ScoutNut

I HATE bolos!!!

Your son will be eligible to join a Troop as soon as he completes the requirements for his AOL. Part of those requirements is visiting Troops he would like to join. Talk to the Scoutmaster(s) about your son, and find out, working with the Troop's schedule, when the best time to cross over would be

From your post it is unclear if your son, or you, have told his den, and the Pack, about his condition, and explained - clearly - what is involved. You say the den leader knows what is going on, but except for the few boys who have noticed him using the FM receiver in school, the boys do not seem to be aware there is a problem. The "yeller" certainly does not seem to understand. You, and your son, need to be up-front about what is wrong, and the adaptions that are needed. Once everyone is clear on your son's problem, and how best to communicate with him, there should not be a proble

If you read thru the respective 990 forms you might have gleaned some hints as to why the head of the AGH was paid so much less - Revenue (income) - BSA $218,296,402 - GSUSA $105,217,626 - AHG $1,481,117 Land/buildings/equipment (before depreciation) - BSA $188,990,946 - GSUSA $78,966,745 - AHG $20,197 Total Assets - BSA $1,023,031,961 - GSUSA $186,228,734 - AHG $1,193,165 Youth Served 2012 - BSA 3,250,663 - GSUSA 2,291,425 - AHG 26,268 So to pat AHG on the back, and extol them for "making do", and being more fiscally responsible, is like comparing the local burger cha

BSA is definitely NOT "out of the necker business". BSA National Supply has a number of options for neckers, including a custom necker - http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa-neckerchief-with-universal-emblem-embroidery.html http://www.scoutstuff.org/screen-printed-bsa-emblem-neckerchiefs.html http://www.scoutstuff.org/custom-neckerchiefs.html

From the Tiger Cub Handbook - "Boys may do electives more than once and count them toward a Tiger Track bead each time they are completed." So, technically, the number of beads a Tiger could earn is unlimited. Which elective did your Tiger complete 480 times?

Olld_OX you would do well to remember that the Charter Orgs "own" the rights to have a unit that uses BSA's program. In other words, a CO "owns" the unit - not the program. My "misinformation" came directly from BSA, the organization that DOES "own" the program. BSA's 2013 Guide to Advancement has an entire chapter on the Merit Badge Program. Here is a link to that chapter in the online version of the Guide - http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/TheMeritBadgeProgram.aspx

It is entirely possible to do a special ceremony to present rank awards every month. You simply have to pare down the theatre a bit to fit it into a smaller time slot. Again, the ceremony can be for only one Scout, it can be done per individual den for 1+ Scouts each, or (actually the way I prefer) you can do a combo ceremony for all Scouts, from all dens, who have earned their rank award that month. If you only have one Scout, you can do the rank award ceremony after awarding the den it's regular monthly den stuff. If you have multiple Scouts from different dens/levels, you can do the combo c

Is this for awarding the current rank award? Or for graduating to their new Cub Scout level? Rank awards should be awarded when they are completed, not held up until everyone is finished. Graduation to the next level should occur at the end of the school year. BSA officially moves up all Cub Scout registrations to their next level as of June 1. That said, many of the following can be used for either type of ceremony. With appropriate tweaks, they can be used for either a single level, or multiple level ceremonies. If you can not find what you want here, simply do an interne

Just a note - Assistant Patrol Leader (APL) is not a POR that qualifies for advancement.

No, ISA's are NOT "illegal". They appear to be in an IRS "grey zone", which depends largely on what the Pack's CO is, and how it is run. BSA has NOT "outlawed" ISA's. What they seem to be doing is starting (because they have not exactly come out and made a definitive, and obvious statement on the matter) to back off of ISA's. They have re-written a document or two to state that they do not recommend BSA units use ISA's. Personally, I see both the pluses, and the minuses involved. I rather like them for Boy Scouts, but not for Cub Scouts. From the 2013 Guide to Advan

I would definitely re-think this Troop for my son. The SM is allowing this guy to interfere with the boy's program. Worst of all he is allowing inappropriate "punishment" for things that do NOT call for punishment of any kind. And, the SM is defending his behavior by stating it is OK with the boys! Young boys, unaccustomed to stepping up, will be intimidated by this adult, and his behavior. They might feel that they can not speak up because he is an adult in a position of authority. They might be afraid of what else this man might do. I know I am. These boys are

Yes, we should be teaching our youth to do service for others without requiring reward. However, then why are we REQUIRING service hours? While not all service hours are service in a time of crisis, they are all a service to someone in need. Why is it OK to acknowledge some service, but not others. What makes it rude to ask for acknowledgment of service at a vigil, but not service to an 80 year old neighbor, or service to your local VFW at a recognition of deceased veterans? Seems a bit hypocritical to me.

Interesting. We don't do council/district Tiger overnights - other than our weekend Summer Camps. Those include newly minted Tigers (just graduated kindergarteners), along with other Cubs. It looks like they will be sorting you into cabins based on your Pack, but not requiring you to register as a group? Is someone in your Pack organizing the families? Or are you going solo? Have fun!

Welcome! As the new Cubmaster of 60 boys you will have plenty on your plate. Talk to your Committee Chair about delegating some of those other activities. You don't want to burn yourself out to soon.

Welcome! Tigers are G-R-R-R-R-R-E-A-T !!

A few corrections to the above - The Troop AC has no say at all in which merit badges a person can counsel. All merit badge counselors are registered thru, and approved by, their Council/District Advancement Committee. It is that committee that approves which specific merit badges the person can be a counselor for - even for those merit badge counselors that have decided to work with only one Troop. The SM does NOT have "ultimate authority on assignment of Scouts to Merit Badge Counselors". He CAN be "overridden". From the 2013 Guide To Advancement - Section 7.0.0.3 - "Although it

You are not "awarding" the service hours. The Scout was there. He helped. I would do as the Scout requested - send him back an email listing what he did, and how long he was there. Anything else is up to the Scout and his SM - not you.

I would second talking to your CC, or CM, before your den. Your Pack might have something set up for den expenses, or be willing to help.

It is possible that the girls in your church were registered as a multi-level Group (instead of single level Troops). That is the only way they could all have the same Troop number. However, typically, Groups are smaller, and usually spend at least some time in a joint meeting. The usual way is to give each Troop it's own, unique, Troop number.

Wow - Just Wow. Find another Troop. This guy is doing his own program, not BSA's. As to a "database" of area Troops, you have access to one also. https://beascout.scouting.org/ This is the BSA unit finder. Just go to "Boy Scouts", and plug in your zip code. It will give you a list of local Boy Scout Troops, as well as a map showing where most of the units in your greater area are.

GSUSA (please - no such org as GSA) does not have Charter Organizations. All GSUSA Troops/Groups are "owned" by the local GSUSA Council. The Council's name is on everyone's checking account. GSUSA Troops/Groups are usually (but not always) created along school lines, with one volunteer working as a coordinator for the school/area. The volunteer would help to set up new Troops/Groups, vet/train leaders, and be a type of liaison to the local Council Service Unit (think BSA District). The leader of the older girl's Troop might be that local coordinator. If you, or your wife, wants

With ScoutNut 100% on this one. In addition to his comments, what does the boy's patrol have to do with his MB? MBs are an individual pursuit. It's one thing if the Scout wants to ask his patrol to help him by foregoing the gear, it's another for you to dictate it. The broader issue here is that MBs should not be interwoven into the troop program. You can, and I think should, keep MB opportunities in mind, but troop meetings and campouts are not merit badge school. Your dual roles, SM and MB Counselor, will recreate this sticky situation over and over again. Now that you've se

Have you taken the training for your position yet? As Committee Chair (CC) it might help give you perspective if you also took the online trainings for the other Cub Scout positions. The committee member with the itchy fingers, what is her exact position? What, exactly, did she do to cause your Treasurer to resign? What is your Charter Organization (CO)? How close are you to the head of the CO? To the Charter Organization Representative (COR) ?

Interesting. It must be required by your District, or council, it is not required by BSA National. So - which do you plan on wearing? Commissioner necker, or Boy Scout bolo? Personally, I am not a big bolo fan. I like personalized woggles/slides, so, if pressed, and although I think the red neckers are a bit small, I would opt for the necker.