gblotter

Last year our troop went through a wave where they wanted to play lots of games. They voted for it so that is what we did. Interesting though, after several weeks the votes started to shift away from games because they accurately noticed that other important areas were being ignored. Now they self-regulate to have games only once a month or so. I was rather proud of them in how they arrived at this balance.

From your description, the problem seems to be the lack of a robust outdoor program - not the focus on advancement. In our troop, we seem to find room for a balanced mix of both.

We do all those things in our weekly meetings. Sometimes campout preparations, sometimes advancement, sometimes a fundraiser, sometimes helping with an Eagle project, sometimes games. There is a huge amount of variety, and the schedule is always different based on need. Given how our troop operates, I don't see this as an either/or situation.

Well that is definitely a regrettable sign of dysfunction. I am happy to report that our troop goes camping monthly (except for November and December because of the holidays). I would guess that the lack of an outdoor program is at fault for the drop in attendance more than a focus on advancement. I can only speak for our troop, but there definitely should be room for both. It is hard for me to envision an Eagle mill that goes camping only once a year because so many requirements are focused on outdoor experiences. Something doesn't add up here.

@Tampa Turtle Just curious ... why do you think that only parents care about advancement? In my troop, many of our boys are very focused on advancement, and I see nothing wrong in that. The march toward Eagle Scout is an important motivation that keeps them engaged in Scouting (in addition to the camping and adventures and skills). On campouts and other Scouting activities, they are proactive in seeking opportunities to satisfy various requirements. Frankly, I find their initiative admirable. Yes - they have the support of their parents, but I assure you these boys don't look at advancement be

Perhaps where we disagree is that I believe working on advancement and merit badges (in addition to camping, patrols, and skills) is also a valid part of a traditional Scouting program ... especially if the boys are voting for that.

And what exactly is wrong with that? The boys are communicating what is important to them. Is there something "unScout-like" about working on advancement and merit badges during their meetings? If the boys are voting for it, apparently they don't think it is a boring waste of time. Are you saying the program should be more adult-driven so that the adults won't get bored at the meetings? You seem to disapprove of the Scoutmaster's decision. Do you think he should overrule the desire of his Scouts to work on merit badges during their meetings? In my e

We let the boys vote on whether they want weekly meetings to sometimes take the form of merit badge classes. They voted that we should *sometimes* focus on the Eagle-required merit badges. They had no interest in spending weekly meetings working on non-required merit badges (even if the merit badges are so called “easy ones” that could be knocked of relatively quickly). So that is what we do. Over the course of a year, we might tackle 3 or 4 Eagle-required merit badges during weekly meetings.

Of all the Eagle-required merit badges, the Cooking merit badge is considered to be the hardest by most our troop members. Frequently, it is the last one earned before Eagle. I think the twins said it correctly ... food must be edible - not perfect - to get the badge. Rarely do campfire meals cooked by a 13 year-old rise to the standard of fine dining. I view it more along the lines of survival cooking. That is why I'm glad our adult leaders cook and eat separately from the boys. Agreed. The First Aid merit badge does not generate proficient EMTs - it teaches basi

He certainly won’t be able to make those changes all by himself, but his peer group among the younger Scouts are following his example. Together, I can see them establishing a different (better) precedent for Scouting among old boys as they age up in the program.

I guess you had to be there to appreciate the beauty of what you describe. Your story makes me think of my own older Scouts - sitting around, unengaged, and “jaw-jacking” while everyone else around them is doing real Scouting.

No. Our last campout was attended by two Scouts from the older patrol. They camped and ate together and were fine with being a patrol of two. Yes - they have their own patrol but they don't have the motivation or availability to meet or do separate activities. These are typical high school students with busy lives, cars, sports, homework, girlfriends, etc. Scouting rarely makes the cut in their list of priorities. In 2017, they did only one activity as a separate patrol, while a few of them joined in the troop activities/campouts with the younger Scouts. Meanwhile, the younger S

@Stosh I get your points. Our model is not perfect, and I admit we have room for improvement. Maybe one day we will reach the kind of boy leadership you describe. Over the last year, I have stepped back a lot and just let them go at it (and sometimes fail). Our SPL will even give me a nasty stare if I start hovering. Our boys have a ton of fun together and really like each other - sometimes a bit too much, which then descends into unproductive silliness. I believe that is one reason why the older Scouts keep their distance from troop campouts and other activities where the younger Scouts

Here are examples from our troop during the past year. All of these conservation projects were suggested/requested by the land owners, and most happened during camping trips. 1. Cleaning out a plugged drain culvert that was causing trail erosion from the diverted runoff. 2. Picking up broken glass (lots of it) from a trail that is frequented by both humans and animals. 3. Channeling runoff water away from a trail that was becoming a mud pit. 4. Piling up dead wood for a controlled burn to reduce forest fire hazard. 5. Removing non-native plant species that were choking

We are a small troop of 25 Scouts divided into 3 patrols by age. The youngest patrol focuses on Trail to First Class during the first year (new Scouts). The middle patrol is where intensive Scouting happens - many activities and lots of advancement. The older patrol is composed largely of inactive Scouts (a few of them making progress toward Eagle). Our SPL carries the responsibility for most of the boy leadership, and the Patrol Leaders basically function as ASPLs. While this works ok for us, I’m open to improvements. To be clear ... I’m not complaining about having a smaller troop

I should mention that I see the hands of BSA legal department all over the Eagle workbook. I have no doubt that BSA lawyers have contributed much to make the workbook cumbersome, and for that reason improvements are unlikely.

I agree that this happens a lot. The plan section of the workbook is actually optional (but strongly suggested). You can’t be flunked on your Eagle BOR for using a different planning method. When sitting on EBORs, there is limited time to read the submitted materials so we typically focus on the proposal and the final report only. In my view, the main purpose of the plan section is to force the Scout to think through the details of executing his proposal. I recognize that the plan section is cumbersome and clumsy. I have no problem at all if a Scout chooses a different format for hi

You speak the truth. I have witnessed the same thing with many Eagle candidates. The process can stall for many months because the boy is so intimidated/bored/repelled by the paper blockade. Personally, I don't think some adult assistance with paperwork is unmerited. This is how I have approached it as an Eagle mentor when I sense a mental logjam over paperwork. I will simply volunteer to sit down at the computer with the Scout and act as his scribe. I am doing nothing more than typing out his words as he verbally answers the questions in the workbook. Relieving him of typing duties frees

I saw the movie earlier this week. I find the recent Star Wars changes less odious than that repugnant Jar Jar Binks, but I’ll confess a secret joy in watching Laura Dern get blown up. The BSA membership changes are far more offensive, mainly because I care much more about Scouting than Luke Skywalker. The best response to unwelcome changes is to vote with your dollars and with your feet. My financial support for Friends of Scouting has ceased, and 2018 will be my final year as a registered Scouter. That’s the beauty and power of a free market system. However, I will probably still pay 12

I think I understand different perspectives from sitting on Eagle BORs for many years. While some highlight the maturity and experience of an Eagle Scout candidate who presents himself at 17 years and 11 months and 29 days, I find myself fighting back negative thoughts. Sometimes he doesn't even own a Scout shirt that fits him anymore, and his most recent patches are from attending summer camp in 2014. Asking a simple question like "when was the last time you went camping with your troop?" reveals that he went inactive years ago and only returned for some last-minute cramming to finish hi

I'm interested in your thoughts. Rather than repeat your "Tale of Two Eagles", could you provide a link to what you said earlier?

With recent changes, BSA is clearing trying to appeal to appeal to new kinds of families, new kinds of Scouts, and new kinds of Scouters. This new Scouting is not for me. @Oldscout448 I think you are I are roughly the same age. I am Eagle, Eagle dad, and Scoutmaster for 9+ years. And it seems you and I will both be exiting Scouting after 2018 - one last triumphant hurrah. I will make room for the changes BSA seems determined to ram through. I did not walk away from Scouting - I have stayed the same. Rather Scouting has walked away from me. I'm sad but not bitter.

You are correct - my comment was too harsh. Scouting Magazine continues to offer quite a number of valuable articles. My Pravda comment was a reaction to the happy-face presented in the magazine about the decision to admit girls. (i.e. "we don't know what it will look like, but rest assured it will be awesome".) It all seemed part of the coordinated manipulations from BSA National to ram through this change via a disingenuous process that I found disrespectful and even insulting to seasoned Scouters. My perspective has obviously soured and I now view BSA National leadership as untrustworthy st

Lately Scouting Magazine feels like Pravda. It is a political rag for promoting the agenda of BSA National. I don't read Boys Life, but I'll ask my son if he has noticed any recent changes.

Hi Matt, I have several questions for you. In our stake, none of the wards ever registered a separate Team or Crew. Boys 11-17 are registered in the Troop with age-segregated patrols. So the May announcement was really no big deal for us because we were already doing it that way. In other stakes where Teams/Crews did exist, our council did a mass-migration of registrations from Team/Crew into the Troop. This happened back in August and we were told that the timing was under the direction of BSA National. Did that same mass-migration happen in your council? In my experience, even