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Specific to safety: I once called out a DE at round-table who said we should file a tour plan for every meeting outside our meeting place. The crew at that time was meeting someplace special every other week! At weekend camps, I would give the boys a map and have them devise a day hike plan. My SM thought that meant one of us had to go with them on the hike. I showed him the appropriate pages of G2SS. He promptly grabbed his chain saw and chaps and went off cutting some deadfall that the boys happily split on their return. Since then, he and I have enjoyed quite a few pleasurable hikes in the opposite direction of the boys -- sometimes arranging rendezvous with them at some scenic location.

You might also ask your CO. They get a copy of every adult member application, and may have a file of them in their archives.

You're the one who asked "Why not?" My point: there is an overall institutional cost to the profusion of awards. We have boy scouts' attention for one hour a week ... venturers, less. They can only focus on so much. I invest that time in telling them who to contact for EMT certification, the local VFD, JROTC, BSA or RC lifeguard, or the Law Enforcement or Medical Exploring ... or whatever organization will help them find their specific path. I then encourage them to do their best to draw their buddies in. The E-prep award is just more noise unless we become convinced that first responders are looking for anything more than the helping hands that stosh describes.

@@RichardB, what does the "award" do that being a first class scout does not? And if it does that, is there something wrong with 1st class rank requirements? Maybe, just maybe, if BSA and it's trained adult lackeys would stop saying things like: "Track your service hours." "There's a patch for that." "Log on the website." "Here's the paperwork." "Make sure it's a troop campout." ... the boys would spend less time filtering the noise and be able to hear "Keep your uni (or at least your necker) at the ready, folks will count on you if they see you're a scout."

Non sequitur... scout doesn't have to wear uniform during campouts to count them. Why should he have to wear it for service hours.But, then again, why should he have to count service hours at all? Maybe we have a nation of boys who want to serve out of their free will, and don't want BSA hogging their work for bragging rights.

Got flack from my oldest venturer coming on the next outing: "Why can't we go on the shorter hike with the rest of the troop? And, why do you add an orienteering course to it?" Not one of my better moments, said in surly, ill-tempered advisor voice ... "Because, you are in a Crew meeting. This is what we do." I shouldn't get on his case too bad. The three youth who were really asking for this event can't attend. The other youth who was involved in the planning couldn't attend last night. So, I'm the "middle man" trying to pass along a certain vision. I could see where, in his case, one might balk between a choice of an hour orienteering course followed by six miles backpacking and 4 miles backpacking with the last part bushwhacking "up and over" a wooded ridge. I'm sure we sound the same way as we cringe at MB universities, etc ... folks don't see their "process streamlining" as shooting for the lowest common denominator.

I have a funny feeling that even that set-up is lighter than our trailer fully over-loaded!

I don't scour the 'net for feel-good stores about troops/crews showing up for disaster relief, so I can't counter your observations. But I'll speculate that your odds of seeing what you're looking for have slimmed over the years for two reasons: The uniform is now too precious to wear while serving. The notion of wearing just your neckerchief when you risk mussing your uni has not caught on. The notion that being in uniform might identify you as one ready to serve is completely lost on scouts. (Tangent: some scouts asked if they should wear their uniform backpacking this weekend. I said, "Nobody's going to make you, but I reserve patches from my collection for boys who do.") Membership declines actually do mean something. The odds have titled against running into a card-carrying BSA member, youth or adult, especially in the southeast. You are more likely to find a boy or girl in the civil air patrol these days. Seriously, @@Stosh, you are the first person who ever told me about that organization first-hand. Since then I've met a couple young men who joined and enjoy it (advantage of this forum: you actually learn stuff that helps you talk to youth). We can also speculate that the "free market" design of troop selection has conspired against this sort of thing. If your troop meets on the opposite side of town, and your neighbors are in the gulch across the street, mobilizing the troop might by on the bottom of your E-prep strategies. If instead, BSA somehow encouraged boys to bolster the troop nearest their home and all boys were within walking distance of the scout house... that could make rallying your mates easier.

This weekend: 13 scouts, 3 venturers, 4 drivers, and my dog. No trailers. 2 minivans, 1 pickup, 1 explorer. With the trailer, we might have taken one less vehicle.

Now, if they were detained by a police officer, arraigned by a grand jury, and defended by a lawyer ... that might make for an interesting weekend. Different scouts could be assigned as witnesses, bailiffs, assist the prosecution, the jury pool, etc ... Mock trial camporee ... that could be fun.

Every specific phobia is unusual. (If one were usual, not being afraid would be given a disorder name in pop. Psych.) And, they can be culturally based. (E.g., We had a Korean scout who was terrified of spiders because, growing up he was taught to avoid them because most of the species there were dangerously poisonous to humans.) Scouting is a form of exposure therapy. Youth are presented with a panoply of revulsions in a context where they have to deal with them, while supported.by their pears. We have scouts afraid of heights that stare at that climbing wall until they are ready to belay on, afraid of guns until the day they load their first round. Bugs, snakes, big hairy scoutmasters who don't cater to your fears .., we have it all. My latest scout from southern Italy, brimming with enthusiasm, stopped us while we were planning campouts through November and December and said "Guys, I'm really afraid of the winter, l never experienced this kind of cold." The best you can do is tell a kid with a specific phobia "Yes, you may have to face that stuff. But, we'll be right here with you when we do." For the Italian kid, I told her that this time of year, when I start to load my backpack with winter gear, I feel my body screaming: aren't you too old for this yet? Then I step out into the woods hike the hills, and take in the beauty. And those screaming fears subside.

I think the dinner would be fun. I think if, at the next CoH, the SM or SPL announces that you will be getting your beads at a council dinner, then you stand, they applaud, and you throw down a challenge like "Who will be the next adult to work their ticket?" ... that will get you the recognition you want without all the hoopla you don't want. Suggestion for anyone who does want to have the beading at a troop function, dismiss the youth for cookies/campfire/whatever before giving your WB buddies the floor. That way, they can have the fun and fellowship they like to have while the adults have the "fun" and fellowship they like to have.

i guess they'd have to lash you to a mast to keep you from counseling them!

I can't remember what our pack did. The troop did try to cut large families a break. Precisely for the reason @@David CO suggests. Large families contribute more to the "unit brain trust". Stories get handed down. Gear gets handed down. Scouts come wanting to do what their brothers did. Simplifies the PLC no scouter has to explain the possibilities, they boys already know. Fundraisers become nearly automatic, because the parents who support them have done so for more than a decade. In our Venturing crew, because our older siblings move on to college or war, and parents need to direct their attention elsewhere, we sorely notice the absence of that institutional memory. I find myself explaining (what I think are) the simplest things.

I think that boils down to the "individual sport" strategy. I.e., no MB classes during meetings, no working on MBs during meetings (although, I think most troops with that strategy still grant boys a few minutes to meet with their counselors by appointment during opening games or patrol break-out sessions -- for the sake of youth protection), brief conversation with the SM regarding blue cards, touch base with the librarian about pamphlets, and that's it. Activities planned for their own sake without regard to any MB that could be earned in the process. It's on the boy to connect the dots and maybe influence program toward a badge of his interest. That's basically how I had my boys operate. Mainly because every attempt at MB class during a meeting led to eyes rolling into the backs of their little heads when we got to handing out worksheets and school-type requirements. Now, having one or two boys bring in a demonstration as part of a requirement for a badge (e.g., cooking supper in the church kitchen, lighting and extinguishing grease fires in the parking lot, etc ...) ... THAT resonated very well with the rest of the boys. Completing their badge, however, was left up to each scout on his own time, and only a percentage of the boys did that. It works for us, but none of our scouts earn Eagle quickly, and their sashes aren't overly burdened with round medallions. I don't think NobodyReallySon would like our troop at first blush. @@TAHAWK, if you've experienced another way of a troop "letting a scout's interests drive what merit badge he persues" do tell. Because, the OP has a kid who's nuts about earning MBs (usually an indicator of broad interests) and they would surely like to fall in with a troop who will make that a possibility.

Fred said everything I would say about "back room dish" on other troops. How to pick? Well, he first needs to get some more data. Specifically, who decides which topics a troop will work on? If the committee has a routine schedule that covers only Eagle-required badges, then that's a no-go for your son. It sounds like he's well on his way to knocking those out with or without the troop's encouragement; therefore, what would benefit him is a troop willing to go after obscure MBs just for the fun of it. If the boys in leadership positions plan what merit-badges the entire troop does for certain meetings, that's better. Your son can give feedback, and maybe an obscure one gets on the docket. If the responsibility for MBs courses falls on the patrol, that's even better. It's far easier to get 8 guys to agree to try an obscure badge ... plus, if four patrols are going after four different badges, they might be flexible enough to swap members who might want to try a MB being considered by a different patrol. What that means is increased odds that at any given time he'll have a buddy (or eight) to work on MB's with. Now, in the end, he may see earning MBs as an individual sport. In that case, the only thing that matters is a troop full of welcoming boys who have fun during the meetings and an SM who likes signing blue cards frequently.

Welcome! (To you and your strange request.) And, thanks in advance for all you'll do for the boys. I have not seen anything of the sort. I have seen decals (for scrapbooking, etc ...). But not for windows/windshield. I don't think it's proprietary, but it may be something that folks haven't demanded. Scouts change units just enough to make marking up a car a questionable endeavor. Have you thought about crafting something with cloth numbers that might hang from a review mirror, or sit on a dashboard?

As far as our nation's code, the Senate is here for you: http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30243.pdf You mentioned the den flag. Where is the pack flag? As far as some unwritten "unit code": patrol flags usually move with the patrol leader. So, if they get posted anywhere, it would be where the boys seat themselves (on an outside aisle, so as not to obstruct the audience's view). But there should be no disrespect however you do it (e.g posted adjacent to the pack flag), as long as the other den flags are treated equally. For example, a couple of weeks ago, when the W2's visited, the patrol flags were displayed along the wall behind the US and national flags.

Good problem to have. With boys keep it simple. Hot dogs and hamburgers with condiments. Have a jar of peanut butter handy if allergies aren't a problem. Assign each den to bring.a side dish. Have a cooler for water, one for flavored drink, and one for hot cocoa. You will probably need to split up around different fire rings, if that's an option where you're camping. Lossly have dens sit up in different areas, obviously parents with boys in multiple dens can only set up the family tent in one of those areas. A call to the ranger or camp director giving them a heads up about your numbers would be in order. Breakfast is something you all have to figure out. I would only do hot stuff if the boys will be there all morning.

@@hmscouting, it's a good sign that scouts are representing. The bottom line: tell the reps that at this point, if they want to really impress the scouts, bring the lodge chief to a troop meeting or a campout where most of your boys attend.First timers need to hear it from somebody who cares.

My CO is distressed. So, they haven't even given me a COR for this year! My DE basically said, "Pick someone." Tail wags the dog. I don't like it, but there it is.

I'm not siding with the other guys, or trying to be mean or anything like that. But, once the dust settles from something like this, you'll want to pull the silk purse out of the sow's ear. So a little introspection: This, to me, would come off as extremely controlling. I want a CM who tells me and my den, "You will have 5 minutes at the pack meeting for ___. Got it?" When you find that boy scout troop for your son (which I hope you will do), there's a whole lot of going off script and (within parameters of safety) making it up as you go along. Could they use a manager like you for certain things? Most certainly. Will you need to tone it down more than you've ever done? Yep. Think of it as an organizational "trust fall" and brace yourself for occasional bruises when people let you down. But, come up laughing every time.

Contrary to popular belief, the real building period in your scouts is between ages 11-13. You really want one in eight boys aiming at PL by their third year in scouting. If your older boys pull together and form a venture patrol, that's gravy. That really only leaves room "at the top" for maybe four or five boys (SPL, ASPL, QM, JASM, TG). The rest will be drawn to other activities anyway. Our district does not have Varsity Teams, but that's because western PA sports is an efficient machine that draws our boys (and girls, speaking as a crew advisor) away from the best camping seasons. So, if a boy or two moves on, encourage him to not be a stranger. You still would like to know how he's doing. Ask him to send an invite to anything cool that he thinks the troop would like.

Welcome to the forums! The first thing you're doing right is listening to the boys. So, your older boys want to hang together. That's a positive. Being small, you can flex with that. The younger boys will now need to pull themselves together, master a few skills, and on occasion beat the older patrol at their own game. Fun fact about autumn: your new boys aren't that new anymore. And soon you get newer boys. So who gets to lead those crossovers? Well, if they are tight buddies, they might be best in pretty much their own patrol. If not, they might best be folded into existing patrols. In either case, you assign them a Troop Guide from your batch of oldest boys. He's still a member of his preferred patrol, but he is responsible for keeping tabs of this group of boys, either in coaching them to form their own patrol, or making sure they're fitting into the newest patrol. An average guide will use the advancement method as a planning tool and check boys through as they master individual skills. An excellent guide will be a true big brother to all these boys and let PL's know what's going on with them. It's like a box of chocolates, you'll never know quite what's inside until you put them to the test.

Okay, so here's a for-instance that makes me take back my previous post: That venturer I was telling you about is now having second thoughts and wondering if he should cancel his ordeal weekend so he can attend our backpacking trip. It is possible to attend a different one in our lodge, so I told him to look up the lodge advisor's number and explain his situation. And no, it's not about the girls. So far none have signed up. In my day, I could not imagine postponing such a weekend for anything. In fact, I turned down an invitation to a school dance and watching the Pirates in the World Series (yes, kids, it used to happen) with Dad for a rainy, cold, autumn weekend of "cheerful service." One scout brought a radio and the outlet outside the trading post was working, and winds stayed under 50, so it turned out to be a good weekend.