bill_troop_157

As committee chair I meet all the new boys. I tell them that they will now be treated as an adult and that I expect them to behave as an adult. I tell them as an adult they can call be Bill, Mr. B of Mr. Bogdanowich. I then ask them how they want to be address. I have one boy that I call Mr. XXXX, Im the only one that does and he get a kick out of it. In my opinion it does not matter how you are address only that you are treated with respect.

In a Board of review or any meeting I would use this rule if there were introduces as Mr. Smith I would call them Mr. Smith, if there introduce by a nick name I call them by that name.

When I first took over as committee chair for my troop I also had a few problems with some parents. My committee knows when there is a problem I will ask one question?

How will this Benefit the boys and or the troop. If they cannot answer that question topic is dropped.

The other one I get is because thats the way we always did it. My answer is dont tell me how we used to do it, tell me how we can improve it.

Im not the must loved Committee Chair, but all politics, back stabbing, secret meeting have stopped. The Uniformed leaders now get full support of the committee. The most powerful tool I have is enclosed. Usually when the parents are removed for any position for the troop they take their son and go elsewhere. We have never asked a boy to leave the troop.

Dear ??????,

Thank you for your, past comment and help on the committee of Troop 157. At the present time, as the troop has grown and new incoming parents want positions on the committee, I feel your services are no longer required.

I wish you luck in your future endeavors. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at xxxxxxx (home) or xxxxxxxx (work) at your convenience.

Thank you,

Committee Chair

I would have to say that at least 70% of the boys in my troop have taken Karate lessons at one time or another. Most if not all no longer take lessons. As for possible injuries I just cannot see it happening today. In a good school the kids wear more padding then football players. Also in any sport there is a possible of injuries. Soccer is listed as the most dangers sport played in the country. More concussions occur because the kids try to head butt the ball. Of all the boy scouts that have gotten the Sports merit badge Im sure there were some major injuries related to the sport they played in. You cannot play a sport and believe you will never get injured. Its the nature of sports.

First you cannot ignore the rules of a merit badge if I choose. Second Insurance is not the issue Scouts are insured. What liable is involve? I dont know any merit badge counselor who will have the boy perform a judo hold on then as proof that there taking the sport. Read the requirements you just have to play two team sports and show improvement in those sports. As well as knowing sport related first aid.

From what the feed back Im getting it appears to be an old safety issue that was never changed. Does anyone know how to suggest a change to a merit badge

One of the most asked questions I get from the boys when it comes to merit badges is why is boxing and karate excluded as a sport from the Sport merit badge. My standard answer was its to dangers. Now Im getting but rifle and shotgun are allow and you can kill someone in that sport. Fencing is allowed and that like throwing knifes at each other.

Its getting to be a standard joke all the boys keep asking me. They know when they got you they just wont let go. I tried emailing www.meritbadge.com but they got all spammed out and will no longer accept email.

Does anyone know why or who I and contact for the answer.

Can anyone tell in the policy on hats? When my son and I joined our troop we were informed that this troop was a hatless troop. As the years past I achieved the committee chair. This year we selected a new Scoutmaster. He made a statement that there is no such thing as a hatless troop. It is Boy Scout policy that full uniform is a hat. He then held an election as to what hat the boys want to wear. None of the boys want to vote on the hats he selected for voting on. It seems that they do not want to wear hats. I was told that the troop has the option of not have the hat as a mandatory item. Is this true?