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Regarding grits, oatmeal, cream-of-wheat .... for it to be a legit backpacking breakfast, add a dollop of peanut butter for the requisite protein infusion.

I'm a pre-1989 scouter, and my kid's troop stretches way back. But it's not just a matter of being stuck in tradition. We tried awarding patches the week after BoR, and the boys weren't impressed. It's not like the patches made it onto their shirts the following week. CoH's aren't just about getting patches. The SM recaps the past quarter for parents. Usually, in my troop growing up, each patrol was expected to provide a volunteer who would report on the highlights of one of the camp-outs. The SPL is master of ceremony just like a regular troop meeting.

@EagleonFire, if you're still active, let us know how your campfire kids are doing!

Moderators, when you get a moment, please move this from I&P to Council Relations.

I guess our troop never built up that backlog. Therefore, our immediate recognition was an "attaboy" at our troop closing. (Most BoR's are completed during troop meetings.) Then, we would disperse patches at the next CoH. We never used advancement pins. I don't think I've seen one in all our area. (Northeast Region Area 4 scouters, correct me if you have or know of a unit who issues pins.) As far as cost, we factor in the average cost of advancement into the youth dues.

So, it took a while for someone to find a quote that we could actually hang a hat on ... Thanks @HashTagScouts. The YPT incident reporting form uses language that is far broader than I have ever read in the g2ss itself. Taken to extremes, "inappropriate behavior by a scout" would indeed imply if the scout so much as blasphemed once, it should be reported. But a more straightforward reading is if a troop has a discipline issue that might motivate them to suspend a scout for a few months , they should file a report ... Something I have never done or insisted upon. The language of the YPT report statement is new to me, so I may have to rethink things. But, for now, how inappropriate does your scouts behavior have to be before you get your council involved?

Speaking of those, a few boys in my Jambo troop told me their sisters are starting a troop for girls. They sounded largely positive about it.

The best idea is the one the youth think of! Definitely give the 3'x3' necker a go!

They should complete the unit fundraiser application. That way it's out of your hands and the responsibility of the pros.

Buy the crest, stitch it to the neckerchief, learn the friendship knot ... then to make a woggle or carve a slide ... have fun until those unifoms come in. In doing so, you will help a stranger make it to Jamboree 170 days from now, bring their leader to my campsite, and give him/her the best cup of coffee this nation has to offer.

Not directly. I was focusing on the BSA's history at the time. Rothschild was the author. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3346224?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

@Treflienne, the application of "Guides" to the British UK girls movement was at the insistence of Baden Powell. Juliet Gordon Lowe would not change "Girl Scouts" to suit.

All I'm looking for is documentation to that effect. The G2SS tells me the unit may revoke membership. That's all. Honestly, if the G2SS said notify anybody, I would have followed up with our key three to make sure it was done.

I am not trying to be obstinate. When I counseled our troop regarding our wayward youth, as did others before me, we worked through G2SS: We read that to mean that the unit may revoke a youth's membership. I can't find any wording to indicate that the district or council needs to be involved in that revocation ... let alone suspension -- which I think is slightly different. (Thus why I thought it was lame to drop the kid from the charter.) I'm not saying it's a bad idea to give your unit commissioner a call when these things happen. I'm just saying I can't find a written policy requiring it. If you have something in writing that I'm not seeing. Do share.

I loved the all-abouts. Shortbread with chocolate layer with one of the principles of GS/USA stamped on them. Haven't seen them for a while. So, I just order for thin mints and somoas -- from the first scout who pitches to me ... never from a mom. I love hearing what they plan to do with their sales.

No and yes. At least the way venturing awards and recognition was originally concocted, the goal was to get some nationally recognize certification (e.g. Red Cross First Aid) not merely a merit badge. So, mastering the skill that earned you that MB and the certification was not considered double- anything. Get the skill, get recognition once or twice, move on.

No, but considering the water handling devices my troop has a reputation for concocting, maybe we should.

Give me two such teachable adults (at least one of them female if the unit has girls) and I can get us a pack/troop/crew that will outlast and outgrow any one that I've lead. Throw in one unteachable adult, and the whole thing will stagnate. It doesn't matter how high the numbers on his/her service stars climb. I think linked troops are a great idea ... IF : you have an SM/ASM pair who have proven to be good partners, and one will peel off to work on the girls' side as either SM or ASM, and every other direct contact leader (seasoned or newcomer) is willing to fall in behind both of them, officially supporting one or the other. And, I think it works both ways. We have a new SM (a young dad, Eagle scout) ... and I'm learning stuff from him about areas of interest that I wouldn't have bothered with.

Welcome to the forums. Totin' Chip requirements are here https://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Totin'_Chip Are you going to be in a Scouts BSA troop for girls?

@Ranman328, you need to visit our troop. Then you'll know at least one. I've never read anywhere that a committee needs to notify anyone at the district when they decide to suspend a scout. If you have a reference, do share. Dropping the boy from the charter was a lame move.

Sorry about your husband. Not about that your learning new things about your spouse -- we all do that. It winds up being mostly good. But, that he is going to have to process this new label, and that can be hard -- especially if it doesn't fit exactly. My strategy ... Put the phone on speaker and have your son call the SM. Let him explain that he would like to come back but wants to know if he's welcome. Generally, most boys are pretty forgiving, so he would try a meeting or two to see if that's the case. In case the answer's "no." Or your son is having a hard time apologizing, talk to some other troop leaders.

This ... I've seen troops derailed by "know everything" assistants (let's call them KEA's). I'm not alone. Heck, when our troop merged, our SM thought I was one of those KEA's because, in a board room, I usually lead with my strongest opinion, and it can sound like my way or the highway. But in the field, I spend a lot of time figuring out what everyone needs, and am always picking up other folks' tips and tricks. Anyway, I had no clue that he assumed I was another KEA until he came and apologized for misjudging me. So is your friend a KEA? You honestly don't know for sure until she gets to working the program, but your esteem of her is probably a good indication that she's not. So, recruit her!

It's BSA requireing the ASM has to be female. If the SM garners a teachable male ASM (an equally rare commodity in @Eagle94-A1's neighborhood, it seems) he still can't start a Scouts BSA girl troop. If he caves on the teach-ability minimum, his odds of starting one that will last are slim. With all due respect of any women who may have been wrongly caricatured with stereotypes like "mama bear" and "tiger mom", we should not tiptoe around what will be required of them as direct contact leaders of new troops for the sake of political correctness.

If you give a mouse a cookie ... Frankly, I see no trouble with accepting last year's car if that's what the scout wanted to do. It really is the parent who lost an opportunity to help his/her son fashion a new car. That's a really heavy price, the cost of which they will never recoup. However, your race, your rules. It is a good idea to stick to whatever guidelines your district uses because, if district has that same rule, it could be an automatic D/Q at that level if one of those cars had advanced to district and does it again this year. Don't let bad attitudes tarnish your experience. You're preparing these boys for life. And technicalities are part of life.

Met our troop today. 80% of the boys could attend. After introductions, the SM had a breakout with parents (who he said seemed like a really good group) and we monitored patrol corners to see how everyone was getting along. Three of our four patrols figured out their names. (One guess whose scouts couldn't get their patrol to settle on a name. So, for now we're calling them Den #_.) A goodly number had experience at National Jamboree, so they could explain facilities pretty well. (Note to adults: not one complaint about showers. Just saying.) Other scouts knew the location of their shakedown weekend. Everyone brought up great questions -- for which we had answers to about half. I think we're gonna like camping with this group. We have room for 6-8 more scouts, but looks like that will close up quickly, especially if another region's troop doesn't reach critical mass and has to send a few of its boys our way.