Eagle94-A1

BSA's policy is to protect youth and itself. I do not know how they will decide on a youth. I do know the individual who was exonerated had the District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, and was scheduled to undergo the Vigil.

You are correct, BSA would have local law enforcement involved. But the accused would be removed from Scouting, until law enforcement concluded their investigation. Even then, the accused may be permanently banned, even if the evidence exonerated the accused.

Law enforcement may have been called in and it is being investigated by them. Those things do take time. HOWEVER, BSA policy is to remove the accused from Scouting, EVEN IF NO EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME (caps for emphasis), The safety of the members is paramount. It may be a crime, but how many folks making false reports actually get convicted? There are numerous accounts of false reporting in the news. Incidents at Columbia and Duke Universities immediately come to mind. And do not forget the guy in Georgia, who went to jail for a number of years, because of a false report and perjury during the trial. He was later exonerated when the accuser finally admitted she lied. And I know a Scout who falsely accused a Scouter. The Scouter was removed immediately from Scouting, and placed in the IVF, DESPITE THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SHOWING CONCLUSIVELY THAT HER STORY WAS THE TRUE STORY! (caps for emphasis). She was never reinstated. As for the "Scout," he eventually received Eagle and continued with his life as normal. Nothing happened to him.

In my experience and research, only 1 person ever got their membership back. I read about a guy who stopped at a bar in uniform who got kicked out. Reason he stopped at the bar in uniform was that the troop's bus broke down in the middle of nowhere, and the SM walked over a mile or two to make phone calls to a tow company and the parents, It took over a year for him to be reinstated. Sadly everyone else I know or read about that has been placed in the IVF (because that is where the Scouter is being placed) has not won appeals. This includes the individual who was accused of a YPT violation, and was cleared by local law enforcement after a criminal investigation cleared her.

If the current CO agrees to sign over the unit number, YES! (Emphasis, Ok, maybe a little screaming in joy for you ) Troop I grew up in had 3 COs over it's 25+ year history, and got to keep it's tenure. there is a form that needs to be filled out, and the current CO has to agree to the transfer, and if they ever start a new unit, they get a new number.

This concerns me for a variety of reasons. 1. One of the reasons why many girls I have talked to left GSUSA is because of the mandatory cookie sales. They spend what, 2 or 3 months out of the years hawking cookies. And they get pennies on the box. 2. Limits on units. Will councils state that units can only camp on their properties? I have read here and elsewhere that councils do that by only have their camps approved for Cub camping. 3. What if the council neglects the units? I have seen units get ignored by council because they do not go to the council camp, participate in popcorn sales, etc. 4. What if the council professionals have issues with a unit's Scouters, will they have the ability to remove them. I know they can place them in the IVF as I have already seen 1 individual placed in the IVF for political reasons (I think he discovered some accounting discrepancies and questioned it, which led to his being placed in the IVF). 5. Will they have the ability to access funds, and requisition or sell equipment. I have seen OA custodial accounts raided. I know of one council in need of a van for their summer camp program, would they be able to requisition a unit's bus? What about trailers? What about Sea Scout vessals? 6. What about Unit history? In the GSUSA model, units last as long as they have volunteers, usually no more than 10 years, and a GS troop is about equal to a BSA patrol. He have units been around 20, 50, 100+ years. Using the GSUSA model, will units have some type of stability?

One of the NCAP standards, and I believe it is mandatory (sorry It has been a while since I had to deal with NCAP) is that camps' water must be tested ( I think yearly at a minimum) and be deemed potable. I know the NCAP standard was higher than the local standards, and we had to rush a test to open our day camp since it was at our local camp.

I believe 5 years is the 100% vested mark.

Thanks folks for the reassurance, it helps. Yes I want to do my best for my Scouts. I worry about disappointing them, especially having to back out of something they have been looking forward to. This whitewater trip is making me anxious because I want my Scouts to have some good memories. I am the only adult able to go rafting with them, and am thankful that the guides will count towards qualified supervision requirement. One of my Scouts is about to age out, and I wanted this to be a memorable trip for him since he specifically wanted this.

And there was an attempt to to redefine the plan for professionals who had been in the system for decades as well as retirees. I remember the big stink it was causing.

Folks, As most of you know, I have been around a long time, and have served in a variety of volunteer and professional roles. As an OA chapter advisor, I have organized day and weekend trips. I have assisted in organizing and supervising my pack and troops in activities over the years. So this is not my first rodeo in Scouting. But since I took over as SM, almost every weekend trip, I have been anxious and nervous. Are my Scouts going to have fun? Are they ready for the weekend? Will they be any problems? Is this anxiety normal for all new SMs? For example, back in January I was worried some of the Scouts would not have the proper cold weather and rain gear. Yep, some didn't and lucky for them I brought some extra stuff. When we were staffing an event, I was nervous about them running an event that they have run in the past and knew hand s down. For camporee, I was worried that they were not prepared for all the events, and focused on the mantra "Train 'em. Trust 'em. LET THEM LEAD!" The did excellent. We went backpacking, and I was worried about their preparedness and if things happened. And while things did happen: storm, hail, lighting, horses in the camp, etc, they did everything like they were suppose to. We got a whitewater trip this weekend. Class 2 and 3s. Company we hired alllows 8 year olds, and the section is advertised for beginners. We have been going over SSD and SA. We have gone over the basics of white water and will do more tonight. But I am anxious once again. Is this normal? I want my scouts to have great memories and fun, as well as being safe.

Bank accounts and anything that requires registration, i.e. trailers, boats, vans, buses, etc, will need to be transferred to the council's name. Existing equipment, tents, stoves, etc, can theoretically be unreported. But you can bet your DO peach cobbler recipe council will want to know what you are spending money on. And since most units I know store their camping gear in the trailer, but you a DO pizza recipe council will take it when they take the trailer.

That is one of my concerns with the new model as I have seen councils take OA money earmarked for paying for camp improvements being put into the general fund and spent, as well as council moving an OA chapter's equipment from one camp to another without telling anyone. Lodge didn't find out about the money until bills came due and were unpaid. Chapter didn't find out about equipment until a workday.

Been a while since I worked for BSA, but I believe councils contributed to the national pension plan to cover their employees. Just as councils paid insurance money to National.

Technically CORs are already members of both. In actuality, they don't attend. Don't know. Some UMC churches are phenomenal in their chartering responsibilities. My concern too. I stated in another thread what happened with the OA. I know how one unit handled a greedy IH that provided 0 support to the unit over the years, then when they found out they owned gear and money in the bank decided to shut the unit down, and keep everything. The unit payed all expenses for their Scouts for several council and national events, sold the gear for pennies on the dollar to units their scouts were transferring to, and left a balance of $100 as a thank you for letting use the place. IH was ticked, but the CO's treasurer, who was an ASM in another troop, had no issues with it.

Most Cub Scouters have a hard time transitioning. Why many troops i have been with wantba year or more on the commitee first.

Praying for all involved.

My main worry as well. I have seen this done with OA funds and property. I remember an SE appropriated "excess funds" from the OA account as a donation to the council's FOS campaign. Those funds were earmarked for camp improvements for the upcoming conclave at the camp. And when all the bills came due, OA had no money to pay the bills. Then the SE was complaining about "The lodge supports the council, not the other way around." when council was asked to pay the bills since they took the money. One local chapter spent thousands of dollars over the years buying and getting donated equipment to a local camp. They were the ones that maintained the camp, not the council, over the years. Especially when the caretaker died, the OA chapter was doing it all: maintaining and repairing the camp, providing a campmaster, etc. Camp ranger from the main camp came to the local camp one day and took the the zero turn mower, a bunch of hand tools and the storage rack made for the hand tools, AND one volunteer's flair mower! This was done with one one knowing it was going to happen. I know the OA is owned by the council, and that any property and money is really owned by the council. But if they are willing to do this, what will they do with units?

Regarding snacks and food, they can serve a purpose. I have seen cooking demos and cook offs during meetings, especially for backpacking instruction. As a Cub Scout DL, the last meeting of the year was a party with me making cookies in a cardboard box oven.

You are correct, the program should support a motivated Scout to get First Class in a year, and it doesn't mean they have to get there. Lord Baden-Powell said it best, "Advancement is like a suntan, it just happens in the outdoors." The reality is that EVERYTHING (major emphasis), that BSA has put out since August 1989: handbooks, training syllabi, roundtable topics, ad nauseum, has promoted First Class, First Year. Heck even the 1989 report on why National implemented "Operation First Class" as it was then called, ignored program, and focused on advancement. I believe I have lost potential transfer Scouts because when I talked to them, their parents, and their Scouters, I talk about how we are focused on fun and adventure, and not advancement. They seem to be advancement focused, and I blame National for this.

FYI, Family camping does not count toward Tenderfoot through First Class. Tenderfoot 1b states, with bold for emphasis "Spend at least one night on a patrol or troop campout. Sleep in a tent you have helped pitch." Second Class 1a states "Since joining Scouts BSA, participate in five separate troop/patrol activities, at least three of which must be held outdoors. Of the outdoor activities, at least two must include overnight camping. These activities do not include troop or patrol meetings. On campouts, spend the night in a tent that you pitch or other structure that you help erect, such as a lean-to, snow cave, or tepee." And First Class 1a states "10 separate troop/patrol activities, at least six of which must be held outdoors. Of the outdoor activities, at least three must include overnight camping. " Camping Merit Badge gets tricky as some requirements must be done in the patrol setting. National Outdoor Award is not a problem. But in my area, the award is not a big deal. Most units are camping 9-12 times each year.

Patrol emblem. Here is the source https://www.boyscouttrail.com/docs/uniform_male.pdf

Outside of the plan. Back in the day when I was a DE, I was told as part of my training that BSA's liability insurance covered both the LCs and COs. The reason for coverage was that the charter fee they paid covered the liability insurance for them. Thank you. And Mods, if these posts are out of place, mea culpa.

But aren't the LCs and COs covered by BSA's insurance, at least sine 1976? I know I was told that BSA insurance covered both when I was a DE.

Training helps get them get an idea of what to do without whispering in their ear. Letting them make mistakes or fail is a way to learn. If you do it for them, they never learn and grow. Worse they will lose interest 4th method: Socratic Ask them questions that make them think and come up with solutions.