Tampa Turtle

(I am not sure where to post this)

Not wishing to get political here or to critique modern day Eagle Scout coronations. 

My son#2 did his solicitation for congratulation letters for getting his Eagle (as that is what the practice has really evolved to) and, as many do, wrote the current President as well as all the living ex-Presidents, etc. It has been 4 months from when he sent in his for President Trump and never got anything. I checked around with the folks and scouts of other Eagle families and they all had the same experience. I was wondering if any one else on the forum knew of someone who got one?

I will say that the Bushes were the most prompt and 41 was the most polite.Sessions and Perry were quick too.  LOL my son gave up on some of the other cabinet members because the deck keeps getting re-shuffled.

11 minutes ago, NealOnWheels said:

I would not overthink it.  Emergencies tend to change the most well thought out plans.  Deal with the priorities.

If you have enough folks then just ask the other adult to give you a hand when you need to do something. Or be visible (unless it will embarrass the child).

2 hours ago, DuctTape said:

But that is only your belief based on your interpretation of your religious text for your god. Many many others have different religious beliefs based on their own. You believe you are right, else you would believe differently; but it is still a belief as is mine which differs greatly from yours. The BSA and the USA allow us both to keep our own beliefs. 

I have a hard time giving much weight to folks who are not recent or existing members. There are always someone...from either sides of these debates...who will find enough to be offended by to not join. 

8 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

How do you handle YPT requirements when they conflict with emergency situations?

You are 1.5 miles out on a 5 mile hike with your den and a scout is injured. There are just two leaders on the hike. What do you do?

If there are three leaders, what do you do?

Life over Liability. I can live with that.

I once was alone with a boy with a bone sticking out of his severed digit while the other adult leaders grabbed supplies and a truck for the hospital run. I was applying pressure and was not concerned with YPT though I did tell others what I did afterward. If I start getting THAT worried then scouts are not for me.

YMMV.

Once it is there it is a part of a "real" scout uniform. My boys wore there well worn uniforms with pride.

3 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

That is their own fault.  My daughter has monthly Troop meetings. 3 have been heavily focused on cookies.  The girls have 1 pin and 3 patches on their uniform linked to cookie sales.   I figure if they do coded messages it would be “Don’t forget to sell those cookies.”  

I have heard this from GSUSA moms.

I think GSUSA does a much better job on advertising, especially on the internet then BSA. Agree or disagree with their program they seem to have a much clearer picture conceptually of the direction of the program. Their problem is that it is hard to hear over the roar of "cookies".

Welcome.

Sigh....many of us have been there. You can not be responsible for the whole world if other children's parents not step up. If you stay or go it should be based on what will be the best experience for your child, first IMHO. A few of us have produced Scout Widows do not produce Scout Orphans. It is tough because you care for the other little ones BUT the time you have at this stage with your kids is SO short. Mine did the full ride from Tiger to Eagle. A good unit makes a big difference. 

From over here...I like it...better than the old one. Simple but shows the Fleur-de-Lis. Font is a good choice for multiple uses (I am no expert but I did take 3 classes in Fonts-ugg) The purple matches World Scouting, so OK. Is it a brilliant marketing move, no.

Agree with Cambridge...Scouting should be the un-school way to learn.

4 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Having been a pro and dealing with membership stats, I feel for all the pros in heavy LDS districts and councils. Doesn't matter that this is not their fault, they will be held accountable for the loss from the powers that be, it wil affect their abilities to transfer and get priomoted, etc.

Not fair. 

12 minutes ago, Gwaihir said:

exactly this, I had mentioned this to @WisconsinMomma earlier,  there needs to be added effort put into facilitating the creation of both co-ed and single gender units from unit volunteers as well as commissioners and executives, and helping families find the unit that's right for them.  

This seems too logical to happen. Yes this would be good. A reluctant unit might send away an occasional girl with a helpful suggestion. Another unit might change their mind when they start seeing more and they need the bodies.

16 hours ago, Gwaihir said:

I wonder if we see an increase in Lone Scouts 😛 . 

No.

Problemtunities.

6 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

We Boy Scout 12-7-365

(just stirring the pot)

We Scout 12-7-365 BSA 

We Scout 12-7-365

13 minutes ago, FireStone said:

I like that, thanks. I had been kicking around an idea to call out the "5", but I was trying to do it with color. The size difference looks cool, it still reads as "365" but it also emphasizes "5" nicely. 

I like 365 it's the number of days in the year.

43 minutes ago, Jameson76 said:

Whistling past the graveyard - this affects 425,000 Scouts - roughly 20% of BSA...it will have an impact

• 1) Membership fees - we can assume these will go up from $33 to close to $40 per member to cover, assuming National does not trim overhead
• To assume that potential increase in membership from Girls joining will offset is ludicrous

 

My quick calc said $5 minimum in Membership fees. If they REALLY think that they are getting a lot of new families than this would be the time to make an additional price hike. IMHO

Would there not be some rational to hike some user fees at camps to pay for additional female facilities?

If the Mormons are leaving can we hike up the scout shorts a little bit?

I was once in a Troop 4, man they were proud of low number.

11 minutes ago, Buggie said:

That's a really rough situation you've described. You're caught between two sides. As with most things in life, there's not going to be a 100% no issues answer. But to simplify things, you'll need to stick with the number that is officially registered. (why they didn't go with the more traditional number... different topic. focus focus) 

However I have an idea that might help.  If you can incorporate the "5" as a different color than the "36" so that you can still acknowledge it and still state the official unit number. Or do something else that makes the "5" stand out in some way. A flaming "5"?   *shrugs* 

And good job on the anonymity keeping. That's tough to do.  However I've traced who you are and now.... MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!  (j/k)

 

Please. Just. Stop.

27 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

I can’t imagine all councils surviving.  I would expect mergers at councils heavily impacted.  Bryan isn’t stating mergers but he is stating some councils will be impacted.

 

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/05/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-lds-church-announcement/

“While most councils have some LDS membership, roughly 10 percent of councils have a significant population of LDS members. These councils may be affected more significantly by the LDS church’s decision.”

Salt Lake paper article a couple years back said LDS Scouts in Utah was 95%. The membership map will look like a neutron bomb went off there. In 2015 another article claimed it would be a $10 million annual hit to BSA.

19 minutes ago, prof said:

This is one of the most profound things I have read in a very long time.

Ya gotta thank Shakespeare and Lincoln for that one.

1 hour ago, Buggie said:

One word for TT.  

Loincloth

And if you're a little thick around the waist, some paracord and sheet bend knot. You can "thong" me later for the images. 

I am so so sorry I brought this up. I think I threw up in my mouth a little.

2 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

As a supporter of BSA4G, I hope you stand as firm against those complaints as you would against anyone else that tries to threaten you over your membership policies. I will continue to defend your right to be boy-only if you wish. Those parents are free to start their own CO/Troop if they feel so strongly. I know I might face the same decision and hurdles for my daughter but I would never seek to force her onto her brothers CO if they don't want her. I don't imagine that would be a good scouting experience for either party.

I expect the first complaint that makes it to the Tampa Bay Times and all parties will fold and we will go Co-Ed rules be darned. Linked Troops is clearly a short interim strategy--National will change it to a Co-Ed option very, very soon. They just have to figure out how to spin it. 

'A Scout is Reverent' from the BOR (and EBOR) is a pretty low, low hurdle these days. We had an Eagle who marched in and declared that he was an atheist and somehow managed to get signed off (I think his folks came pre-loaded legally). I was not there but I heard it was quite a scene. I think you can be a Druid, Wiccan, or Buddhist and get over the BSA requirement. I do think given National's spine in the face of public opinion the future of that 'G' falling is less on moral courage and more on marketing trends. Another very divisive issue. I did note at a recent High School graduation event a Senior proudly declared herself an atheist and  a growing minority at the school and about 20%-25& of the kids raised their hands. So yeah it is out there.