Rockford8070

Have you talked to your Unit Commissioner? Or maybe your COR? Maybe have a sit down with just you, the CC, UC, DE? You might be right, it might be time for you to leave the troop. Make sure you've done your best though.

I did God and Me with my two sons. I can see how you could do it as a group, in fact, I think I remember the book even covering things as a group would. However, I would like to point out that for some faith is a deeply personal issue, and the boys or their parents may not react well in a group when things are different from what they know/learned.

I would imagine Woodbadge staff would be required to have the full uniform.

You people are hilarious. Arguing back and forth like this. HA!

You are all under the assumption that if the government got their hands on more money that they would actually use it for something useful. You know, because they've demonstrated so far that they know how to handle money. Chances are they'd whip up some legislation that happens to need a huge amount of money. POOF! There goes all that "extra" tax money.

Fools.

I've seen different things with different units. What I've taken away from that is if you can make it work, and it doesn't violate any rules, go for it.

My sons are in scouting because they got to attend my cousin's Eagle Court of Honor. They saw all the pictures and regalia, which impressed them. Then during the ceremony I stood up as they called for all Eagles to recite the Eagle Scout Pledge. That pretty much sealed the deal for them.

I was looking through some old pictures of me as a Cub and noticed the flag was over one of the pockets instead of the sleeve. The whole den was like that. This would have been about 1987 or so. Were we just wrong? Or did that happen elsewhere too?

Ok so here's a thought. I have read a bunch of anti-scouting rhetoric in regards to atheism. It's all about how we're exclusionary and why does scouting think belief in God has to be there blah blah blah.

Yet there are other programs that require a belief in God. I know that people have been required by the court to attend a set number of AA classes after a DUI. Belief in a higher power is right there in the 12 steps. And that's a government mandated treatment, not some private club. Yet I've never heard one bit of protest by the atheists over the AA program.

I'd tell them to go ahead and go to district. However, I'd make sure your district staff has a heads up.

I'd seriously worry about a DE that got bent out of shape that you want to recruit in a school. My guess is that there have been issues with the school and that they just want to make sure that all of the language is correct. I know on our flyers is must say "NOT AN ISD 883 SPONSORED EVENT." And yea every flyer order is reviewed and approved before printing, but that's mostly as a double check. I'd talk to the school though, specifically the principal, if you can get them in your corner, it'll make it all easier.

I'd also like to repeat one thing I've heard repeatedly at our membership committee meetings, recruiting is a year round process.

And if you get them recruited right before summer there's summer camp to keep them interested. My only bit of advice is to make sure you have a good summer program if you are going to recruit in the spring. I see it more with Packs than Troops so it may not be an issue, but you'll get a big push in the spring and some will drop over the summer because there is no real summer program.

We sing at every pack meeting. The way we do it is everyone stands up, parents too, and we all sing a song. And if the parents don't participate enough, then the scouts face the parents and watch the parents sing along with the leaders. We've only had to do that once so far. It's great fun!

Kudu,

Would recruiting earlier maybe have gotten you better results? I know in our council our recruiting is done in September for Cubs. Usually during the first two weeks of school (we start after Labor Day here).

Edited to add:

If school access during the day is an issue, what about recruiting outside of the school during evening functions? Would it be possible to set up a model camp site or something similar near the school entrance but not inside the school during some kind of open house event or new parent orientation night? Or even on event nights for plays, performances, and things like that?(This message has been edited by Rockford8070)

Beavah, I can see your points. I really can. Let me throw this out there. How can we get the new leaders that would benefit from this training to get trained if all they hear from existing leadership is that it's not worth it/doesn't matter/etc?

I agree that it's a lot to put in. I like the test out option, I'm not sure if I've heard of that one before. I'm just as involved as most, more than some, less than others. The first two weeks of my month are shot. Between den meetings, committee meetings, roundtable, etc, there's not much time for anything else. But I do it. I don't bemoan the fact that I have to get trained almost every year, it's just something that has to happen.

Another part of the issue is that we just had a SM molesting boys earlier this year and he was the ONLY one in his Troop that was trained. Why wouldn't you want the rest of your unit trained to help spot inappropriate behavior?

Maybe we should just do away with training all together and when a new leader comes to me asking for the tools to do his job I can say "figure it out on your own, I already put in 30 hours a month at this, it's too much work to help you."

So recharter packets were handed out to the Troops last night at Roundtable and our DC gave a brief talk about the fact that training is needed for top leaders to be able to recharter them in that position. It was a basic "Get trained or else" type speech. It's not news, we've been talking about this for a year or two now.

I couldn't believe that there were leaders that were against this new training requirement. There were two that were vocal about it. One's position was that the message was delivered harshly. Which I could see his point, but we've been talking about this for years now, and our district training numbers haven't gone up. We've asked, pleaded, and begged. My belief is that they've had 2 years, why haven't they done it already?!

The other leader's position was that we already ask too much of parent volunteers, we can't reasonably ask them to spend 2 weekends for OLS. To me, if you don't care enough about scouting to get trained, why would your kids care enough about it to stick around? And is that the mentality we want to spread? If it's too hard just don't do it?!

Is anyone else experiencing this kind of attitude?

In regards to the firearms rules, BSA seems against simulated firearms as a game for whatever reason. So my question is this. Why is the big hyped up prize for the officially sponsored fundraising event, Trail's End popcorn, a marshmallow crossbow? In fact we were all given one at the popcorn training event to help get the kids hyped up about selling.

I'd also like to point out that they DIDN'T include targets. to shoot at also.(This message has been edited by Rockford8070)

In our pack we usually give the books out when the boss cross over to the next rank in the spring, that way they have all summer to work on it. So in that case it would be possible. But what you're describing sounds a bit dubious indeed. I'd be all for having a chat with this DL and make sure that she's doing things by the book.

So what I am seeing is two negative arguments. "I am better than you because I wear all these knots." AND "I am better than you because I DON'T wear all these knots." Then there are the sensible replies.

11 pages seems a lot to give to this subject. Maybe you should move on if you have such resentment of people that wear/don't wear knots?

"Oh yeah one other thing I was told, that was triggered reading another forum.

Venturing Age limit is being brought down from 14 to 13.. Anyone hear this? "

Yes. But there is a condition. They must also have completed the 8th grade if they are 13.

Our council did/is doing it 3 times this year. Spring and Fall were the two weekend format. The summer course they went with a solid week format. I haven't heard how that went though.

I think normally it's twice a year for us.

If they can't afford the colors how are they affording the hat?

"When you play football at the high school, the high school pays for football uniforms, or at least it does where I live. It's part of that "free public education" thing. "

You pay taxes, there is no such thing as free education. Or in this case free uniforms. But it is an interesting dilemma considering the economy. Although I remember reading The Three Musketeers, in which the Musketeers were responsible for providing for their own uniform, tack, etc, which led to hijinx and hilarity, but it also seemed to make it a more exclusive club. One thing I keep hearing at our council membership meetings is how membership is down. You don't increase membership by making it more exclusive or alienating your members. So I guess I would say be careful in how you approach the subject with the scouts.

Hobby Hows were a big part of BL when I was young. I think I even have a scrap book full of clippings from my old BL issues. These would have been from the mid to late 80s.

My belief and understanding of allowing community members on an EBOR is that the Scout should be working in a wider circle than just scouting (such as the community) and as such, the community as whole should have some idea of the character of the boy.

If they earn it they should receive it. End of story. I see some of this in Cub Scouts too. Parents think that just because their son was there all year he should get his rank badge. Wrong answer.