scoutldr

I have one...how about the DE who is selected for OA and within 2 years is sporting a Vigil sash? All they did was serve as Staff Advisor to the Lodge, which is in their job description. I can think of other Scouters who have dedicated decades of time at the unit level who would be more deserving of a high honor. Double standards? As far as the JE West Fellowship, I am a firm believer that it should not be allowed to be "purchased" by the recipient. It makes a fine award to bestow on a Scouter, but only if done by someone else. If you want to donate money, fine, and bless you for your donation. As a very young scout, my SM told me, "do a good turn daily, but if you brag about it, it doesn't count."

Not long ago, some members of this forum were suspended for constantly picking personal fights with each other. How soon we forget! Save it for the PM function. The rest of us aren't interested.

As everyone (I hope) knows, the proper sequence of events is 1. SM certifies that all requirements have been met (including Scout Spirit). 2. SM and scout "participate" in a SM conference. 3. A BOR is scheduled and held. 4. If the BOR is successful, the troop committee (BOR members) approves the advancement. ONce you get to step 4, there is no turning back. The SM was out of line. A call to the District Advancement Chair should set things straight. If your son was disrespectful AFTER his Star BOR, then that's a matter for the NEXT SM conference and Life BOR. This one's done.

When I was District Training Guy, I never had a problem with quality staff (I was it!). The problem was with the outdated, corny training materials that did not meet the needs of the attendees.

First of all, welcome to our campfire. I hope you find it beneficial. I zeroed in on one statement that stood out..."It's tough to compete when the Large pack can show a calendar filled with events for the whole year, and all we can say is we have a pack meeting each month and might try to figure out some other events as we go along." I would say it's impossible to compete under those conditions. Annual planning is an imperative. Your leaders should be getting "Program Helps" in their Scouting magazine, or you can get the whole years' worth at your scout shop. Each month has meetings planned aligned to a common theme. You can use that plan, or roll your own. I would not try to "cobble together" something to get you through the school year. Cubbing is a year round program, so start now and plan a 12 month program, including day camp and resident camp. Too many packs "take the summer off" and that's where you lose them. Sure, there will be vacations and other things, but offer the program to those who want it, even if just a few. Successful scouting comes down to 3 things...program, program, and last but not least, program. If you build it, they will come. Word of mouth (or "peer to peer") recruiting is the most effective. But when they show up at your door, you have to have a product to deliver. The cubmaster, as you say, has good intentions, but it sounds like the pack expects him to do it all. THe CM's job is to emcee the pack meetings and oversee and mentor the den leaders. The pack program and other functions belong to the Committee Chair and Pack Committee. What is the level of training in your Pack? One of our former posters here would say that the answer to everything is training...I don't agree with that, but it's a good start to let everyone know what their respective jobs are. Are your den leaders and CM regularly attending roundtables? In my 6 years as a DL/CM, that's where I got my best ideas...from my peers and the more experienced RT staff. In a 2-Pack town, it should not be viewed as a competition, but to offer boys and parents a choice. There are many reasons that people will not choose your Pack, including location, size, and where their friends go. You can't control those, but you need to focus on the things you CAN control. Good luck.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

I'm all for protecting trademarks...against those who are illegally profiting from their use. That does not describe the majority of us. A reasonable approach would be to allow registered members of the BSA to use the marks for the promotion of the BSA program, such as patches, newsletters, cerificates, training flyers, etc. THose who are using the marks for profit on unlicensed products, such as clothing, should be fair game for the lawyers. To those who have the alleged "10 page document", could someone scan it and post it on the internet for us to read? I see no reason why it should be kept a "secret", since it affects us all.

I should have said that Camp Hidden Valley is NW of Gettysburg. Their official mailing address is Loysville...Landisburg is the next town over. The cabins are heated both with wood stoves and gas furnaces. they have full kitchen facilities (refrig, stove, oven, hot water), and indoor toilets (the health dept made them close the pit latrines). Also, as I said, hot water central showers which are open all winter. The cabins will hold up to 50 scouts in bunk beds (open bay style). www.keystonebsa.org

Miki101 said, "In 6 months there will be a dozen authorized patch makers to which councils can turn." I remember when the rule came out that "all BSA patches must include the FDL". But what's used is the generic plain FDL without eagle, not the registered trademark. I can't remember a patch, other than rank badges, that contain registered trademarks. CSP, event patches, OA flaps...nope. At least in my Council. So as a free American, I can use the generic FDL at will, with whatever vendor I want, right? As long as I don't order it through Council. Our Council does have a rule that all event patches MUST be approved and ordered by the SE. I've always wondered if he gets a kickback from favored vendors.

I don't think there are "established guidelines". Last month the dad of one of our scouts passed from a very aggressive pancreatic cancer. In the short months leading up to it, we tried to ensure that the scout had our support and a "normal" routine. We watched him grow up a lot in the past six months. We all attended the service as a group, in full uniform.

I regularly sit on EBOR as the District rep, and don't object to letters of recommendation. They are usually sealed in the envelopes until we sit down around the EBOR table, and we pass them around and read them before the scout is called in. But my point was, if the letters are not there, or there isn't one from a "religious" reference, we don't hold that against the scout.

Wow...250K!!! And I was outraged over the measly $130K for the SE in our council. I have made the same decision. My donations will go directly to my unit...that way I know the money is spent on program and not for someone to live way above MY means.

"And although scoutldr is correct that the application calls only for references and not letters, some Councils will insist that the Scout arrange for letters." Wouldn't this be adding to the requirements?

We use Camp Hidden Valley, Keystone Area Council in Landisburg, just NE of Gettysburg. We'll be there for President's day weekend in Feb. Cabins have been recently updated with indoor bathrooms and they have a central shower with HOT water :-). We also do a side trip to Ski Roundtop.

Just curious as to why the DE and DC are off the hook here? Isn't it THEIR job to work with the unit to identify potential CO's and then go in and sell the program? Why is this being left up to the unit to "sink or swim"?

This is a common misconception. Signatures on the application are not required. The requirement states, "List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf." Typically, letters of recommendation are requested of these individuals, but they are not required. The scout can list anyone who can attest to how he fulfills the scout oath and law in his daily life, including "duty to God" and "A Scout is Reverent". PS: Welcome to the forums!(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself.

"What can I as SM do to help with this situation?" Seems to me the process worked just the way it should. The BOYS discussed it and worked it out. Could it have been more efficient? Sure. And it will be over time. Broad guidelines from above are OK, such as respecting religious or dietary requirements, and "no junk food for meals". Other than that, let them do their thing.

I think we have an answer to the question, "What is Scouting?" This is such a well-written piece...please list the source and author to give him due credit.

As my dad used to say,"you can call me anything except late for dinner."

It's on the charter agreement form: http://www.ctrivers.org/pdfs/annual%20charter%20agreement.pdf

Perhaps new Sea Scouts should be sent below to find the bivalve and make sure it's closed before shoving off!

I agree, less is more. My pet peeve is flag ceremonies at camp, where the colors detail has every movement preceeded by an order barked out by a staff member with a megaphone. A simple "Color guard, post the colors" followed by silence would suffice. We don't need, "Color guard, forward march", "Color guard, halt", "Color guard, inward face", etc etc. Agree with the less squirming comment. Scouts should be taught to stand silently and render the proper salute when appropriate. Then there's the odd troop from out of council, all identically dressed, who will come marching down the trail with guidon and SPL calling cadence. Sheesh.

"If you are not able, which is ok, then the Council is asking for whatever you see fit. They would accept $10 per child or even $2. The are asking us to help however we can." That pretty much describes the current FOS program, doesn't it? The FOS presenter comes in and says "it takes $126 a year per boy to provide scouting" and then accepts whatever is written on the pledge cards....a lot of parents throw in a 5 or 10 dollar bill and their conscience is clear, regardless of their ability to pay.

What scoutnut said is right on. What you have described are all full time jobs in their own right. Remember, SCouting is supposed to be fun for you, too. With the exception of ACM, the other positions should be covered by pack committee members. The CM, ACM and den leaders are not technically members of the pack committee, but their job is to carry out the program. The pack committee plans and funds the program, and handles the "business" stuff.

My dad was a WWII submarine veteran, retiring in 1964. Coincidentally, I spent last week on business at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where he entered boot camp in 1942. On Thursday, we awoke to find all the flags on the base at half-staff. No one knew why, until I reminded tham that it was Pearl Harbor Day. I have visited Pearl Harbor Naval Station three times over the years. I am always in awe, seeing the very barracks where my dad, a 17 year old farm boy, spent the early days of the war, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel where the submarine crews were housed between war patrols, the USS Arizona memorial and museum, and looking out over the very mountain ranges from where Japanese Zeroes rained down their terror. We remember because our parents and grandparents saved the world from terror and domination by tyrants. Some served in the military, while others served on the home front working in shipyards and factories or even by merely collecting newspapers and scrap metal for the war effort (Scouts collected millions of tons). I like to believe that that the current crop of brave men and women serving in the military will be remembered in the same light, and that we did our part here at home for the effort.