malraux

Having listened to lots of people with troubles in their current troop stay miserable for far too long, people really should consider it more often and quickly.

While some units act like everyone who goes to a particular school or church must attend the associated Pack/Troop, you are welcome to shop around. I recommend looking at the unit finding website at https://beascout.scouting.org The information there can be a bit out of date but should let you know where else to look. In your situation I would definitely look around for a new pack.

Technically, we now have the 4 Aims: Character, Citizenship, Personal Fitness, and Leadership. Leadership was added very recently.

A mild defense of having it not be just bsa sanctioned camping: I would think the goal with scouting is to teach the youth to act wisely in all that they do, but especially in the outdoors. By the time a scout is first class, he/she should have a reasonable grasp of setting up a tent, planning a menu, following lnt, etc. Allowing OA qualifications based on camping outside of the BSA seems to follow in that mindset, that you should use this knowledge outside of just scouting.

Compare and contrast that wording with the camping MB requirement. "Camp a total of at least 20 nights at designated Scouting activities or events.* One long-term camping experience of up to six consecutive nights may be applied toward this requirement. Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched. If the camp provides a tent that has already been pitched, you need not pitch your own tent." The OA wants a BSA summer camp experience, plus another 10 nights camping. But by the wording, only the 5 continuous nights need be at the bsa sanctioned event.

It appears to be working for me. According to the initial presentation, the time involved is 45 minutes + 40 minutes +40 minutes. So right at 2 hours. No idea yet how comprehensive the material is.

I did the online training about 1.5 years ago. It was of mixed utility. I know that they also just rolled out a new training course (as in this week) for the online stuff. Not sure if the in person stuff is the same. As for leaders not knowing stuff, first, its possible that they didn't do the training. Getting our leaders trained is a pain in the butt. Second, at least with the old training, what I found was that it was hard to figure out what was important vs meaningless and a fair amount of the info is spread out everywhere. Or the info isn't current with the new rules or whatever. Looking at the new training, it looks more straighforward and usable.

Pinewood derby cars? That’s upcoming and is a wood project you apply a finish to.

Something something immediate recognition.

I walked into my scoutshop and picked up my den leader knot right after turning in the form. Then after months of the district person complaining about the exact signatures on the form, the district finally issued me a certificate and knot. The lesson I learned was that the paperwork was too much work to bother trying to do correctly.

Wasn't required when I earned my eagle in the early 90's.

This is perhaps closest to my feelings as long as we are really making separate troops a thing. The girls should drop in to an existing troop meeting and a plc meeting once just to see what they are like, but the best way to learn how to do all the elements of scouting are direct experience.

I guess the question is if you are a linked troop, exactly how are you linked? Sharing of committee, space, equipment, joint activities, etc are all possible. But that does also mean giving up some of your own self determination as well. I'd also take the warning about being sure that you have youth and adult buy in as well, at least for whatever it is you will be sharing.

Same with what I’ve seen with Cub Scout packs. The only consideration might be if the male and female bathroom facilities are in different locations.

Really any sort of grade repetition would do it, as there wouldn't be a reason to make a kid repeat the "bear" year in cubs just because he repeated the 3rd grade.