Jameson76

No BSA President ever seems to speak, or be the driver for the program. Same at the Council level. Overall BSA Marketing is non-existent. The very few efforts seem to be aimed at I am not sure. They are not trying to excite young people to join, they do not seemed to be aimed at parents to entice to get their kids involved.

This reminds me of every sales forecast meeting I have ever attended. Yes, sales this year are down or flat, but in 4 to 5 years they will increase. Skip forward 4 to 5 years and they basically just change the dates and use the same data and slides again. To assume there will be modest growth in 4 to 5 years, when there has been a steady decline in membership for 40 years is at best a fantasy. There has NOT been a concrete plan presented to change the trajectory, and my thoughts are that "increase membership fees" and "increase the burden on volunteers" is not a winning strategy.

Sort of kind of - but there is the privacy rule. It is specific but also broad. Not sure a unit would want to go down the road of requiring something and requiring proof of said something. Not 100% sure how this would apply to a Scout unit and I going to bet a CO would not want to have to find out HIPAA Privacy Rule The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information (known as “protected health information”) by entities subject to the Privacy Rule. These individuals and organizations are called “covered entities.” The Privacy Rule also contains standards for individuals’ rights to understand and control how their health information is used. A major goal of the Privacy Rule is to ensure that individuals’ health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public’s health and well-being. The Privacy Rule strikes a balance that permits important uses of information while protecting the privacy of people who seek care and healing. Covered Entities The following types of individuals and organizations are subject to the Privacy Rule and considered covered entities: Healthcare providers: Every healthcare provider, regardless of size of practice, who electronically transmits health information in connection with certain transactions. These transactions include claims, benefit eligibility inquiries, referral authorization requests, and other transactions for which HHS has established standards under the HIPAA Transactions Rule. Health plans: Entities that provide or pay the cost of medical care. Health plans include health, dental, vision, and prescription drug insurers; health maintenance organizations (HMOs); Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare+Choice, and Medicare supplement insurers; and long-term care insurers (excluding nursing home fixed-indemnity policies). Health plans also include employer-sponsored group health plans, government- and church-sponsored health plans, and multi-employer health plans. Exception: A group health plan with fewer than 50 participants that is administered solely by the employer that established and maintains the plan is not a covered entity. Healthcare clearinghouses: Entities that process nonstandard information they receive from another entity into a standard (i.e., standard format or data content), or vice versa. In most instances, healthcare clearinghouses will receive individually identifiable health information only when they are providing these processing services to a health plan or healthcare provider as a business associate. Business associates: A person or organization (other than a member of a covered entity’s workforce) using or disclosing individually identifiable health information to perform or provide functions, activities, or services for a covered entity. These functions, activities, or services include claims processing, data analysis, utilization review, and billing.

We have tried to have meetings in the summer, but with local swim teams in June, vacations, holidays, other camps, etc etc it just did not work. We are somewhat active in the summer with week long camps in June and July. We have meetings prior to the camps and do HA each year. Basically from the end of school (Memorial Day) to First week of August (when school starts) we do not have regular meetings.

For reference our troop has +/- 60 registered Scouts and +/- 20 leaders We restarted out troop activities in July of 2020 holding our own weeklong summer camp. 35 Scouts and Leaders, we did not require masks, but you could wear one if wanted. We were 100% outside, 1 Scout / Leader per tent, no carpooling. The troop started meeting in person in August, again 100% outside, at a park pavilion near the CO, masks not required. Also we started outings in August and have since then had 8 outdoor events; aquatics, kayaking, backpacking, AOL / Webelos visit, Winter trip to coast, more backpacking, wide game, and a ropes course. The unit averaged about 30 Scouts per event. Again, all 100% outside and we have done carpooling but limited the number in cars, (no middle seats). Again no masks required. One scout per tent and no hammock stacking. Our weekly meetings are 100% outside (we are in the south) and fortunately our troop even before the pandemic utilized a large outdoor meeting area behind the CO, so that part was easy. If it rains we may call the meeting and do virtual. While this is anecdotal, looking back over the last 10 months, to our knowledge, we have not had any transmissions or COVID issues. Parents do sign a COVID release. The troop is 100% outside. Each unit needs to do what is right for them and their Scouts and families. We have been very clear to the families what we are doing and what our plans have been. The potential transmission while outside is very low.

We held our own summer camp last year (don't know if you heard but there was some sort of pandemic or somesuch) and I did the Cooking merit badge. Prerequisite was the home cooking, or they did it after camp and we reviewed. The class planned the meals, good discussion ensued. Then we loaded up the Scouts and headed to the store, shopped for the goods from a list, looked at budgets, and secured the food. They cooked some of the meals for the camp (35 Scouts and leaders). For the backpacking part we looked at stoves we took a hike and cooked meals. There is a lot to cooking. Just the discussions on jobs, meals, safety, etc can take a couple of hours. The cooking and cleaning, getting feedback takes time. It can be fun and not onerous, but it does take time.

Average age for Eagle Scouts is (I think) 17.2 years of age, and that has been fairly consistent

Agree, likely not that many, but, how many times can there be not that many? Sort of death by a thousand cuts? At the end of the day, the BSA is an organization that "sells" the program to the "customers" who are adults and youth. If a business puts in a change that may alienate some current customers, that is weighed against how many new customers will come and what will the net change to the customer base be. Also will the change improve the profitability of the customer base, helping the health of the business. Change and updates are inevitable and necessary. How they are handled, communicated, and embraced is what defines the success of an organization. The BSA track record is poor at best. BoyPower Manpower in the 70's; Improved Scout Program in 74, reversed in 81; Flip Flopping on the homosexual acceptance that was handled poorly; Opening the program to girls, where the rollout was poor and survey justification thin to name a few. Bottom line is membership, for many many reasons, is likely less than 1,000,000 youth members right now. Official numbers show that from 2017 to 2020 (4 years) the membership of Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, and Explorers DROPPED 47%. That is over 1,083,177 youth (and their families) no longer involved with the program. Every action that BSA and the "High Level" volunteers take should be laser focused on how is that trend altered or changed. Without that focus, the DEI Merit Badge rollout will be a moot point and if ever presented, it will be to an empty hall.

Sadly the DEI merit badge will be the straw on the camel's back for many volunteers / scouters. Not saying that some items occurring in society currently may need to be highlighted and the units could be venues for that effort. Most not happy with the handling of this will just fade away. Another loss of experience to the organization. Could aspects of the intent of DEI merit badge be rolled / updated into Cit in the Comm, Cit in the Nation, maybe Family Life .... absolutely. Was the DEI mb initiative a knee jerk reaction and viewed by some as attempting to play to and placate some constituency, likely. Rather than play on our organizational strengths (Scout Oath and Law), and clarifying or expanding some points already in use, the organization decided, with little understanding, study, or review, determined we were ALL deficient and needed to change paths. We just had to align ourselves with some seriously politically driven groups and rush forward with this. Again, as usual, the folks "running" the BSA and setting policy forget the folks that actually are running units and in fact, running the BSA. You know, working with the youth and families on a daily and weekly basis.

Agree. I continue to state that the BSA's reason for being in business cannot be solely to protect youth. It is vital and it is important. YPT is a critical component and as you noted it needs to be common place best practices. Our reason or "mission" is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. We do this with experiential learning, a game with a purpose, letting them fail and letting them figure it out. That is what we need to go to market with. If our "Go To Market" is we provide youth protection, likely families will determine / decide that their kids can be safe or maybe safer by being at home. Now we can state and cite statistics that may indicate that is not the case, but that will be the decision. To get to the next chapter of the BSA movement the organization needs to clearly state WHY the BSA is around and WHY it is important and WHY youth can benefit. That message cannot be YPT, That is part of what and how we do programs, not the reason we do programs.

Don't worry, there's always room at The Summit (do we capitalize The??). It's on the books for $345 million...and a bargain at that no doubt 😀

Cubs were at 649,284 for 2020 I'm sadly thinking overall BSA will be under 1 million

Not good update on the BSA Membership numbers

We had a WB beading ceremony (??) that was done at a troop meeting. Ran, I kid you not, 45 minutes. I too felt like we were hostages. Most leaders input was "and that's why I will never go to WB"

I continue to find it interesting that organizations, such as NOW, at various times called upon the BSA (as was an organization's free speech perogative) to open the membership to girls. The press release article qwazse noted was headlined - "Boy Scouts of America Denies Equal Opportunity Access for Girls" Yet, I am not able to find the same organizations, then or now, calling for the Girl Scouts to admit males. Please do not perceive this observation as being against the inclusion of Girls into Cubs and Scouts, it is what it is and honestly has not effected our unit at all. I hope the girls have great adventures and grow as youth in leadership and skills. Just wonder why the obvious hypocrisy is not even mentioned in any way in the media.

I work with our Life Scouts. They know who the SM is (title and name) but reference him only as Mr (name). I refer to getting the CC signature, they say who it that, it's Mr CC. Oh Adult to Adult is first name. Youth to adult is Mr (last name). Agree with others, if I am conversing with a Scout and they need something from another leader, it's see Mr (last name) If we're being smart alecky (which is often) it's title and first name - Scoutmaster Bob...ASM Pete

We ran our own summer camp and had monthly outings AUG through NOV. Maybe average of 24 Scouts and 6 leaders per outing. Did aquatics, kayaking, backpacking, and AOL visit. We did have our annual 3 day Winter trip last weekend, to the swamp, visit to a National Seashore Island, and some other side trips. We have been meeting outside since August, but we always met outside so no difference. Been some challenge due to CO (church) being closed at times so went to park across the street. They close at dark, so winter is iffy. We have picked up some additional High School aged Scouts. Basically we are the only group active. The challenge may be the Cub packs and their activities. We have tried to support but they have not been meeting and we have no idea how many we may get from crossover. It is a struggle to keep things moving forward.

1972 was the BIG change. Many of the core badges (swimming / camping / cooking) were part of the group that could or could not be earned. That was the change wherein one could become Eagle and not have camped at all and basically not have gone outside at all

Maybe they have learned to give the expected answers, please the questioner. I typically get they feel first aid, the shooting sports, climbing, and camping as important.

My hope would be (though not likely) is that they actually take one of 2 paths for this new set of requirements. Whether one thinks the DEI initiative is a good thing or a bad thing, it is likely not going away. BSA National has opened the door, so they will not be able to close that door 2 Hopeful Paths Restructure the Citizenship Merit Badges to include some new items. Some of the DEI requirements could relate to community, nation, or world. Remove the Citizenship in the World MB from Eagle required and insert the (obviously reworked) DEI merit badge in it's place Doubt that will happen, but it would be a good path

My thought is everyone read the floated proposed requirements and said WTH, this is worthless. Must have been a lot of pushback. The language was suspect at best and agenda driven at worst. They decided to punt.

If you recall Surbagh's Town Hall video, he as much admitted they (National gang) was pretty much out of ideas on how to add members to the program. The adding girls was a hail Mary. In reality they did not want to do the hard work of figuring out why some units succeed and others fail, that would require maybe a real reflective look at the program. Nope, it was the easy route they took "let's add girls". Not saying it was a bad idea, just need to be honest on WHY.

I had one of my Scouts ask me about some of the musicians (that they all seem to listen to now) from the late 70's and 80's. Specifically Bowie, Elton John, and Freddie Mercury. Did we care they were bi or gay, was that an issue, what did we think of them. My answer was that (and this sort of shocked them), they were more defined by their talent and what they actually did than their persona. Did not recall if they were openly out or swinging at the time, but everyone sort of knew it, but we accepted that they were talented, that is what mattered. I see the challenge today is that many are defining people NOT by their talents BUT more by their races, genders, sexual preferences, and gender identities. It seems more important WHO you are and identify as than WHAT you can actually do. We as a society seem to have gone backward to almost the days of who you were being defined by your family (replace family for whatever group(s) people may want to be identified as) and their place in society, not what YOU individually can do and bring to a group.

There is no way to leave personal politics out of the discussion. Each of us brings our own experiences, political beliefs, personal beliefs into everything we do and express. To deny that is naive, we can try, but it is there. Also to deny the WHY of this merit badge is akin to putting one's head in the sand. It is being put forth as window dressing and to show compliance to an agenda. Now, can we as a nations do better, absolutely. Are we as a nation as bad as many have made it out to be, absolutely not.

I am not the one using this term (see below) in requirement #1 - Intersectionality. You speak of no politics, yet it is in the definition of the term Intersectionality is a theoretical framework for understanding how aspects of a person's social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. Examples of these aspects are gender, caste, sex, race, class, sexuality, religion, disability, physical appearance, and height. What exactly do you think the goals of this merit badge are? Are they to "broaden horizons" or are they to prove to many the BSA is now WOKE and on board with SJW? Much like the National BSA accepting Black Lives Matter (note they capitalized this) and it's stated desire to do away with the nuclear family and embrace Marxist ideals. Diversity and Inclusion are noble and worthy goals, but who is setting those goals and do all agree on what those goals may in fact be? Note many of us did not wade into this discussion, but National led the way. Now we are here and yes, politics, however one may define that, is a factor and cannot be denied to have an influence.