Thunderbird

“A program for girls ages 11 to 17 will be introduced in 2019. Details will be announced later this year." Implied in this statement was that it would be an additional / separate program for girls. "Program" means something like Boy Scouting / Varsity Scouting / Sea Scouting / Venturing. Call it BSA4G or whatever, but, to most readers, it didn't mean gender segregated units (troops).

Congrats, Brian!

The current Cub Scout adventure program doesn't seem to share as many activities across ranks as the old (pre-2015) program did. This is both good and bad. It's good in that the Cubs aren't doing the same thing year after year, which gets boring. It's not so good for really small packs that have to combine dens. So, if a pack has a bicycle rodeo safety day, I think there's only 1 rank with a bicycle-related adventure (Rolling Tigers), so all of the other Cubs in the pack, but they wouldn't be doing anything rank-related. They would have to be creative to work in some other things for

Yes. Even though the program is designed to be 18-20 months long (give or take), what might be best for some individual Webelos Scouts might not be good for others. Some are older / more mature and can cross over earlier, while some are younger and need more time.

Good point. When it comes to the project though, the more objective the requirements can be, the better, IMO.

"Hard" seems way too subjective.

Earning the Webelos rank is no longer a requirement to earn the AOL rank, but both ranks are part of the Webelos program That was one of the changes they made back in 2015, because the BSA thought it was overwhelming to boys who join Cub Scouts for the first time in the 5th grade to have to earn both ranks in only 6 months (assuming that most Webelos dens crossover in the January-March time frame). I prefer that they crossover by the end of February, too. They need time to get integrated into a troop, and the troop needs to know which Scouts are going to summer camp (the earlier the bet

@69RoadRunnerWhat's your Scoutmaster's secret to no cracks?

My understanding is that the Webelos program is still intended to be around 18-20 months (for non-LDS packs), with crossover around January-March of the 5th grade year (individual packs vary). With the current requirements, they can complete the Webelos and AOL ranks sooner, but IMO it makes for a better experience and allows more time for them to be better prepared for Boy Scouts (especially for the younger kids - some of whom will be closer to their 10th birthday) if they aren't rushed. Extra time means more opportunities for more experiences such as visiting Boy Scout troops or earning ad

That would be great. Thank you!

Yes, please!

When do all these new rules go into effect? Anybody know for sure?

The AOL rank requirement states: "1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old." (emphasis added). There are no AOL dens - there are only Webelos dens (although most packs have a den for 4th graders and a den for 5th graders), so the 6 month active tenure requirement starts when a Webelos Scout completes the fourth grade or when the Webelos Scout turns 10 years old (whichever comes first). Dens crossover at the end of the school year (for non-LDS packs). The exact date is determ

I didn't really intend to start a tangent, but the way that the family life merit badge requirement is currently worded, it leads me to believe that part of the intent behind the requirement is for the Scout to think about what makes an effect father in order to get the Scout to think about his own potential future role as a father. "7a. Your understanding of what makes an effective father and why, and your thoughts on the father’s role in the family." That's why, in my opinion (and I could be wrong), it doesn't ask about what makes an effective mother or parent - although it does as

While I cannot speak for anybody else, as a female, I would have felt perfectly comfortable reading a magazine called "Boys Life". If I were younger and joining the BSA because of its program, I would not want or expect the program to change its name or that of its magazine just to accommodate me. Obviously, it would make sense to change a few things here and there (like the Family Life merit badge requirement on what it means to be an effective father). But I don't see why changing the name of the program or the magazine is necessary or "Thrifty".

Vote with your wallet.

I dropped my son's subscription as part of recharter. They recently tried to entice me back with their "very best deal!" of a subscription offer that would have been more expensive than what I would have paid at recharter time. 🙄

Maybe they will change the Lion image next. It looks awfully male with that mane and all. 🤔

I don't know about timing, but I predict the "linked troops" concept turns into co-ed troops fairly quickly, maybe with separate patrols. The option for boys troops / girls troops will still be there for a while, but having them as an option will probably go away more quickly with the departure of the LDS troops. And duty to God will be next on the chopping block - they will just make it "optional".

I was under the impression that they increased the membership fees in order to rebuild the insurance fund. Guess not.

Pedro and Petra / Pietra?

Yep.

The Cyber Chip is also required for Star rank (part of requirement #6). It was added as part of the 2016 rank requirement changes. https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/boyscouts/pdf/Star_rank_2016.pdf

It makes me sad that younger boys will now never get to be Boy Scouts.