mk9750

In our Troop, one ASM did a military crease in his blouse, and the kids thought it was so cool, almost all of us do it now. We used it as a teaching lesson. A few of the moms complained about doing the extra step, so we taught the boys how to do it themselves. From what I hear, we have about 8 guys now doing their own ironing (at least of their own uniforms). We've been trying to tactfully let it slip to other moms to quit doing the military crease in their son's uniforms, in order to get the Scout to start ironing himself. I know the trousers came in a poly / wool blend, but I din

Hunt, We've been lucky enough to be able to get a yes answer from most everyone we've asked to take on a task. It hasn't been hard to figure out who is committed and hard core. These folks end up as active committee members with "full time" jobs like CC, advancement chair, etc, or ASMs. A good percentage of the rest are committed, but don't have the resources (particularly time) to be "full time". Those are the folks we ask to be popcorn kernel, or take charge of the work adults have to do for a fund raiser. More and more, this stuff is being done by boys. I think we knocked the prin

Bob, Please take this in the spirit in which it is intended - Has anyone ever called you Cliff? As in Cliff Claven from Cheers? Mark

Our Troop has two ASMs for each Patrol. Their sole ongoing duty is to make sure that if the Patrol plans an outing, and need adults there, at least one of them goes. He also recruits the second adult if needed. Occasionally, they step in and help the SPL train the Patrol Leader, and, if an issue gets to the point that a the Patrol Leader and the SPL don't feel they can handle it without adult intervention, they step in. This was how the situation evolved in the thread "A patrol of difficult Scouts". We have two ASMs "at large", who have specific skills that help us do some of the ou

Shell, We both must have come to the same realization at the same time. I thought Blaze was just frustrated at his situation, and couldn't see through the smoke caused by a difficult situation, and had no idea how to keep the Pack alive. A number of us offered a few ideas how to keep the Pack going. Blaze's rejection of those ideas, coupled with a singlemindedness to shut the Pack down makes me wonder if the issue here isn't one of his ego. Kind of an "If I can't (won't) be the boss anymore, than no one will. We'll just shut the whole thing down". If that's the case, then there

I think Ed and I go to different areas of the same camp. If the tents on his side of the camp are the same as on mine, yes, both are heavy canvas wall tents. And yes, they are heavy, do have large heavy poles, and they are not a whole lot of fun to set up. In both cases I remember, the tentmate of the boy working on the MB at camp helped pitch the tent, just as he would help at any other campout that counted for the MB. These boys made a choice. They wanted to earn a MB, they needed to count the nights at this camp in order to earn the badge, they had to pitch the tent they slept in

Dan, Every other year, our Troop does summer camp at a Scout Reservation in Canada that does not provide tents, so most of the time, anyone working on Camping MB, who wants (rarely do any of our Scouts "need") to use the week at summer camp, they can count this without problem. A few times in my history with the Troop, we've had a Scout who wanted to complete this badge at the other summer camp, and "needed" to use the week at summer camp spent in camp - pitched tents. When this has happened, I've suggested that they take the tent down, clean it and fold it properly, then set it back

Personally, I'd count any hours he spent directly benefitting someone else (A). I wouldn't count the hours he spent on his own advancement(B). Although I wouldn't do it, I could see someone subtracting B from A to arrive at net service hours and counting those. My biggest question here would be who has the authority to make any of thee decisions? I'd think that would rest within the Troop, not with anyone on the Day Camp Staff. However, that solution then provide the opportunity for some Boy Scouts to be credited with service hours while others are not. I'm not sure I know which way

I also agree that the Scout Executive should be contacted immediately. I have a small caveat to the advice given here. Bob's comment that Youth Protection Training is available on line is true. However, that sounds like a suggestion that you should do this training on line if you have not already been trained. We have been asked by our Council to direct all new leaders to live training the first time they get Youth Protection Training, and I think this is a very good idea. The on line training is really very good as a refresher. But it is no substitute for the two - way communication poss

This is an interesting question. For the last 6 years of my 9 with my Troop, I have been trying to help our CO understand that we are part of their youth ministry, not a seperate organization that provides us with a few resources. It has been a long, uphill battle, but it has been working. It might have been quicker if I were a member of the CO, but I belong to different Parish, so it's been tough. What has been the result of this effort? Until 2 years ago, we NEVER saw anyone from our CO except parents of Scouts at an event. Not meetings, not COHs, not Eagle COHs, not service p

Blaze, I think I can appreciate the frustration you feel. I've been intensely involved with two other organizations that have died while I was deeply committed to them (one bowling league and one golf league), and it's a personal hurt that is difficult to make go away. If I can relate some of my experiences to you, from the perspective of being in a similiar position, I'd like you to look very carefully at Shell's last post here. I think she is saying something very important, although I think she is trying very hard to be nice, and it might not be obvious what she thinks. A lar

Bob, I'm a bit confused over your position concerning SM Conferences. To paraphrase what I think you said, because the SM didn't initiate a conference with this boy, it was the Scoutmaster's fault, and therefore, he should be awarded the Palm. If I have this right, and we apply the same logic to merit badges, if the Merit Badge Counselor doesn't initiate a meeting to review the work a Scout does (not the original meeting. We know the procedure is for the Scout to obtain a Blue Card and the names of Counselors from his SM. I'm talking about a follow up after the Counselor knows a boy was w

marc, Welcome to the forum! I hope you enjoy your stay here as much as I have! I admire your intent to expect the best from you Scouts. As a few folks have said around here, sometimes it seems that not enough of us hold Scouts to lofty expectations. I do wonder, however, why it is that if a Scoutmaster believes the only evidence he will accept for whether a Scout has mastered a skill is to test him at the SMC, why he doesn't just eliminate all other people from the advancement process and require that the SM sign off all requirements. This sure would take a lot of the confusion

FOG, I can tell you what I'd do. Either before an actual BOR, if possible, or during if necesary, I'd be asking the Scout if he really thinks he completed the requirment. If he said yes, I'd be asking him to produce the job description to which he agreed when he took the job, and asking him to explain how he met the requirements of the job description. After he tried to justify his effort, I'd ask him to either go back to the SM and discuss whether he really met the requirement, or feel free to submit to a BOR. I suspect that in 90% of the cases, the Scout and the SM would come to a

In our Troop, the SPL seems to be annointed by acclaimation. In the last three elections, the ASPL ran unopposed. We have been trying to get the guys to understand that that doesn't necesarily allow for the strongest SPL. But it's not working. On the other hand, the last two SPL's did a very good job, so maybe the boys are wiser than we give them credit for. I hope that pattern (ASPL being a good SPL when it's his turn) works, as my son was just appointed ASPL by our newest SPL. As to rank requirements and such, there are no official requirments in our Troop. However, the boys tend to ch

Here's how it went Friday night... All the families were represented. The boy who chopped the tree (We've been calling him George Washington) had both parents there, including dad who had to take half a vacation day to be there (does anyone else recognize the irony in this? They only kid to accept his responsibity for the problems this weekend was the only one withn both parents there). The rest of the families only had mom there (one of the problems, as we see it, is that none of the dad's are involved with their sons), except for the dad of Scout # 1, who is an ASM, and was the Den Lead

No offense taken, NW. If I were perfect at my job as Advancement Chair, I'd find no reason to have badges in inventory. This is the same as in business. If they plan perfectly, and everything goes according to plan, they should not carry safety stock. But I ain't perfect, and I'm not willing to let a boy go without being recognized for his effort. I ask the Council for the Troop's Advancement Status Report 3 or 4 times a year, and reconcile my records with theirs. Once in a while I find I've made an error, but not too often. I replenish my stock when I run out and have a badge

Three excellent points! Bob, I and two of the three other leaders who will represent "the Troop" tonight would prefer to do this one family at a time. Unfortunately, the mass meeting was arranged before we could determine how we wanted to approach this. Not the best situation, but we'll deal with it. Ed, The four of us debated this at length. On a split decision, it was decided that not allowing them to add their own ideas would be viewed as unilateral action and rejected out of hand by the parents. We'll see how it goes. Dan, funny you mention this. I thought the same thing, bu

I also have a brief case that is overstuffed right now. I keep committing to cleaning it out, but every time I start, someone comes up to talk... In it I have Advancement guideline, Council MB Counselor list, BSA Hand book, Merit Badge Pamphlets for the 8 badges I do, adult applications, new Scout applications, calenders back probalby a year and going forward never far enough, The 2004 Requirements book, roster, usually advancement status sheets (Troopmaster) for all the guys in the Troop, pens, pencil, and about 6 legal pads. I also carry a tackle box with MBs and Rank badges, POR b

Here's the latest update: We have a meeting scheduled for tonight with the parents of the guys involved in this weekend's mayhem. Suggestions will be solicited from the parents for ways to correct this kind of behavior once and for all. My bet is that none will be offrered, but I'm trying not to go into this with preconceived notions. But if none are offered by the parents, here is what we have decided to put on the table: 1) A letter of apology to the camp caretaker and the Scout Executive written by each Scout 2) The very strong suggestion that the PL work with these Scouts to de

It's kind of good to hear that I'm not the only one to ever sit through a "clunker", but it's better news that it doesn't have to be bad. The guy who did ours is a good guy - He really is. But I might consider writing the $1,000.00 check if they don't send him back next year (just kidding. PLEASE! just kidding!). Thanks all. Mark

Bob mentioned in another thread that he does FOS presentations. It reminded me that I had a question I wanted to ask after this weekend's event. But with some other stuff going on (see the thread on a Patrol of Problem Scouts), I forgot. During our Court of Honor, which was going gangbusters, we had a slot carved out for our District Asst. Commissioner to do an FOS presentation. Now mind you, I was actually looking forward to this. I had always balanced my donations between FOS and United Way, but I made the decision to funnel all of this to FOS, so I was kind of looking forward to the pr

GreenEagle, Yes, it does seem like it will be very interesting. As Marty points out, as I understand, the selection criteria is tough. I think that you have to have a former Scout from your Troop at the Academy, or have the brother of a cadet in your Troop, to be high on the list for consideration. However, I think a unit can apply without benefit of a direct connection. If you have such a connection, the odds of getting picked, from my understanding, is 2 / 3. Without such a connection, the odds are 1 /5 (these were estimates that our cadet gave us. I'm sure they're off the top of his he

Ed and Bob, Thanks for the sympathetic words, and valuable advise. I especially like Bob's line about boys who don't act Scoutlike not going on events for Scouts. That one will get repeated, with your permission. To clarify, all Webelos in attendance had their dads there. Once in a while we get a DL who calls and asks if one boy can come without his dad if one of the other dads takes responsiblity for him, and we say yes, but this is a Father / Son campout. And this year, every boy had a dad. It was not the SPL who witnessed the match throwing, it was another older Scout. The SP

Ed and Bob, Thanks for the sympathetic words, and valuable advise. I especially like Bob's line about boys who don't act Scoutlike not going on events for Scouts. That one will get repeated, with your permission. To clarify, all Webelos in attendance had their dads there. Once in a while we get a DL who calls and asks if one boy can come without his dad if one of the other dads takes responsiblity for him, and we say yes, but this is a Father / Son campout. And this year, every boy had a dad. It was not the SPL who witnessed the match throwing, it was another older Scout. The SP