Tron

Perfect example of meeting the scouts(youth) where they are at to get them engaged.

The 2.6 billion is not after fees. Everything I have read has indicated that the 2.6 billion is what the trust is currently funded at (including promissory notes). I think there might be a way to a way to bump that up if the hold out insurance companies decide to contribute.

There are new pants in the pipeline. Different cuts, made of ripstop instead of that old material that shredded if a briar looked at it. You might want to check and see if the new pants work. As for shirts I think it's by batch. I am in a 2XL due the length and shoulders. It's my opinion that several years ago BSA decided to shift towards an untucked appearance but has not pulled the trigger on that decision yet. The crappy BSA timeline management is a problem with everything BSA does right now.

Except for the fact that they said they are not. Oh no! Reading strikes again!

Has anyone else had a chance to watch the NAM videos that dropped on Friday? There was a great comment about training in the change the way we work together video. One of the dudes from national basically said that national wants to change training and that they want quality leaders, not just warm bodies in the volunteer roles.

This is the correct attitude right here. Especially the occasional review part; heck we all forget stuff.

This seems really bad at first. But is it that bad? I was able to see my CST membership April to April for the past 4 years and that 25% drop doesn't show year-over-year April-to-April in my CST. My CST might be an anomaly, but I doubt it.

The key that is going to mean no is the end of item 10. "Carry everything you will need throughout the trek."

Just perusing the discussion here, so burned out on training arguments. Per the charter agreement and adult registration paperwork the SM is supposed to be position trained. It's not in the GTSS for some reason, and since most leaders never read the charter, bylaws, or paper registration form it gets overlooked. National is finally starting to look at this stuff, unit dashboards now focus on CC and Unit Leader being trained. Councils are now being evaluated on the percent of direct contact leaders who are position trained. Sort of a tie in to the UK scouting discussion that was popping in another thread; in the UK position specific training is required or they just drop you (100% trained leader status is one of the reasons why UK scouts has few units, and why it is considered more elite to get in).

I am thinking, shelters with bunk beds + want foot lockers = mouse problem.

No requirements like this that I know of.

Sounds like where we want to be as a program here in the states.

What? What SM handbook? SM handbook hasn't been in print for over a decade :P

UK is doing a lot of stuff that is great; but they have high quality control. We can't do what they do because we do not have even half of the quality control that they have.

As a one off read it does not scream great; however, when you go back and look at 2023 after national incurred their debt obligation to the settlement trust it screams right direction. 10% reduction in overall debt. Jan 1 to Dec 31 operations ran a 36 million revenue. National definitely is heading the correct direction. I believe their goal is to be under 200 million in debt before end of 2025; if they can hit that goal we're going to see a roaring good next decade in support and program growth.

When you look for training check your council website; but also remember that you can go anywhere for training (just bring back proof to your local council to have it added to your training record), https://global.scoutingevent.com/ will help you find training at all participating councils.

The standdown shouldn't be a big deal. This shouldn't affect the summer camps. National needs to put resources into investigating the risks, conduct an analysis, and put out any recommendations (if needed, S happens right?). 3 weeks until camp should be a headache but not a show stopper.

Well the Lion program might get removed ... and replaced with a program similar to the UK Squirrels program (ages 4-6); or, Lions might stay the same but allow younger scouts. Things that were briefed at the national meeting; can't wait until more information becomes available.

This is not quite accurate any longer. It's their (DE and commissioner corps) job to advise, but it's no longer their role to be held accountable for a units success or failure. He can reach out to them for help but it will only be worth while if the troop is ready and willing to listen.

The number 1 thing you can do to save your troop is to engage the pack and help them grow. Does the pack need more adults? Join the pack as an adult leader, bring a den chief from your troop. Help the pack recruit, get that pack up to 45-60 scouts, and then watch as the AOLs cross. You're getting maybe 1 of 2 AOLs? Imagine if the pack was crossing 10! if you got 5 of 10 for the next 4 years you'd be a regularly sized troop with a healthy number of scouts.

I am sussing out that you're trying to figure out when to bring your knowledge to the table without burning a bridge. That's really tough to figure out; unfortunately we have a lot of bad leaders in scouting. I would recommend assessing the key 3 a bit, attend some leader meetings to see if they are just dictating or actually running the meetings properly. A key indicator to hold off and wait on making any recommendations is if the committee chair is not seeking input from all attendees at the committee meetings.

I don't know about this; there is some truth here but some issues. Taking years to fix troop culture isn't really a thing; either a troop is open to improving or a troop is not. If you're traveling true you sometimes get knocked off course; however, the intent to be on course is there, and you have to want to be on course and stay on course. If troop leadership has no intent on staying on course (running the program), it's intervention time or find a new troop time. I think we all see this in our own little areas of the country, lots of packs and troops are failing and shutting down; the reason in my area is clear, when a post mortem is performed it always points to the unit was not running the program and eventually killed itself.

I might wear those just for the heck of it. Uniforms and uniformity are important, "they" say all methods are equal but I personally think the uniform should be more equal than others because of the financial diversity in my area. That being said, because of the financial diversity in my area I am on the N+1 improvement road for uniforms at my unit; I'll worry about the socks after I get every scout into a properly fitting uniform shirt and then if I can ever get more than a handful of scouts into any type of green pants. Didn't the bolos come out of Philmont? I once had an old timer tell me that the rule "back in the day" was that you could only wear a bolo if it was purchased at Philmont. Where I live, if I see someone with a bolo, with my personality, I typically ask them if they have ever even been West of the Mississippi, and then when they so no and don't get the whole out West vibe bolos give off I mock them to some degree and ask them something about when they are picking up their spurs.

Forget everything else and deal with this right here before making any plans. Part of the patrol method is everyone puts in work. EG: Post grubbing up everyone pitches in to clean up and put the patrol box away. The PL might be drying while the 11yr old crossover is scrubbing, but everyone is putting in work. If the troop has enough scouts to allow anyone to hold down the earth with their posterior then they should have another patrol.

Anyone know what's going on with Bluegrass council?