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This is why Eagle is still a pretty rare award among boys. People look around their troop at the time they are awash in MBs and think BSA's stats are off. They ignore the boys who left their troop and other troops who are on the opposite cycle. Nearly every boy in Son #1's den earned Eagle. Son #2 was the only scout from his den who did. I disagree that no presentation is needed. Boys somehow need to be reminded that this process is for them. But, it certainly should not be a lecture from a CC. That will almost guarantee the boys won't earn a single MB outside of camp. Make a skit. Make it funny. Try to laugh at yourselves. Maybe have a scout with that slow-going attitude be part of it. See if someone will play a mom badgering a scout to stop playing games, then the scout takes up gaming MB. If you do anything as a troop, go through the requirements of a bunch of badges and see which ones would make a good activity for a meeting or weekend (without trying to earn a badge). Do that. Repeat. Then, try to figure out what you all would really like to master. (Service projects, scout skills, mechanics, BSA guard) and try to do that.

I'm really not so concerned with policy as I am with mentoring boys to achieve their full potential.

Consider a skit where you guys act out the process. One guy plays your SM, another the MBC, and two others a boy and his buddy interested in a badge. Try and have some fun with it based on your best and worst experiences.

If I were the MBC, I'd ask him if he thought what he did was in the spirit of the requirement, which in full reads: Plan a troop or crew court of honor, campfire program, or an interfaith worship service. Have the patrol leaders' council approve it, then write the script and prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies. Needless to say, the Merit Badge Pamphlet gives further detail. Our CoH's were often a little spartan because our boys preferred to MC campfires. Then, a boy wanted use an upcoming CoH to complete the requirement, so he worked on a script. It was rough, but we were quite pleased to "break the mold" a little. That boy is now SPL and put some effort with the PLC in working out a script for this last CoH. Things went a little smoother, and the adults aren't doing nearly as much talking! Baby steps. Anyway, that should give an idea of how a requirement could be used to help move a unit beyond "boilerplate."

Well ... 36 hours in the woods with a dozen tigers? I suspect he got his ear talked off by them, last year's Tiger DLs, this year's parents, and the Cubmaster. He's probably just trying to get you up to speed. Let the guy know you were overwhelmed by his E-mail. (One reason why I write to this forum is to get it "out of my system" before subjecting my fellow scouters with my drivel! Even so, they still rib me.) And ask if he plans on mapping things out every week. If not, take a breather. If so, let him know you're just not that detail oriented and ask for his patience because you are going to try focus on the boys as individuals more than the detailed plan. It's just your style. Running two dens in parallel may indeed be the winning strategy for you two. However, figuring out what to do together vs. apart will take a lot of finesse. So, you're gonna need to find a balance with the communication. Might as well start out honest and open.

It seems that the GS/USA is on the right track for public recognition given that Gold is less than 4 decades old. Admissions officers generally put it on par with Eagle Scout, even if the man-on-the-street doesn't. But, content matters. The girl-on-the-street can earn Gold without ever having camped 1 night. For a young woman who wants to be recognized for outdoor skills, she would have to be matched up with a unit that practices those skills. Effectively girls with such ambition are sold short. (By the way, does anyone have the original requirements for the Golden Eaglet and subsequent GS/USA awards?) NYC/NOW recognized the difference in content. It just didn't have the insight or courage to demand GS/USA make outdoor activity required for its highest awards.

I review a lot of these. Most important to me is how well the average boy in the patrol navigates. Moderate skills (i.e., a little beyond the 1st class requirement) give me the confidence that if they need to improvise, they will do so successfully. I've never had to adjust the plan of boys with moderate skills. When they present me with a hike plan, I also like to hear what their plan 'B' will be. (E.g. what if that bridge is out? What if that field is grown up and you get delayed?) I expect insertion, extraction, and rendezvous points. And estimated times of arrival. This includes lunch stops, or time exploring points of interest. I expect them to be able to tell me the landmarks that they will be looking for, starting with insertion, extraction, and waypoints in-between. This sounds intense, but with older boys, review usually can be done the morning of the hike in familiar terrain -- maybe in the time it takes to sip down one cup of coffee. With younger boys (or older boys in unfamiliar terrain) they must have plans A, B, and sometimes C mapped out in advance. They should arrange for me to review their plan at insertion, where they should be able to point out any visible landmarks and their initial direction of travel, and show how they are marked on the map. The younger the boys, the more I expect to watch their equipment shake-down -- and the more likely I will insist on a trained chaperon. Trained chaperons are adults who will not to interfere with any of the boys' decisions until they have walked a mile out of their way, or safety becomes an issue. We try to do a lot of hikes as a troop, so that I know how adults behave when boys miss a landmark. (Most of my time hiking with scouts is actually spent training adults.)

Applications from USA are now being accepted: https://wsj2019.us/apply/In addition to your scouting resume, it also asks for a $250 early-bird deposit. Some details on selection process on Bryan's blog: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/11/01/2019-world-scout-jamboree-registration-is-now-live/ Interestingly, it calls out to your my.scouting.org account for confirmation.

This batch of crossovers to our troop hit the ground running. Not sure if that's a testament to the new program, or the DL, or a combination of both. In addition to all of the above, ask one of the troops if they would be willing to provide a den chief. A DC gives the boys a good sense of what a Boy Scout should be like. Finally, like David said, adjust your goals. So much can happen in a boy's life, there's no guarantee they can stay in Scouting. I think it's great when they do. But, it's also great when they grow up strong and good in other activities.

I think the scouts in my troop feel a lot like yours. That's why I have no intention of promoting BSA4G until I see real demand. I volunteer for smiles, not someone's sense of social activism.In the meantime, I'm just talking to Life scouts about insta-palms. In terms of you yourself acting on BSA politics. Consider running for office in your area VOA.

Dismantling? That's been happening for decades.Could GS/USA have built troops based on charter partners, removed size limits on units, and highlighted multi-age units that engage in outdoor activities? Yes. They didn't. So here we are, taking risks with your program. We might be having a lot of fun at your expense. Or, in some parts of the country, more boys will wind up joining. I will be surprised if BSA4G will amount to massive membership gains. I don't think this is going to encourage a big influx of cash. And it seems that this screwball separate unit strategy is an attemp to validate, not dismantle, units like yours where girls aren't pounding at the door. P.S. - What's with venturers and siblings? I swear I should have two crews ... one for even birth orders the other for odd birth orders.

The real reason? Threefold: Fun! Young girls are having fun with the program in a way that they have never done before. Some of us scouters like seeing kids have fun, plain and simple. Maverick units are making it work. Meanwhile boys in the vicinity seem to be doing as well as ever. Disavowing these units is becoming a losing proposition. Even units who would remain all boys resent a heavy hand from National. Nowadays, parents write the checks. They see the Mavericks and say, "With or without you, what will it be?" Yes, membership matters, money matters. But, the real impetus here, IMHO, is girls with a unique initiative having so much fun with this program above others that they can no longer be ignored.

From @@Jameson76's long (though understandable considering National Advancement Team's rapid cycle of requirement revisions) paste, I gather one significant stipulation: "patrol or troop campout." This leads me to infer that "where" is not as important as "who with" and "how." My favorite youth-preparation model is an iterative planning cycle where The PL/SPL after conferring with his patrol/PLC presents a tour plan to the SM, The SM reviews and either approves, or identifies any thing that should be included in the plan (e.g., named chaperon's/drivers, insertion/extraction times, equipment needs, objectives, safety, etc...) PL/SPL either implements the approved plan or consults with his patrol/PLC to revise the plan and return to step 1. Different program planning and leadership materials (as well as knowledge from the troop committee and experience with these boys to date) guide the SM in identifying a good plan from a poor one. So, for some units, the meeting place is automatically to not be part of any plan. For others, it may be expected to be part of one or more plans a year. What are the implications of this? Obviously, some meeting places provide an ideal outdoor place for a New Scout Patrol to put in their plan. Others, not so much. But we strangers on the internet have no say in that. The definition of "ideal" is at the SM's discretion, with input from the committee. If there is no planning and SM review when crossovers set up a tent, be it outside the meeting place or in the heart of a federal wilderness recreation area -- it shouldn't count. One might also want to consider that if adults hijack the entire planning process, it might not be "in spirit" a troop camp-out. But that is entirely unfair to a young scout who would not know any better -- even after a thorough read of the current handbook. So, in spite of HHJJ sounding like he'd want a general answer, and @@Jameson76 correctly points out that nothing is written against it, the truth is, no general answer is available. Any specific answer hinges on a scouter's discretion in approving plans for "troop/patrol" activities.

Um, so how many boys -- cubs especially -- pay their own dues? I mean, once upon a time, every meeting, I carried the quarter from my allowance to the treasurer/scribe, and then when I got Christmas/Birthday cash, I paid dues in advance. But, that doesn't happen in the units that I know these days. (Maybe 1 in 10 scouts, once they have jobs.) Furthermore, how many boys pay for gas? How many bother to even get out and wipe windows while their driver fills up on the way to camp? Besides a handbook and a few pamphlets, how much of the program do boys really own? If we follow the $, parents are BSA's customers. Now as a responsible scouter, I do try to integrate youths' opinions before I fill out a survey (or even reply to this blog). But, I also try to ehar from youth who dropped out or never joined the program in the first place. That stuff seems interesting. But, I think Backpack has a point. We all have enjoyed youth contributions to this forum. It would be nice to multiply that and have it intrinsic and transparent to BSA's business model.

Does the meeting place has some acreage and a bit of woods where a patrol could camp without disruption?

This from one of my first venturers ... ..., a week from tomorrow I will be going through one of the scariest, yet one of the most relieving experiences of my life. I will be donating 2/3 of my liver. I'm nervous for obvious reasons, but also will be so relieved since the recipient needs this to continue a normal life. When I first heard the news that the recipient needed a liver transplant, I happened to be driving home one afternoon. I prayed to to God, asking Him "oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, what do I do? What do I do?" As tears were streaming down my face. At that exact moment I came to a red light. I looked up, and the car in front of me was covered with bumper stickers saying "donate life" and "become a living organ donor" - dead serious. Coincidence? Maybe. But I knew it was an answer to my question. I knew from that moment on the decision was made, and this is one of the callings from God. I decided to post this status to simply raise awareness of living organ donation - not for attention, or being looked at as some "hero," or for pity. I hope that more people can become more open minded on this topic. Although my nursing career has been paused for the time being, I know that being a patient in the hospital will give me a new perspective that I can carry with me while I tend to my future patients. Luckily, my liver will regenerate back to its normal size within six weeks of the surgery, which I find amazing. The 2/3 of my liver that is given to the recipient will grow to fit the size of their body. A good friend once told me "The only things that matter in life is your family/friends and your health" and this quote could not be more perfect to describe my current situation. Thank you to everyone for your continued support and prayers. Words cannot describe how blessed I am, and I know the recipient and I will be just fine with God on our sideâ¤ï¸

Let's not delude ourselves. It's hard enough to make the program equal for an 12 year old and 17 year old. In parts of the country, the cultural expectations on a girl may overwhelm attempts at equality no matter if your CO insists on integration or segregation of the sexes. What BSA can do for us -- and we ourselves -- is make sure the program resources are identical -- even if they are plastered with "boy" and "brotherhood". No bars lowered. It's up to boots on the ground to make it work. And, if that means acquiring different adult leaders for girls, that may or may not generate disparities. No amount of speculation will tell us in advance.

TT, tell TurtleSon2 congratulations and that, not to worry, you know strangers on the internet who will get him a patch in spite of the ageist impertinence of his registrar. Yes, he is deserving of 3 insta-palms. All that background about continuing to develop leadership blah blah blah is inconsequential. By this new definition, he is on par with a life scout who checked out 4 years ago and came back to some troop somewhere the month before last to wrap up his Eagle project before aging out. Thus, why I, in spite of NJ's protests, will continue to call them insta-palms. The timing of EBoRs is an entirely an adult manufactured problem. That's partly why we're in this mess in the first place. Please ask your awards chair to not make matters worse by denying TurtleSon2 his right of refusal.

Shadowing a swimmer kinda pushes the boundary of "swim in a strong manner". But, sometimes that bit of coaching enables the scout to later increase time in the swimmers' area, consequently increasing skill.

First of all, we're a long way from half the ceremony team being female. But ... A cabin properly divided with a tarp would suffice. Yes, it is responsible to have mixed groups during day activities without a chaperon. BUT training on personal safety awareness would be imperative. AND it's a big country, so I can see some places where this would go over better than others. This is the crux of the problem with BSA4G as currently proposed. Arrowmen will be nominated from troops of boys and girls who may not have had dealings with the opposite sex. That will be perfectly natural and accepted in some lodges (maybe even separate lodges for boys and girls). But, other lodges might expect more mixed-sex operations.

It's quite simple, NJ. Eagle scouts born after 7/31/1999 and registered on 8/1/2017 may review their records to see if they qualify for insta-palms. What could be simpler? O yeah, no dates whatsoever.

Sarcasm, friend. But you bring up an interesting point. At a national level how much should a youth led organization follow their youths' lead? I know my scouts, but do I know yours? I may trust them to assemble their own patrols and elect their own PLCs. But, should I ask them to decide how you should form your patrols?

@@cocomax, I have been to an awesome GS camporee put on by my Venturers for one of their GS gold awards.. It was at a beautiful camp that was closed this year ... along with 5 other GS/USA camps in our area. Fact is, if senior girls and cadettes aren't aiming to camp monthly, the demand for camps drops precipitously, A cautionary tale for all of us,

With grandparents' living within yards of a Great Lake, this was an imperative for my kids. It was tragic in my mind seeing my mother-in-law with such a fear of the swimming because she never needed to conquer it as a child. (On the other hand, they were very strict with the grandchildren about PFDs and open water, which I took great comfort in. The kids even learned how to fish with life jackets on!) A good swimming program allows for the possibility that some skills(like jumping in) might have to wait a year. I often have misgivings about boys not taking the swimming/lifesaving route. If for the only reason that it's the best way to learn how hard it is to do open rescue without support. It also teaches attentiveness -- something that many veterans told me astounded them about their Eagle scout colleagues. I guess E-Prep does this to a degree, but it's not the same. On the flip side, I was not great with cycling as a kid. So, this could be a bit of country mouse judging the city mouse in ignorance. In any case, I think the summer camp swim test (honestly assessed) gives boys a fair sense of what the next level could be.

Have a cup of tea with the treasurer and ask to look over the checkbook so you can get a handle on what's been spent in the past, and what the current balance is. Your Charter Organization Representative should be your ally in this. Like scouterr said, if he's satisfied, move forward with the current balance. If it looks like something nasty happened (e.g. $10,000 for summer camp when your troop only sent 8 scouts to a $300 camp) then your first meeting may need to be about taking action against someone, or the CO will do that legwork for you.