Abel Magwitch

To OGE - yes it is a puzzlement to think that these volunteers have had obligatory training and some where knots on their uniforms that practically go over their shoulder. I also see a mindset in the volunteer leaders that the professionals are in charge. And in my council, the professionals do in fact say that "they are in charge and they make the rules." They don't like the few oldtimers still around who remember what the program once was.

Having the chance to travel the country now and then, I have had fun visiting other troops from around the country and speaking with fellow volunteers. There are those whose councils' are obviously doing a fine job in serving the Scouts and their volunteer leaders. And I have found those volunteers whose horror stories about their professionals that are similar to what I find in my council. Councils who are located in affluent parts of the country seem to be doing a far better job of serving this so called "volunteer" organization, while other councils in poorer parts of the country seem

It has always amazed me that there are those (both volunteers and professionals) who feel that they can deviate from the established written policies of the BSA. The very first advancement policy written in the Advancement Committee book states that no council, district, unit or individual has the authority to add to or subtract from advancement requirements. I have also verified this principle through conversations I have had with members of the national advancement task force. That is how the advancement program is to be run. If this first policy is ignored, then the rest of the advancement

I have a question off topic. I have been reading with interest some of the comments concerning how once a person becomes an SE, he is protected. My own council has been having its share of scandal concerning membership. As far as the volunteer executive board is concerned, they are protecting those professionals who were involved with inflating the numbers. No professionals have been held accountable for cooking the books. In fact, they have all been promoted to higher positions. Here is the question - why do you think the executive board is letting the former administration get awa

Here is a situation - I am a swimming merit badge counselor. I had a Scout call me saying he had a partial from summer camp. He needed to be signed off on one remaining requirement. The requirement happened to be number 3 - Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete Second Class rank requirements 7a-7c and First Class rank requirements 9a-9c. That's how things are done at my council's summer camp.

I emailed national and just received a response: We are currently experiencing problems with this course completing if you have Internet Explorer 8 on your pc. The only workaround we have at this time is to do a screen print and send it to the council so they can manually update your record on their end. I apologize for the inconvenience.

I remember an old saying concerning where the road paved with good intentions leads to.

Then quite frankly - shame on the BSA. If the BSA has to turn over the secret documents and it is found that they have committed libel, so be it. To me, these secret files are morally wrong for an organization that claims strong character and timeless values. just my $.02

Has anyone had any problems taking safe swim defense online at myscouting.org? There seems to be a glitch for this training. When one completes the test, you are not given the green that you completed the training. You remain in the blue "in progress". This is the only training so far that has not worked. Safety afloat works fine.

Eagle92 writes - Also there are some folks whose names are in the files due to hearsay and accusations. It could be damaging for them, even if they have done nothing wrong. If the BSA has "secret" files on people based on hearsay and accusations, then the BSA takes a chance on libel. Has the BSA dismissed volunteers because of hearsay? Have volunteers been dismissed without giving the person a reason why? I say release the files. People should have the right to defend themselves if their good name, reputation and character are being challenged based on hearsay and accusatio

It all depends on the council and the scout executive. In my council, an active member of my district has been allowed to be a member. He is very active in the Cub Scouts. He is a Cub Master and also held the position last year of camping chair for the district. Council is well aware of his criminal record. He is a convicted felon - (guilty of two counts robbery, both 2nd degree felonies, and one count of safecracking, 3rd degree felony. According to the court docket, he was also charged with kidnapping, breaking and entering and theft but the judge nolled those charges. So I guess it all depe

Eamonn, it comes from the district nominating committee worksheet. http://ricksnews.pushies.com/Documents/Nominating_Committee_Worksheet_14-33156.pdf

The district committee meets monthly. The annual meeting usually happens in January. Check my other post - a district without a committee for more details. Currently, the district has no valid committee since January of 2010. And considering that the prior committee's term ended at the end of the year, quite frankly there are no district Scouters currently registered. The district is being allowed to continue with no valid district committee. The politics of my council are a bit screwed up.(This message has been edited by abel magwitch)

Great post.

7. The members of the nominating committee will be identified to the district Scouters between 60 and 30 days prior to the annual district committee meeting so that suggestions may be given to them for consideration. (This information may be included in one formal notice of the annual meeting.) The above comes from district nomination committee worksheet. Here is a question for interpretation. I can see how this could be interpreted several ways. Concerning district Scouters Are district Scouters defined as only the district officers, district members at large and COR's or

7. The members of the nominating committee will be identified to the district Scouters between 60 and 30 days prior to the annual district committee meeting so that suggestions may be given to them for consideration. (This information may be included in one formal notice of the annual meeting.) The above comes from district nomination committee worksheet. Here is a question for interpretation. I can see how this could be interpreted several ways. Concerning "district Scouters" Are district Scouters defined as only the district officers, district members at large and COR's

Moosetracker - there have been some combined district activities. But consider this; there should be no need to have to combine in order to have activities. Combining means that the districts are too small. They should be combined. There should be no reason to have to have additional professional staff on the payroll if there are not enough units to make a functioning district. It is nothing but a waste of money. It's time to cut back so monies can be put back into the program for the kids rather into the pocketbooks of additional professionals that are not needed at this time. Ahhh but

jhankins writes - What I'm really trying to say is: What matters most is the boys, if the council sees fit to make 10 new districts or get rid of 10 -- the boys won't really be affected. On the contrary, it does affect the boys. Our district in its 7 year existence is so small, it has had -zero- Boy Scout activities. None what so ever. With only 7 troops, there have been no camporees, no klondike derbies etc.

When our troop has an Eagle, our tradition has been to ask the Scout who he would like to present him with the Eagle. What person does that Scout look to with esteem or had made an impact on the Scout personally. We have had principals, teachers, Grandpa's. That person hands the Eagle badge to the boy's mother to pin on. I remember long ago, one of our Eagles wanted Neil Armstrong to present him his Eagle. Though Mr. Armstrong could not make it, he sent a beautiful autographed pic as well as some other one of a kind things for the Scout. That's our tradition.

Scoutnut, I have to disagree - the units are very aware of what's going on. The District Commissioner (the last true member of the key3) resigned several weeks ago. Told me he was tired of getting lied to by the DE. There are no unit commissioners to speak of. The Council VP of district operations is now involved at my insistance. Again, there was time for things to be done correctly. Unfortunately, the director of field service had other plans. By the way, my district is part of the actual city. Urban scouting is now the main drive in the city. Learning for Life, In-School Scouting, par

merging with another district. Yes that was actually announced. My current district is too small. Only 7 troops, over a dozen packs a few venture crews and ships. In the 7 years of its existance, there has not been one boy scout activity; not enough troops. The previous council exec decided when he came 7 years ago was to go from 5 districts to 9. But the districts became too small. There was word that we were going to merge with the district next door. But that district protested and did not want to merge with a city district. So here we are going to have our district business meeting 6

I don't know. Nobody wants to answer the question. I have made contact with one of the council vice presidents. Supposed to have a meeting with him in the near future. I didn't think anyone out there ever heard of such a fiasco. I do forsee a council merger on the horizon though. Things ought to be getting interesting this summer. Abel

Has anyone out there experienced this? In a nutshell, our district charter year ends at the end of December. Our district annual meeting has been held the first week of January. But this year, it did not happen. Our former district chair supposedly sent her district nominating committee suggestions to the council president back in September of 2009 to the council president for his approval. This was in line with the district nominations procedures. October, and November went by. In December, I emailed the DC asking why there has been no announcement of the upcoming district ann

no matter how it "Should" be.. Your district sounds a lot like my district. It is already April and my district still has not had their business meeting (It happens in December). The past District Chair finished her tenure in December and there has been nobody to replace her (the district did not have a vice chair). Turns out that her chosen nominiating committee never got sent to the council president for approval. Instead is was not accepted by the Director of Field Service. So at the end of the year, the DC stepped down as her tenure was up. In the meantime, our DE was trans

(This message has been edited by abel magwitch)