tgrimstead

True statement B.D. But if a home troop will not provide Chiefs, I would have no issue going out of the C.O. Tim

Good Plan? Contact the troops in area, tell them what you need/want. Den Chief is a good leadership Op for 1st's that aren't PL or APL. Tim

You couldn't just do a meeting on the subject. Having the boys rotate in positions performing different flag ceremonies. Add in flag folding and some citizenship. Make flag icing graham crackers. You gotcha a meeting. It says "A" flag ceremony. Not "THE" flag ceremony. So it could all be done in one meeting. A practice flag ceremony is still a cermony. Just my 2 cents. Yours In Cheerful Service. Tim

"This thread was spun from another thread.. Since old Tim and Brew think I am being unreasonable in my questioning a ScoutMaster whose troop camps quarterly to getting new webelos to first class in 5 months.... " Ummm... I wasn't aware I commented on 1st class scout advancement? Interesting. I will comment that I am not directly involved at Troop level. As such, I cannot make an honest assessment of those requirments. Personally I feel time in grade has merit as a requirment. Time alone wouldn't insure actual skill however. Honored to be metioned in your post though Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

I should rephrase that last post. Better behavior from boys when their parents are not "IN" the meetings. They are available for CM and CC. Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

We.. Can ...All...Win... Right WB'rs Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

Racism is a disease of the old spread to the young. I personally hate the "Red-Neck" term. To me it's the N-bomb for white folk. ( white-my daughter says we're peachy people.) Tim

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 1927 Buck v. Bell case that the state of Virginia could sterilize those it thought unfit. The most significant era of eugenic sterilization was between 1907 and 1963, when over 64,000 individuals were forcibly sterilized under eugenic legislation in the United States.

On the science issue here. Read about Eugenics. Funny how you never learn these parts of American history in school. Tim

1.) Well done young men. 2.) Only in America! Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

Ohana, Trophy skins would be sweet! Yours in cheerful service, Tim

I would think those young men could perform about any task you needed done. As others have said, assign them a section of the meeting to plan. Yours In Cheerful Service, Tim

Chapter X: How to criticize and belittle others accomplishments. "The optimist sees the rose and not it's thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns oblivious to the rose." We got a great program here fellas and a lot of boys work hard to earn this honor. Let us not be so suspicious of others who attain something faster, or accomplish more then we could ourselves. Just because they do, doesn't mean they are cheating. Tim

I've found we get better behavior from the boys when the parents aren't at meetings. Weird how the Den Chiefs used to run the Dens in the 50's and 60's and the Den Mom and Den Dad supported them. Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

Pack does all the purchasing except the fun patches my wife and I give our boys. Advancement chair handles all the rank and awards. Some Dens have dues we do not. Pack pays for stuff through the fund raisers. Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

One of our Den leaders still wears his shirt from when he was a scout. Rank, awards, red loops and all. A little snug though. Yours in Cheerful Service Tim

As a Fire Lieutenant with wild-land fire experience I will say BSA are exceptions to the rule as far as fire safety. But as others mention, most individuals have not the training nor the caution and care of proper fire use. I fought fire at the California Wild lands a few years ago. Scariest thing I have ever seen. When we flew in, fire was the total horizon as far as you could see. Flicking a cigaret or leaving some hot coals is all it takes. The simple fact you adhered to the rule makes you more responsible than most. Is no campfires disappointing? Absolutely. Yours In Cheerful Service. Tim

Thank you for the responses. I feel drop off around the Webelos years is not due to the length of the program, but the lack of variety in the program. I've noticed at planning meeting and Roundtables that a lot of us just recycle events every year. Same activity, same month. Yes they're burnt out, but it's due to monotony. Also, the Pack has a broad span of ages. 7 to 11 is a big jump in what kids find fun. Having varying activities that are age specific with some all age fun thrown in would help. Freshen it up ever year. Pack meeting style also. Yours In Cheerful Service. Tim

We just compare Biceps. No unzipping required. Yours In Cheerful Service Tim

N.J.' There isn't enough room for me to type. My Den Chief alone is top notch. He came to almost every Den meeting we had for the past 2.5 years. He wasn't even First class and couldn't be an official Den Chief, or earn credit for it yet, and he came and helped anyways. I went to the Committee and asked to make it official as soon as he got his First Class. We got him a patch, cord, and new knife (that was actually made in the USA) He got tapped into the O.A. and we are in the same lodge. Was at his Ordeal and very proud. Yours in Cheerful Service Tim

We have 3 daughters, 2 cadettes and a Junior,in the GSUSA Group, and a son in our Bear Den. - My oldest daughter ( 2nd yr Cadette) has expressed concern about the changes to the Group leaders. She Was told with a wink to bring it up and vote on it at the next meeting. - She also is planning meeting activities for the girls that cover both Junior and Cadette requirements so they can all work together as before. - I am leaving it to the GSUSA Leaders. However as a parent I feel our opinion is just as valid as hers. - Most of my interaction with the mother occurs through her son gravitating to our meeting room due to the boys and our Den Chief. I told her if he wanted to take part in our activities to sign him up with a troop and perhaps he could be another Den Chief. She informed me that he had been in Scouts and she felt our program is to strict and so she took him out. Which I feel may be a reason she wants to distance from us the Dens. We're little Boy Scouts. We'll see how it all shakes out. Yours in Cheerful Service, Tim

I don't think voting on eagles would be the answer. Then you have a political race. Perhaps a board with no association would suffice. Our Fire Dept promotion board is a set of Chiefs, Officers, and Firefighters from the surrounding Departments. They administer the promotion board to aid in impartiality. They don't know who your daddy was. All they want to know is if your the best candidate, Do you actually know your stuff. I don't believe the system is that broke, that it would need to be changed however. Your in Cheerful Service, Tim

Just My Opinion: It seems that the Leaders in Packs are mainly parents who follow their child through the ranks in to Boy Scouting where the continue to volunteer and sometimes remain as a leader well after their child has left the Troop. Why does it seem that rarely volunteers return to the Pack level to help the young leaders. In my experience Packs are always struggling to fill positions and have constant turn around of leaders. I would think the Troops would have a vested interest in the Pack programs as that is were they are receiving new scouts from. Wouldn't it be advantageous to have some Elder Statesman from the Troop help with the Pack as CM or ACM or CC or Tiger Leader and secure some cohesiveness in the Pack? I've heard several times Troop level adults speak about Pack leaders lack of experience, or the way they run their program and they are losing Web's. How about a helping hand. Share your experience and knowledge. Yours in Cheerful service, Tim

Do Councils and Districts have the right to even do these things? Yours in total confusion, Tim

- I think it was more the manner in which she goes about it, which is hard to paint a picture of through text. I have a Mom in Scouts who is from NY, and is very blunt to say the least. One thing to say is she is honest and will tell you her thoughts to your face. I respect that. Anytime I need an honest opinion she's the first I seek. - We all about trying something new, and change our activities constantly. But when your idea is voted against by the girls. How long do your beat the dead horse. They are not interested,move on. - If you suggest to the leaders changes you would like to see and they unanimously say no thanks, would you invite the mothers out on one-on-one outings only to bring up the ideas again and try and drum up support for them? - After the girls say no thanks to splitting the group, would you invite only the 1st year Cadets for ice-cream after a meeting with out informing the leaders? - Would you threaten to leave a group if the changes weren't made. - Would you ever say that you don't want your opinion to sway anyone on money use only to bring up your kid brings in the most money? - The leaders feel like back stabbing and politicking against them is occurring. The Leader is a super lady and has always said her job is to find a good fit for you and your child. Whether it is our Troop, another unit, or a different group like AHG. She helped establish our Cubs with no child in the program. Can't say enough good things about her. - We operate as a Group which is a Troop of combined ages according to GSUSA. Would you say we need to split up into 3 Troops but not volunteer as a leader? She says she loves the Moms dedication to the Group. Which I feel is partly her reason for staying. She just wants to tweak it to her version of what we should be. I think it's our human nature to want to change things to what we are familiar and comfortable with. Guess I can see her side. But what people want from these programs varies and you need to find a group with similar wants/needs. Yours in Cheerful Service, Tim