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Hey, I like the last one about the ASPL taking over for the SPL. We also have an issue with the older boys, who might be SPL or ASPL, or PLs, not going to camp, but opting for high adventure activities, so that position has a void for camp.

Thanks for everyone. Our patrols are set. Interesting mix of ages, too, as we combined clusters. Though they all fit. Interesting selections for PL, too. I'm looking forward to watching this unfold.

Hi, Thanks for everyone for your suggestions. We had each boy give the names of two closest friends. The group split into three obvious groups. Now the SPL (with my assistance) is working to place the handful of others, either as a patrol of their own or with the stronger (more bonded) groups).

Eagle? How often do you realign? It seemed from the PL handbook that once created patrols would stay together, picking up members as openings were created? Gold Winger, So you do try to actively mix ages rather than stick with "buddies"? Thanks for the advice.

We have about 45 scouts. For the past few years we have realigned the patrols each year. The SM assigns patrol members and patrol leaders; the scouts elect the SPL and ASPL, each for one year terms. The patrols are rarely used intact. For campouts they are often completely changed. I've been reading the various handbooks for SM, SPL, PL and want to change to align moreso with the patrol method. How should we form the patrols? Since we would be starting from scratch, do we somehow let the boys select their own patrols? Seems a bit like picking teams. Someone always gets left out,

Consider this: Recommendation 6-8 boys per den. You have a den of 8 and gain two. Now you have an over large den or two overly small dens. So, clearly you have to improvise somewhat. But you must avoid a large social group. That's not scouts. Just as church must include God, scouts must include some portion of the scout program. For Tigers we found that we had a lot of "family" events since the parents were coming and each family had a second child of the same age. So, having only three tiger cubs worked well. The boys, however, thought it was too small. For Wolf and

I've seen both sides of this one. I love that the BSA created this program so that the boys get some flashy recognition. It also gets them interested in lot's of different academics and sports. But when I see them earning 5 or 6 loops in the dead of winter, I start to wonder if we're not awarding them for stuff they already did too much. And how many boys even know what they did to earn badges anymore? We had a bear ceremony recently where I tried to get them to say what they had done in any of the areas for the badge: God, Country, Family, Self. What awesome silence! While I wouldn'

We have similar problems. One den did split to its own benefit. Program for the kids that split off (and despite our efforts to avoid this, it did end up that way) has been small, but solid. Other den tried to form two subdens. They refused to get new den numbers or to get separate nights. They are now pretty much still one den; actually a pack within our pack. Even after all this drama I do not know how I would do this in the future. District was not really any help. Lot's of talk about recommendations. Having dens that are too large are not good for the boys or the program, an

Most of our dens target the B&G to finish their year's rank badge. Bobcat is awarded at the first pack meeting after they start (parents and den leaders prepare the boys). As the den programs are oriented to work with the parents, most of the boys are in step with this. The last two years one of the den leaders has decided to run an integrated program that works on both achievements and electives throughout the year, then awards all at the final meeting. While I remember each cub (and family) being more responsible for his own advancement, I like the program more with the dens fo

You have some interesting issues that might complicate the approach you need to take. - the other leaders do not believe there is a problem - no CM Are your den leaders all on the pack committee? If not, perhaps you should change that. Right now it appears that the pack functions separately from the dens. So they figure that their dens are working ok and the pack is someone else's problem. Our pack committee is pretty much run by the den leaders, with the CM and CC added to the mix. If you have a committee separate from the den leaders then they can do what this assessment. If

You have some interesting issues that might complicate the approach you need to take. - the other leaders do not believe there is a problem - no CM Are your den leaders all on the pack committee? If not, perhaps you should change that. Right now it appears that the pack functions separately from the dens. So they figure that their dens are working ok and the pack is someone else's problem. Our pack committee is pretty much run by the den leaders, with the CM and CC added to the mix. If you have a committee separate from the den leaders then they can do what this assessment. If

We too got a pocket knive. But I immediately realized that the blade lock was too hard for our wolf to press without placing his fingers across where the blade was going. Poor marketing. What's wrong with a more normal pocket knife?

I'm a bit disappointed by the pricing of many of the cub scout items. I'm CM for a pack in in the Northeast and was very excited to learn of the 75th anniversary. I started asking about celebration plans before the district people even seemed to know about them. Then I learned on the internet of the awards for pack, cubs, leaders, and family (guess they left our family pet). Just yesterday did I notice the pricing when I looked on the CD-ROM I was finally sent last month. This is awful. %3.95 is way too much. And the patch doesn't even use the logo with Akela, Baloo, etc. that i