KublaiKen

1 hour ago, mrjohns2 said:

I hope you are not having the scout do everything twice? That would not be good. 

It's how our PLC wants to do it.

We have a First Class or above (hence often the PL or Instructor) sign off the left-hand column, and then an ASM the right-hand column. The Scouts don't sign off SMC or BOR, but the Scout seeking to advance does have to answer all the other things like Scout Spirit to the signing Scout's satisfaction.

My Troop as a youth backpacked on the AT and elsewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We made sure to hike on alternate sides of the mountains each day so that one leg didn't grow longer than the other.

I'd wager if your COR walks into the Council office with that fundraising application it will get signed. Especially if, given any hassle, they ask if they should bother coming back with a charter.

To be clear, if the Committee Chair is saying that the adults who help out have to be YPT trained and registered, that is a unit rule, not a BSA rule. There is no such BSA requirement.

I would encourage your Troop's leadership to reach out to the OA chapter absolutely as soon as possible. I say this for a few reasons:

1. They can do a presentation to your Troop explaining what it is and what it does so that the Scouts can be thinking about whom they would elect.
2. Any requirements for membership that are lacking can be made up before the election.
3. You don't miss your chapter/lodge's election window if they have one.

I can't even envision a scenario where I ask a girl to take her Gold Award off her BSA uniform.

4 hours ago, MattR said:

<thread stealing>

Check out Major League Baseball. Any coach or manager that steps onto the field has to wear a uniform. BTW, there's a difference between a MLB manager and coach

Yes, a minor edit to your post. Just pointing out an unusual American custom. I like that one.

</thread stealing>

And as a lifelong NL fan, I think if they wear the uniform they ought to make 'em hit. 

This came to National Capital Area Council  a bit ago, but I've been away at camp and rushing a guy to Eagle before that, so sorry for the delay:

We have 18 new Scouts (12 going to summer camp this Sunday - been good knowing all of you) and I'm not sure we're done. That's double what we usually had in a good year pre-COVID. I know we're an outlier, but I hope we're also a bellwether. 

But as noted previously, this completely divorces your unit membership from the charter. The list of chartered members on January 1st is no more useful than the list on January 5th or July 27th, as you might have completely different members registered on any given date based on individual membership lapses and renewals. I am curious to see where they are headed.

And negative repercussions from that kind of treatment don't end quickly or easily.

Thank you for posting this, @RememberSchiff. It is good to remember our history.

Thanks, @MattR.

@skeptic, I believe that was in response to a since-deleted post that immediately preceded it.

We pay the dues for all of our youth members. Sending them a link is insane.

ETA: I don't mean we collect dues and pay them for everyone at once; I mean the Troop pays for the dues out of our fundraiser. Now we have to track and pay monthly for the Scouts, and they are getting sent things that mean nothing to them.

1 hour ago, RememberSchiff said:

So for AOL, a coed den would then officially have to split into boy and girl dens to prepare scouts for a non-coed BSA troop?

Another temporary wall to tumble?

Exactly. This is probably the least sensible interim step to this process yet. 

I also hope strict adherence to rules would apply to any forthcoming directives from the BSA concerning the use of Native American traditions. 

Which is why Pop Warner still uses the Flying Wedge and disallows the forward pass.

Yes, you can take YPT training without being a registered Scouter in any position. Our council, at least, requires it be completed before you are allowed to register as an adult. We have always required adults using the 72 hour rule to complete it, and ask our drivers too, as well. We encourage all parents to take it, but, you know...

No, you don't need an MBC present when skills are learned. The MBC only needs to be the one to sign off when the Scout has completed the requirements to the satisfaction of the MBC.

Remember that when your Scout finishes Cubs you will be camping separate from them (because of the risk you present, according to the G2SS), so as pointed out, do you need it in a couple of years? I have a huge dogtrot that I still get out once in a while, but I tend to nestle in my two-man (i.e., one-man plus my stuff) on most camping trips with Scouts BSA.

As I mentioned, the campsites closest to us are starting to require two-night reservations. This is a bad idea.

On 3/19/2023 at 12:09 PM, mrjohns2 said:

Interesting as the youth members of my troop want the Native American imagery removed. 

This. I am sure sentiment varies widely among Scouts, among adults, and among areas of the country, perhaps, but I only know of only one Scout for whom it is a draw (not my Troop or even Chapter). For many it is met with disbelief and disapproval.