scoutldr

I doubt that the Council has any "duty to warn". The purpose of their background checks is to determine if they meet the membership requirements of the BSA. In this case, she did not. That's all you know for certain and all you should tell others.

How can one go to the polls without "passing judgement"? That's the system. So we are to forgive Kennedy(s) and Clinton, but not Bush? And why is someone suddenly deserving of "respect" just because they died? No politician is perfect...they all lie to advance their platforms and make promises they have no intention of keeping...then they blame the other party or Congress. If I announce I'm voting for someone "because he looks like me", I'm a racist. What a country.

"Something else that tipped off the retired navy parent is that the scoutmaster said that when he wasnt doing his Seal work the navy would have him doing some work on the flight deck" Your intuition is correct. When SEALs are embarked on a carrier, they are either running, pumping iron, eating, training on their equipment/weapons, or sleeping. Same with Marines. Flight deck work is done by the ship's company or squadron personnel. Why don't you just confront him..."Look...eveyone knows you weren't a SEAL, so just cut the crap." We had an adult visit our unit once looking to become an ASM...as he regaled us with wild tales of his Vietnam days in "PsyOps", our ASM just quietly listened and asked him a few questions which he couldn't answer. Our ASM had "been there" as Special Forces, and quickly established it was all BS. Never heard from him again.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

I think we should require them all to take Lean Six Sigma training and a Black Belt should be required for Eagle.

Maybe so...but the Dems continued it and lovingly nurtured it into a multi-trillion dollar boondoggle. I blame them all. Ron Paul 2012

The problem was (is) "We the people". No one held a gun to our heads and forced us to live beyond our means. My friends and relatives have chided me over the years for living "frugally" in the same house for 27 years and driving used cars, instead of moving up to a $600,000 "McMansion" like my peers live in. I don't have a pool, boat and twin jet-skis. But I do have an adequate house nearly paid off, two college degrees for my sons that I paid for without assistance, and a sizeable (but not enough) retirement fund. And now the current administration wants to penalize me and redistribute my wealth because I was more "responsible" than the "unfortunate" citizens. The democrats can shove it.

Maybe the kid will make a good UC one day. Lord knows we need 'em.

Our neighborhoods have "community yard sales" 3-4 times per year. The yard sales are at individual houses, it's just that everyone does it on the same Saturday. Lots of traffic from throughout the city. Our scouts would set up a hot dog/soda/bottled water concession at someone's house (usually one of the scout parents who was also having a yard sale). We made more money from hot dogs than the parent did from the yard sale. Had to make several trips to the grocery store to re-stock. We'd fire up the grill at 8 am and people would start lining up. Amazing. This is technically "selling", but in my experience, people will plunk down $1-2 all day long, but will balk at a $50 tin of popcorn.

Roundtables here are always the 2nd Tuesday and OA is always the 1st Tuesday. Troop calendars have to adjust to that. That's why, when the PLC has its annual planning session, the District/Council Calendars need to be on the table so plans can be made around those events. Never heard of a Coordinated District Mtg. I would guess it's all the District Committees coming together in one room.

While the previous posters are correct, I can and do use these questions as a guide. They are old, however...at least 15 years that I have been using them. Prior to the BSA evolution toward management theory and NYLT/WB21.

Great story. Thanks for sharing!

AFAIK, there is no such thing as a "classified SEAL". Once they graduate from BUD/S training in Coronado, CA, they proudly wear the "Trident" badge of a SEAL on their uniforms. It's hard to miss. Their MISSIONS are classified, and they often disappear for days or weeks at a time, unable to tell anyone, including spouses, where they are or what they did. To wit, the MAERSK Alabama rescue mission, or missions in support of the CIA. There are also Navy personnel who are NOT SEALs, but are assigned to SEAL Teams or Special Boat Units as support personnel. They may often say "I was attached to SEAL Team TWO", which is not inaccurate, but may give people the impression that they were SEALs when in reality, they were supply clerks.

Never heard of them, but found this on Google: http://1stsod.wordpress.com/ Not much there. There also seems to be the "United Order of Druids" which charters units.

Welcome FoukeCM. Just go to the Council office and ask the registrar (or your DE) for a printout of the Pack's charter roster. That should contain the names, phone and address for everyone registered with your Pack, including the Chartered Organization (CO), CO Rep (COR) and IH (institutional head). Then go about making corrections, which the Council will need to know about. You asked about funding the Pack until a fundraiser can be scheduled. Cash donations to a unit are perfectly acceptable...you just can't solicit them. Once you talk to your CO (Lion's Club?), explain the situation you're in, and ask it they might not be able to appropriate some "seed money" to help get things going (buying you a Pack Flag and American Flag would be nice, too!). That's their job, although some COs do it better than others. They are also responsible for providing you a meeting place and helping to recruit and approve adult leadership. Again, some COs are more involved than others...some not at all. There's good and bad in that as you will find out. Also ask how your boys can be of service to the CO. It is against BSA policy to fundraise for them, but there are myriad other ways to provide a symbiotic relationship. The CO and its members should know who you and the boys are. Good luck and have fun! We are here to help and support!(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

Keystone and York-Adams have been trying to merge for years. This is nothing new. The most obvious reason for merging is to reduce overhead...paid staff, buildings, camps, etc. While maybe inconvenient for the membership, I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

"Developing Leaders in a World of Followers." I love it.

Thanks for the heads' up, prairie. I was going to buy several mugs for Xmas gifts, but never mind. Sure wish we could get quality stuff from BSA, instead of crap made in China.

One reason that UC are seen as "spies" is because they show up with a "Unit Health Checklist" evaluation form which is turned in to the District. I attended a session on UC at the last UoS and they told us that the form should be "filled out in the car after you leave the unit" so they don't think you're a spy there to "inspect" them. Sorry...but that doesn't pass the "duck test". Not agreeing nor disagreeing with the process...just giving an observation as to why that perception exists.

It's not slander if it's true...but it could cost you and your CO a fortune in legal fees to successfully defend yourself. "She dropped the charges a month later." And that's why these guys continue to get away with it.

I saw "event planning" taught at the OA LLDC...excellent. Set the event date and work backwards...and you quickly realize that the planning needs to start MONTHS in advance. I found this on the internet after about 2 minutes of searching...could be customized for any event. The only thing I would add is what we call "Action Officer"...who is responsible for each item. http://www.buckskin.org/Resources/Outdoor/campout_event_planning.htm

Welcome! Nice website. Hmmm...same last name...Pennsylvania...we may be cousins! (Family from Northampton/Lehigh/Schuylkill Counties)

Unit budgets have to be "approved" by the District??? Never heard of that, either.

"Letting them fail" I have always told the parents, "My responsibility is to get them there and back home alive. They may be cold, wet, hungry, dirty, smelly, bored, or pissed off, but that will be because of choices they make, not me." Never had to break out the body bag once. There have been times when someone forgot the hot dogs or the can opener. They will survive on what they DID bring (maybe having one serving instead of three), and they do better next time. I remind them that they each should have a pocket knife and that little curly thingy can be useful for opening cans. I always have a spare sleeping bag in the car to prevent hypothermia, but I don't let them know it's there.

This method is actually taught in Leader training. Or at least it was. Be direct. Be specific. Everyone is expected to do something.

The PLC Annual Planning Session is the key. The session is not optional. Not planning is not an option. The SPL runs the session, but the SM should set the ground rules, such as: 1. Minimum of 3 troop meetings per month, with monthly themes. 2. Minimum of 1 outdoor activity per month (campout, hike, Camporee, etc) 3. Summer Camp 4. High Adventure trip (if age appropriate) 5. Fundraising (enough to fund the plan) 6. Service 7. Holidays and school dates to avoid (Mothers Day, etc) Like Eagle92 said, start at 0800 and stay till it's done. Then the SPL presents the "plan" to the Troop Committee for approval and support. Then publish the calendar and execute! (Provide a copy of the calendar to your CO, UC, feeder Packs and parents.)(This message has been edited by scoutldr)