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KMcV, Welcome to the forums ... where battered old scouters like KDD and myself opine from the cheap seats. I would suggest that your responses have a pattern of applauding everyone who agrees with your idea of how a den should run and dismissing everyone who finds the $40/month outlay reasonable at face value. But, I also announce for varsity soccer games and hear a lot of chatter -- especially from private school parents who gripe about the entrance fees of our home field while their fields are rough-hewn, often unlit, poorly graded and barely lined -- and the concession booth (tent really) doesn't serve any coffee (let alone a decent brew: strong and hot) . Maybe they're being good citizens by running things on a shoe string and making do where they can. Their players come up strong and good as ours - so I've learned not to judge. When visiting their pitches, I try to buy their raffles and what goods from the concession as I can stand to eat. But, from my seat at the home booth, between plays I'll heap high praise on our school's athletic department, the boosters who run the concession making sure there's a decent hot meal and home-made desserts, and anyone else who makes the evening capture a little grandeur for the sport ... even if my wallet is lighter for the gate fee and a tray of baklava for the senior night concession. At least they know to put the coffee on when I show up. Find out what you're paying for. If you don't like the programs and materials that the DL plans to invest your $$ in, spinning off another Den is a good idea. However, if you do like his/her ideas, partner in. Maybe in lieu of dues, you have some materials or backstage opportunities that you can exchange for a month's fee. Just try to accept that scouting is not a one-size-fits-all affair.

Every boy is as different as are the troops they are in. Same for every lodge. But I would lay 1st blame on your troop's O/A members. They took responsibility for a task, and failed to execute it perfectly. Now, just 'cause they messed up doesn't mean they're bad scouts. If their election means anything, they are just good scouts who didn't read instructions. (Not being used to a seasoned SM breathing down their necks may have been a contributing factor.) So, the SM should ask them to make it up to your son by offering a special camp-out. Maybe one to suit his geeky game proclivities. If I were lodge chief (and I never was, so this is me just pretending I'd be that mature of a teen), and I heard that something like this happened, I would call the boy or meet him at his troop meeting. Then I'd let him know that I was very sorry that about the fiasco, let him know that scouting is fun, O/A is worth the effort, and he should put himself up for election next year and every year afterword until elected. And, leave him my phone #, and ask him to call me when he makes Star! I would definitely let the lodge advisor know what a mess this was. And I would ask him to relay it to the chief. Even if an SM is not in O/A, he needs to be accorded ample respect to aid the lodge in properly delivering candidates. That includes carefully explaining how the call-out will be administered. There are no secrets in scouting, so the SM has a right to understand what's going on. P.S. - st0, I total get the tired and mildly hypothermic guard student experience. You know what's awesome? It has to be re-upped in two years!

By "many years" you mean one? The questions are specifically referring to field uniforms (known to some by the unofficial name “Class Aâ€Â) and not activity uniforms (“Class Bâ€Â). The term "field" is used to distinguish from "dress" uniform (i.e., the blue blazer, etc ...). THAT's what's missing from SSScout's list.

Well, the handbook used to be sufficiently simple. Then there were inspection sheets that let a boy know how far off standard he was. Then someone got the bright idea that that patches could be piled on like decals on an Indy car (as long as the belt isn't used as a sash rack ), which meant the bishops of our order had to either add pages to each handbook or create an insignia guide for the priests of the order. These priests would convey their knowledge via special dispensations (a.k.a., EDGE). Flying in the face of the gradual scale put forth on inspection sheets, some put forth the "Wear it right, or don't wear it at all." heresy. To be even "better uniformed," some troops published modified inspection sheets with greater penalty for missing items (e.g. 15% for pants, instead of the Nationally published 10%). The boys, who were never taught "reference" as the first step in mastering any skill, were none the wiser. So, instead of pondering how to get youth to hike and camp independently, our self-appointed priests attempt to exact penance beyond the measure for each uniforming offense.

Not sure about power to judge. In a sense we've always had that. Some have used more wisely than others. Bet we being "required to ask" at every SMC. I can't put my finger on why I want National to butt out on my conversations. Maybe it's because I've seen how divisive folks can be, and can imagine an otherwise decent SM being run out on a rail because his SMC's don't conform to this new standard.

Passover? Eid El Aida? ... I'd only be bothered if I wasn't invited. A lesser god? ... I'd be obliged to abstain. But I wouldn't think any less of the scout for doing his duty. Same for the other spiritual exercises you mentioned. This has nothing to do with interpreting BSA policy, but rather my Christian obligation to give due honor to the unconverted. It's a play from Lewis's book, who imagined the Almighty declaring "all the service thou hast done to Tash, I accept as service done to me" ... "no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him."

Chances are SM has already made the measure of the man. If you know the ASM well enough to talk to him, you could ask if the COR ever questioned him of the DUI. (It should have been on the application.) Or you could ask the COR what he thought of the DUI.

Depends on how patient and determined the boy is. You could push the paperwork through the council advancement chair. That requires approval of the boys physician, the boy's parents, and the boy himself. That last one is what you want to work with. Deep down the boy may not want to be excused from requirements. Explain to the boy that nobody is in a hurry for him to make rank. This isn't school. If he wants to take a couple of years to earn tenderfoot before filing for a waiver, that's absolutely fine. He can work on any of the First Class skills he wants and master the motor ones (knots, first-aid, navigation, etc ...). Likewise, nothing stops him from earning a few craft/action MBs. Then over the next couple of years, promise to try different tricks to see if he can repeat Oath and Law on his own. Lots of times, when people talk about what a boy can our cannot do, they have a 12 month time frame. We in scouting have a 7 year time frame. Have the parents talk to the boy's teaching aids about the possibility of him being able to repeat things from memory in the long term. Just like it's okay for a boy to take four years to swim test. It's okay (and in this case, possibly just as rewarding) to take just as long to remember a few words.

Insignia guide "simplified"?

Is his self God? Maybe if he builds a rock so big he can't move it!

It's generally a good policy to hold yourselves to the same standard overseas as you do at home. Seabase Bahamas is a good example. Youth are not to drink alcohol. Neither are adults while supervising them. I know of crews where adults would take it in rotation for those who wanted to stop at a bar. When we went, our adults simply committed to non-alcoholic beverages the whole time. No problem. At the end of the day I never grudged anyone in my crew a cigar if they were over 18. But, they were to be discrete about it. Likewise, if an adult wanted to get a drink I wouldn't have been bothered. But I think our little adventure was better for nobody having imbibed.

This link should be more than you'll ever need to know. Basically, the sash is ceremonial, mainly for courts of honor. He doesn't need to have it with his uniform for every meeting. If he want's to wear it all the time, that's fine too. Suggestion: teach your boy to sew his own patches on. He'll thank you for it one day.

My buddy was held back, two years older, and went through cubs with me (his mom was a den leader). I'm pretty sure nobody asked permission. They told the unit commissioner how it was going to be. Which brings me to ... Rule #1: Don't ask anyone for a rule. Don't read anything into their hesitation. They didn't give you an outright "no", so take it as a "yes." This was not a question that the scout office should be bothered with. If you don't have a unit commissioner who understands your situation, has seen the boy at pack meetings, and maybe even can help you talk to the parents, don't expect any professional behind a phone to know how to handle things any better. Frankly, you should even take what we said with a grain of salt. (Although I think Perdi's interpretation is the right one.) Explain to the boy, that the pack will support him. Let him know that when he feels like he is ready to cheerfully try Webelos, have his parents call you, and you'll talk to the Web1 DL about maybe letting him visit a den meeting. But if he wants to be loyal to the buddies in his den, that's fine to. Give him options.

Use the mac'n cheese for necklaces! Enjoy the weekend!

Do talk to him in person. Do bring someone who witnessed the situation along. Explain that you had never met someone who acted like that over a small issue. If anything he said was actually right, be clear that you appreciated what he said, but when and how he said it undermined your trust in him. Finally, explain that this is about the boys, and we have to teach them to disagree respectfully. Like Sg said, the pack CC is a good third party, but you need to think about who this guy may trust. If there's a mutual friend who might understand what this fellow's going through, it may be helpful to find out what's going on in the guy's life.

At our best, we don't promote MBs. We promote activities related to MBs. Our boys have had fellow-scouts with severe disabilities, so the concepts were pretty much routine, however, not one took the MB. In another example, SM brought in retired fire extinguishers and we practiced putting out oil fires, plus we went over the requirements. Not one boy went after the badge. The point of being an MB counselor is not to hold a course, but to provide unique activities that make for one-of-a-kind meetings.

Although this caters to my ego, I'm only right. Not "so" much so that a leader shouldn't be concerned if he/she never has a leader of the opposite sex at meetings. Young venturers should get to know their leaders long before they attend overnight activities where at least one leader of their sex is "officially" required.

FYI, this isn't perfect. My boys fail to implement plans a lot. The "calendar beast" is hard to slay. Plus one has to set aside video games to interface with people in the real world if you want real world adventure. Girls, especially current and former girl scouts, are a little more successful at this. The equation changes if your crew elects a VP of Program who calls each activity chair (that's the term in Venturing-speak for any youth who plans an event) for updates in advance of every meeting.

I see that as one of those unnecessary "perks" of venturing. And, as far as I am concerned, sufficient justification to not worry about the regulation at all for young adults. If you are willing to gas your tank and spend your weekend with my boys, when legally you could be out buying some smokes and lottery tickets, I'm willing to let your badge stay on your shirt -- be the pocket tan or green. And, if you are now by any definition in a boy's world an "old fart" who can still fit his decades-old uniform .. by all means keep that badge on until you wear out that shirt scouting with your boys! Need a new shirt? Then it's probably time to just sew on the knot! But, let's make a deal. If you really want to keep that badge on your uniform, promise me you'll wear your Eagle medal on your lapel when your in suit and tie at formal activities like fund-raisers, graduations, and football games.