Joni4TA

The Counselor keeps it as part of his/her records for a period of years. (just like paid bills & taxes)

We flip-flop every other year going in-council and out of council. This seems to work for us and keeps everyone happy.

Our Troop washes only their towels and field uniform shirts (class A) at the mid-camp point.

Board of Review Training - http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/trainingmodules/board%20of%20review%20training.aspx

How to Hold a Board of Review

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A board can expect a Scout to be neat in appearance and properly uniformed.

That's easy! Horses don't even wear shirts so they have nothing to worry about, dead or not

Actually my son went to NYLT and that paperwork said he needed to have a full week's supply of FULL BSA UNIFORM. It said (and I quote), "ONLY THE OFFICIAL UNIFORM - SHIRT and SHORTS or PANTS ARE ACCEPTABLE"

That indicates to me that it's a policy of some kind. The Required items list says the same thing, must have short sleeve uniform shirts, at least 2 pairs of uniform shorts or pants, official belt and buckle, and Interestingly enough it does say he can have "plain or Scout related T-shirts" so he packed those too.

I think whoever spurged this "policy" on you Diver66, was full of some very fat bologna!

We have a pretty poor District - so poor that we underestimated on the number of folks that would show up to our District Banquet. The District Committee made reservations at a local joint that serves up BBQ and salads. Well they kept shoving more and more people into the dining room by the time everyone showed up we filled the room and then some. It was OVER filled..... and the guy that actually got the District Award of Merit didn't get a place to sit down and eat his dinner. His wife gave up her seat too - so others could sit. many people didn't get a dinner that night even though they paid for a plate. The waitresses couldn't even get inside the room to serve..... it ended up the guy that earned the DAOM helped out by calling out people's names from the waitress tickets.... it was crazy, and hot as heck in there, a room so stuffed that the A/C was pointless. But you could see WHY the guy who got the Dist. Award of Merit was nominated for that thing. Before he knew anything at all about the fact he was the recipient, he was giving up his seat so others could sit, he was helping the waitresses serve others their meals, he was exactly the kind of person you want to think about getting such an award. Like I said some people didn't even get to eat at all or were missing their salads, or whatever.... money makes a huge difference! I agree..... it seems sometimes like money is a focus point. Because if you don't have money you can sure tell! This guy that got the award clearly didn't pay his way into it, but I hope the District does a better job, and is a little more generous next year - and chooses a different place to have their banquet. Come to find out, the owner of the restaurant is a friend of someone on the District Committee... so obviously someone was scratching their back bringing them all that business like that!!! I have to wonder, why didn't any of that back-scratching make it to the hard-working folks that actually make that district what it is instead of all the hierarchy pork having a nice cushy seat up at the head table??? And yeah those guys all have knots and spiffy uniforms. Us guys down at the unit level are lucky if we can afford the 2 for 1 switchbacks on clearance! lol

I personally think Fast Start is a waste of time if you are already going to do Position Specific training, New Leader Essentials AND Youth Protection, but that's my opinion. Luckily fast Start can be taken online at one's convenience.

Oh man!

It must have been contained immediately or at least wasn't too bad because there's just nothing about it at all in the news. I hope all is well.

Spitting off buildings and high places.................. must be a testosterone fueled thing because I can honestly say I have never had the urge to spit anywhere

Yep, he's real - while I do not know him personally, he is in my Council and the word about is that he's a real person, and even a SM lol (This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

That's it! That is what I needed, thank you

Thought provoking post, thank you.... as our community is on the brink of starting a new pack... this is the kind of thought process I need to be reading and thinking about.

Add another ignorer to Trev's list... his excessive use of the word hello just really got my goat. I found it extremely antagonistic

My son went to NYLT last week and I am glad; it seems like he has gotten something out of it, and he was well complimented by one of the adult volunteers at the camp. Apparently they have already interviewed him to be on the NYLT staff next year. He announced this to his Troop on Tuesday.. that he had "A LOT" of fun, and learned a few things as well as refreshed on some things. He seemed proud, a little different, more aware of how he represents himself in the group - all good things. I am glad he was recommended by his SM! Even though he whined and cried about how it was his first week out of school and he wanted to sleep in... he made his week at NYLT count and mean something, to him.

I couldn't be a prouder parent

My daughter #1 is a 2cnd year Brownie and I am the Brownie Leader. My other daughter #2 is going to be a 1st year Daisy this year (we early bird registered her). I waited several months back when #1 signed up to see if anyone else would be her troop leader. I didn't really want to do it because I have a lot on my plate. But basically I ended up finally stepping up in November when it was clear no one else was going to. We missed fall product sales and almost missed cookie sales because we didn't have a "formed troop."

I am thinking rather than go through all that again with daughter #2, I would just convert my troop into a multi-level one, and have #2 join right in with my 2cnd year Brownies. Then I can run the Daisy and Brownie meetings concurrent rather than fall at the mercy of the scheduling of whoever may or may not step up to be the daisy leader.

What are some of the challenges some of you others have faced with a multi-level Troop? Please tell me some pros and cons.

thanks!

Ok... now that I have a minute or two to myself...

I was referring to total cost when I said nearly $300. I am not exaggerating.... it really does go up that far. And yes I was talking about the CPR/First Aid, ARC Book, expense of travel to get to the training, the Troop Camp Leadership modules (which ends up being split up into 3 different sessions at 3 different locations, over about 3 months - one full 8-hr, another 3-hr, then an overnight + day-long), each costs in the $15 realm, plus you have to buy the book. If they make changes in ANY of those books/manuals, guess what? I have to get a new book, right? More costs....

Anyway, I am glad I am done with the Outdoor training... for now. I plan to take the higher level camping/higher adventure training because I want to be able to go camping somewhere other than a state park with a permanent covered structure! Of course I have another 8-hr training session for Girl Scouts this coming Saturday for SU Team Member training!! Call me a glutton for punishment.

What's really a shame is that I have clocked in over 40 hours of training, spent my time and my money so I can bring it back to the Troop for the girls to broaden their horizons... and no other registered adult in my Troop will bother to get the 1st Aid/CPR so we still can't go camping anywhere. In my Council, the TCL and the 1st Aid/CPR have to be 2 separate people. Maybe I can bribe someone lol

I use TroopMaster too.. for Girl Scouts as well as Boy Scouts, and when I was a Cubbie leader, I used it for Cub Scouts. Well worth the money to me.

Well I did go to the overnight. It was fun to be with other Girl Scouters and I did freshen up a few things that I needed to learn as far as orienteering so I can't say it was bad. I taught the ladies how to make a dump cake in a dutch oven (though we're in a council-wide burn ban and had to use an electric oven instead of charcoal).

ScoutNut, wish I had misunderstood my trainer, but it wasn't my trainer that said the outdoor training expires, it's right in the Program/Training guide, and on my training card too. I suppose it is different in every council. Ours is Southwest Texas.

Anyway, it was ok. I'll elaborate more later

Gunny,

I respect that... and we fundraise too but still couldn't afford to reimburse folks for gas. If we did, as I said - we'd have to cancel the outdoor program as we know it and camp only on people's farm land for free. We're a humble troop... and we don't make much money on fundraisers. We're a rural Texas commnunity. Popcorn sales suck, and we do a few bake sales every year for the boys to earn money for summer camp. We bust tail at community service... and our CO has never monetarily supported us. 1/3 of our boys get camp scholarships just so they can go to summer camp. We just can't afford to reimburse for the gas, plain and simple. And as of yet, none of our adult leaders have complained about it.

I guess we're just giving out of the kindness of our hearts.

well that was my first thought... to go see what the Girl Scouts do differently, and how to do it the Girl Scout way and all.... but I really do believe the 3 hours for the mess kit, forming a patrol and making a chore chart was a little excessive. I guess it's just a vent.... and tonight I go for my overnight to finish up my Troop Camp Leadership. Maybe I'll change my mind about the courses once I am done. I don't know. Unfortunately my Council doesn't seem to take any waivers for training unless it's First Aid or CPR.

On and On I trudge....

This sounds like an interesting concept. Wasn't long ago we were just starting to figure out what these contraptions we call computers, actually DO for the general public and laymen. I'll be interested to hear how this turns out!

Ok, nothing to get in writing. Though it may be just a rumor... I heard this from somewhat credible sources IMHO.

I heard our District Training Chair say it to my dear husband, (My husband is the former District Training Chair but is now the District Camping Chair). Then it came up at the District Committee Meeting, and the District Chairman was a little upset that the Council would even consider making HER retrain, as she is a Scouter veteran from the days of yore and all..........

No one furnished anything in writing or any kind of confirmation... it was just a matter of discussion. But I brought it here to the forums since our District Committee found it worthy to talk about, I wondered what ya'll thought about it.

I am curious what our Council or any other District, Council, etc. would be thinking by insisting folks who were trained eons ago - RE-DO it all. It seemed a little ridiculous and extreme to me! And upsetting if someone at Council level is actually considering this seriously!

As far as the mandatory training issue goes, that's a whole other subject. Though our Council has already implemented something called an "Amnesty program" where they've explained there was crappy record-keeping on the part of the national registration system. They say System problems lead to that information becoming unavailable or unreliable. They also say National has repaired the system but they needed us at Unit level to re-create all the records and turn them into our Council so they could be updated into the newly repaired National system.

I have no idea if that ever completely went through. I know I turned in the form to our District Training Chair but that's about it.(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

we're doing a spaghetti dinner on the 21st! I'll let you know how that goes. The boys are doing all the serving and waiting on tables. We're also having take-out!

The last successful fundraiser we did was $1 chocolate bars. We made $830. The Scouts took them to their schools and sold out very quickly.

Regardless, what Lisa's dealing with is the rule rather than the exception.. and it is extremely annoying!

resqman,

There is a huge difference between repeating Youth Protection, Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense every couple years (where I am Health & Safety and Climb on Safely are not required). They don't take 32-40 hours to complete. All 3 courses in their slowest-taught time at most take maybe 3 or 4 hours and you can do it online at your convenience. Also, BSA doesn't require you to repeat SM Specific and OLS every 3 years either, and if you're a Cub leader and do the BALOO training, you're DONE - no repeat necessary. Also, the BSA courses are FREE or the fee is nominal where I am!

With this Girl Scout training - I have to repeat every outdoor course and the ARC first aid every 3 years and the ARC CPR course every year. All the training combined takes 40 plus hours, and costs me nearly $300. It's steep and seems like overkill to have to repeat costly courses where the material doesn't change significantly.

I realize the difference between BSA and GSUSA.... and I understand they are not affiliated with one another in the least nor would they accept each other's courses. That wasn't my point. Have you been to the TCL classes for Girl Scouts? They spend 3 hours explaining how to use a dunk bag to wash your mess kit, and how to form a patrol, plan meals and make a duty roster (kaper chart) on a campout! hello???? I feel that is pretty much wasted time. If someone can't figure out how to form a group of folks to plan a meal, cook it, and wash the dishes afterward, that's scary!

The one thing I have learned that is NEW so far, is how to make a combined sit-upon & gear container out of a 5 gallon pickle bucket!