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Meeting opening- after Pledge is said (add in whatever works for your Troop after Pledge- recite Scout Law, Outdoor Code, etc.): SPL: Time for rollcall- Bacon Ninja Patrol? BN Patrol Leader: Bacon Ninja Patrol all present or accounted for [salutes SPL] Bacon Ninja Patrol members [in unison]: Sizzle-sizzle- pow! SPL: Screaming Owl Patrol? SO Patrol Leader: Screaming Owl Patrol all present or accounted for [salutes SPL] Screaming Owl Patrol members [in unison]: Who! Who! Our troop has done it this way for years, no prompt is needed for the Patrol

I was commenting on knots. As far as patrol all, it is nothing more than a "whoop". Not sure why this has been such a long thread on something simple. At meeting opening, when the PL answers the SPL on roll call, the patrol just gives their patrol yell. That's it- a five second "whoop" from the patrol members.

Nearly everything that is needed for rank advancement is contained in their handbook. There are also plenty of resources on the web. Don't just start having an adult teaching ten of them, challenge 2-3 of them to learn, and then have them come back and teach the others.

Chances National wants to advertise something that compete to their own programs? Zero. Many councils operate HA camps. You might check out this link: https://www.highadventurescouting.com/council.html

If these are kids who just crossed over, those aren't activities I would expect to see on their first few campouts. 5 mile nature hike, some orienteering skill activities, totin' chit and just general fun getting to know the others in the troop would be about what I'd hope to see them working on before summer camp.

Avoid pancakes and french toast. Until they have some skills and experience, those are time-sucks for them. Both on preparation and on clean-up. Avoid homefries for the same reason. Stick to pre-cooked bacon or brown and serve sausage and scrambled eggs or even oatmeal the first time out when it comes to breakfast. Lunch, grilled ham (or turkey) and cheese and cup-of-soup good starter lunch. Just keep it simple. This is not for advancement right now, it is learning to work together and independent of adults. Get that Troop Guide working with them on menu planning. While they should

I've used it once in the rain and another time in some light snow, and I didn't experience much of an issue beyond the usual when entering/exiting. I generally give my tents a spritz of waterproofing before I use them for the first time and each spring (heat bakes the waterproofing right out, and I figure these things have been in hot cargo containers or trucks before they end up in my possession).

This is the newest model of what I use when camping and convenient to go from car to campsite: Skydome™ 6-Person Camping Tent with Screen Room, Rock Grey | Coleman I like having the vestibule for early morning reading before everyone else stirs, and the headroom is my most favorite feature. I prefer to put my pants on without being on my back at my age :). Still rock my backpacking tent at times though, especially as I'm not a "primary adult" these days and camp one night many times.

It had been 5 x 10 and then a 20 miler. The past several years they did the 5, 3 x 10, 15, 20. The newest is 4 x 10 and then a 20. It is a jump to go from 10 mile to 20 mile. I would rather they dumped the 5 miler and kept the 15 miler as a conditioning opportunity- then again, it wasn't unusual that at least one of the 10 milers ended up being longer than 10 miles (unfortunately, not always planned to be that way). Swimming is always more popular than either cycling or hiking. You can see the 2022 rankings here: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2023/02/28/2022-merit-badge-rankings-a-n

I'd say go for it. If you'd count the camping night(s) done for say Tenderfoot as part of the 20 nights for Camping MB, then why not allow this?

I've said to just about anyone wearing a sash for several years now- the only group you should need buy-in from is on of the tribes that is part of the Lenape heritage. Every lodge around the country is representing the Legend that is claiming to be of the Lenni Lenape, so we all should be using regalia that fits into a certain standard. At that point, anyone who has issue with what we are doing has issues not so much with us, but with the group that was the inspiration for all of it.

National made a mistake IMO on forcing the issue to have every council have an OA Lodge. I was encouraged the question was asked if suspension of a Lodge is appropriate if they don't correctly follow policy. Resoundingly, I would say yes, every fraternal organization would take action if a local club/lodge/chapter was not following policy. Sadly, I don't see the BSA ever doing this. If they won't ever suspend a unit that they know is not following advancement policy correctly, doubtful they'd suddenly dig in when it comes to the OA and they'd just as soon end the OA. My free-form comments on t

Regalia should imply a faithful reproduction of a Native American in attire they would wear in ceremonial events, whereas costuming should imply an attempt to represent what is perceived as Native American- often as day-to-day wear. Unfortunately, we've all too often mixed the two, and for anyone who has a firm historical understanding of Native Americans, all too often it has left some very caricature results. I don't believe there was intent in the hearts of most to do so, but it is appropriate to course correct when the differences become understood. Unfortunately, there has been little "po

If that is what you believe, then you are perfectly fine to believe that. You may well believe there is an actual answer in there, but others may not. You may well have convincement in that, others very well may have an entirely different point. The problem is - where is the ironclad proof that one view is right and the other wrong? The question for me is not should we allow or not allow atheists/agnostics, it is why do we need to even have it part of Scouting, especially when Scouting takes every possible step to avoid trying to "take a side" in this element? The BSA clearly doesn't believe t

Since 2014 Scouts UK allows atheists. The Scout Promise | Scouts

Encourage them to handle themselves showing respect - that can be just drawing themselves to the back and standing silently while others do their thing, explaining if anyone inquires that they practice a different faith but did not want to be a distraction to others. Hopefully they will find some that are open to asking them to help to make any future observance more interfaith, where your child can share some of their own religious practices. I've not had too many experiences of folks ever questioning my actions when it comes to religious expression, and I hope that you and your family are al

When it comes to grace, it takes all forms. The summer camp my son attended one year had a dining hall steward that used only Native American prayers for grace. Another year they had a dining hall steward that only asked people to bow their heads for a moment of silence. Generally, I've never experienced any moment in Scouting where grace was said that went beyond what is found in the Philmont Grace: For food, for raiment, For life, for opportunity, For friendship and fellowship, We thank thee, O Lord. Amen.

We have CO's here in MA that are Buddhist. You may even want to contact them for advice on handling interaction with other faith traditions in a Scouting context. https://sites.google.com/bliascouts.org/blia-scouts-boston I am a deist that doesn't believe that God is a metaphysical entity in the way that Abrahamic religions do, or that it is even possible for humans to ever comprehend such an entity, but respect the right of others to believe as they do. As such, I generally do not participate in Scout's Own services but I will stand in silence out of respect to others during

I know an Eagle coach who's been at that role for nearly two decades. He has received numerous mentor pins over the years, but only wears a single one on his uniform. I wear my father's pin on my uniform, and I'd sooner quit than be told I have to take that off. At the end of the day, my feeling is if we're focusing on pins or knots on uniforms, then we must have absolutely nothing else wrong with our organization or units that could better use our attention.

I highly endorse these: https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Backings-Keepers-Replacement-Uniform/dp/B07PGVCDVX/ref=asc_df_B07PGVCDVX?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80058245652837&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583657823895553&psc=1

Cubs do not earn merit badges. There are Scouts BSA rank requirements for Second Class and First Class that require map and compass skills, and there is a rank requirement for First Class that requires GPS navigation skill. Good to get them some awareness of map and compass, but it wouldn't hurt to expose them to GPS as well.

We tried to use our website for the source on notifications, in conjunction with the Crew and Pack, but it just never really was in synch. We didn't want to use FB, as youth are technically not supposed to have FB pages along with all the other host of issues FB can bring. We did start using Band, so it has a social media feel to it and allows us to have both the boy troop and girl troop in one community and send out notifications. You can set it up different ways so that notifications/events/sign-ups can go out to the whole community, or just to one troop, just youth, etc. https://band.us

What Is dislike is it just breads more opportunity to dumb down program. Consider that for many a weekend troop campout would mean arriving at camp at 7:00 PM on Friday. Pitch tents, get gear organized, and you are in for an hour or so before hitting your sleeping bag. Cubs could get up and strike camp at 7:00 AM and never have actually participated in any cooking or meaningful activity, but ✔️ they did an overnight.

FWIW- I'll at least give credit that they are actually putting clarifications into the actual source that folks should follow. We asked questions to our Council to clarify the transportation policy update in 2017, and were pointed to a Bryan Wendell article that contained responses from Richard Bourlon, the BSA Health and Safety team lead, and told that was the guidance National indicated we should follow. Never saw the items we asked about ever get into the GTSS (and still isn't).

As we've said to our youth: If they want to have a campout where they sit and prepare nothing but hotdogs and s'mores, and play gaga ball and nap all afternoon, fine. Will the nights count as camping nights? Yes. Will any of that count towards advancement/MB requirements? No. If they want to change their plan to balance fun with purpose, we're available to help them with that.