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Troop shopping is GREAT if units are running the program instead of doing their own thing. If everyone is running the program the only difference between units would be personality and driving distance to unit meetings.

What do we know about this mechanism for the public to search for YPT violations? Is it a website? Do we enter the state/council/unit number and a list of YPT violations (potentially redacted) populates? I am curious as I would just like to know, and I am also curious to know if a unit folds and a new unit replaces it at the same CO with a different unit number will the search return zero results on that unit?

Training is key; however, it doesn't matter how well trained a volunteer is if they don't want to run the actual program AND it's all about "their kids" and not providing a good program. All of the dying troops in my area have the same things in common: no relationship to a pack, cadre of key 3 leaders who need to rotate out, doing their own thing. All of the dying packs in my area have the same things in common: only have a relationship with 1 troop, do not run year round programs, doing their own thing.

I think its the value or perhaps lack of value that is keeping people from volunteering as camp staff. How many people who are going into the navy or merchant marine that would benefit from having lifeguarding time on their resume ever get asked to spend the summer after high school as a BSA lifeguard? How many old door kickers down at the local veterans club or witty old rascals at the local hunt club ever get asked to pass on all that bushcraft and woodcraft to the next generation? Those guys live for sharing their knowledge and experience, giving back to society is what kept a lot of them in the service. How many trade unions (which are constantly lamenting the lack of youth going into the trades) are getting calls to help out run a MB station at a camp for a week to give a scout a chance to learn what working in the trades can be like and do for them? How many gun clubs get visits from council shooting sports chairs? These guys are all big 2nd amendment types who believe the only problem with guns is that not enough people have proper training. I'd bet that my uncles gun club has more certified shooting instructors than every council in my state combined, but I've never heard the local council talk about recruiting any of those people, and some of them are RICH, they would pump SO much money into BSA shooting sports because they want share their love of shooting sports.

I would say no. One of the major points of the uniform is common appearance that creates an in group. Everyone in uniform also strips away displays of social class and allows the group to more closely bond and see each other as part of the in group. Whether you realize it or not, by not wearing a uniform you are signaling your social class and subconsciously telling the group that you are not really part of it. From a BSA specific standpoint by not wearing the uniform you are sending the message that it is ok to not wear the uniform. You're also inadvertently teaching the scouts that it is ok to cherry pick which rules to follow (when you sign your membership application each year you are attesting to follow the rules and regulations of the BSA, and the rules and regulations of the BSA include scouters wearing their uniforms to set the example for the scouts).

There was even scuttlebutt about this on reddit a while back. Bringing that council fee down to match national was a good move. Why did it change from Council Insurance Fee to Local Council Fee ? Being vague always invites question and suspicion. Breaking it down 12 council insurance fee, 68 council operations fee would make this much more palatable.

So the question you need to ask is, who are the coaches and club sponsors; are they school district staff or outside entities? If any of the coaches and club sponsors are outside entities the school has to give you the same recruiting access as those sports and clubs.

You can go camping and not do any scoutcraft. It happens all of the time, the requirements for camping and such even include statements like "If a tent is already setup and provided" so some scouts are not even learning to set up tents on their outings. Real scoutcraft is learning how to build a fire, and why certain methods are better, scoutcraft is learning how to tie knots, knowing their strengths and their weaknesses, etc ... etc ... Adventure is nice; it's definitely part of the Enable part of edge, but its not at the root or core of the program. Go read the national charter from congress and show me in the purpose statement where it says adventure. I am not at all concerned about any of this peripheral stuff going away as long as it means we're getting back to the core of what scouting is supposed to be. How many scouts with one of these awards or membership in the OA freeze up when you ask them what their good turn for the day was? How many scouts lose their words when you ask them at a BOR to describe a situation where they exhibited an act of courage? How many times have you seen a scout lock up like a deer in the headlights when you ask them about the last time they participated in a patriot ceremony?

You can absolutely do this. I believe nationals published stance was go ahead if you want, we just do not guarantee availability of loops and pins.

It's really easy, teach the SPL & PLs to lead by consensus/try to lead by consensus. The process will force them to seek input from all stakeholders before advancing something along.

So even clubs and regular sports are not allowed to use any of the school districts facilities?

I guess you could say that some other scouting association that does not have an incorporated unit overseas is excluded; however, GS and many other associations that are here in the US also are incorporated overseas. As I understand it, if the scouting organization is on this list it counts: https://directory.scout.org/contacts

Sou Sounds like you need to find a way to replace him.

Are other groups (including rec leagues) allowed to recruit in the schools at all?

I don't see anything wrong with not advancing if the a scout does not want to advance; I would say that you should sit down and talk with each one of these "not wanting to advance" scouts to make sure they understand the program and the point of advancement. A buddy of mine "accidentally" made 2nd class, he was never interested in advancement, just MB, camping, and camp cooking. His SM just noticed over time that he had completed so much rank advancement by accident by just being out with his patrol and at camp with his troop. Same guy cranked through his undergrad in 2 years and jumped to grad school at 19. Mysteries of the universe unfold.

I'm a little late to this party; however, I was recently asked to find the official answer by my COR for a scouter who is a Girl Scout Gold awardee. A locally produced knot is not authorized from what I can tell; councils can make local awards, but it has to be documented and vetted, I understand it to be a process. More directly to the gold award recognition aspect of this, the Guide to Awards and Insignia is very clear that awards from other scouting associations are authorized for wear above the left breast pocket (page 9). There are exceptions for non scouting organizations (religious awards, etc ... ) and they are also worn above the left breast pocket.

Scout B, the ASPL is the functional SPL in the absence of the SPL at all unit functions under the auspices of the BSA. This is all handled in the Troop Leader Guides, the SPL handbook, the PL handbook, etc ... Your question makes me think that there is something else going on here.

Sounds like you should volunteer on the district committee. Also reach out to the director of camping services; those people always need volunteers to come out and run MB sessions, provide 2 deep leadership at ranges, etc ...

The program is changing, I think it's going to get streamlined and I think we're going back to our roots. The first mission of the BSA is to train scouts in scoutcraft, maybe we're getting back to that.

Oh boy, you're in a bind because lax uniform standards have become "the standard" in your unit. One thing to differentiate is that units/leaders cannot force "Scouts" to have a uniform; however, there is no such rule for adult leaders, as a matter of fact the Troop Leader Guidebooks state that part of the position description for adult leaders is that they wear the uniform, and wear it correctly. If the issues are financial, work with people, find some "experienced" uniforms on sale and hook some people up. Remind people what the real standard is. What I find is that most people will have a uniform top, get people to that point and then iterate up towards the ideal from there. Keep in mind that for unit numbers and position patches, if a person has only 1 uniform they are supposed to wear the position patch and unit numbers of their "primary role" and their epaulets are supposed to match the position patch. The best I advice I think I can give you is to make sure your uniform is full, and worn correctly, and be the standard. When someone asks, make a point to explain that you are following the standard.

A lot of great responses. @RookieScouter, your Scoutmaster is incorrect. The scouts are responsible for communicating through their "chain of command"; however, at the same time the Scoutmaster Corps should communicate with the committee, and the Scoutmaster Corps should communicate with the parents. Sometimes it's at the same time, sometimes it's separate. There is an entire chapter of the Troop Leaders Guide Vol1, it literally states that trusting scouts to communicate with their parents is desired but very risky and other communication channels have to happen to make things work.

Some councils are really going big with their fees which I think is the bigger problem; especially the councils that have found a way around the council cap at nationals level. Overall the program is rather cheap compared to other programs for youth; however, if council fees get too high I think they will kill FOS.

Basically anytime the patrol name is called out is when the patrol yell should be used. For example: when the SPL calls on a PL he should also tack on the patrol name ; and then the patrol would yell whatever they're yell is. It would be an esprits de corps moment that also could just be fellowship/horsing around. Think a scenario like the following: SPL: "PL John Smith from the Rocket Patrol is going to lead todays rank advancement and teach the square knot." Rocket Patrol: "To the moon!" When the esprit de corps gets built up in the troop you will have some slightly rude moments as the patrol will start to immediately yell their yell when someone says the patrol name. You have to build the culture to include those cues. Also helps if every patrol has a patrol yell as it will become a competition as to who can yell it the loudest.

Enforce the Parent Partner Rule for Lions and Tigers; you will find your replacement in one or two of those parent partners. Cut everything that someone "tacked" on to a role and recruit people to do just the job description of a position from the cub scout leader guide; don't let "the way we always did it" or "historically" restrict your packs function and form. Encourage round table and leader training for everyone. Use leader awards, they are there for a reason, and people do appreciate them.

The positional authority is that willful violation of the GTSS means the BSA umbrella policy does not cover you in the event of an incident.