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shemgren

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Everything posted by shemgren

  1. eisely: A number of years ago, I was ask to serve on my Council's ad hoc committee to address our district borders. During that service I learned that a district should contain at least 30 units, Packs, Troops and Crews (Learning for Life groups are above and beyond) and be able support the FOS goals in family and community campaigns. Geographically, the district must be in the Council borders, which are set by National. Changes in districts are submitted to the Council's Executive Board and when approved, National is updated. Note also that a council normally have one professional (DE, S
  2. Consider serving on the District Committee or as a Commissioner in a different town. There are many way to serve Scouting besides a SM. I am sorry that you had a poor experience with your troop, but passing on what you do know can be accomplished through the Commissioner team or Boy Leader Training. Contact your Unit Commissioner or DE for more details of helping at this level. All the Commissioners I know, myself included, spent time in unit leadership. Your District/Council should offer the training you need to be successfull in the Commissioner Ranks.
  3. Having served several times on my district's Eagle Scout Board of Review, the BOR likes to see non Scouts involved in the Eagle Scout Leadership Project. Getting Scouts for the canidate's troop to help on a project usually is fairly easy, getting help from the community is more challenging. I have seen projects where no Scouts or leaders were involoved in the execution of the project, my own included.
  4. A lot of troops in my area have the issue of not enough adults to fill out the commitee, let alone in campouts. As a rural area, the attitude of the BSA as "Baby Sitters of America" is large. My troop has cancelled events due no second leader to go with. The more adults that get involved, the smoother the troop will operate. I served with a large troop while in the Air Force, 150 boys on the charter, 80+ showing up for a meting, and 20 adults at a meeting, 12 - 14 went camping. My attitude is the more the merrier!
  5. The Americian Legion and VFW both consider the overseas cap (the cap),as the complete uniform. Many posts have a ceremonial uniform as well. The cap is to worn at all Legion fucutions, except at meals and in churches. We wear the cap for flag ceremonies, but remove the cap for prayers and the pledge of aliegence to the flag. Scott Hemgren Post 560 Zimmerman, MN(This message has been edited by shemgren)
  6. I have the pleasure of serving on several Eagle BOR's, and I look for the canidate's understanding what an Eagle Scout stands for. I also remind the Scout that once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout. I also like to focus on the Scout's future plans. Scott Hemgren ADC Central Minnesota Council
  7. In Advancement Committee Polices and Procedures, No. 33088D, pg 27, it states: "Second Class Rank For the Second Class rank, a Scout must participate in a service project or projects apporved by his Scoutmaster. The time of service must be a miniumum of one hour. This project prepares a Scout for the more involved service projects he must perform for Star, Life and Eagle Scout ranks. Star and Life Ranks For Star and Life ranks, a Scout must perform six hours of service to others. This may be done as an indivdual project or as a member of a patrol or troop project. Star and Lif
  8. The disclpine, yes discpline of Scouts should laid out in your troop by-laws, what is a violation and the consquences for the actions. This policy must be enforced fairly and consitantly. In case of the Scouts in question, the discpline should meet the violation. I suggest the Committee and then PLC lay out these policies as soon as possible.
  9. scoutmaster454: I would prefer that the Scouts would not wear non-Scout hats with the the uniform, but many units do nothing to discourage this practice. IMHO the uniform should be worn correctly or not at all. At Webelos Resident Camp last weekend, I spent a lot of time reminding Scouts to tuck in the uniform shirt, pin placement, etc. If I was a wealthy man, I would give each person who doesn't compily with uniforming a copy of the Insigna Guide! The best I can do is model by example and keep reminding them.
  10. I have just came back from my council's Webelos Resident Camp this weekend, where I serve as Event Director, I always instruct the Webelos Scouts to remove "non-Scout" hats and at the opening assembly on Saturday, I explain to them what is and is not a Scout Hat. I normally wear a compaign hat, which is a visual aid I use to help the Scouts understand. It is very helpful for giving graces and chapel. Staff can be instructed to set the example. Doing the training I conduct, I always inform the trainees about the proper use of the Scout sign, and NOT to shout out: "sign's up!" I attended
  11. Yes, the Scout may wear the service award after he is done being a Den Cheif. However, as you pointed out yarrow, most boys don't like wearing it.
  12. While advancement is important to the Scouts, but should not be the most important part of the program. The goals of the BSA are: character devolpment, citizenship training, physical and mental fintess. The emphasis a lot of troops place on advancement concerns me, as I see boys struggling with being pushed harder than they can. While the Scouts should be encouraged to strech, the leaders need to keep the best for the Scout in mind as they plan the goals with Scouts in the SMC.
  13. In Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures, page 25: " On large troops, Scoumasters occassionally assign this responsibility to assistant Scoutmaters or members of the troop committee; but this is unfortunate, since because most Scoutmasters feel that this is truly the opportunity to get to know the Scout and help him chart the course in life."
  14. In the Insigina Guide, 2002-2004, page 7, the Den Chief Service Award is to be worn on the left shoulder, on the inside of the Cub Scout or Webelos Scout Den Chief Cord while the Scout is an active Den Chief.
  15. To quote Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures, page 27: "There is no minimum number of hours that must be spent on carrying out the project. The amount of time spent must be sufficient for the Scout to clearly demonstrate leadership skills." A piece of advice: record your time for the begining of your project; record all the time you spend planning your project and if you meet for an hour with someone from the benefitting organzation, that is 2 man hours, not one. Ideas for Eagle projects can be found at: www.eaglescout.org
  16. As a computer professional and an counselor for Computer MB, let me share how IP addresses and firewalls work. An IP address identifies your computer or router to the internet. All URL's( e.g. www.scouter.com) actually relate directly to an IP address. Firewall block access to a computer or network by preset parameters setup by the firewall admin. Firewalls block all incoming and out going connections to the internet except those in the setting files. Chat rooms usually are not montiored and there is great danger to using those forums to childern and the naive. Parent should mo
  17. The reason it suggested to take training every 3 years is that the BSA is dynamic, the program is minorly changed every 2-3 years and majorly every 7-10 years(watch the literature changes). If you attend training every 3 years, you can keep up with the lastest changes, which the training teams are made aware of by their DE and/or District Training Cooridinater.
  18. The statement that den chiefs must be 14 years of age applys to Cub Scout and Webelos Scout Resident Camps and Day Camps only, since those are staff postitions! Camp standards are higher for the protection of the Scouts attending the camp. National Camp School Standards state that youth staff must be 14 or older. In normal pack operations, a den chief should be at least 1 year older than the Cubs he is working with.
  19. I am on Boy Scout, Cub Scout and Commissioner training staffs. As such, I keep my training current. I have completed Wood Badge, National Camp School, and am considering both Wood Badge for the 21st Century and training at the National Training Center at Philmount.
  20. I was active at the Council level when National announced to Sr Level volunteers that the policy was changing concerning the gender rules in leadership positions. The BSA made this change vaoluntarily, not due to some judical pressure, but due to the lack of interested male volunteers in many areas of the country during the mid-1980's (after the uniform change and before Tiger Cubs). I got about six months heads up on the change, before it announced to general Scouting. At the time, I felt it would enhance Scouting, and in the almost 20 years it has been in place, some of the best SM's
  21. While I am impressed by this young man to come back and finish what he started, my experience that a lot of Scouts are waiting until 17 years, 9 or 10 months to get serious and turning in the paperwork on their 18th birthday. I have served on my district's Eagle Board of Review several times, the norm seems to be for the candiates to be over 18 when we see them. One thing that we as leaders should work on is to encourage the Scouts to complete the Eagle Trail at an earlier time in their Scouting career. Some of the reasons for this are that there serveral good scholarship programs a
  22. The Whittling Chip card is used with Bear Acheivement "Shavings and Chips". The requirements are geared to pocket knife use. The Totin Chip card is a Boy Scout program recognizing profiency with knifes, axes and saws. The bottom line is that the Cub Scout Whittling Chip is for Cub Scout programs and Totin Chip is for Boy Scouts. Most camps first year camper programs cover the Totin Chip in the program.
  23. I have been in Scouting for over 30 years, boy and man, and in the 20+ years as a adult, I often served the local unit, while helping with projects at the Council and District (Cub Scout Resident Camp, Camporees, Scout-o-ramas, training, etc.) Once I stepped up to the Commissioner ranks, then I also accepted to the role of COR for the Pack and Troop in my town. However, I am capable to keep my work with these projects balanced. I have always put my responsibilities for the local unit primary in all I do for Scouting.
  24. Bubba Bear: Welcome to ranks of Commissioners! I have been one since 1995, and it's one best positions in Scouting I have ever had. I would encourage you to get Commissioner Fieldbook for Unit Sevice, No. 33621, and Commissioner Helps for Packs, Troops and Crews, No. 33618. Your DC should get copies of these resources or you can get them at your local Scouting Service Center. I also feel you should attend Commissioner Basic Training. Ask your DC about the next class. A commissioner should be a friend to the unit, a resource to call on when assistance in needed, to help new le
  25. As an ADC for 6 years, one of the my largest tasks has been finding and keeping UCs for all the units in my area of the district. I have around 10 units in 3 towns in my area. I have a 2:1 ratio of UCs to units, but I keep going. A UC should be visiting the unit at least 4 times a year: recharter, fall startup, spring membership inventory, and annual parents meeting. It has been my experience that UCs are very good or invisable, nothing in between.
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