scoutldr

The BSA web site lists the G2ss as BSA Supply #34416E. http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/ rkfrance, are you sure 34416R is the new revision?

A friend of mine came back from Jambo with a "BSA Publications Catalog", which lists ALL BSA pubs, films, videos, training materials and forms, and their current catalog number and price. He said he knew of only one other copy at the COuncil office, that you could look at if you knew to request it. Again, WHY does the BSA not publish such things on the web site for download and printing???

I think this thread has been valuable. Thanks, Rick for sharing. Now let us all remember this at the next troop meeting or camping trip. The little scout that is being a pain in the patoot, or the kid who shows up wearing the wrong color socks, or the kid who is gigged on "scout spirit" at his BOR because he only came to 74% of the activities (probably through no fault of his own)...just may be dealing with HUGE issues that you and I have no clue about. For some youngsters, scouting is the only "safe haven" and source of friends they have. Let's not make it overly burdensome or complicated.

Once "called out", a Scout(er) has one year to complete an ordeal. It can even be done in a neighboring council, if that's feasible. After the year expires, he must be re-elected.

Actually, your Troop OA Representative is the one who should be bird-dogging this at the unit level. It is a Position of Responsibility, and they should be responsible for it.

THey will sue everyone. The judge will sort out the liability, but usually before it gets to that point, the insurance companies will settle. It's usually a lot cheaper than litigation. My financial planner just told me I need a MINIMUM of $2 million in an umbrella liability policy, in addition to homeowners and auto insurance.

Same here, Eamonn. No matter how many people I trained, the official training printouts never showed more than 30-35%...and that's what the SE used to beat up the DE with...and it flowed downhill. If anyone's familiar with the "Red Bead Exercise" from TQM/Deming days, this was a classic example. I finally had enough.

In this area, the Leaders are notified at Roundtable and Chapter meetings by the Lodge Election team, and they are urged to "sign up" for an election date. If they choose not to, they don't get an election. The Election team will usually bend over backwards to ensure that the unit gets it done.

If their parents are going to be present, THEY are responsible for their childrens' behavior.

In my experience, the Council could never tell me who's trained and who's not with any degree of accuracy.

I think something is also lost by not allowing Troops to attend Jamboree and Philmont as a unit. There is a perception that such activities are limited to an elite few, and most scouts don't bother applying.

Thanks, packsaddle. I tried. But rather than present inadequate training just to pump up the Council's numbers, I decided to focus my contributions in other areas. What would I suggest? Listen to the leaders who have to suffer through 3 hours of training only to find out that's not what they needed or wanted. At the end of every training session, a student evaluation form was filled out. Overwhelmingly, the comments were directed not toward the instructor, but toward the prepared syllabus and it's inadequacy. As an instructor, I had little control over that. To add the things that the students perceived they needed, and still "cover the material" would have doubled the time required. I also had to spend an inordinate amount of time "correcting" things in the training materials that were no longer correct...often things pointed out by the students that the instructor was not aware had changed. It's time to overhaul the training programs...again...and keep them current. Put as much on-line or on DVD as possible...perhaps contract it out to a training provider (college or community college) and take advantage of interactive distance learning technology. Allow students to progress at their own rate, on their own schedule. Training records in Scoutnet would be automatically updated (another pet peeve...Council training records). I would be happy to serve on a National task force or committee to study this...just PM me.

www.scoutingfriends.org I just went to this web site, and there is also a campaign "Fund to Rebuild Scouting" in the stricken areas. It is not just to assist BSA Employees.

If the SPL and PLC are not effective in leading the Troop, then the SM has not done his job. His job is NOT to do it for them. They have to be allowed to plan and execute, and to enjoy their successes and learn from their failures. If he feels that he needs to "take command", he just doesn't get it. Good luck, Katy. Sometimes if you send a jerk to training, all you get is a jerk with a "TRAINED" strip who still needs to be replaced. Training will not change personality traits.

From another list: September 1, 2005 To: All BSA Employees and Retirees From: Roy L. Williams, Chief Scout Executive Subject: Hurricane Katrina Disaster - Update Thank you for the concern so many of you are showing for our Scouting family during this tragedy. We now have more information regarding the storm's impact. Here are the facts that we have: o Nine of our local council offices in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama were directly affected by the storm. o Six council offices have been forced to completely discontinue all operations. The Southeast Louisiana Council office is currently flooded. o Numerous BSA employees in councils are not only out of work, but have also lost their homes and possessions. We know that recovery from this destruction will take years. The most pressing need of our employees now is financial assistance. Therefore, the National Council has authorized the immediate formation of the Hurricane Katrina BSA Employee Relief Fund, and approved a commitment of $200,000 to initiate this fund. The Southern Region will assist in distributing the funds collected, and the donations will be used to meet the needs of local council employees and their families. This is the first step in restoring Scouting programs in these devastated communities. Donations should be sent to: Hurricane Katrina BSA Employee Relief Fund c/o National BSA Foundation Boy Scouts of America 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane P.O. Box 152079 Irving, TX 75015-2079 Donations may also be made electronically by going to www.Scoutingfriends.org, and click on the link to Hurricane Katrina BSA Employee Relief Fund. Additionally, Scout units that may wish to raise money in support of the relief effort should be referred to www.scouting.org where they will find a link for alternative projects to aid the primary relief agencies. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to supporting our Scouting families in need. Please share this information with employees and retirees who may not have received this e-mail.

I think you're getting warm, packsaddle. While some on this forum think that BSA training is the "magic bullet" for all our woes, I think it's pretty lame. As I stated before, I was a Trainer, and tried my best to deliver a quality training program...imparting my 30 years of experience at all levels of the program, which often meant that I went an hour over the alotted time, because I felt that answering their questions and concerns was more important. What was expected by the Council staff, was "just read the material and play the videos...how hard can it be"? In fact, when they declared "100% mandatory training", even the Council secretaries were pressed into service to be "Trainers". After all, "how hard can it be?" What the students needed and expected was not what they got...the new DL doesn't give a flip about the structure of the council ...they need to know how to keep a room full of second graders busy for 90 minutes (which they learn best at Roundtables and PowWow)...the rest they can learn later. Now, we're not even doing PowWow any more.

I believe the "rule" is that uniforms can be worn until they are no longer serviceable...but worn in their entirety. Do not mix/match parts from different eras. If the only difference is the "Cub Scouts BSA" strip, I wouldn't sweat it. I don't remember a tan shirt without epaulettes.

I work with active duty guys and the ultrathin ribbons do look good...I'm having a hard time visualizing the square knot version, though. No more than 3 rows of knots for WB staffers??? What's the point of that? Sheesh.

Has everyone had training? Ask your District Training team for the Troop Committee Challenge training...ASAP. Also, the SM needs to get his, too (training, that is). The Troop Committee is charged with operating the business end of the Troop (they are the "Board of Directors"), and also to approve the troop program submitted my the Patrol Leaders Council (who is guided by the SM). The SM's primary job is to train and advise the youth leadership in carrying out the program approved by the committee. (Sorry for the echo, Neil. I didn't thoroughly read your post, which was right on.)(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

I was once CM of a pack like that. Pack meetings were long, boring and a nightmare. It took 2 hours just to get through the awards and maybe a skit. You have enough for 3 packs. Good luck.

You have to keep in mind that DE's love to form new units. That's how they keep their jobs.

Yeah, that's it. It's them poles. I think we need fewer poles and more checks.

As my Cuban friend says, "maybe we should just let lying dogs sleep."

I don't think there is a simple answer that can be reduced to a bullet list. I think the "scandals" are area specific...for instance no one in my council knows about the Atlanta or Chicago issues unless they read this forum. I live in the Bible Belt, so the religion thing is not an issue...most are either for it, or at least are not offended by it. In my opinion, kids are "overscheduled" from the time they are 3 years old. By the time they are scout age, they are involved in so many different activities that scouting just doesn't compete, unless it's a one hour meeting a week. Most parents will fit that in, because "scouting is good". When it comes time for a deeper commitment to weekends, serving on committees, training, roundtables, etc., they bail and the kids go with them. If they are told "it's only one hour a week", that's what they are willing to commit. And believe me, they are still actually being told that. Another factor is that kids nowadays are accustomed to their "creature comforts", and aren't interested in bugs, sweat, heat, cold, rain, sun, gathering firewood, washing dishes, cooking, policing up the campsite, etc, because that isn't an expectation at home. They've had everything handed to them, or everything was scheduled for them, so they don't have to think, plan, remember, or manage their time or work for delayed rewards. This is especially evidenced by the Girl Scout council here who had to build air conditioned cabins so girls would come to camp. Before I get thrashed, I realize I am painting with a broad brush, and there are pockets of exception out there. But that's how I see it.

Welcome, JM. I believe that the equivalent would be Venturing, for ages 14-21, male and female. The units are called Venture Crews and are separate from Scout Troops.