Armymutt

So the boy units who have the exact same problem are left out again.  There are lots of boy units who have the exact same problem, especially in the inner city, like Charlotte where that council is located.  You would think that they would open it to all new troops.  Might be a great way to get boys off the streets and into the woods.  

Just got a letter from our SE.  The Executive board has decided to raise the youth fee from $66 to $80 and the adult fee from $12 to $26.  The email goes on to say that it's $165 per Scout - $85 national and $80 council.  Isn't there an extra $12 for insurance on there, or is that a council thing?  Scout Life is $15 for now.  Time to up those popcorn sales.

Here's the link to one of them on the council website: https://www.mccscouting.org/content/115391/2024-Girl-Camporee-of-the-East-Coast--Girl-Camporee-of-the-East-Coast
 

I would refuse to let my daughter go to one of these if offered in our council.  Every group faces challenges.  We wouldn't have a "Military Dependent Camporee", even though those kids routinely have to move, make new friends, get pushed around, don't get selected for Vigil, have a harder time making Eagle, etc.  

I've also seen Girl-only Camporees.  That really gets to me.  Imagine if we had Boy-only Camporees these days.  More than one person actually defended it by saying that all of them were Boy-only prior to girls joining.  Seriously?  I fully support girls being in the program - my daughter loves it.  However, I insist that all events be open to boys and girls.  To do so otherwise is an insult to the members of BSA who are excluded.  Even our Catholic Camporee is open to everyone.

Isn't the argument about mixed gender dens moot out since it is now allowed until AOL?  Without them, there'd be very few girls in Cub Scouts in many areas.  In well-to-do areas, I'm sure the packs are large.  In others, a highwater mark of 20 post-COVID is acceptable.  Our pack maxed out a 4 girls - 2 AOL and 2 Tiger.  Honestly, if we didn't mix them, the boy in the Tiger den would have been denied Cub Scouting at our Pack, as would the 3 boys in the AOL den.  The DLs were parents of the girls and the boys' parents were unable to volunteer.  If our pack still exists in 2 years, that's exactly what will have to happen.  The boy in the AOL den will be sent away from the pack due to the rules.  

I haven't experience Scouts BSA yet, but I hope this isn't the norm.  This sort of behavior and actions can make Scouts resentful of the new paradigm of BSA.  

One of the things that has been bugging me for the last 30+ years is the loss of the background color on the rank patches.  I remember something about blending in better with nature, but that's kinda bunk when you look at the variety of OA flaps, CSPs, and campout patches.  As my kids move up to the troop, I'm very tempted to buy them the old patches.  Thoughts?

8 minutes ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

In my view, a bigger problem than that it's a uniform rule violation is that it's taking a side in an armed conflict as a scouter. Even if everyone else there agrees with the position. Whether you or anyone else can address it with the person skillfully or not is a somewhat different question. A scene a la GSUSA threatening the scouter with the Palestine bracelets with legal action isn't a great first step.

Do you know the person in question?

No, he's from a pack in another town, based on his unit number. 

We're looking a similar thing.  After Army moving season and the AOL crossover in Dec, our pack will have 6 Scouts and no CM, ACM, or Secretary.  I mentioned recruiting in our last leader meeting and was met with silence.  Frankly, there is another pack closer to us with more girls.  My son is moving up to the troop closest to us rather than the one at our CO.  They meet the same night as our pack.  This isn't going to work for our schedule, so the current pack will have 5 Scouts and no CM, ACM, secretary, treasurer, or CC.  Once the AOL crossover occurs, I will put it to the remaining parents that we should close up shop and join the other pack before recharter.  I've tried to keep this thing afloat, but I'm met with apathy every step of the way.  The CO is more of a hinderance than a help to our program.  Even the COR was recruiting for a different pack several years ago before they folded.  We'll just quietly disappear into the night, re-registering the adults who want to continue to be leaders, re-registering the Scouts who want to continue, and transferring the remaining funds to the new pack(s) according to the registrations, after refunding unused portions of dues.  

Was at our District PWD yesterday.  Saw an adult leader who had a Ukrainian flag in place of the US flag on his uniform.  I've seen all sorts of oddities on uniforms, but I've never seen someone replace our flag with that of another nation.  

53 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

I spent many a day and night on both Green and Yellow ramps at Pope waiting for you guys to load up in my trusty C-141.

Our airdrop speed was usually about 150 knots, depending on weight.  If I was tail end Charlie of the formation, I'd slack off ten or 15 knots over the DZ to make your opening shock a little less.  (Love what you did!!)  Later did some DZ control there...

Both my Dad and brother were 82nd... and I was born on Fort Campbell, and lived on Fort Bragg.  Dad retired out of Fort Gordon.  Both told me to go Air Force!  (brother in Navy said the same!) Still have family in Raeford and Augusta. 😜

Airborne All the Way! 

(I trained for the nylon letdown, but was never daft enough to jump out of a perfectly good airplane 😜 )

 

The 141 was before my time.  We had the cramped C-130s and the luxurious C-17s.  Those were nice.  I grew up in the Air Force.  Saw my stepdad wear a time to work everyday.  Didn't want to do that.  Joined the Army, then the AF decided that every day was combat uniform day across the board.  Oh well, only a couple years left to go.  

2 minutes ago, acema606 said:

I respect the name change to Fort Liberty, but it's gonna take a while before I consistently call the Center of the Universe by its new name.  AATW!

You can tell who is who by how they refer to that place outside of official communications.

13 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Careful!  You'll be put on the IVF!!

That was going through my mind when I wrote that.  I think we're both safe.  He is one of my background check references.

On 2/28/2024 at 12:32 PM, Eagle94-A1 said:

 He has already stated he will not stay on as an ASM because he refuses to give up his friends, and he is in college.

That right there is a shame.  This is where the lawyers drive out potentially excellent volunteers.  We probably were violating what passed for YPT when I was a senior in HS.  I was an ASM but I was also on the school sports teams, so I was changing in the locker room with Scouts.  I was even assigned to share a hotel room with a Scout on a school trip.  He was a junior.  

2 minutes ago, DannyG said:

There is an AOL-Building a Better World requirement "Meet with a government or community leader, and learn about his or her role in your community." Here in the states, we have a few local government officials who like to get involved in our ceremonies: like Blue and Gold and Eagle Courts of Honor. But it could be a politician, a government official (appointed), or somebody else...

The new requirement seems oddly specific.

For us, the government leaders are all around.  We have military officers and NCOs in pretty much every unit around Ft. Bragg.  May not be in the exact spirit of whoever wrote the requirement, but we get it done to the letter.

2 hours ago, DannyG said:

Sorry to hear that... It does require shared leadership. Cubmaster to organize the Pack meeting activity. Another parent to coordinate Scouting for Food. Another parent to coordinate a community event., etc... We put ourselves in position to provide lots of opportunity, so each family only has to commit to one or two. 

We tried that.  It didn't work.  We're in an economically depressed area where there are lots of opportunities to do things but everyone is "too busy" to do anything else beyond bring their kid to a meeting.  Some can't even do that and then get surprised that they didn't earn anything.  

1 hour ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

Sidebar: Why couldn't you just find an elected German official? Why restrict yourself to the base?

Normally Americans stationed overseas don't wade into local politics or want to be seen doing so.  It really wouldn't be a good look, no matter how noble the cause.  I know when I was a kid in England, our parents weren't out talking to the politicians.  There wasn't a requirement to talk to politicians for any of the merit badges.  Seems like an odd requirement for cubs.

7 minutes ago, DannyG said:

Yes. Our Pack participates in Scouting for Food in the spring: One hour to distribute door tags one weekend. One hour to pick up food next weekend. We have devoted entire Pack meetings to creating care packages.  That's one hour each. We have organized park clean-ups, then play a game in the clean park afterwards. Our charter org. runs a food panty and is always looking for help. They have Cubs bag groceries and gopher supplies from the shed. Our community holds events that has scouts volunteer: ie. flag ceremonies, American Legion, etc. We offer plenty of opportunity for service for our scouts. I guess our Pack is different.

We don't have enough parents interested in doing stuff like that.  We can't get anyone to volunteer to run the PWD or B&G.  It's been the same two families organizing everything for the past three years.  Scouting For Food?  That would require dedicating two weekends to Scouting in a row.  That's too much for most of them.

10 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Is there a PTA that works with the DoDDS there?  Maybe they elect somebody...  

Or could they talk with the SPL of the Scout Troop?  It does say "someone who is elected"

The SPL thing was what I thought of last night.  Of course, how many SPLs know the method by which they were elected?  Even the law research one seems a bit much for Cub Scouts and parents who can't figure out Scoutbook.  

1 hour ago, PACAN said:

@armymutt

Can you share the xls document or point us to where we all can get it.

Thanks

I found it here: https://www.facebook.com/download/420104303799034/NEW Cub Scout Adventures and Requirements.xlsx?av=1265951650&eav=AfaVFqGFLPp1FlqxAiHQ-ZJe6oZ07HLbNXHvHpRLg9x7RxYlOvjCXPBtE74HIFKhcaw&paipv=0&hash=Acrb32VljgE1dz4_rP4&__cft__[0]=AZX52xvwZPEfzRoPqxqO_pOeUXRORQQEombH2Fo3b_QbKrlk8KHnL-ZNU0v_M58nJHwgNShDuOY0SfRjDTR2TclnksN7J0OhV4pGQejDBnFARXTHR6Th7XtB4whjBHecuRQ49kx8qIUTzCSgeSif3YMLksx9xjUNGbqsp7U_s44HFQ&__tn__=H-R

I came across a posted xlsx document with what is purported to be the new CS program.  Looking through it, I came across this extremely fun sounding requirement in several of the ranks: Review your BSA Annual Health and Medical record with your parent or guardian.  Discuss your ability to participate in pack and den activities.

Now if that doesn't sound like an amazingly fun time for a 3rd grader, I don't know what does.  

The Webelos have this required gem:

I'm seeing these changes as further evidence of the decline of the Scouting program.  Parents are less and less inclined to get involved with their kids and their activities.  If it's not easy, they don't want to do it.  All of our den leaders are only in those positions because their kids won't have an activity if they don't do it.  The complaint that the non-rank advancement awards were not in front of them and thus they didn't do them is telling.  A 5 minute look through the tabs of Scoutbook will show you all of these awards that are apparently so hard to find.  Only 4% of Scouts earn Eagle.  Are we doing away with that too?  My daughter doesn't wear the belt.  Her uniform would look pretty empty if it just consisted of her Lion and Tiger badges.  Right now she wears the Shooting Sports patch and the Outdoor Activity award flap patch.  Future Cub Scouts will probably be pretty boring since there won't be any awards outside of advancement to work on.  Oh well, we can always tell the kids that they will be able to earn patches for their uniforms once they reach 5th grade.  

2 hours ago, yknot said:

I don't know how the new law affects this but in the past, affiliated or even unaffiliated tribes had a pathway to request them for funerary ceremonies if remains or if objects for their own musuems.   

I'm not sure how this is a good idea, especially if that tribe engaged in actions that made another tribe go extinct.  

I wonder how you repatriate artifacts to extinct tribes. 

A 5-Scout troop is doable.  I know a troop near St. Louis that hasn't had much more than that for the past 25 years.  It actually made logistics easy.  You'll have to coach the kids a bit more if they are inexperienced, but it can be fun.  As far as resources, what do you mean?