it in inventory.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

When I was a Scout, Yes, the cook was the cook all weekend. The other duties: Fire, Water, KP rotated, but the cook was the cook. So, yes, I expect 4 meals from a Cook.

There is part of me that agrees with Trev, especially when there are people in the Peeple's Republik of Kalifornya who want to criminalize tobacco and legalize cannablis. Marin County and Belmont, I'm talking about YOU!! Wood smoke, leaf smoke, tobacco smoke, or cannabis smoke: The combustion products, including particulates, are the stuff that irritates the tissues and leads to cancers.

In case we've forgotten: Tenderfoot requirement 3: On the campout, assist in preparing and cooking one of your patrols meals. Tell why it is important for each patrol member to share in meal preparation and cleanup, emphasis added and explain the importance of eating together. Second Class requirement 3g: On one campout, plan and cook one hot breakfast or lunch, selecting foods from the food guide pyramid. Explain the importance of good nutrition. Tell how to transport, store, and prepare the foods you selected. First Class requirement 4: 4a. Help plan a patrol menu for one campout that includes at least one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner, and that requires cooking at least two of the meals. Tell how the menu includes the foods from the food pyramid and meets nutritional needs. 4b. Using the menu planned in requirement 4a, make a list showing the cost and food amounts needed to feed three or more boys and secure the ingredients. 4c. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals. 4d. Explain the procedures to follow in the safe handling and storage of fresh meats, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and other perishable food products. Tell how to properly dispose of camp garbage, cans, plastic containers, and other rubbish. 4e. On one campout, serve as your patrol's cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in requirement 4a. Lead your patrol in saying grace at the meals and supervise cleanup. Duty roster isn't mentioned, but yes, it should be. Of course, a well functioning patrol anticipates the needs of the cook, and everyone pitches in without needing the "stick" of the roster. That to me is what Stosh was talking about...

Another piece of arcane knowledge and Indian lore. Frank has the right of it, ask the MC to show you this in the BSA literature. E92 has the right citations!

I hope you have an active, caring COR. Of course, that would be an oddity If you do, go have a couple cups of coffee with him. Share your vision and your goals. If your vision matches your Chartered Partner's vision, ask him to back you up. Next step is a talk with the CC. With the COR, walk the dog on the Methods. Let the COR be your heavy, and lay out "it shall be this way". Assert control over Merit Badges. YOU are the person to assign counselors to youth. Start doing that, and make darn sure the Counselors you know the BSA standard. This is one reason I like out-of-Troop Counselors. In-Troop ones, the kids know how to push the buttons. If all these things happen, you've got a pretty good shot. If not, give your notice now, to the COR. Hitting your head against the door jamb isn't supposed to feel better than your service to the kids. ADDED: Beavah and I were writing at the same instant. Much of what he has to say is worth reading, and worth trying!(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

The one thing I will say is "Webelo Recruiting Season" is a misnomer: At least one of your experienced Scouts needs to kick out now and get a Den Chief position. It may be 2 years before you harvest, but the sooner you start working the sale, the better it will be. A Troop I know has a Pack under the same Chartered Partner. They thought they were going to get all 10 boys that moved up this February. That was late this summer. As of now, they are getting TWO. You have to sell Mom and Dad that yours is the right one for their kids.

For National politics, I figure the truth is somewhere in-between Fox News and NPR. For State politics, Missouri is pretty rural; lots of small town radio stations subscribe to a service in Jeff City. It's called missourinet, and it reports pretty straight-up. I also use the Columbia Missourian (J-School newspaper at the University of Missouri). For local politics, I read the Jackson County Democrat, errr, Kansas City Star, and auto-compensate to the right about 40 degrees. For business, WSJ and the Financial Times.