NJCubScouter

I was kidding about the sword anyway. And we have had a couple of patrol names in our troop that I don't think the BSA would be crazy about either. Added note: I noticed some interesting patrol patches over at ClassB.com. I would say the cutting implement depicted on the "Armed Viking" patrol patch is also probably not BSA-approved. I am also wondering which troop has a "Bag of Mulch" patrol, and why someone seems to think that Eagles have mammal-like teeth. (See "Angry Eagle" patrol patch.) And I only got up to the B's... And I couldn't help turning to the next page and notic

You're kidding, right? That was an April Fool's joke.

The strip above the right pocket on a Cub Scout uniform shirt says "Boy Scouts of America." https://www.scoutshop.org/cub-scout-short-sleeve-shirt.html

I'm not sure that that sword complies with the Guide to Safe Scouting.

I imagine the GSUSA might have had something to say (and perhaps legitimately in my opinion) about the BSA using "Scouting/USA." (They might not actually have said anything at the time, because the BSA was not recruiting 5-14 year old girls at the time, which they are now.) That is probably one of the reasons the BSA is not using "Scouts USA" now, they are using "Scouts BSA." That one letter may be the difference between a successful lawsuit by the GSUSA and an unsuccessful one, or, more likely, no lawsuit at all. Nothing in this post constitutes a legal opinion or advice nor does this

Why won't the boys be able to hang around with other boys? The girls are in a different den or a different troop, and even if "linked" troops function as a single troop, the girls are effectively in their own patrol(s). The guys can hang out with the other guys in their den or patrol.

I don't see the graphic. I am looking at https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/scout-me-in/. Should I be looking somewhere else?

I was wondering about that. I see our troop flag almost every week but it has been awhile since I actually read it.

I agree with that. But I also think this is going to take some getting used to. And, speaking of our program, the BSA has been saying since the beginning of this thing that there were going to be two separate programs at ages 11-17, one for boys and one for girls. There were charts and diagrams and everything, showing two separate programs. CSE Surbaugh made it clear, using various terminology, that the BSA was not going to "mess with" (my term) Boy Scout troops. Now it appears that there will be one program, "Scouts BSA." Will there still be separate TROOPS? I see no mention of tha

In my troop we have been completely ignoring this whole thing. If and when someone (and it probably won't be any of us) approaches our CO about starting a girls' troop, I guess we'll see what happens.

Do? You mean, between now and tomorrow morning?

The organization is still going to be the "Boy Scouts of America." The question raised by Mashmaster's post is whether there is still going to be a program within the BSA called "Boy Scouts." I guess what we are going to find out is whether there are going to be two programs or one program at the age 11-17 level, and if there is one, what it is going to be called, and if there are two, what the name of the program for girls is going to be. I really hope they stick with the single-gender concept at age 11-17. And keep the name "Boy Scouts."

Well, ok, I'll buy that, and I hope the insurance companies would too, if there was an incident. This isn't exactly the same as an age-eligible male non-Scout going on a camping trip to see whether he wants to join the troop. He can join, right now. The girls can't, yet. But since this is happening, people might as well have an answer ready if and when the problem arises. It just kind of strikes me as funny, in a dark-humor sort of way, that the first time I am hearing of a "girl patrol" going on a camping trip, it involves tomahawk-throwing and sawing lumber.

Well, you may be right. I have never actually studied a council insurance policy. But a career of dealing with insurance companies makes me believe that if one of those tomahawks took an unfortunate course, and one of the persons at either end of the trajectory was a member of a "patrol" in a program that does not yet exist, the carrier would figure out a way to deny coverage. Admittedly I am a major cynic on the subject of insurance companies.

You are probably correct that these girls are not actually registered with the BSA. One therefore wonders what the insurance situation would be - at an event that involved throwing tomahawks and sawing through logs. That would almost be funny if it weren't so scary.

How does such a patrol even exist, yet? There is not yet a program for girls 11-17. It doesn't have a name. What program are these girls registered with? What unit are they part of?

Nobody ever learns from history. That's why that saying exists in the first place.

Do people do that? (I do realize there is a smiley-face there, but if there is a joke here, I am missing it.)

I think the by-the-book answer is that the APL is not there unless the PL is absent. That is how my troop operates. But I am sure there are troops that do otherwise and I don't think National is going to revoke anyone's charter over it.

Hopefully the counselor is still alive.

I think our Program Executives and the other three Executives at that level (Field Service, Membership and Development) are NOT paraprofessionals. We do have para's but I think they have the title of Specialist, like Program Specialist and Development Specialist. I think the new Program Execs (etc.) may be at the level of DE's. In fact, several of them are former DE's. I don't know if they had to take a pay cut or not. Like I said, the District Executive title no longer seems to exist in our council (nor does District Director.)

That's interesting. I am wondering if that (at least for Program Directors) is still going to be the case in my council, with its recent reorganization. We no longer have "District Executives," though we still have districts, with their own volunteers, program, roundtables etc. The six districts have been divided into two regions with three districts each. (I a not sure whether they call it a region or something else.) Each reason has a Program Executive, a Unit Service Executive, a Development Executive and a Field Service Executive, all of whom report to the Field Service Director for t

My son's handbook had one of the covers on it, but by the end of 7 years it was still a sheaf of mostly loose water-stained pages kept in a plastic ziploc bag.

I'm guessing Harry has probably bought a new wallet by now.

Tampa Turtle, can we please not have "jokes" on that subject?