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Col. Flagg

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Everything posted by Col. Flagg

  1. Lawyers and special interest groups got involved in opening up BSA's membership policy in 2013. Outcome: BSA caves and puts the liability and risk on the local units rather than taking the heat at the national level. Lawyers and special interest groups got involved in opening up BSA's membership policy in 2015. Outcome: BSA caves and puts the liability and risk on the local units rather than taking the heat at the national level. Lawyers and special interest groups got involved in opening up BSA's membership policy in 2016. Outcome: BSA caves and puts the liability and risk on the loca
  2. Just throwing this out there, but I have heard the stat of 1-2% of all Venturing Scouts actually work on or achieve any advancement awards. It would be interesting to see if this would change in a coed (Boy) Scouting program. And what would Venturing become if Scouting takes on girls? It would seem superfluous.
  3. I believe the point is having something for boys only. You know, that old chestnut. Venturing is for girls, so the girls have that as an option. Not sure why they need to crow bar their way in to Boy Scouts.
  4. Thanks for the condescending tone. I guess the retort you're looking for is, "Well, it doesn't make your assertion true either." Meh. You assume there's another unit available. You further assume that the goal of the suit is to get their kids in Scouts as opposed to simply gratuitous litigation. But that never happens. BSA never backs down from threats to change policy. Ah, well, let's just stick with the latest one (law suit). I don't have time to quote the others. It's just a matter of time before this group or this girl file a law suit. They've already wasted Council time
  5. According to the BSA technology "road map" they plan on making ScoutBook the platform for councils to manage MBC lists. Now, whether that is a suggestion or a mandate is anyone's guess. It is an interesting read, if not amusing at times.
  6. We had eight elected out of 21 eligible. The problem is that once they complete Ordeal there's just not a lot going on in the Lodge, so it becomes yet another thing to be involved in. Since many of the Scouts are over subscribed at it is, OA does not get much traction other than getting elected, completing Ordeal and wearing the sash. That's pretty prevalent where I live. I wish it were not.
  7. I will believe it when I see it. It just takes one person with a reason and a lawyer to try to force change. And the BSA has a rather pathetic track record of sticking up for the local units when lawyers get involved. Time will tell.
  8. I have read here before that some have turned down special needs Scouts because they may not be equipped to deal with their needs, perhaps causing a risk to the Scout and increased liability to the unit and adult leaders. Would not a girl boy joining Scouts pose a similar issue? Could not the same defense be used?
  9. Quite true. We ran in to a troop doing ATVs this past weekend. What folks do and what they're allowed to do are two different animals. I was also curious to see if there was some hidden, hard to find BSA rule that said SMs could not allow OA elections. I agree that saying the Scouts may not qualify by not having exhibited the Oath or Law gives the SM that option, but you'd have to have a pretty significant failure of leadership (by the SM) to get to that point.
  10. I hear the Dallas council (Circle Ten) is willing to host folks. It's a good 1200 miles from West Va, but there's plenty to see there and between the two points.
  11. Simple. Society has too many ways to breed the kids these days in to self-absorbed, everyone-gets-a-trophy, what's-in-it-for-me narcissists that, unless someone holds them accountable, rarely do they voluntarily do anything selfless or philanthropic. As part of our unit's philosophy -- which people know going in -- is to have the boys give back through their leadership, participation, citizenship and community service. They know that once they make Eagle they are expected to "give back" in some way. Maybe they are a JASM. Maybe they are an Instructor for the younger Scouts. Maybe they lead
  12. We don't have to worry about this. In 25 years we've only had two Scouts make Eagle and run. They lied in their ESMC that they intended on sticking around and being active. Both literally left within days of their EBOR. Didn't stick around to have an ECOH. That was long ago. Thankfully, our guys have learned to give back and to not be selfish. I'd argue that knowing your obligations and living up to them -- at personal cost to yourself if that be the case -- is what forges the type of citizens *I* want to have around. I'm not sure I want some self-interested person who follows his own
  13. You might want to check your terms. Stewardship is a very different concept than servitude. We believe stewardship is part of character development. Sound familiar? One of the aims of Scouting. Certainly, getting Eagle and leaving does not speak much to character in our book. Since you asked, we tell Scouts and their families when they join us that our unit prides itself on building the boys' character. To us that means that you give back what you take out. You don't cut and run once you get Eagle (if that's 14-16), you give back. You mentor. You coach. You give "cheerful service". BTW
  14. Have you logged in to my.scouting during recharter to check your members' training history? If so, this should be no surprise.
  15. I see your point, but the vast majority of people are not going to see this. People don't think of the units or COs as somehow different from BSA, they see them as the local representative of the BSA. Heck, many COs in my area don't see the units as part of their ministry; more like they are tenants which the CO tolerate. I'll bet most don't know that they bear the brunt of the liability if something goes wrong. I disagree with the statement that in order to be a national organization one needs to accept everyone. The charter from Congress and case law gives (gave) BSA the right to have th
  16. This is the part of your position I still don't understand, Fred, so forgive me. Since BSA changed the membership policy they are telling the general public that BSA allows (x) type of person. So this (x) family comes to my unit and signs up. My unit's CO may not recognize the issue (x) person has and it may not be part of their foundational beliefs. (x) family won't understand that the CO has the "right" to turn them down. Heck, my CO might not see they have the "right" to turn them away. We had several COs in the district expel several units because of these membership changes. So al
  17. How do they enforce this? I'm curious because this is a rampant issue. Most MBC's who want to be troop-only hide behind the "I don't have time right now" excuse.
  18. I just sent a note to the national JTE lead asking the question. The answer does not exist where it is easily found. I will post any reply I get. EDIT: That was fast!!! Here's the reply I received from the national JTE person... JTE is from January 1 to December 31 of each calendar year. Below is a blurb from a unit worksheet regarding recharter:
  19. And yet which direction does Scouting go? The double down on STEM activities at places like Seabase and Bechtel and Philmont, focusing MORE on the activities that compete with school. I applaud them linking STEM to the outdoors, but I think that's getting lost in the message to the kids. For example, my son met some folks from USGS and the US Forest Service this summer at Philmont. This kids LOVES biology and geology, in addition to being in Scouting and outdoors. When he learned he could spend a summer doing an invasive species census in the meadows and highlands at Philmont, he JUMPED at
  20. Our council always tells us there's no such thing as "troop-only" MBCs. Now, policing that they don't do. So folks on the MBC list *should* be available to all. In actuality they simply say "I'm too busy" when they mean "I do my troop only."
  21. Since all presidents have been honored with this status, I highly doubt it will NOT be conferred. I expect the Berkeley kids to riot after it happens.
  22. My council will print out a list if requested for my district. Anyone registered as an MBC from my district will show up on that list. The PROBLEM lies in how folks register. For example, I'm an SM so I register each year as an SM. I am also an MBC, so I register as an MBC. HOWEVER, it appears, at least in my council, those are two different systems. Making things worse, they generated yet another BSA ID for me (despite providing my BSA ID on the MBC form). So in my.scouting I have to take YPT twice. You'd think they could just go in to the membership system, check the right boxes and
  23. The Bechtel camp is not very close to any major cities. And West Virginia -- and I say this having gone to school there -- makes Blackpool look like Barcelona by comparison. The state itself has great mountains (by East Coast standards, around 3,000-4800ft), some awesome rivers, decent climbing (in the north) and some very nice forests. Camping around there is decent, though camp grounds can vary in quality. Besides the Interstate roads, the local roads are dangerous at night...mostly due to deer that love to run out and chase your car. You are pretty far from any major city. Richmond
  24. Sorry Fred, you can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't imply that BSA made the right decision to change their policy without answering a politically neutral question as to what you think they achieved that they didn't already have. I don't post much but I read a great deal. I know enough to know you've given your opinion many times here. To avoid answering a benign question as to what you think BSA gained by making the decision they didn't already have is, sorry to say, a dodge. Now, if you think they did it for political reasons you think might be inflammatory, then please sim
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