mrjohns2

agreed

Agreed. That concept should no longer be done. I’m not in support of coed troops, but I am also not in support of girl only camporees or summer camp weeks.

I’ve enjoyed Scout On Chattanooga. https://www.cherokeeareabsa.com/podcast . A lot is hyper local, but I like their chemistry enough to listen. I was irritated with Scouter Stan when he specifically gave out incorrect uniform advice. If I recall it might have been a recruiter strip for adults and maybe a district patch.

Yes? That do that with the counselor. That counselor may end up not being an adult. It is up to the council advancment committe (see other parts of the guide to advancement) to manage the quality of the summer camp mb program. I can assure you that about 90% of MBs am nation wide are taught by counselors under 18. Have you been to camp? Have you assured yourself and your scouts of quality instruction? I have. If you have, you’d know that the requirements are done with an MBC that is more likely than not under 18. You must be new to the program to have this all jumbled up.

Actually, that isn't true. If so, all counselors would need to be 18. They oversee quality control to make sure those that are teaching the MB are holding to the standards, but the adult is not expected to test each scout on each requirement. Just not part of the program or expectations.

This makes sense as it would allow a leader to say "yes, we have an RSO, we have a rifle instructor, and we are at a commercial range". Just like safe swim defense or climbing, they could confirm that they are setup to meet the requirements vs. just saying "well, these are guys who do shooting normally at district events, so they know best".

When the Scout admits it. Your example of a Scout admitting they didn't read the requirements is a pretty poor judge if they did them or not. If swimming merit badge at camp covers certain requirements each day, the counselor tracks completion, and when done, done. There isn't a requirement for the Scout to read the requirements, just do them. And it should be rare. Rare. Not a regular occurrence. It sounds like for your unit, this was a regular occurrence. Your sense of righteousness seems strong. Again "Just as we avoid penalizing Scouts for the mistakes of adults, it should be a rare occurrence that a unit leader finds the need to question whether merit badges have been earned." This isn't to be done with each badge with each scout. That doesn't seem how you describe your process.

This isn't an opinion, it is policy. If the blue card is signed by the counselor, then the scout has earned it. Your "beef" is with the camp / counselor, the scout should still be awarded the badge.

I thought range and target sports better includes archery. I don’t see archery as a shooting sport.

Well, I’m not sure about programs, but I am pretty sure my daughter (and other Scouts) in our troop wouldn’t have stepped up and spoken up with boys in their troop.

Tell that to those that went to the Jamboree. I’d like to see how the next WILL be a quality program vs 2023’s meh program.

You can’t convince me now because all it ends up being is a name change. Money and time spent. How about some plans? Some actions to really move the needle? And I don’t mean the plans / actions around renaming. Renaming is easy. Success is assured with the renaming. Plans can and will be completed. Growing numbers is hard. How about a review of the 5 year plan and where we are at? Like another said, basically failed.

I don’t like it since I feel like it is a distraction. I assume “they” feel like it is “action”, when it really is just a district from the real work. Very disappointing.

My experience with our boy and girl troops have lead me to not want us to go coed. Numbers wise, our troop has flourished now at about 15, leak at 22 last year. The other troops in our district that have acted like a girl patrol are in the 3-7 range and not really growing. We have a “brother troop” and do some joint activities. We meet at the same time and place, just different rooms. It works well.

Why not Scouts of America? Just drop the boy. I think the name change is dumb and should have been done, if it was going to be done, 5 years ago.

It seems dumb. Our girl troop had flourished with 22 Scouts at its max. We have ebbed down to 12 between this year and last. It wasn’t because of BSA. Maybe if they really moved from Boy Scouts of America to nearly 100% use if BSA they could get “there” without as much turmoil. Seems like a waste of resources. So, does this mean Scouts BSA just becomes Scouts? Again, turmoil that we already went through. Is the juice worth the squeeze? No.

Where I have seen it “fail” is when you get on local roads with traffic lights. It can easily split up and cause people to either brake hard or “blow” a light. Not good stuff.

That is good to hear! How dumb to take the old one down before putting the new one up.

I did see in somewhere. I will look. It isn't a good idea, so don't do it. Copy for 1999 has it: Guide to Safe Scouting (scoutingbsa.org)

For families they “just stop coming” how hard has it been to get these items back?

Very quick read. Very interesting book. A bit of nudity (but maybe a page or 2), but by no means the focus. If I could remember it to give it a synopsis would be almost how someone loosing grip with reality. Just interesting. It also covered how bad the bombing of Dresden was in WWII.

I think we will focus on these 2 items. Physically separate camping, adults cook their own meal, adults have a duty roster like the scouts.

Great point! Scouting is inversely proportional to "school like activities". The more scouting becomes like school, the fewer scouts we will have.

That was the version when I was a Cub. I think this one was another national one for awhile. Cub Scout Progress Towards Ranks, Tiger Cub Belt Totem (boyscouttrail.com)

@MaleficentStitchSounds like a council run activity to me. Even if it is "designed" for a single troop, it sounds like you are good. Now, if you rented the camp / range and provided the properly trained people, it would be a bit more on the line for me. Since they staff it, seems pretty clear you are still good.