Thunderbird

Just my opinion: 1. Yes, but they no longer count for purposes of the 2-deep leadership requirement. Same answer with Assistant Den Leaders, Unit College Reserve, and Assistant Scoutmasters who are age 18-20 years old. 2. Unclear. The GTSS Scouting's Barriers to Abuse: Adult Supervision rules say: "A registered female adult leader 21 years of age or over must be present for any activity involving female youth." I could be wrong, but I think that as long as a registered female adult leader age 21+ is present and on site at the activity (not necessarily in every single classroom with girls), then that would count. 3. Yes. Registered merit badge counselors undergo the criminal background check, so if they are female and age 21+, then they would count for two-deep leadership purposes. The no one-on-one contact rules would also still apply.

The Youth Protection and Barriers to Abuse FAQs appears to say that you can have a parent of one of the participating Scouts present at the fundraising activity, and that parent could count as the second adult for two-deep leadership purposes: "Adult Supervision Q: The Barriers to Abuse say that there must be two registered adults present for all Scouting activities and meetings. Does that include merit badge counseling? Fund-raising events? A. Yes. However, the parent or legal guardian of the Scout may serve as the second adult. This parent or legal guardian does not have to be a registered leader." The way this is worded, it appears that fundraising activities (popcorn sales, etc.) and individual merit badge counseling are exceptions where a parent / legal guardian of a participating Scout can count as the second adult.

4 adults for the camping / hiking example would be highly recommended (but not required) based on this article from Bryan on Scouting What’s the difference between ‘two-deep leadership’ and ‘no one-on-one contact’? (written before the October 2018 changes to the YPT rules, but still relevant): "What about if there are only two adults present on a campout of eight Scouts, and one group wants to go hiking while the other stays at camp to fish? While Youth Protection policies don’t expressly forbid it, it’s not the recommended approach because of health and safety concerns. What if the adult on the hike gets injured? What if the adult back at camp has an emergency? In those situations, it would be helpful to have a second adult present. Many troops in that situation would want at least four leaders: two to go on the hike and two to stay at camp." How old / experienced are the Scouts on the hike? How far is the hike? Is the hike in the backcountry or close to roads? If someone were to get injured, how quickly / easily could they be rescued, if necessary? Do the Scouts have a hike plan and know what to do if they get lost? Does the group at camp know exactly where the hiking group is planning to go and when they plan to return? Etc. These are risk assessments that need to be done. A merit badge fair would be a different situation. The Scouts are probably all in one location (although they are probably in different rooms). The two-deep leadership would be for the entire activity (merit badge fair), although every merit badge counselor is required to be registered with the BSA. No one-on-one contact would mean that a merit badge counselor can meet with a group of Scouts, but cannot meet alone with just a single Scout. The risk assessment would be completely different from that of splitting up into 2 groups in the backcountry.

Most Scout Shops will ship them to your local Scout Shop or sometimes even to your house. It looks like the SKU is: 320

I thought @Ranman328 was referring to some kind of rule that requires the Eagle Scout project to benefit the charter organization? As far as I know, the project can benefit any religious organization, any school, or the Scout's community (and "community" is defined very, very loosely). I can see how it might be good idea to do a project that benefits the charter organization, but I don't know of any rule to do so.

What rule?

@Summitdog They are related, but separate awards. -Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award is a patch (worn as a temporary patch) -Outdoor Ethics Action Award is a nameplate They can be earned by Boy Scouts, Venturers, and Scouters. Cub Scouts cannot earn them. https://www.scouting.org/outdoor-programs/outdoor-ethics/awards/

The swimming merit badge has to be signed off by a swimming merit badge counselor. Scoutmasters must register as merit badge counselors and be approved for any badge they wish to counsel or sign off in their troop, so if a Scoutmaster is not registered as a swimming MBC, then he or she cannot sign off on the merit badge. The swimming rank requirements are different - they do not have to be supervised by a registered MBC.

I suspect they got the "teabagging" idea from video games (or videos about games), where it is somewhat acceptable behavior (because video game characters are not anatomically correct). Regardless of where the SPL got the idea, it is not acceptable in real life -- especially when the Scout repeatedly told him to stop.

The Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack were retired in 2015. The idea, as I understand it, is to have one Scout Oath and one Scout Law for all of the BSA's programs. Cub Scouts are not required to memorize them. The standard for Cub Scouts is that they do their best. The Bobcat rank requirements state [emphasis added]: 1. Learn and say the Scout Oath, with help if needed. 2. Learn and say the Scout Law, with help if needed. One advantage to having Cub Scouts earn the Scout Oath and Law is that they don't have to learn something different later on when they join one of the older Scout programs. This is especially helpful to Webelos Scouts who join for the first time in the 5th grade -- they don't have to learn one thing, then learn something different 6 months later. I agree with the other posters that telling Scouts that it will take them all the way to 18 to be able to earn Eagle is wrong. The average age for earning Eagle Scouts is 17 (plus some months), but Scouts can (and do) earn it at a younger age. The time that it takes is up to the individual.

Looking at the current requirements for Bear, I don't understand this? A lot of it can be done outside, and a lot of it is "hands on" (building stuff with tools, Whittling Chip, etc.) Maybe he's following the Bear Den Leader Guide meeting plans too closely? They are only intended to serve as ideas / suggestions -- not the one and only way to run the den meetings. http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/bear-core.asp#claws http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/bear-elective.asp

You had another thread on how to earn the Totin Chip outside of summer camp, correct? I assume you are a Scout? There is no need to wait until May to earn the Totin Chip. Here are the official BSA requirements: https://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/advancement-and-awards/merit-badges/totin/ Read the tools section in the Boy Scout Handbook. Then talk to your Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, or Instructor and ask how you can earn it in your troop. If they don't know, ask your SPL.

Could you provide more information? Are you a Scout / parent / adult leader (Scouter) / some other position or role? What type of camp is it? A camp run by your troop / district / council? Who is the camp for? My council runs a shorter version of summer camp that is intended for 1st year Scouts. Some summer camps have a Trail To First Class (TTFC) that goes by different names, but it's basically a skills class that covers some of the early rank requirements (Tenderfoot - First Class).

USA Archery Level 1 instructor level training is all you need (minimum) in order to be an Archery merit badge counselor: "Archery. Archery activities must be supervised by a BSA National Camping School–trained shooting sports director or USA Archery or National Field Archery Association instructor, or by someone who has been trained by one of the three; or alternatively, the activities may be supervised by someone with at least Level 1 training in the operation of an archery range from USA Archery, NFAA, or an equivalent."

If training is the issue, then have them sign up as a Unit Scouter Reserve (for ages 21+) or Unit College Scouter Reserve (for ages 18-20). The only training that is required is to have current YPT, but they do have to pay the $33 BSA registration fee, fill out an adult app., and get the criminal background check. If money is the issue but if they are willing to serve as a merit badge counselor (or Nova counselor or Supernova mentor), then have them sign up in one of these positions. There is no BSA registration fee, but they still have to fill out the adult app., and get the criminal background check. Yes, there is more training for these positions. A merit badge counselor can limit who they counsel to specific unit(s), if they wish.