4CouncilsScouter

In Mark Stinnett style, I tendered my resignation on my last national committee before the New Year. At this point, I've decided to hang up my hat and volunteer solely in my nephew's troop and niece's pack. As someone who grew up in the program. I saw the BSA go through a few short-lived changes to improve their strategy. I remember Scouting/USA and the Improved Scouting Program they had in the 70s. To one degree or another, these strategies have gone from prominent unveiling to quiet retirement. However, I find it harder to believe in the longterm solubility of the BSA with its current intern

Has anyone heard anything about Foxtrot Base Camp at the Summit to be closed after this jamboree?

Just came off of a week at Philmont Training Center during the commissioner week, and a conjecture came to mind with the new OA policy announcement. We're going to hit a critical mass in the near future with Venturing and the Order of the Arrow in local councils and hit some hurdles in many of our non-metropolitan councils: Over-tapped youth volunteers. We see it now with adult volunteers, now, so if we begin expecting Venturers to keep active in their VOA and dive right in with their chapter/lodge, we're going to be hitting the same people. Organization identity. Anyone who's seen

I was visiting my local Scout Shop today, and I noticed my council now has a security guard. As I was leaving, I saw the guard heckling a volunteer in the lobby about why they were there. I saw another Scouter I knew watching from the other side of the lobby. I asked that Scouter if he knew anything about the new security, and he said he didn't know anything about it. He recalled seeing the guard at the council banquet watching the doors but had no idea otherwise about why we have one. I'll make my opinion clear. I don't think our council has the need or can justify the cost of a securit

The information I've gotten from my council and ScoutingU says the training should be approximately one hour long. This has to do with some states requiring annual or regular youth protection training for any volunteers in their state who interact with youth or who interact with you in overnight-settings.

Hey Brian, The key difference in WFA is that the BSA has worked with the Red Cross and other groups to develop a training for Scouting members that focuses on responding to situations when it's not an 8 minute wait for an ambulance but an 8 hour wait for a helicopter. In short, some of the things you'll you notice in WFA versus basic first aid courses include: A greater emphasis on longer-term care. Techniques for moving individuals long-distances over difficult terrain. How to take into account environmental factors into your treatment plan. Responding to more adv

@Eagle94-A1, that's kinda of where I'm at patch-wise. Playing devil's advocate though, the Chaplain/Camp Commissioner training is listed in the National Camp School brochure and trainings' syllabi are posted only on NCS's website. I'd be curious to see what our council camping chair has to say or area NCAP chair has to say.

The reason I ask specifically is that NCS training for camp commissioners and chaplains is no longer done at at national/regional level. They passed it on down to councils to put on. I'm not sure whether to order NCS patches for our chaplain and camp commissioners once they do their training though. On a side note @Eagle94-A1, our council has budgeted for NCS for their year. They just like for their individuals to "put down the deposit so you're committed". I don't see the harm in paying $50 out-of-pocket when the council will pay for the rest (easily several hundred more), and I know at

I have a National Camp School (NCS) and uniforming question for those with a little more background in this than me. The other day, our council's camping director asked me to come on as our Cub Scout resident camp program director, perks of being retired and having more time I guess . I put down my deposit to go to NCS for Program Director training and began recruiting staff for this summer. Here's my question: should chaplains and camp commissioners wear the NCS emblem even though they now go through council-delivered training for their positions?

From what I understand, there is some grounds to this rumor. I have it in good faith from a fellow Scouter serving on one of the national OA subcommittees that this has in fact been discussed. He cited concerns over 1) changing public opinion about the OA's usage of American Indian elements, and 2) the use of American Indian culture in Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting advancement has some OA leadership concerned about the OA being "grouped in" if a pack or troop uses AIA in poor taste. I suspect that this was brought up at the OA National Planning Meeting that happened this December,

@T2Eagle I'd say you'd have two routes here: Route One: Complete Form 680-676 and submit it to your district executive or Scout executive. Route Two: Notify your district executive that an adult leader broke YPT separate accommodations for Scouts and Scouters policy, and explain to them exactly what happened. Let them know that you'll be working with the adult leader in question and refreshing him on YPT policies. If you suspect any inappropriate behavior or abuse occurred, immediately report it to your Scout executive or council office. Additionally, you may be required by

I know with the last round of Federal labor law changes we saw some changes to what professional Scouters can serve a district, e.g. the district associate position being added as a non-exempt alternative to the traditional district executive position. However, did anyone hear anything about a new position called a district assistant? I stopped by my council service center today and noticed they were clearing out a couple old offices that had been used as storage for a while now. I asked my DE about what the was reasoning for the early-spring cleaning, and he said the council was planning

I thought we moved past this is in 2015... A male leader, irregardless of their sexual orientation, counts as a male.

Hey @Snow Owl, the BSA has four main mechanisms for verifying if a volunteer is eligible to work with youth. Each Scouter is required to undergo a background check as a part of their application. Your council service center and its professional staff are responsible for filtering out volunteers whose background checks come back with offenses. Your Scout executive or their designee should contact your unit's leadership if anything comes back beyond, say, a parking ticket. Each adult application requires references be checked. For unit-level Scouters, this should be done by the unit

At my crew’s last meeting, several Venturers expressed interest at working at the Summit after hearing our crew’s VP talk about her Jambo experience. I worked at Philmont during my college years but for obvious reasons never worked at the SBR . I can imagine some aspects of camp staff life are pretty universal, but I know each camp has its own flairs too. Does anyone have any insight into working as a part of the Summit’s seasonal staff that I can share with any of these interested Venturers?

@CalicoPenn Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but I don't believe anyone ever claimed to have created this on their own accord. This came from the Health and Safety team at the National Service Center. It's a BSA document and can be found on multiple, official BSA sites. Moreover, given the imperative mood used, I'd consider it to be hard and fast policies from these "safety points... taken into consideration": Never attach a hammock to any object that could move, such as vehicle bumpers or trailers. Never “stack” hammocks one above another. Do not hang a hammock abov

@CalicoPenn Semantics aside, we have a responsibility as Scouters and volunteers in this organization to adhere to established program policies/rules/guidelines. The purpose of BSA Health and Safety Alerts and BSA Safety Moments are to call attention to situations to which there is a present or probable situation in which members could be harmed. They're used to keep our youth safe and enable their leaders to make sound decisions based on the collective experiences/research of volunteers across the country. They're not issued for "blueberry pancakes" preferences.

I'm guessing they're assuming that "Hang hammocks in secure locations" is sufficient for making sure you have a sturdy enough tree; but, they do mention "If you are using solid, living trees, special care should be taken not to damage the outer bark."

I finally found the official BSA rules on hammocks: https://www.ncsbsa.org/resources/general_files/Home/Program Director/680-055_SafetyHammocks_WEB.pdf I'll just leave this here...

This is true. I do know National was talking of overhauling shoulder loops two years ago. One of our crew parents went to Philmont Training Center for a Venturing course. The guy from National on her course talked about a possible consideration that shoulder loops, instead of identifying program affiliation, would be used to recognize achievements, e.g. Eagle Scout, Triple Crown, etc. Last I heard though, this idea was scrapped pretty quickly.

Over the summer, I was asked to attend summer camp with the troop my crew is affiliated with. While there, I saw a youth a with gold shoulder loops on their uniform. I instantly though they were a section chief or a VOA officer who put their loops on the Boy Scout uniform. I quickly came to understand that, in addition to "optional" patrol patches, their troop uses different color shoulder loops to represent each patrol. Later that week at the adult leader social, I confirmed with this with their Scoutmaster. Fast forward, one of my troop's committee members pictures of them on our Facebook pa

True. We currently understand the parallel program for girls will have a similar advancement structure that will allow young women to pursue the Eagle Scout Award. However, there could some parsing here that would prevent elections/camping from counting. For right or wrong, if the parallel programs units are called something other than troops or teams, then current Order of the Arrow the policies would not permit membership in the OA through these new units. Unfortunately, until we receive more information about how Family Scouting is going to implemented in the field and handbooks/li

@ At this time, the National Council and its committees are reviewing this topic. Per the October Family Scouting decision, an honor society component is required for parallel program for 12-17 year-old girls. We can only speculate if the Order of the Arrow will fill this component or if a separate organization will be established. On a related note, the Venturing program's proposed Silver Circle honor society has been tabled and is no longer being considered. Take that how you will...

Correct, the Patrol Method is one of the hallmarks of the Boy Scouting program. The time in Webelos is designed to transition Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts and get the Scouts and their family ready as well. As such, Webelos dens may choose to use the khaki uniforms and wear accompanying patrol insignia. At this time, Cub Scout dens should wear their den number patches unless they're Webelos and their den chooses to wear the khaki uniforms. That being said, there's nothing explicitly prohibiting something like @@Tampa Turtle's idea.

Still redirecting on-certain devices as of 6:40 CDT.