Jameson76

A Boy Scout of America sheath knife?

We work with the GS Troop(s) at our church on Scout Sunday. For next year I guess we can all be there, it seems we will not be able to talk to each other.....

I guess we are on the other end of the desire for coed spectrum. No plans for anyone currently in our unit to start a linked troop. If persons (we have to designated them as an Unsubs (unknown subjects)) want to start a Girl Troop, we wish them well. Family camping would be a no go for me personally.

History often (somewhat) repeats itself https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting/USA Scouting/USA was a "communicative name" chosen by the Boy Scouts of America in 1971 in an effort to rebrand itself. The Scouting/USA symbol was unveiled at its biennial National Council meeting. The organization retained the name Boy Scouts of America as its legal name, but planned to use the new name on literature, billboards, insignia, business cards and stationery and for most other promotional material. They abandoned this effort by 1980.

Just as you have stated and advised to let's see and hope for the best, many of us are troubled about what may come. Most of us (right or wrong) are concerned about the unforeseen consequences of the Girls into Cub Scout and Boy Scouts decision. Over time I suspect there will be more impacting than many hope. Many may find this shocking, but boys are not girls. The unknown is that the program will change in some undetermined manner. BSA National has clearly demonstrated a propensity to move with the social winds. BSA National and the Exec Board have not been good stewards of the program at a national level. Yes the nuts and bolts at the unit level still work, but many overreaching decisions are not well planned long term. Specifically the continuing cash sink at Summit, the continued growth of the non-unit facing professionals, the funds and public capital spent to defend membership policies only to immediately change those, the membership grab with the addition of Lions (oh my yes let's do 6 years of Cubs), the emphasis and cost of non traditional In School scouting (yes good efforts but does it take the view off of core BSA programs), the raising of the membership fee 38% to cover insurance shortfalls, the unfunded pension liabilities that were allowed, the current emphasis moving away from serving youth to serving "families", etc etc What changes may come (and they surely will) will possibly evolve to a program that is less attractive to boys and not attractive enough to girls. The road to the "coveted" (not my words) Eagle Scout award is long and has many potholes. It takes a well formed village to assist a Boy Scout to attain that rank. Looking down the the road in about 5 years, when not enough girls are becoming Eagles, will we hear about the “disparate impact” unfair requirements are having? No one will be pleased. Membership may continue to decline. I hope I’m wrong.

Actually got some feedback from some of our Boy Scouts yesterday. They were not enthusiastic about the name change. They also felt the "new motto" (their words not mine) was meh, very cubby oriented What I found interesting is that 1) they were aware of it 2) they took the time to give some feedback This is from the core group of actual participants

My wife just wonders how long I will continue with the troop......

No dissent it allowed (guess you missed that memo). Either embrace the changes or run the risk of being un-Scoutesque (like the variety of Scouts formerly known as Boys) and chastised for not living up to the Oath and Law. You may be chided for being inane and foolish also, so at least that can be a goal.

Man...if I had a $1 for every Cease and Desist order I had been served....

Correct it is not a new concept. I was advisor for a coed Explorer post in the early 80's. We were chartered as High Adventure. It was what would now be Ventures I suppose. This was before YPT etc, but we did need a female over 21 for outings if the girls wanted to attend. That was an ongoing challenge. This was before I got married (actually getting married was not a help to my camping efforts) and I burned through some girlfriends when I asked them to go camping with us.

Not disagreeing with that sentiment. The pushback I would give is that the changes are literally all top down, and we (in the trenches volunteers) are just expected to embrace these and keep on keeping on. At this point my involvement is for the Boy Scout troop, nothing more. I guess we all have our own lines in the sand with regards to the Boy Scouts and what is the straw that breaks the camels back. Not sure when I personally get there.

They were not able to figure out how to monetize the Gold Award...GSUSA - We're the capitalists in your town ®

I'd Venture to say that's right

The day isn't over....

Ours (looked at a photo) seems to say Troop XXX and then the fleur-de-lis with BSA on it in the middle, CO and town noted

Now you are getting into the mysterious "Linked Troops" netherworld. You can have the same CO, apparently same unit number, same committee, meet at the same time, go on the same outings BUT it is not co-ed

You said Boy Scout.....

If the name is Scouts BSA, then what does the 'S" in BSA stand for ? don't want to be redundant

Ours will

Out troop is busy printing shirts... We are the BOY Scouts of America Viva la resistance!! They will be on sale soon....

If BSA National could get folks to pony up $33 per llama and hedgehog they would be all in I would assume there would be a llama troop and a hedgehog troop, they could share the same CO and same committee, different Zoo keepers, and they would be "linked" units. These would fall under BSA (Barnyard Scouts of America) and the new program effort that all mammals can become an Eagle. Not a literal Eagle, not like that NBC show manimal. Honestly being an Eagle may scare the hedgehogs as Eagles no doubt see them as lunch.

In a serious ponder.... Wonder if this will be the move to actual coed (new slide deck a-coming) as the National has decided that the "Linked" foolishness was in fact foolishness. They are maybe planning to double down on the new movement as "thousands" come to join up

It's all good...they identify as Boy Scouts We are well down that road

Viva La Resistance!!!