scoutldr

I would "shop" by contacting my District Commissioner (or District Executive if you don't have an active Commissioner Corps) and explain the situation and ask for suggested Packs that more fit the model you are seeking (the BSA model). This will do two things...it will get you a new Pack and will alert the District staff that there is a unit in trouble with unhappy members. What they choose to do with that info is up to them, but at least you did the right thing. Good Luck!

Your first clue would have been that you didn't get a membership card and Scouting magazine like everyone else did. Being new, you probably didn't realize you were being cheated. Every year at recharter time, the unit gets a new charter, and a stack of computer printed membership cards for every registered youth and adult. If you are registered in multiple positions, you should get more than one card. You should get a new one every year.

All leaders serve at the pleasure of the Chartering Organization. If you are serving a local troop while at college, the CO needs to know about it and officially approve your involvement...this is done via an Adult Leader Application, which the CC and COR must sign. As was said, since you are already registered with BSA, there will be no additional fee, but I believe that registering with the new troop is not optional, if you are to be a "regular".

Found this on another board, so I can't testify to it's accuracy, but thought it was interesting: INFORMATION PAPER: Army Relations with Boy Scout Organizations DAJA-SC 13 September 2004 SUBJECT: Army Relations with Boy Scout Organizations 1. PURPOSE. To provide information on official Army relations with, and support to the Boy Scouts. 2. FACTS. a. Prohibited Activities. (1) Fundraising and Membership Drives. No official endorsement or participation in Boy Scout fundraising or membership drives is allowed. (Joint Ethics Regulation (JER), DOD 5500.7-R, para. 3-210) (2) Endorsement or Sanction. Official endorsement or sanction may be neither stated nor implied, and Army officials may not give preferential treatment to the Boy Scouts. (JER, para. 3-209). However, as noted below, there are statutes authorizing specific support to overseas scouting, and to Jamborees. Commanders may support Boy Scout events (as opposed to fundraising) where there are legitimate community relations, morale and welfare, or other DOD interests. (3) Official Participation in Management. Army personnel may not participate in management of the Boy Scouts in their official capacities. However, they may be appointed as official liaisons when there is a continuing Army interest in discussion of matters of mutual interest. (JER, para. 3-201; 3-202) (4) Conflicts of Interest. Army personnel may not take official actions that affect the financial interests of the Boy Scouts if they are an officer, director, or employee of the organization. (18 U.S.C. 208) Even if Army personnel are not officers in the Boy Scouts, if they are "active participants" in scouting, they should refrain from taking official actions which affect the Boy Scouts interests in order to avoid the appearance of favoritism. (5 C.F.R. 2635.502) An "active participant" is someone, such as a Scoutmaster, who does not necessarily have input to organization policy, but has a visible and significant role with the Scouts. (5) Gratuitous Membership. Army personnel may not accept an office, directorship or similar leadership position in the Boy Scouts offered because of their official duty position. (JER, para. 3-201) DAJA-SC SUBJECT: Army Relations with Boy Scout Organizations b. National and International Jamborees. The Army may provide the following services to national and world Jamborees. Prior to these types of support being provided, the Boy Scouts must provide a bond to cover the items and the risk of loss or damage costs associated with transportation. (10 U.S.C. 2554) (1) Loan of cots, blankets, commissary equipment, flags, refrigerators, and other equipment; (2) Services and expendable medical supplies, as available, without reimbursement; (3) Transportation, as available, without expense to the U.S. Government, and which does not interfere with military operations. (4) In the case of a Jamboree held on a military installation, DoD may provide personnel and logistic support at the military installation, in addition to the areas of support listed in the three paragraphs above. (10 U.S.C. 2554(g)). c. Overseas Scouting. Subject to various levels of delegation and authorization, the Army may provide overseas scouting organizations transportation, office space, recreational space, warehousing, utilities, and communications without seeking reimbursement. (10 U.S.C. 2606). DOD Instruction 1015.9 should be consulted before deciding what support to provide for overseas scouting activities. Note that when overseas scouting activities are organized as a Non-Appropriate Fund Instrumentality, it is a government entity. d. Use of DOD Property. (1) On a limited basis, commanders may authorize the use of DOD equipment (and manpower to operate the equipment) in support of Boy Scout activities which are legitimate community relations events or provide genuine benefit to the morale and welfare of the military community. (JER, paragraph 3-211; see also, 10 U.S.C. 2012) Commanders must determine that: (a) there is no interference with unit readiness and mission accomplishment; (b) support serves a legitimate Army interest, such as community relations; (AR 360-1, The Army Public Affairs Program) DAJA-SC SUBJECT: Army Relations with Boy Scout Organizations © the event is of interest and benefit to the local civilian or military community as a whole; (d) the command is willing and able to provide support to other similar events and organizations (such as Girl Scouts); (e) no admission fee beyond reasonable cost is charged either for the whole event or for that part supported by DOD, or that the DOD support is incidental to the event. (2) Installation commanders may authorize use of space for Boy Scout meetings and storage of equipment. (3) Government equipment may be loaned or rented if there is no interference with mission accomplishment. However, the Boy Scouts may not use installation auditing, data processing, financial management, legal, or purchasing services. (Special Authorization and Procedures for Issues, Sales, and Loans, AR 725-1, Chap. 6) (4) Army personnel who volunteer to participate may be given uncharged leave (a "permissive TDY") to support Boy Scout events that otherwise meet the requirements of a community relations event. Leaves and Passes, AR 600-8-10, para. 5-32k.

My buddy, an SM and OA Chapter advisor recently did this, then someone told him his unit numerals had to come off when he wore the OA patch. Now he just doesn't wear a position patch. Sometimes we make things too hard.

These were known as "community strips" and were usually accompanied by a shorter state strip directly underneath. As the name implies, they usually represented the community, city, or neighborhood. I have never seen on representing the CO, but I guess it's possible.

Does that mean you are old? When I earned it ALL MB had green borders. You are correct Bob. My comment was unfounded as I have not taken the course.

US cub uniforms have been the same shade of blue since the beginning. It could be from one of the church-based youth groups, or from some other country.

We charge the going rate for BSA registration and Boys Life (we don't mention that BL is optional), then round up. Patrol dues of $1 a week. The rest is financed through popcorn and wreath sales, and per-trip fees (e.g., camporee fees).

See http://www.yaac-bsa.org/activities/gettysburg/gettysburg.htm I recommend ordering the historic trail guide from the York-Adams Area Council...everything is explained in there. I ordered it on-line with a credit card and had it in a few days, along with a sample medal and some patches.

And (from what I've read on this forum) WB21 is a rehash of the TQM fad that we had to suffer through 10 years ago (and has since been abandoned by the corporate world).

What's going on is clear...the DE's performance metrics and those for Quality District include new units, new youth and new money. The DE and the district get "credit" for new Venture crews. They don't get credit for starting new Explorer Posts, since LFL is a "subsidiary" of the BSA, but is operated separately. The DE is simply taking advantage of the fact that the LFL Executive can't cover the whole council. It's all about the numbers. But if it results in more youth being served, who cares?

Around these parts, we have one Roman Catholic parish whose priest will NOT allow scouts (or Scouters) to meet on their property, nor will they consider chartering a unit. Even a change in priests did not alter the policy, while a parish two miles away charters a pack, troop and crew and we have our District meetings there. PTA's in this region also will not charter units. Not sure at what level in the organization that comes from. One of the longest tenured troops in our District (I was a charter member in 1968 with my Dad) is chartered to a Southern Baptist church. I do remember some competition from their own RA youth group, but it was never an issue, as far as I knew.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

The counselor may not add to the requirements. If he says "do this one" and the requirement says "do one of the following", that's adding to what the book says. Likewise, if it says, "discuss", or "tell about", that doesn't mean write a report. If it says "write" that doesn't mean "oral report". To put is succinctly, the Scout chooses.

I think John D has answered his own questions. The duty of Troop Guide is to guide and mentor the new scouts as they begin their scouting careers...how can he do that if he's not there? Seems to me that being with them at meetings and on campouts is the first step to successful performance in the position.

One of the things I enjoy most about this forum are the philosophical offerings of our friend, Eammon. I think that the experience called "Scouting" can be rendered down to a single thought, which was passed on to us by B-P in his final message to Scouts and Scouters. That is, to strive to leave the world a little better than you found it. The Scout slogan, "Do a Good Turn Daily" is the way we pass this on. Each day when you go to bed, we should ask ourselves, "have I done my daily task". We can't cure World Hunger, nor prevent all crime and delinquency, nor solve all of the political and moral issues that make this country the great melting pot that the forefathers envisioned. But everyone can do something to make their corner of the world a little better. As Scouters, our duty is to pass that ethic on to our children, Scouts, neighbors and co-workers...just a little bit every day.

Green wool jac-shirts were made in the 60's (and maybe before, but I'm not THAT old). Green was for youth and red for Scouters and Explorers. I recently saw a BSA supply catalog from around 1965 and on the cover was a Scout wearing the green jac.

This "mandatory training" thing has got to be a nation-wide thing. Too many Councils thought of it at the same time. Our Executive Board (encouraged by the SE, IMHO), mandated it, complete with the "no training, no renewal of membership registration" rule, and then quickly backed off when they realized it would be shooting themselves in the foot. Many unit leaders objected to the tactic on principle. Compounded by the fact that the training records are ridiculously hosed...SMs with 30 yr tenure show up as "untrained" on the computer. The Council training committee was not consulted first, and there was a minor rebellion. My personal feeling as a trainer was, as Eammon said, that I have family and unit responsibilities, too and I'm not going to do training every night of the week for 2-3 people at a time.

I have heard it explained a little differently...yes, you can "designate" an agency for your donations. But it is decided ahead of time how much an agency will get. For example, if the allocation is decided to be $1,000, and people "designate" amounts of $500. The agency still only gets $1,000, not $1,500. If the amounts designated are $1,100, the agency will get $1,100. Perhaps this policy also varies from region to region.

The law in Va is 40 feet...not nearly enough. I am intrigued by this "early voting" thing. This is the first year I have heard about it. Some polling places are schools, also some fire houses and churches. Not sure how they are chosen. I disagree with using schools if it means the kids have to miss a day of school.

My polling place is the local elementary school. Due to security issues, students get a day off, which I'm sure makes the working parents happy. My pet peeve is the poll workers who line the sidewalk (not to mention taking up parking places), making a voter "run the gantlet" having brochures shoved in one's face. There ought to be a law that all campaign activities must cease at 6 am when the polls open.

Ok, I'm old...I'll admit it. They were for "Denner" and "Asst Denner". I believe in the 70's it was changed to a yellow shoulder cord (two cords for denner and one for asst) that could be easily removed and passed on to the next guy.

Some days I am quite down, and some days I am quite up. I think I'm bipolar. Some days the voices in my head are quiet and some days they are loud. Class dismissed.

The OA pocket ribbon signifies that you were elected to OA and passed your Ordeal. The Lodge flap signifies that you are a member in good standing of your local Lodge. If you fail to pay your dues, you are no longer a member of the lodge and should remove the flap. You may not belong to a lodge (and wear the flap) other than the one serving the Council where you are currently registered. The OA sash may only be worn at OA functions.

What's all this talk about violins in Scouting. I think Scouting would be better off with more violins. Heck, we should allow Homo Sapiens, too!!! They seem to be good people! My daddy taught me to get along with all people, even them Homo Sapiens.