sierracharliescouter

The issue really isn't the $s, it is the last minute change announcement. If they announced this back in July or August, it wouldn't have had any big blow-back. Realistically, this is one or two cups of coffee per month difference for parents. Maybe 3 or 4 cups if they have multiple kids in the program. Go to the local donut shop for a cup instead of Starbucks. The donut shop has better coffee anyway. National continues to demonstrate they have no change management skills.

Our troop budgets an average of $4 per meal per scout (or adult). One person in each patrol is usually responsible for buying for the entire campout, based on a (hopefully) detailed menu agreed to by the Patrol. Scout or adult submits to the treasurer for reimbursement based on actual costs. Seems to average out pretty well. Patrols share some common items, like condiments, or will share something like a head of lettuce to cover 2 or 3 patrols for sandwiches, so there isn't as much waste.

Yes, it would, because I very much doubt that most (or maybe any) councils have the appropriate level of expertise or resources to appropriately evaluate the risks for every Eagle project, and it should be up to the beneficiary to determine if the risks are acceptable to them.

You forgot Chemistry and Salesmanship.

The problem with rescinding an Eagle is who decides what crime rises to the level of losing the award? Shoplifting? Embezzlement? Selling a dime-bag on the street? DUI? DUI that results in vehicular homicide? The reality is that Eagle hopefully represents what a person was at a particular point in their life, though we all know there is a wide range of actual knowledge that a Scout can have and behaviors that they may exhibit and still earn Eagle. Also, just because someone does something wrong at some point in their life doesn't mean that bad action has to forever define who they are for their remaining days. The act of taking away recognition of an Eagle award could have a negative effect on hope of rehabilitation from criminal acts.

Who handled internet advancement for your pack? They should have completed advancement of the kids in June or earlier. You'll need to find someone who has access to your online advancement records. If you're having trouble finding that person, contact your unit commissioner or district executive, and if you don't know who that is, call your council office for help. As for the Tigers, just start working on stuff and don't worry about whether their records are updated or not. You can catch up with the paperwork later, just keep the program moving along.

I'm hearing reports that due to an insufficient number of buses, Western Region USA scouts are being bused out early, before or during Closing Ceremony, and will have to spend the night in the airport. This is a pretty stunning level of logistical incompetence.

I cannot see a reason for a Den Chief to enter a Cub tent or adult tent (except family). Even as an adult I would not do this without another adult present, even if the tents are known to be empty. See the earlier post that links to descriptions and the purpose and role of the Den Chief.

I don't recommend having a sibling of Cub Scout in the Den as the Den Chief, unless there is an exceptionally good sibling relationship. I also wouldn't have a Den Chief that is less than three years older than Cubs in the Den. The purpose is to have someone to help lead, not another participant. It can work, I've seen it work reasonably well, but the older Scout needs to take it seriously.

We may be dancing over semantics on this, but the new requirements for AOL makes it functionally a separate rank now. It used to be that a 5th grader could not join the program and get the AOL patch without having gone through the Webelos requirements. You basically could not join Cub Scouts in 5th grade and earn AOL. That was the major point of the change, to enable newly-joined 5th grade Cub Scouts to earn AOL and be able to bridge to Boy Scouts before they turned 11. Saying that AOL is *not* a separate rank now is a distinction without much of a difference.

Our tradition is that the 5th graders (aka AOL-rank scouts, not Webelos anymore, thanks BSA for making this confusing) bridging to Scouts BSA receive their AOL patch at our Blue and Gold Dinner in February, and are received by their respective troops as their "cross the bridge". We invite the whole pack (50+ families) to the Blue and Gold Dinner, but only the AOLs are recognized, so maybe a third of the rest of the Pack attends, usually the families of the Scouters plus a few more. We do our lower ranks bridging ceremony as a big pot-luck dinner in mid-May, where all of the other Cubs "bridge" to their next rank.

Yeah, I've done a bunch of Google searches, none definitively list the width for the inflatable track. Best I can figure is 3 inch width should work.

we have a dad who is willing to cut boats from a high density foam, which is why i'm looking for the spec width.

Quick question. What is the correct boat width for an inflatable track raingutter regatta boat?

If it is a medium-large pack, it can be difficult to find suitable group-site campgrounds or get reservations at adjoining smaller camp sites. This is a problem for our pack of ~50 boys, where often nearly half the pack would want to go - resulting in 100+ folks who want to go to a campground that may only allow 70. We do it first-come first-served, and maintain a waiting list in case of cancellations. Finding campgrounds near us with sufficient parking for large groups is also a problem. I think they plan some of these site assuming there are a few 15 passengers vans being used for transport.