HelpfulTracks

Hmmmm, coffee delivery trucks at camp. Sounds like a fundraiser for some enterprising young scouts.

Scouts rock!

Have your scouts had any trading? TLT, ILSC, NYLT? Are your youth active in OA and attending events and OA training? Too often youth have no idea of how they should/can organize or lead. Training is a good place to start. Even with training, our Scouts didn’t really totally grasp how they should/could be leading until they saw it in action outside the troop. They saw how it was working with OA and everything we had been teaching them sort of clicked and youth led took off like a rocket with them. Patrol system and youth led go hand in hand in my opinion. It also takes bo

We have made “pressed” sandwiches since I was a youth many years ago. We used two cast iron skillets of differing sizes. Preheating both skillets, cooking in the larger and using the smaller as a press. Works well.

If the Cooking merit badge is the goal, then there is nothing stopping you. Have your scouts plan their meals in the weeks running up to camp, purchase their food the days before and cook during camp. Just do not attend the camp meals in the dinning hall. But understand, that will likely exclude the Scouts from participating in scheduled activities. Most of the camps I have researched, that offer patrol meals, provide ready made menus for the Scouts to cook. That does not meet the requirements for cooking merit badge. This is the reason Scouts can’t work the cooking MB at high advent

The four digits for the system is a legacy database issue and nothing more. I would just pick a number you want. If it isn’t in use or reserved, I seriously doubt it is a hill and DE or SE wants to die on. A DC really has no say in the matter.

Our main Camp has a nice museum. Some units and OA Lodges have some nice collections also.

I just flipped through the girls version of the handbook. Of the first 25 images of people (through page 27), 10 are in field uniform, 7 are clearly activity uniforms, 3 are non-uniforms (youth doing stuff at home). The remaining five are rain gear or outdoor gear that may or may not be be covering field or activity uniforms. I cannot say I see a pattern that makes me think BSA is down playing field or activity uniforms.

I don’t care as long as it get them excited, promotes Scout and patrol spirit. More power to them.

I’ve never seen a dog that could not swim, at least a short distance and time. Even those with a lot of fur that traps water tend to keep their heads above water. Great job by the Scouts though. Never know when your training and skills will come into play. Thus, be prepared.

As a District Commissioner, I don’t care what number a unit uses as long as it is available and not in use or reserved. Our council tends to try and reserve numbers for a CO for their other units. For example if the has Troop 100, we tend to reserve 100 for the possibility that they will start a pack, Crew or ship. i have not heard anything about National trying to push 4 number troops beyond their fact that the system requires them. But that just means that Troop 100 is Troop 0100 in their system. As for girl Troops I have seen several use the next or previous increment if the

I hate to see you walk away from the CM position, but sometimes saying no is the best choice for all involved, particularly you and your son. If you do choose this path, understand that the same people that you are having difficulty with (or someone like them) may end up in that position. Maybe your path can including influencing who will take that position and help make the choice a wise one for the youth.

Indeed my nic/handle is based on the B-P quote, "No one can pass through life, any more than he can pass through a bit of country, without leaving tracks behind, and those tracks may often be helpful to those coming after him in finding their way." I love the quote because it speaks to how I try to lead youth and adults.

Flags at the veterans cemeteries

I'm with @TAHAWK and @DuctTape. Being an adult leader is not always easy. Particularly if you are going to truly follow patrol method and youth led. Being hands off, or more accurately, the invisible hand that guides, is much easier than it sounds. Gut instinct is to jump in and take charge, but resist that urge. Mentor, guide and set expectations, but do not try to run things. The PLC makes the rules of the Troop as long as they adhere to BSA Policy (G2SS, YPT, G2A etc), the law and CO rules. The PLC is also responsible for the all of the planing, for meetings, outings, service, fundrais

Welcome to adult leadership. Unfortunately, there are those in Scouting that want to do Scouting THEIR way or just cannot manage to play well with others. Some options: Lead them. Easier said than done, but by setting expectations and leading by example, advising and guiding you may be able to get through. Continue to have discussions with them and let them know why you have certain expectations and how they can help you and the Cubs by following them. Hard, but really the Scouting way. It's your sandbox, your rules. Now that you are CM you have push back on certain be

I think you would be surprised how the youth would do. I expected that they could pick leaders without it being a popularity contest, but I was very surprised how well and how seriously they take doing so. Over the years I have seen unit elections, Chapter and Lodge elections, VOA, Jambo, Vigil and more. Each time I walk away impressed at how well these young people do in the process. But, even if it is a popularity contest, it is their choice. They may very well make mistakes, but that is how they learn.

I all honesty would it surprise either one of us if one OR both sets of links have incorrect information? I have become accustomed to BSA info being different, even within the same site or even same post.

I am not sure where the links you posted came from. All I can tell you is that I had signed up for alerts way back in 2016. The only requirements were age (and money). This link dates back to Nov 2016 https://www.2019wsj.org/eligibility-to-attend-the-jamboree/ And I spoke with the staff who manned the WSJ tent at the NSJ. I asked about rank because I had already read the requirements that did not mention rank and my daughter was not yet eligible to join a crew and I wanted to know if I had read it correctly and if not, what, if any, rank (award) she needed to attend. I was told ther

If I were in your position here is what I would do. I will add this caveat, guide the scouts all along the way, but if they decide to do things differently, then let them, as long as it doesn't break BSA policy or risk safety. Even if you know it will fail, let them do it. That is how they will learn. Sounds like the SPL is elected by the youth. If so start with him. Explain to him that your job is to help THEM create a program that works for them. That you will make sure that the troops operates according to BSA policy and standards. That you are his mentor and are there to advise NOT ru

First, there was no waiving of FC rank for WSJ, because there was never a rank requirement. Only an age requirement. That goes back to literature I received prior to and at the 2017 NSJ. IN fact Ms. Ireland used the argument that BSA was blocking girls from attending because they would not have time to earn FC. As I pointed out at the time, she was wrong. As for waivers, I was initially opposed. In hindsight, I think it is a positive. Not because of Ms. Ireland or girls like her. But because of all the young ladies that are Venturers and joining Scouts BSA. They are providing a goo

A woggle is a woggle? I disagree, in fact the Wood Badge Woggle, Beads and Necker are one of the very few things that are recognized world wide. It is worn to symbolize completion of something. Just as 3 beads are for staff and 4 for course directors symbolizes a position held. With your logic a NESA slide is just a slide (not an indicator of being an Eagle and supporting NESA). Same for SPL patch, Commissioner arrowhead, Jamboree necker, Ranger Award medal, AOL knot, Founders dangle, Lodge flap, Silver Beaver award, and so on. Scouting restrict certain items for wear because they are ea

I am not a fan of Ms. Ireland's tactics or rhetoric, but to be fair to her, I remember reading that is some type of Wood Badge part 1 in Canada which she was eligible and has participated, thus eligible to wear the WB woggle. I do not recall all the details but that portion of Wood Badge is open to youth and the Woogle signifies completion.

I would disagree with you on this. Based on what you have said about your troop I think it is most certainly a conscious decision. But the decision is not to "make Eagles". The decision has been to help the Scouts create a great program. A program that clearly keeps youth engaged and having fun. If troops do this, they will have Scouts earn Eagle. As I said in an earlier post, Eagle mills usually are not sustainable. Their focus is on the wrong thing and Scouts and Leaders burn out. Troops that build good program are sustainable and will ALSO help Scouts earn their Eagle. T

I have never liked the fact that districts and councils "measure" how many Eagle Scouts they turn out. And if a number is below some level of expectation the question is "what is wrong", if it above the level of expectation, it is "look at how well we are doing." I suppose it is human nature since it is one of the few methods that has some measurable. But if that is how we want to measure I would prefer to see an overall advancement measure, not just Eagle. Cubs is measured that way, but Scouts is all about the Eagle. The measure of a goo unit in my mind is are the youth having fun,