sst3rd

I would expect good fall numbers for girls joining Packs from our school night recruitment programs. My concern is if a bunch of girls join our pack that become AOL scouts and then expect to join the associated troop next winter/spring/summer. There is currently a boy Scout, BSA troop. As I've been mentoring/training the new SM, we can barely staff the adult positions. If the church wishes to have girls in the scout troop, I'll explain the new BSA program offering. Unless the church can find all new leadership for the new girl Scout, BSA troop, it ain't going to happen. The current pack/t

Taz, Although I don't have the book in front of me, the SM gets to okay anyone working with him as an assistant ( or one of his). I guess technically the CC could demand and force the SM to accept someone as an ASM, but I would tender my resignation immediately if that was the case (I was a SM for many years). The SM has a vision and direction for the troop (based on many inputs from the scouts, and so many more sources). If any of his assistants want to go in a different direction, they need to find another troop to join. I've dropped a few assistants over the years for this same pro

Oh for crying out loud, the patrol method is workable even under these circumstances. You've just got to want it to happen. Keep throwing up excuses and you'll get your wish I'm mentoring a new scoutmaster of a small urban troop that's reorganizing. This will be their relaunch from the summer. She's trained and gaining experience continuously. She wants a successful troop program for her son and all of his friends. She has several adults getting trained as we speak, but I always tell her to give the program to the patrol. They've responded well over the last year and had a great su

Our chapter ceremonial team performed the Call-Out Ceremony for the last week of summer camp this past Friday night. I had been the advisor for many years. I had already informed our chapter and lodge advisors that this would be it for me because of all of the changes. Our team performed a great ceremony that night. I was very proud, and I told them so. I appropriately disposed of all of our regalia the following day, Saturday, in a private gathering at our other council camp. It all now belongs to the sky. Congratulations on the OA for becoming a service group with no directi

My lodge advisor said it was going to happen soon. I've been waiting for just over a year. I won't wait until they remove regalia from all ceremonies. But he still wants the chapter teams to do their Friday night summer camp Call-Out Ceremonies we've prepared for this year, as our lodge ceremony team is in disarray. This Friday night, one last time as their advisor, our chapter ceremony team will perform the call-out ceremony at camp. I've already informed all those needed, that I will then be done with the OA. I wish all the best, sst3rd

I brought this thread back, as another thread was going a bit off topic concerning what summer camp programs have evolved into. Relating to the title of "this" topic: the troop, of which I have been mentoring their new scoutmaster, is going to our local camp next week. I suggested months ago to continue to build up this reorganized troop for one more year, and then go to summer camp. I was ignored by the CC who was already making plans for these new scouts to go. She wanted all of them to max out on merit badges, as three classes were available in the morning and two in the afterno

Brian, The SPL doesn't have anything to do with this decision. sst3rd

SouthScout, I personally don't like the changes made over the last few years. After 38 years as a SM I retired a while back. I work on a maintenance committee at one of the two scout reservations in our council, and I'm currently the OA Chapter advisor with the ceremony committee. Yes, the national OA is terminating our chapter ceremony teams. Our lodge advisor says the national committee is just waiting for the right time to make the announcement, any second now. In the mean time, my chapter advisor told me our lodge advisor says our lodge ceremony team can no longer meet its obligation

Parkman, The SM handles the program side of things, not the Committee. The Committee (under your leadership) supports the scout's program (advancement recording, transportation, fundraising, weekend camp and summer camp registrations, and the list goes on and on). When the SM sees a need (like maybe more active ASMs) he needs to evaluate all of these inactive ASMs, and recruit one for a specific needed purpose. Like an ASM advising the scouts on teaching the totin' chit skills, and maybe an ASM advising the scouts on teaching the varied cooking skills needed for advancement. Maybe

Our pack and troop have talked about this. Unfortunately we've just lost our very involved CC (both pack and troop) to a stroke. Both pack and troop leadership are in it for their sons and simply will continue as is. Although it would be easier to accommodate girls in the pack, I don't know what they would do. I'm currently mentoring the SM of the troop. She and her leadership have no desire to start a girl's troop. I don't see the church demanding a girl's troop as it takes a completely different leadership team. We wouldn't care if a completely separate leadership team started a girls troop

WisconsinMomma, Much to be proud about. I guess I thought the sashes were the other way around, but it's all good. It's tough not to compare, but as long as there're having fun, that's what matters. Each at their own pace. Congratulations to them both, they've earned it. sst3rd

qwazse, They have an active UC. This troop and pack recently changed sponsors. Actually going back to the one they had years ago. Great church with lots of support. The CC for both the pack and troop is a good friend of mine, and when they had to remove the loud mouth, they asked me to mentor. She's got her training and all, but needs support with using this knowledge in a practical way. She'll be fine if she doesn't overload herself. She's got a new assistant from the Webelos group. I'll be talking to them over the weekend at the camping trip. I'll fade away soon. I just hate that

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to mention a few things. I have been mentoring a new SM and a rebuilding troop, for a few months. Their CC desperately wants these new scouts to go to summer camp this year. This SM is already overburdened. I'm trying to help her recruit more adult leaders to take appropriate pieces of the work she does, and take some pressure off of her. With many years as a SM myself, this troop is already behind in summer camp payments and merit badge registrations. Catch up all the way around. Also, money is tight, but the CC feels with council scholarship

We've had troops in our chapter and lodge that long since had their own ceremony teams. They also performed AOL ceremonies for their associated pack. They wore their sashes of course, but did not coordinate with the lodge or chapter. There sole purpose was to serve their own troop and associated pack with their own call-out and aol ceremonies. "Who" is going to STOP them, well, obviously no one. No one has stopped them before, and when the national oa makes the decision to not have chapter ceremony teams, I'm assuming that the national, lodge, and chapter oa folks will not do anything to shut

The latest I've gotten from my chapter advisor and lodge advisor is, that all chapter ceremony committees will cease using regalia now. My chapter advisor attended an LEC meeting last Sunday where it was reaffirmed, HOWEVER, it was on hold waiting for clearer instructions from national OA. In the mean time, we can perform no call-outs, but can perform Arrow of Light and Pack graduation ceremonies in scout uniforms only, NO REGALIA. Again, has any other chapter ceremony team advisor received this instructions from their LEC? Just asking. Take care, sst3rd

Eagle94-A1, You're not needed at your current babysitting program. You know they won't change, EVER. You're needed at that smaller unit. Take all of the older scouts with you. You'll start having fun again, and the Scoutmaster at the smaller unit will be blessed by your help, experience, and fellowship. Don't look back. sst3rd

Folks, As the former chapter ceremony committee advisor, our lodge has decommisioned all 9 of our chapter ceremony teams. Since I was never in the clique, I never saw documentation from the national oa concerning this edict. Our lodge informed the LEC that this was to be executed immediately. And so it was done, and I resigned. I enjoyed teaching the chapter ceremony team. That's over and I wish not to do anything else. All of our ceremony stuff no longer exists. Our lodge's ceremony committee is desperately trying to force the chapters to send our former ceremony team members their wa

ItsBrian, Assuming these were your scouts, yes they should have been with you and the other scouts working on the catapult. Yes, they represent your/their troop. Sounds like you said what needed to be said. Your "simple" way was received by these wayward scouts as threatening, and they obviously told their parents who went and told the troop adult leaders, who evidently were the folks that told you to "be calm, and relax." Yeah right, when was the last time they were SPL and leading. They should be supporting you. Where was the PL? So, my many years as a SM tell me you did it right

At our chapter meeting last night, the ceremony committee/team was getting ready to practice for the upcoming camporee call-out. I am/was the advisor. Our chapter advisor told me I may want to hold off as he had attended the lodge/chapter advisor's (lec) meeting over the weekend (at our annual fall service weekend), and was told that national oa had made the decision to change the call-out tradition (as everyone does something a bit different) no longer using the Native American theme. The implementation will be soon, but the decision has been made. As far as I know, this only affects the non

I was informed tonight at our chapter meeting, that the national OA has made a decision to remove all native american themes from all call-out ceremonies. So, no matter your chapter's traditions for call-out ceremonies, they will cease. We all know that so called "call-out/tap-out" ceremonies were never "official." Right??????? Call-Out ceremonies will be renamed to something generic, and will be a simple induction program. There will be the use of a required national script so all programs are the same nationally, so as not to offend anyone. BSA uniforms will be the only attire. What

hemispheres, One thing I'll say about how "not" to start a new troop: don't become inactive during the summer. Continue to meet every week. A small local troop I helped resurrect several years ago, got all new adult leaders this past winter, as well as 10 AOL graduates. I got things going for the COR (a friend of mine) with a defined time limit. All was well and this past winter these new leaders showed up from the Pack. All very enthusiastic. My COR friend said they got their training, and there was an Eagle Scout among them. The new SM was retired military and knew everything about s

tharrell12976, Sounds like this has been the culture of this troop for a while. SM is a dictator and bully, and the troop committee is okay with that. They don't want confrontation, so they do nothing. All of the previously suggested procedures are fine, but your two scouts should not have to wait forever for the resolution. Find that other troop. Get involved improving that program. Your two scouts can help jump start this slower program. Other scouts and their families may follow you, but this change is for your two sons. Any SM worth his salt would welcome the help and suppor

AltadenaCraig, I can only speak for myself concerning your thoughts. I'm old and old fashioned. My observations over just the last 10 years let's say concerning our Roundtables for Cubs and Boy Scouts; I've seen approximately half of those participating were old folks who love scouting, but whose sons have long gone on to their future. We're still enthusiastic about our program, but can't seem to get younger parents to step in. We keep it going because we believe in the program. If your scout troop has an exciting and patrol organized program (after 44 years as a SM), your scou

We've always attended mountain camps with cold clear lake water. Yep, go take a swim is the same as a shower. Or maybe a canoe class and accidently fall in. Yep, that counts too. I've learned something new about bacteria and body oil. Go figure. On topic: For all the reasons having been listed, I still want BSA to remain boys only. If it goes co-ed, me and hundreds of volunteers in my area will be gone. That's a fact jack.

At the peak of our district's camporees, I remember as a new SM, seeing troops camped out on both sides of the main dirt road from one end of the camp to the other. Specifically, I remember friday night setting up camp, and then the adult leaders would venture from campsite to campsite (asking permission to enter before hand of course) seeing old friends and sharing cups of coffee. Friday night also allowed the scouts to roam to different troop sites to visit friends, and often hear somebody say "I didn't know you were a scout". Maybe you didn't advertise you were a scout, but to see your fri