sierracharliescouter

We use troopwebhost for our roster/communication/planning, but use Internet Advancement 2.0 (which is really just a different front end for Scoutbook) for all advancement. The mobile app for troopwebhost is bizarre, it needs to load all of the roster data every time you start it, so it is rather slow. The calendar and email features from a desktop/laptop are pretty solid, even though the interface is rather dated. Transitioning a unit from one platform to another is a giant PIA, so do all the research you need to be happy with your choice. There will be at least a few months o

I agree, wrangling Cub Scout parents is excellent training for herding cats.

A rather simple solution/exclusion to this rule could be written, to allow *continued* (not new) one-on-one contact *outside of scouts* between 18-19 year olds and their friends within 2 years age with whom they previously were youth-in-common as scouts. Add to that a permission waiver for the parents of the under 18 youth, specifically naming the 18/19 year olds with whom they can maintain one-on-one contact with *outside of scouts*.

The frustrating part of G2SS for me is that it remains inconsistent with well known risks in other parts of the program. I work in an industry that has many, highly regulated, safety risks. Just because something is risky doesn't mean you never do it, it means you teach awareness of the risks and how to minimize them. That is a far better life lesson to kids than cutting activities and sitting around and playing computer games all day (which has it's own physical and mental health risks). Yes, they are teenagers and a lot of it doesn't stick the first few times you tell them, but you keep the

Feminine hygiene products were available at the trading posts both at Philmont and our local Council camp this summer.

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

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.