Eagle94-A1

First I hard of this. Didn't National try this in the 1950s, and it flopped? I've heard stories that folks were automatically enrolled as Explorers, but still remained with the troop. That is a great question. I know it is more expensive to do HA activities, but it is possible. But we are an "old school" troop not focused on advancement, but instead on fun and adventure. If it takes 4.5 year to get First Class, so be it.

A few reasons for Venture crew/patrols demise. 1. Not really popular outside of LDS units, and then it was those units that did not focus on sports. When the old Leadership Corps was turned into Venture Crews in 1989 (although some units like mine continued using Leadership Corps until we ran out of patches circa 1995), it did not have a huge following. I was hired in 1996 to create a high adventure program based upon the activity pins that were associated with the program, we had 0 interest, and I ended up doing COPE instead of because NO ONE signed up for it. 2. Varsity Teams and

Fixed that for you. Let's face it, National is the one setting the tone on this. National is producing training material that promotes advancement above all things, and positions of responsibility is part of that.

Depending upon who is taking care of them, I can see that. We had an former US Army armorer taking care of our day camp BB guns. He turned a bunch of abused and poorly taken care of BB guns, and turned them into competition quality bb guns. Sadly council found out about him, and recruited him for summer camp staff where he was the shooting sports director. Unless policy has changed since I went to camp school, or a council has figured out a way to get around the rules, National has prohibited packs from running their own shooting sports events. Cub Scout shooting sports are restrict

I know the camp I went to in the 1980s and worked at in the 1990s was mixed. With the exception of 2 classes ( Astronomy and Journalism) all MB classes were during the day. They did have "extras" at night time, i.e. First Aid and CPR certification, Hunter Safety, etc, one or two nites. Also some classes did have a 1 night program, i.e. Wilderness Survival, Camping, etc. While we wanted MBs, we wanted fun more. In fact we were told never to take more than 5 classes so that we could have at least last period with free swimming, boating, and shooting sports, so we can have fun. Night time had a m

I wish we could get back to patrol method summer camps. Sadly I do not see this happening as the current structure is too ingrained in parents, Scouts, and many, many Scouters. I have had parents tell me that if they are paying for camp they will be picking the classes that he can get the MB at camp, otherwise it is not worth it. I have Scouts who enjoyed their COVID-19 summer camp, which used the patrol method, tell me they do not want to do to again because of the limited MB we worked on. And I had a scout retake a MB because it was fun, and another Scouter told me he was wasting his time.

We have not had a dull time DE in my district prior to merger for at least 9 years, always having to share one with another district. Since the merger in 2021, we have had 2 DEs. One didn't even attend the district camporee. The other didn't attend the council camporee, although she was brand new and I will cut her some slack. We have hand delivered advancement paperwork only to be be told "It was never turned in" (despite having a photo taken of the paperwork in fact being turned in because of previous issues). We needed professional help trying to get into the schools for recruiting, to n

Part of the reason BSA kept those files for so long is that folks in them could still be alive, and a danger to youth, decades after being put into them. The SM who abused my 2 friends is still alive. While a criminal background check would show his conviction for CSA (their mom did press charges), Others in the IVF were NOT convicted, and the IVF prevents them from re-enrolling. One victim posted their abusers case file on a previous thread. They were never charged with a crime, and only the IVF prevented them from rejoining. Grant you they attempted to rejoin within 2 years of being kicked

Unless they go to that camp, and take all the equipment that has been donated to maintain it. Yes that happened. They even took some personal gear that volunteers left because they were doing multi-weekend projects. Agree. 33% of COUNCIL Fundraisers is the norm. Unit fundraisers are for the unit. What's a Unit Earning Application? :) Seriously, I have turned in some, and never got them back. Quit filling it out. Sometimes the volunteer IS following the directions of the professional. Some Pros are jerks.

December 2016 is when National watered down the 2015 Cub Scout program, changing requirements mid year. My pack decided to ignore the December 2016 Update and continue with what they planned, and then synced everything with National in June 2017. BUT books still had the 2015 requirements, and some of those books were still floating in stores as late as 2018/19. And it wasn't just Webelos, it was the entire Cub Scout program that was revamped. The reason for the watering down of the Cub Scout Program in December 2016 is due to complaints. People were so use to everythign being completed by

When Webelos went from a 9-12 month program to an 18-24 month program in the 1990s, the purpose was to move the Cross Overs from May/June time frame to February/March time frame in order to get the new Scouts, and adults, acclimated with Scouts BSA. I know that when I crossed over in May under the older program, I had less than 3 weeks to come up with the money to go to camp, and attend. My family could not afford it at the 'last minute," and I did not go with my troop the first summer I was in Scouts. I missed out on a lot by not going. That is what we essentially did with yo

I had one of those, but in reverse. SM wanted a name removed after he approved the Scout for election, and he got in. He was pressuring the election team, and when I intervened tried pressuring me. When I refused to cave, he started yelling at me. That is when I decided to leave , and he followed me into the parking lot and cursed me out. AND NOW I REMEMBER, he was the one who the following year told his troop h ow to vote so everyone could get in ( this was when there were election limits). Glad yours went well. That happened in my troop in the 1980s, back when there were e

One of the biggest issues I just recently found out is that since at least 2015, the Webelos Den Leader Book, or whatever it is called, has sections cut and pasted from the Cub Scout Leader Section, specifically how advancement is suppose to work. NONE of the information that was in older Webelos leader literature and training is in it. So instead of telling Wbeelos den leaders they and "activity badge counselor" sign off instead of parents, parents till sign off as it is done. And another issue I have is training. I admit I hate online training. BUT one of the complaints I am hearing abo

When i ran CS day camp, irregardless of who owned the property, NCAP applied.

I was one of those 18- 30 year olds. I served in a variety positions, including professional, in that age range: ASM, OA lodge officer, OA chapter advisor, AIA advisor, UC, and council training staff. Because of my age, I got along with the youth very well, and still keep in contact with a bunch of them years later. As for being asked, I think it varies. Some other Scouters had no issues asking me to help out. Others ignored me, told me I had not idea what I was doing or talking about, etc. It was frustrating at times.

Thanks for the letter. That does not answer everything I wanted, but is a start.

Yes and no for the first part. There are some "old fogeys" who for whatever reason can still connect. Younger Scouters have a lot to offer and I encourage them. Sadly the 18-20 YO crowd in my neck of the woods feel completely disrespected by not being counted as 2 deep for YP purposes within Scouting, BUT also have to follow YP rules outside of Scouting per National. KNow several outstanding young men who are no longer involved because the 2018 rule would interfere with school, work, and friendships As for some countries having a max age for direct contact roles, I was told Belgium had o

I have not seen it yet, but did see the list of folks who are in it and contributed, and know our former national Youth Protection Director, Michael Johnson, is involved. I have two questions regarding him and his info. 1. What raw data is he using when he state, “The truth is clear: no child is safe in Scouts BSA programs.” I want to see stats, trends, reports, etc to prove this is the case. And I want the raw data because as Mark Twain once said, " There are three types of lies: lies, damn lies, and then there is statistics." 2. If his statement is true, then what the heck

Don't get me started on being held hostage by a Trailer Hauler. You can read all about it in another thread🤬

Although we have several trucks with towing capability, the trailer we have is so heavy, only 1 can pull it. It is a custom built one and one that survived a crash down a mountainside. (don't ask before my time, but our CC is proud of the indestructability of the trailer). Our driver is not going camping this weekend, and we are simulating a backpacking trip as we don't have a lot of vehicles going. As for backpacking meals, we have gone old school and are making our own. Still pricier than normal, but cheaper than the premade stuff.

Don't remind me. I know of a council that is doing a dodgeball tournament as a fundraiser. I almost asked if they knew Dodgeball has been banned by the BSA since 2018, but decided to stay out of it. However some volunteers are questioning why the council can have a Dodgeball tourney, but the units cannot.

Maybe because I am not a businessman, but I always thought it is better to buy than rent. Especially since the warehouse SHOULD be paid for. When I forked for Supply in the 90s, the warehouse had been there a while.

@InquisitiveScouter, Pretty much. At the town hall meeting I went to, I made comments and folks in the know, or should have been in the know, were either shocked or shocked and angered that I knew as much as I did on the trial. When discussing matters from the trial, specifically the Churchill Plan and their plan to limit the number of councils, get rid of "excess" camps, and cap the upper age limit to 18 for all programs with a council level volunteer, I was told I was spreading rumors.

If this is the wrong spot for the question, Mods please feel free to move it to the right one. When will the transcript of the session that the CHURCHILL PLAN was discussed and how do I go about getting a copy of the transcript? No one in my council is mentioning anything about it, and when I do ask questions about it, I am told I am "spreading rumors," and "no one knows what is actually going to happen." Considering the leash that national does have over councils, national gets its way.

Why I use folks who need ITOLS to be "trained," but already know the material as staff. I know someone who was super active in Scouting to the point his wife acknowledged she was a 'Scouting Widow" on weekends. Since he grew up in the program, he never needed basic camping skills and for his first 40 years as a Scouter, training was not a big deal, and he never went through it. Sadly he missed the test out option when it was available. But in all honesty we probably could not schedule a time to do the test out since he was always Scouting.