Jameson76

One can only hope. It will need to be presented and documented NO later than Fall of their Senior year of High School so it can be included on the college apps, spring of Junior year if they are applying early.

Yes... that is the new normal. Forget the aim to get Scouts to First Class, now EVERYONE will be an Eagle. There will no doubt be a really neat trophy.

National registration is $33 as of 12/1/2017 This change will affect Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Venturing crews and Sea Scout ships. However, it will not apply to LDS-sponsored units, nor to those units with council-paid memberships.

The family camping on the cover was really a not to subtle..hey look, family camping is GREAT. Agree the article was a might vague as to how this ties to scouts nor was it useful to me as a leader in a 100+ member scout troop that does 13 outdoor and overnight events a year. Show me new places to camp, new activities to have on an outing, how to handle the logistics of moving a large group, how to engage the scouts for better meals, low cost yet highly engaging fun things to do on an outing. It is fairly obvious where BSA (dare I say SA or maybe FSA) wants to move, or is in fact moving. They see not only that girls can be registered, hey let's get the whole durned family signed up. As many have noted and commented, that is not really what a lot of us signed up for nor intended to be involved with. Yes the family is great, yes there are good things that come from strong families. The same can be said of many many many activities that families and kids are involved with. Does that mean one organization should try and meet all those needs? While the Pravda comment was a harsh one, it has a strong ring of truth Propaganda is amazing. People can be led to believe anything - Alice Walker The goal of modern propaganda is no longer to transform opinion but to arouse an active and mythical belief - Jacques Ellul Propaganda invariably serves the long-term interests of some elite - John Berger

Hammock stacking is definitely a thing, especially when some do not bring a rain fly, if you stack, less rain flys.... Great place to nap during campouts, I am not a fan of all night, like to move around too much. On outings our troop is about 90% sleeping in hammocks, they pitch tents to store gear. Most like they are level, no rocks or limbs in their backs, and unlike the leaders, they don't have to get up 3 times during the night for the call of nature.

The numbers are from the Census Bureau Noted in this article - https://ifstudies.org/blog/more-than-60-of-u-s-kids-live-with-two-biological-parents/

Just a quick fact check - actually it's about 58% Each year the Census Bureau captures a snapshot of the living arrangements of U.S. children through its Current Population Survey. The 2014 results were released by the Bureau last week, and the portrait they present of the family lives of 73.7 million American kids is certainly a variegated one. Yet despite all the talk about the growing irrelevance of marriage, 43 million children, a 58-percent majority, were living with both their birth mother and biological father in a traditional married-couple family

Philmont extended the "sign-up" lottery a couple of times. Are they not filling up as in past years? Also had several communications on 2018 availability

Well...if we go by current National Policy change methodology...just sort of do what you want with the shoulder loops, if it may in their opinion increase revenue or add members, no doubt it will be quickly codified.

And a very timely Brady Bunch episode...literally ripped from today's headlines http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0531140/

Agree and that was my take when I read the (now famous) 10/11 announcement. Follow up clarifications, talks, question sessions continually mention families and not just when talking about Cubs. There are many many family oriented activities and groups out there. An organization that hopes to be all things to all people, ends up being little or nothing to anyone. On our outings if we can teeter on the edge of Lord of the Flies (not to include the fire scene, rolling large rocks on kids, or burning up an island) then so much the better, There is mayhem there are disagreements, there are scouts solving their issues. There is unplanned time where they get to see what is actually around the bend from the campsite.

I would respectfully say no. The BSA is for participants in patrols doing the program. It is (currently) many many things. A social family organization it is not nor was it ever intended to be. Remember, Scouting is program that using the patrol method and boys leading is designed and hoped to have failure as part of the outcome. If they burn a meal, forget some equipment, sleep cold, get wet, etc etc; that will reinforce that their decisions, or lack of decisions have consequences. Yes we as leaders provide a basic safety net. Before cold weather camping you may make sure essential equipment is on-hand. Go to summer camp and forget something, hopefully you will adapt and overcome. Meet with a MB counselor at a meeting but do not have paperwork or partial from camp, see you later. Come to a BOR and do not have everything completed or maybe completed but not signed off, you will need to reschedule. Our troop is 100+ scouts, we do 13 outdoor events each year, 2 weeklong summer camps, and high adventure for older scouts each year. The Greenbar (we are old school) plans the outings and calendar each year. NEVER have they even mentioned a family campout. They plan the meetings at the greenbar, the adults confirm they are aware of the dates for the meetings, there is preliminary conversation about outing (or outings) coming up and what skills may be relevant, then adults go to another room and scouts plan. They used to come get us when they were done, now they text. Families are important, but not to the program and siblings and parents on outings and at meetings are not helpful. Parents are welcome at meetings to observe and maybe talk with the active leaders. We have had some do skills presentations in the past. We welcome all leaders on the outings, but once you come you are a leader and not a parent.

That boat has left the dock already. Local councils can attempt to distance themselves, but they cannot embrace the idea (Local SE meetings last spring) while trying to minimize the fundamental change to the organization when it comes time to ask for financial support. Many of the changes seem to be motivated solely by finances. Thus it would seem that finances may be the only thing that local and perhaps national BSA professional leadership will listen to that may drive policy changes. The dilemma is does one continue to provide financial support at an increasing level each year? If so then one would be complicit in supporting national leadership in fundamental changes one may not support Current National BSA leadership has not taken to heart the basic tenant of campsites with regard to the overall BSA program, leave the site better than you found it. Will not participating in FOS hurt local councils, likely. Will it affect near term the impact on currently operating troops, likely no. Honestly when was the last time you saw your DE? Will this impact some of the other possible efforts of local councils, perhaps. These are the cards they chose to play, live with the consequences.

On the FOS, one of our leaders was asked to give at a high level, their response (I will paraphrase) It appears that many of the BSA's decisions have been made for financial reasons, if I continue or expand my support I would be implicitly supporting those decisions I may not agree with. My support will be to the local troop and if a specific Scout or program oriented need is identified Most of us in the troop have that same opinion, and we are the highest FOS troop in the district. (well, up until the 2018 program I guess)

He talked for 30 minutes, not sure about answering anything. The CSE is really a politician, we've got questions and he's got anecdotes and stories.

Cub scout campouts...tents the size of houses, enough gear to lay siege to a castle, cars literally parked everywhere, people arriving constantly, people departing constantly...do not miss those Agree that the constant mention of "family" is concerning. What does it really mean, what next will change.

It will be up to local Cub Scout Packs, parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family packs or only serve boys or girls; we anticipate a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level. Using logic, if there is a family pack and there will be a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level (CSE words) then there will / could be family troops If there is a family pack and there will be a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level (CSE words) then there will / could be family troops It will be up to local Cub Scout Packs, parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family packs or only serve boys or girls; we anticipate a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level. Using logic, if there is a family pack and there will be a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level (CSE words) then there will / could be family troops

This is the statement. Not out of context, the whole sentence: It will be up to local Cub Scout Packs, parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family packs or only serve boys or girls; we anticipate a similar structure at the Boy Scouts level. Clearly the intention (similar) is to have "family" and / or co-ed troops This was the statement on 10/20 (a clarifying statement from the Big 3 junta) While our curriculum is relevant both to boys and girls, our commitment to single-gender offerings remains the same. Our decision does not make our programs co-ed. It is apparently going to be co-ed. There will be separate but equal troops no doubt AND (my editorial license) parents and chartered partners to choose whether to include boys and girls in family troops Challenge will be that right now we go to market (basically) with 2 versions CUB and SCOUTS. Soon there will be: (one would presume) 1)CUBS - Boys 2) CUBS - Girls 3) CUBS - Boys and Girls (separate dens) 4) CUBS - Family packs 5) SCOUTS - Boys 6) SCOUTS - Girls 7) SCOUTS - Boys and Girls (separate patrols ??) 8) SCOUTS - Family troops Good luck to the huddles masses yearning to joining Scouts finding the unit in the derivation they desire

Good Lord - time to move on Siblings / Kids staying with parents / Kid with the soccer ball needs to be dealt with Yes Yes Yes - Same feedback we have had. There was a really great parent we approached to be active in outings, he advised son had asked him to not be as they wanted their space. We did have a place for him behind the scenes. He went to camp with us for the week (we take 55 - 60 each time to two different camps each summer) I honestly did not see him speak to his son at all except on Saturday when we loaded up and headed home

We looked at Summit and while it was interesting, for what is offered there, I can do it for 1/2 the cost locally (we live in a state with mountains, etc). As has been noted, more experience and less actual high adventure You do have a good catch on the legacy portion. Part of the beauty of Philmont (other than the actual beauty) is that it looks very similar and the trek is very similar to what was done 40 - 50 years ago or longer. I went as a youth, then went 10 years later as an Explorer post advisor (all of this in the 70' and 80'). Then I went 3 years ago with my son and current troop. Except for the better equipment available, it was really the same experience. Most of the scouts we send today all come down with IWTGBTP syndrome. Maybe in 20 - 30 years if it survives the Summit will have some of that, but now, do not see it and no real attraction. Though I might want to swing by and see what $500MM buys in a camp property.

The TPG's (Trading Post Girls) are all part of the marketing plan...a plan to extract as much cash from campers as possible

Assuming $100 profit from each attendee and with the Jamboree in 2021, would need 1,360,000 to attend. That is doable

Just for fun also note that in 2012 National Council issues debt to finance the development of the Summit, $175 MILLION in 10 Year tax exempt bonds. There is a balloon payment of $136 MILLION in 2022. Guess National will start admitting emotional support animals...for the right fee

If you wonder where the cash went or is in fact going, look at page 35 of the Annual Report (2016). There is Note 5 which details Land, Building, and Equipment. High Adventure bases (Philmont / Sea Base / Northern Tier) less accumulated depreciation of $28 million are on the books for $53 million Summit less accumulated deprecation of $30 million is on the books for...wait for it....$364 million dollars. Yes Summit is on the books for almost 7 TIMES the value of the other 3 High Adventure bases. I find that concerning. If BSA dumped that kind of cash and infrastructure there, just the debt service is ridiculous.

Good Lord the amount of cash dumped into the Summit is likely never to be known. You know they are selling day passes and locals passes to the Summit for non Scouts to generate up some cash, right? It is literally trying to do everything for everyone, sort of Disneyesque. And it it hemorrhaging cash daily. As we speak of surveys and market research, what crystal ball told them there was untapped and unfulfilled need for a high adventure base in WV?