InquisitiveScouter

I have been Scouting since the 80's and have never heard of a "Service Troop." However, when I did an internet search, a Service Troop is described as an ad hoc unit formed to address a specific task, and is liken to a "Service Corps", formed at and for specific events, like a council camporee, national jamboree, a county or state fair, etc. --------------------------------- As far as I can remember, no Troop is ever "required" to help their CO with CO events. But it is just good policy. A Troop is a guest in the CO's space, so it expected they would provide some help to further the CO's interests, insofar as those interests are aligned with those of Scouting. Adorning veteran's graves with flags for Memorial Day Observances is a clear cut example of that alignment. ---------------------------------- The adult leaders' responses are correct... it is the Scouts who are supposed to run the Troop. But, this could also be a convenient excuse for them to ignore or sideline your request... ------------------------------------ So, is your COR a member of the Legion? If not, that is a mistake, IMHO, and should be corrected post haste... If the COR is a member of the Legion, then the Legion Commander (the Institution Head) should ask (tell) the COR to set expectations with the unit for some service to the Chartering Organization. That is a negotiation... zero is not the right answer, and weekly is not the right answer, either... so, you have boundary limits. Find your happy place in there. We try to do a quarterly service for our CO (a church). Scouts will often set up tables and chairs for church events, remove fallen tree limbs from the adjacent cemetery, and clean/decorate (with flag) veterans' graves for Memorial Day. We also advise Eagle Scout candidates about their opportunities for service projects with our CO. We have built playgrounds and prayers gardens for our CO, or helped staff fundraising events like bake sales and bbq's. Our Scouts also participate in the service and put on a kit for each Scout Sunday. If you get pushback from the Scouts, unit leaders, or council, then simply terminate your charter.... which begs the question, does your COR have a current (signed) charter from the council for your unit for 2026? http://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/524-95626-Annual-Charter-Agreement.pdf Take a look and read line II A. 3. the CO must "Refrain from using the Scouting brand as a means to imply Scouting America’s endorsement of the objectives of the Charter Organization, except with respect to youth development, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Scouting program." [Underlining added for emphasis.] To elaborate more on this... part of the Legion's reason for existence is covered in their Preamble https://www.legion.org/about/organization/preamble If you at just three of those principles: "To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all wars; To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; " , then you can rightly draw the conclusion that placing flags on veteran's graves meets those objectives, AND that planting flags is also "consistent with the goals and objectives of the Scouting Program" So the Legion is fully within it's Chartering Organization rights and duties, under the Annual Charter, to require their Scout units to participate in this event. ---------------------------------------- Six months lead time is not bad, because many units plan their calendar that far in advance. Since you know when Memorial Day is going to happen, you can put in a standing request that (for example) the Scout unit must support flag planting on the Saturday before Memorial Day each year. You can work out the wording of that with them. Now the real question comes... If the Scouts refuse, does anyone in the Legion have the courage to terminate the unit? If you do not have a current signed Charter for the council, then you can terminate the unit immediately, and refuse them from using your facilities or property (trailers and unit gear belongs to the CO.) If you have a signed charter, then you must abide by that agreement and wait for it to expire. You do not have to renew 😜 ------------------------------------------- Kilts are not a part of the official uniform. "Heritage thing" is the wrong answer. If someone at Council actually said this, they are way out of line and do not know what they are talking about. See the Guide to Awards and Insignia, for example ; https://www.scouting.org/resources/insignia-guide/ Part VII, Official Uniforms ; "The official uniforms authorized as evidence of official relationship to Scouting America are those approved by Scouting America from time to time, as illustrated and correctly described in the handbooks, catalogs, and other official guidelines of Scouting America. The official uniforms and parts thereof may be issued only as authorized by Scouting America and sold either directly by the National Service Center through responsible local merchants designated as local Scouting distributors or through designated local councils. Local Scouting distributors may be appointed and licensed and the licenses revoked only by the National Service Center, but chartered local councils may make recommendations for such actions. Imitation of United States Army, Navy, or Marine Corps uniforms is prohibited, in accordance with the provisions of the organization’s Congressional Charter." So, again, I ask... does anyone at the Legion have the courage to hold the unit accountable? It is your unit after all... Good luck

Maybe churn through the links here??? If you find something relevant, please let us know https://nam.scouting.org/presentations/

Beginning of June update: Total Unit-Based Youth: 746,579, down 8,061 from last month, or -1.1% (this does not include numbers for Learning for Life)

Lose the bloated jobs... save the camps.

We have the technology to eliminate most of what paid professionals at councils do now. And, I have been thinking about this a lot lately... what SHOULD council do for units, other than provide program opportunities that units cannot get (easily) on their own? Shooting sports (SORRY!! Range and Target Activities), higher level aquatics (sailing , kayaking, canoeing, rowing, lifesaving), and climbing.... You do not need swimming pools. (Although they are helpful.) But you do need a safe swimming hole You do not need dining halls. (I would submit these are actually detrimental to the skills needed for outdoorsmanship and campcraft .) Scouts should be cooking for themselves. You do not need hot showers. (Although they are nice.) Scouts should learn field hygiene and sanitation. You do not need flush toilets. (Although they are nice, too.) See above. I would admit that, due to the number of people you'd like to access your camp, that pit toilets would be a most helpful concession. And local laws may be prohibitive in many places... Heck, you do not even need running water. (But you do need a potable water source, which could include bringing your own.) You need a patch of decent ground or woods. Imagine how easy and cost effective this would be if we did not have all that infrastructure. A local council should have a good sized camp to provide access to the outdoors. It really isn't that difficult to live under canvas for a week. When BP said "A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room" he was not talking about the monster of summer camp merit badge mills we have created across the country.

Yes, it does release national from liability. "Doing something you are not trained to do" translates into negligence, specifically when you cause harm and you had a duty of care for the youth. To date, national has provided a legal umbrella over volunteers, or included them in settlements, in many civil actions. National is not going to defend you in criminal cases, of course. (Or civil cases resulting from criminal acts... sexual abuse, for example) However, in the last few years, I have asked some Council Executives their thoughts on this matter. Most have expressed the thought that National's (and councils') patience is running thin with leaders who act outside the scope of the program or training, and injury results. (See numerous stories on lightning deaths and the resultant lawsuits...) But, they also know that the day National (or a council) walks away from a volunteer, there will be a mass volunteer exodus, and the program will surely fail.

Rhetorical question to point out that there has been no communication on release of this new, all-important document, which units use day-to-day...

I have never been impressed with the communication prowess of the organization, nor the flow of information from National to units. With the old interweb thingy at our fingers now, you'd think the simple solution is a "Daily Read File" or some such. National posts all policy and procedure changes there, and anyone can access and read. The hard part would be keeping duff, fluff, puff, and stuff out of it... you know, propaganda, feel good, and image pieces like you see here https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/ Like this: Did you know that National has released an updated Annual Health and Medical Record (2026 version)???

My bet is that the number includes multiples. So, a Cub Scout that crosses over this year counts as two memberships. A Scout in a Troop who is also a Venturer counts as two memberships. I suspect it also includes all those who were on the rolls until recently. That is, if a youth had a renewal due in early 2026, but did not renew, they still count as a youth served in the program for the year. It would be telling to see a breakdown of the criteria for inclusion into the 887K number. I'd bet that net is as wide as possible

15 May 2026 numbers: Total Unit-Based Youth: 754,640 - This is a loss of 12,754 from end of March number, which was 767,394. - End of April number was 762,883, or a loss of 4,511 from end of March. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark Reporting 887K when system shows 755K, or 15% less. It cannot be that hard to post a current number on a slide. You gotta go back to Dec 2025/Jan 2026 to get near 887K total youth, and that includes unit based plus Learning for Life. Do you think the NAM number includes LFL?

@gracebanks You can bring whatever you want! But remember, you have to carry it And everyone hikes his own hike... For a six day trip, I'd bring one set of clothing to wear, some spare things, and one set of clothing for sleep. The set I wear in late spring/early summer Appalachia: Short sleeve shirt (do not bring a long sleeve... if you get chilly, put on your rain jacket) and a spare. Shorts (do not bring long pants... is you get chilly, put on your rain pants) Quick drying fabric. No spares. Socks and an extra pair of socks if they get really wet or you have to wash a pair... Every time you stop for a break, take off your boots and socks, and let your feet dry out a bit. Put a bit of body powder on your dry feet (not foot powder, because I also use body powder on pits and groin before bed... dual purpose) [Don't use foot powder on your body. If you have had any chafing on inner thighs or groin, you will regret the extra menthol in foot powder. If you are a masochist... well, then, enjoy ) Underwear and an extra pair. Once you wear something until stinky, wash/rinse it... hang it on the outside of your pack to dry while hiking. Or, hang it up at camp... always be drying something Try your best to go to bed clean. Sometimes this means just wiping off with a few unscented wipes. Five F's done in this order: Face (and head/neck) Front (torso, arms, arm pits), Feet (feet and legs), Fanny (groin and butt), Fingers (hand sanitize and wipe for your hands if you cannot wash them) Some body powder on pits and groin/butt, and then into your sleep wear. Do not wear anything you hiked in to bed... you'll regret it. Air out bed clothes in the morning before packing up. [And do not put on the powder inside your tent.] Expect to be ripe before the end of the trip. If you don't stink after six days on the trail, you did not do it right. Go back and start over And no, I do not bring deodorant. I do bring a set of water shoes (toe protection) because I'm prone to jump into any body of water I can They serve double duty as camp shoes. Have a great hike!

But unit recharters will stay at 31 Dec??

I perceive no appetite at the unit, district, council, or national levels to police this. Enforcing any kind of integrity into the process would hamper the money flow of summer camps and merit badge events, and make Jimmy or Jenny less competitive on their college applications. I have had numerous discussions with parents who absolutely expect that, if they pay their $600 camp fee, then their child had better have a multitude of merit badges to show for it. Many parents don't give a hoot about values, ethics, and morals. And we wonder why so many kids do not join Scouting, or if they do, do not stick with it. Once they realize the emperor has no clothes, the ones with a good measure of integrity are tempted to pull their kids from the program. As long as merit badges are available for sale (and I do not mean the pieces of cloth...), then we will have this problem. Pay your fee, get your degree?

A sad, but true, indictment...

Guide to Advancement, para 7.0.2.3... "It is sometimes reported that Scouts who have received merit badges through group instructional settings have not fulfilled all the requirements. To offer a quality merit badge program, council and district advancement committees should ensure the following are in place for all group instructional events. • A culture is established for merit badge group instructional events that partial completions are acceptable expected results. • A guide or information sheet is distributed in advance of events that promotes the acceptability of partials, explains how merit badges can be finished after events, lists merit badge prerequisites, and provides other helpful information that will establish realistic expectations for the number of merit badges that can be earned at an event. " If only we would follow our own literature