Shell in WA- USA

Boy, FOG, you're story sounds so familiar to mine! When my first son crossed over, it looked like a great troop. Both my son and I were inpressed with the boys of the troop and thought we'd "get alot" out of belonging to it. But as time went time, I soon realized that the SM wasn't so pleasant to deal with. He "rewrote" BSA policies to fit what he wanted to do. For example, no MB earned until you are star scout. Coupled with other things, it squanched my son's idea of becoming a Eagle Scout. To which I didn't really realize until my second son came into the troop (My second son is more

Hey, Mrs, Smith, one thing good about being in Scouting is that if you burn your bridges....you'll know how to build new ones! Just kidding, of course you'll want to mend bridges before burning them. And if you are asking legitimate questions, anyone should understand that. I would much rather have a leader who wants to understand the program than one who wants to "do it their way" or just start trouble. And this is one place to ask. But you can also ask your Unit Commissioner(UC) or District Executive(DE) or even your district trainer for help if you're not finding it within

You know, Mrs Smith, generally I'm not one to "jump ship." I usually will try to get things working and make the best of it. But judging form your last post, it might be better for you to find a better troop for your son. For if the adult "committee" is not working right, I can only imagine what the boy "committee" is doing. Being a single Mom I also have faced that "good ol boy" attitude. I know how you feel. I faced that in this troop my boys are in. But I liked the troop on the boy side too well to change troops for my involvement. But after four years of always "being there" to

Just checkin to see if you were paying attention, korean scouter! Actually, Korean Scouter you're right. after I hit send I realized how my list had grown. Our Outdoors Chair and Equipment Chair are truely committee members.

Maybe if you did speak more specifically, you'd get a more specific answer. It's not "whining" if you truely need help with a situation. Aand from the people I've seen in here, although not "official" BSA policy, have years of experience to draw from. I already have learned much here!

No, Dan, what I'm saying is that yes, I would work with my CO, work with the DE, do whatever I could to improve the program and the running of it. But ultimately I also have several boys counting on the program to run. So, WHILE I'm doing all the admin stuff, it stays int he background, so to speak. I'm also doing what it takes to keep the boys moving and encouraged. And if that means not taking the time to "whine" about it and just "do it," I do. In other words, I make lemonade out of lemons, mole hills out of mountains, put the best foot forward, march onward, chin up, tally-ho! and wh

Aren't you free to choose your assistants? I was, but maybe it's different in other packs. If he's not working out for you, replace him. Next step could be the CM or CC. I actually had rotating Assistants when I did cubs. I had the parents fill out a talent sheet and I let them know by schedule when I'd be using them for my meetings. They would then share their talents with the den.

Well, the first thing to do is talk with the CC then your COR. By committee and/or charter decision, you could have the SM removed.

We truely have a boy led troop, so the adult are there to support the boys only. We don't step in as much as a post before this. The ASM's we have however, are assigned to each patrol but not as a "den Leader." They are only as a resource for the patrol leader to use if needed. They also work witht he assigned Troop guide for the patrol and help them out. We also have a couple ASMs assigned for New Scouts. They run special "sessions" prior to the meeting to help newly joined scouts earn their tenderfoot before attending summer camp. We also have one ASM assigned as Quartermast

After all, it is a "volunteer-run" organization. All we can do is the best we can, and some can do more than others and that's okay! And for a few million kids, we ARE do something right! Ask the leaders of our country who have gone through the program...........where has scouting gotten them!

Oh, ok, I'm slow! Ha, Ha, Courtesy Laugh! Can you tell I'm not Cathelic either!

Sorry, alter boy is something the catheolic church does. The troop my boys have joined are mostly Catheolic, we go to a different church ourselves. So in our case, when my boys volunteer to work in the sunday classes or for Communion servers, etc, these are duties of the church. And yes the SM in this troop also struggles with the problem of being told after the fact. And I've heard him tell the boys "I'll count it this time (if it did qualify) but you need to get it approved next time. And I've heard him deny to boys that have repeatly "lust done it" without prior approval. .....

I struggle with this very thing as I run the Merit Badge Jumboree for our District. Yes, a Scout should be the one to take responsibility to make contact with a MBC. And the Merit Badges are mostly designed for indiviual. Before you all jump on me about the district level MBs, I have take great care in how this is handled. I'm sure I can find more improvements but what I do is contact all the MBC and get committments from them as to what there will be. Then I send out a list to each Scout including a list of requirements that will be covered at the Jumboree and unless they wokr on th

Our Troop has also struggled with this question. But this is how we decided to define a service project or hours. It is any volunteer hours that would not be considered of a regular duty of that scout because of their membrship for that group. For instance, if you are a member of the Church and you serve as Alter boy, this is your duty to your church and not necessarily a volunteered service(spliting hairs, I know). If they have an assigned duty in their classroom like collect books or erase boards, etc, this also does not count as a volunteered service project. But if the teacher

The Stars were a good idea but we don't need to have them. I'd be more interested in keeping the ability of "rating" input as to their usefulness on the subject. I think that would incourage quality posts.

Say, I'm involved in a troop and am the program Coordinator for a Cub Scout day camp. I'm tired of my same old tried and true recipes. Anyone want to share their favorite camping or campfire recipe whether it be DO, Stick, Foil, or other? I can share some too down the line.

As I said earlier, if your DE is interested in keeping his job, he has to keep his numbers up. Part (a big part) of his pay depends on the number of Packs, Troops and Crews in the district. And unfortunately, your pack won't be the first or last to close down. I'm sure the DE will step in and together with the UC, DC and CR, they will figure something out. And if the other pack parents care about their children, they will also figure something out. Give them your notice and step away. I guess we're just beating a dead horse now, aren't we?!?

I mainly asked for my own self to see what other gret projects there have been. And there have been some good ones here. If you're interested, my own son right now is strongly considering doing a 6 mo reading program for the Children's Hospital at the moment. But he's got a couple other things in mind too. He's also toying with a Blood Drive or collecting cell phones for the crisis center. Whatever he chooses I know it will be good. He's putting alot of thought into it. A local Scout just recently did a Sculpture of a German Shephard Dog for his project and it was dedicate

FOG, What I mean to say is that I don't do the job to get a pat on the back, I get a pat on the back because I did the job. Make sense? I'm not in Scouting so that I can say, "Look at me, I'm a good girl, I am." I'm an adult Scouter because I believe in the program and I want to help further it along for the boys. First my own, then the 40+ scouts in the troop, then the 400+ scouts in the district! Not those that are directed on me but when I see the positive influences I've had on the boys (and the Adults for that matter, that's my "pat on the back!"

Blaze, No offense, but I'm willing to state that at least 90% of the posters to this forum have similiar stories to their scouting backgrounds. I know mine is at least that longer, probably longer because I'm a single Mom of three boys, all still in Boy Scouting. And I work just as hard, I am no different than you or other scouters who have similiar stories just different circumstances. We all "deserve" a pat on the back. But I don't want one. My only intention is actually a selfish one. To make Scouting a terrific and life altering experience for my three boys Like I and my brother

Well, if that's all you were doing is to get "permission" to move on, then by all means "move on." I thought you were asking how to save the pack for when you all retire.

Mr Bob, I don't really follow you..... Our "Rep" is rarely heard from. But they are the point of Contact we have for the paperwork.

Our troop has a CO. Do they openly support our troop? No. Do they help us resolve every scouting issue? No. Do they come to every meeting, outing, function? No. Do they really have a full understanding of our troop? No. But Do they provide a "Free" place for us to meet? YES A storage area for our "stuff?" YES Use of other areas in the church as we need (like our Fish Fry Fundraiser, we use the kitchen and large hall for 400 dinners). YES Do the Patrons of the church come to our fundraisers, let us hold Scout Sunday, use their parking lot for functions like Bike Rodeo, etc. YES

Our last pack didn't have a CO, we were "A group of Concerned Parents." The first pack my boys were in had a disinterested CO also. Bob's right, ideally, you should be able to go to your CO for help. But that doesn't always work. Many CO jsut provide the place, the group has to run it. However, if you really need help, contact your UC or DE, they may help you go the right direction also. And don't take defense at what I'm going to say, it's only meant as constructive critism and for things to think about............. Maybe the current way the pack is run needs some reconstr

I don't think you're overstepping. If they aren't doin the job give it to someone else. If they aren't doing the job, let them know, they won't get the "credit." But you should work witht eh SPL also, afterall, he's boss! Let me tell you what we do in our troop and maybe it will help you. We just had a major change in our Adult leadership. Before our new group, the adults did not do a "boy led" troop. therefore, leadership roles other than PL and SPL were not filled. So we are basically trying to get it back to where it should be, leadership roles being a part of it. I've be