Proud Eagle

I used to think traveling in uniform was a bad idea. I thought it was inconveniant and uncomfortable and there was no benefit to it. I have since changed my mind. When practical, the uniform should be worn while traveling. There may be times it is better to wear the activities uniform instead of the field uniform, but normally wearing some type of the uniform is farely practical. If you are going to be seen in public during a Scouting event it is a good idea to be in uniform. It shows what type of group you are. It helps encourage the best behaviour of the Scouts. It can lead to ma

I know in my home council the OA Lodge Chief was once a member of the Executive Board. Unfortunately they stopped inviting the Lodge Chief to be a member a few years before I became chief, after a showdown between the Scout executive and the then Section Vice Chief. I will spare everyone the details, but as far as I know that put an end to youth members of my council's board.

Let me provide something to use as a comparison. I think Christianity, as a whole, is more or less a movement. Yet within that movement there are programs, bureaucracies, leaders, followers, organizers, planners, and other such things. The Roman Catholic Church is certainly a part of the Christian movement, though many would argue that it is more of an organization than a movement in and of itself. On the other hand, even the modern non-denominational Christian churches have pastors and boards of directors and others that have leadership or control. I think a movement can remain

I don't really know for certain when the election procedure was changed. The only copy of the Guide for Officers and Advisers I have on hand at the moment is the 2002 version. I believe that the policy has been in effect since at least 1999. If I were you I would encourage the advisers, officers, and chairmen involved to read the Guide for Officers and Advisers. I would point out the following sections in particular: The last sentence of the first paragraph on page 20. The entire section titled "Unit Election Procedures" on page 22 and 23, paying special attention to the fi

An Arrowman's first responsibility is to his unit. That should be the point of his scouting focus. He should be promoting camping, encouraging good camping skills, and preserving local camping traditions. He should be actively involved in unit level service work. He should be seeking ways to be of service to his fellow scouts and the community. If these are the only things he has time for, he can be a perfectly good Arrowman doing just that. Now you mentioned he hasn't gotten anything from the chapter or lodge. That is a very bad sign. Most lodge's put out at least a quarterly news

My troop uses the official dark green neckerchief with embroidered logo and edges in red. To my knowledge every troop in my home town uses that same neckerchief. I don't really know why that developed that way, but it did. New Scouts are usually presented a neckerchief during the bridge crossing ceremony, or their first troop meeting. At one time every youth and adult was expected to wear the neckerchief at every meeting. Now it is only loosely encouraged. Also, it is common to see other neck wear in use. This is especially true of the adult leaders. Many choose to wear b

I have never heard of a conclave that wasn't fun. When I was lodge chief the conclave we went to was cold, wet, and windy all day. During the night there was a tornadic thunderstorm. Even despite the misreable conditions it was still a fun activity. The National Order of the Arrow Conference is also a great activity. I went to both the 2000 NOAC at UT and the 2002 NOAC at IU. Both were great. I will be going to the 2004 NOAC in Iowa. If it were in Hawaii very few people would be able to go. I certainly wouldn't be able to go. The primary reason most youth (and some adults)

I think I can probably give you the correct answer here. I was once my chapter's unit elections chairman, and then later the same for the lodge. I also went on to work my way up to Lodge Chief. So I know a little about this. I have also attended a bit of training on the subject at the National Order of the Arrow Conference. There is no "unit elections guide" produced nationally. There could be a lodge version of such a thing. However, there are two documents produced by the National Order of the Arrow Committee that do relate to unit elections, those being the Order of the Arrow G

The answer to the question is that anyone can sign off on anything. However, only those authorized to do so may do so. The SM can sign off anything he wants, however, he may not do so if he want it to officially be valid. In most cases if the SM signs off on something no one will ever check to see if he was supposed to. There are, after all, many areas where the idea of a registered merit badge counselor is a foreign concept, yet Eagles are still produced. I can tell you for a fact that I have signed off on merit badge requirements, those badges were accepted by the troop and counci

I would suggest a model similar to the one used for the Jamboree may work. Each Jamboree Troop consists of 40 people. There are four patrols of 8 youth, (32 total), 4 youth leaders, and 4 adult leaders. The method I have seen had the SPL, ASPL, Scribe, and QM being the 4 youth leaders. They were not members of any patrol, but rather had responsibilities to the entire troop. None of the troop leaders, (youth or adult) had assigned duties of the sort given to patrol members. All duties assigned to leaders were related to serving the troop. For camping the youth leaders tented with eac

I certainly hope mk's comment wasn't really supposed to be quite so universal and definitive as it came out being. However, the statement by itself certainly seems like something from Mars, so foreign is that to me. Now certainly a law enforcement officer shouldn't be passing around his loaded service pistol to just anyone, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't ever give anyone else a weapon to fire. There are plenty of times that it would be quite normal for a LEO to give someone else a weapon to fire. Training new recruits, their kids, friends, neighbors or other intersted parties in prop

I certainly thank you for the complement. However, the BSA, and the other Scouts and Scouters I have worked with deserve some of the credit. During some planning activities and training sessions I participated in, I learned that a common mistake (I have made it plenty of times) is trying to provide the answer without knowing the question. It is necessary to define the problem before you can determine what the best solution is. This same lesson can also be found in the scientific method if you pay close attention, though that is not a normal component of leadership training. The Army i

All I can say is that if the NEA gets its way the teacher will be replaced by the administrator as the great messianic giver of knowledge, students will be trapped in failing schools, relativism will abound, secularism will flourish, progressive ideas will become the only unbigoted ideas, skills useful to leading a productive life will decline, and self esteem will become more important than self control. In short, the NEA is setting up those generations that will fight the future battles in the war on terror, and the wars yet unseen, to fail. Let me relate a local example of the NEA

There are a couple of other positions that can/should be filled, depending on the situation. If there are any youth OA members you should have an Order of the Arrow Troop Representative. This position counts towards advancement and is a member of the PLC. It would probably be an appointed position. The OA Troop Rep. must be an OA member. Also, position patches are available for the following other positions: Den Chief Musician Bugler Instructor Troop Guide

I certainly wish you the best of luck. You have done much to improve the image of the BSA professional in my mind. If you are as capable at what you do as I think you likely are, your new boss will be very glad to have you.

I have given this some additional thought. I have realized one thing about my thinking- I seem to automatically favor the way the military treats uniforming. Part of that has to do with my general attitude toward the military, my brief ROTC experience, and the fact that I know the military is one of the primary users of uniforms, so they should know what they are doing. Scouting is not combat. The BDU may be great for the Army (actually the Army is already looking to new things, the Striker (or is it Stryker?) Brigade Combat Teams have been issued a new type of uniform from what I un

I for one am all in favor of everything that can be done in house, being done in house. If running food services for summer resident camp is something that can't be done in house, then it is necessary, not preferable, but necessary, to find outside assistance. There are also times that economics can make contracting with outside providers more cost affective. However, keep in mind there are costs not found on the accountants ledger that come with buying outside services. You will be giving up a measure of independence and loosing some control to your new partners. There is a danger that i

I guess no one believes the administration when they clearly set out the goals in Iraq. That has been done several times by several officials. I guess people will only be satisfied if the press publishes some sort of "secret plan" for Iraq. The objectives in Iraq are pretty easy to figure out, it isn't rocket science: allow the Iraqi's to create a new system of government for themselves (with at least basic democratic characteristics and recognition of the most basic human rights) help the Iraqi's restore basic services to their country help create the various capabilities needed for Iraqi's t

I for one am no fan of world government, or global organizations, or things of that nature, but the world Jamboree sounds like fun to me. Hopefully the public health officials won't be setting up condom distribution stations at this one. OK, now lets all recite the World Promise: On my self esteem, I pledge to try to do what feels good for me, and to make others feel good too.

There are some far better posibilities: Request the library aquire a copy for its collection. (It may be necessary to provide information on how to purchase a copy, since it probably wouldn't be available from their normal suppliers.) Local Scouters and supporters of Scouting could purchase and donate copies for their local library collections. This is probably the best option since it saves both the library and the council time and money.

There is nearly a page in the Guide for Officers and Advisors on adult membership qualifications (page 21). I am not going to retype that here, but I will summarize as best I can. Adults and candidates for adult membership are those members of the BSA 21 year of age or older. Individuals shall be selected as candidates based on the following: 1. Adult leaders in units: Units that elect at least one youth candidate may recommend an adult candidate. The unit committee may recommend one adult to the lodge adult selection committee based on every 50 registered, active youth

I really intended this to just be a bit about the possibility that some of us may cross paths in the future, but since we have gotten on the subject of camps I will share a bit. I must say I agree with all the comments about the camp itself. The facilities are excellent. The location is quite nice as well, being just an easy 30 min drive from downtown Louisville, yet still feeling like it is the middle of nowhere when you are there. I know of several SM and ASM from my home council that have been to Crooked Creek in recent years and seemed to think it was a quality camp. Some of the Scouts

Are you telling us to stop the activits or are you telling the activists to stop? The title suggest the former while the post content suggests the latter.

I became part of the 6th generation of the family to be born in this Commonwealth on what was by the accounts I have been told a fine September day in the Methodist Hospital in a nice little city that sits where US 60 and US 41 intersect, and where the Ohio and Green Rivers meet in western Kentucky. That was, by my reckoning, in the two hundred eighth year of the Independence of this Republic. It was also one hundred ninety-six years and ten days after the Ratification of the Constitution of the United States. My 15 min. of fame, thus far, came in kindergarten when my class sang "Oh What a Bea

I noticed at least two members mentioned they will be going to Crooked Creek for camp this year. (It is a fine camp facility. Everyone I know refers to it as the "state park" of summer camps, because it looks like every detail from buildings, to trails, to signs were designed by the park service. However, I have never experienced the summer camp program there.) Anywase, I happen to be in Louisville for the time being. I sometimes drop in at Talligewi Lodge events. (I can also be seen at many White Horse Lodge events.) So if anyone happens to be heading to one of those events, let me