cchoat

Moose wrote: "Who said anything about force?.. All they voiced was opinion. Perhaps more people may take note of their opinions over that of you or me. But, all it is is an opinion.." I disagree. When the President of the United States gets up before the cameras and makes a statement that the BSA is wrong in it's membership restrictions, people hear an official statement from a goverment official. Otherwise, why is this a story? Why is it newsworthy? Moose went on to write: "Did you hear anything about either of them taking action against BSA to force them to close their doors i

Moose, President Obama has every right to say what he wants about the Boy Scouts. But why does he not respect the organization's right as a private group to make it's own membership requirements. Why does he wade into the issue? Why does Mitt Romney? Why should they have the right to force a private group to open it's membership? What happened to the constitutional right of free association? If it's ok to force the BSA, then who's next?

And will he be stepping down as Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America as a sign of protest? Will he return his membership card? He's already shown his "love" for the BSA when he taped, as opposed to actually giving his speech for the Jamboree. This is just pandering to his major donors, the Hollywood left. the only thing he needs Scouting for is to play up his pro-gay ties.

Tampa Turtle, This should bring you a happy memory: It only had about 25 or so episodes and if I remember, the cavemen somehow came to the present (the then 60's). It was cool in it's time. skeptic, There's a hold up in the Bronx, Brooklyn's broken out in fights. There's a traffic jam in Harlem That's backed up to Jackson Heights. There's a scout troup short a child, Kruschev's due at Idlewild Car 54, Where Are You? Thankfully Netflix let's me relive my childhood with several of our favorite 60's TV series'. I am a big fan of Adam 12 and Eme

For OldGrayEagle, The F-Troop theme... The end of the Civil War was near When quite accidentally, A hero who sneezed abruptly seized Retreat and reversed it to victory. His medal of honor pleased and thrilled his proud little family group. While pinning it on some blood was spilled And so it was planned he'd command F Troop. Where Indian fights are colorful sights and nobody takes a lickin' Where pale face and redskin Both turn chicken. When killing and fighting get them down, They know their morale can't droop. As long as they all relax

Looks to me like this Scout in the cartoon was following the old 1970's Sc****** program. You remember, when National took "outing" out of "Scouting". However, an inner city kid not camping in the woods in the 70's might have used an encylopia and a copy machine to pass.

"Their 14th birthday so they can join Sea Scouts and then work for Quartermaster?" Which if they run through quickly enough, should leave them time to earn Bronze, Gold and Silver venture awards. Hummmm... maybe there is something to this one year 1st Class thing... NOT. As to sending them out on boxcars...Though National is is short of brain, I would not wish them on a train. I do not like skill awards old bean, I hope that doesn't make me mean.

It reminds me of the small videos we use in the Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training. You know, the one's with the "Model" troop. Everything is always perfect (uniforms, timing, boy leaders, behavior, ect.) It was always gets a laugh from the leaders attending to see how national assumes troops operate. But again, I digress... A little real world experance for the folks who make these calls is in order. We've been moving away from BP for years...

Ah the skill awards. A product of the early 70's. Remember the other great changes Sc***ing went through during that time frame? That's when the BSA took the "OUT" from scouting and citified the program. But I digress. The race to First Class is because a National study found that those boys who failed to make First Class in their first year of Scouting dropped out at higher rates than those who did. There will always be boys that progress at different rates, and by rushing these boys to first class, they'll have, what, six years left to make eagle? (Assuming they start at age 11,

Patches are cheap. Good deeds are rare. They do make a "Good Turn" patch and coin. (Or at least they used to.) So reward that good deed in a public setting, and other good deeds wil follow.

Hello Second Class and thanks for the warm welcome. I've been a member for a while (2008) but don't post much. It's not an official, sit down, but I'm always communicating with the Scouts in the troop, so I catch alot of these issues when it comes to advancement early, and do alot of nudging in the right direction. Seems the boys take advice better when they think it was their idea in the first place. Although I do more work now on the District level (Boy Scout Roundtable Commissioner), I am active as an SA in my son's troop. We are blessed with a really outstanding Scoutmaster, who

SM appproval? Heck yes! Now the why. There is suppose to be more to being an OA member than just being a 1st class scout, with 15 days of camping in the last two years. If that was all that was needed, then why hold an election in the first place. Just tell all 1st class scouts when the Ordeal is being held and let them show up (or not). There is a difference from the Scoutmasters signing off in the handbook that a scout has shown "Scout Spirit". Most leaders I have spoken to over the years compare the scout to his fellow scouts when making this determination. If they are at av

BeAScout is just another tool in the Leaders recruitment toolbox. If you don't take care of it (update the info) then it'll just rust. Hey, National is trying. You sometimes have to meet them part ways.

Camp A.P. Hill has also hosted the Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree in 1981, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2010. The number of participants each time included approximately 35,000 Boy Scouts and some 250,000 visitors. After the very costly 1973 and 1977 National Jamborees, the Boy Scouts wanted to find a 'permanent' location for the Jamborees, to lower the costs associated with establishing a temporary city every four years. They worked with the Military to find a base so that infrastructure like roads, plumbing and electricity would not have to be installed every four years.

It's not that they will not allow it, it's that these non-registered groups would not fall under the BSA insurance should something happen.

I keep a digital copy of "Follow Me Boys" on my iPod. It is a must when I teach the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge at Wintercamp. Requirement 5. With the approval of your counselor and a parent, watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community. Seen it so many times that I can turn off the volume and speak the parts.

BSA24, you hit the nail with the hammer. A happy, well motivated leadership will do better than one that is not. A small patch is not a reason to kill a good thing. And as long as it's a good example of how a group of boys (ok, you know I mean adults, but heck, Scouting keeps me mentally young) can come together and have a good time, leave the nit picking to the school nurse. Besides, as I said earlier, you don't have to wear the patch on a sleeve, put it on a leather thong and wear it from the right pocket button in place of a temporary patch. There, uniform regulation issue sol

And remember: A Comittee Member has a vote in what direction the troop will take on all issues. An Assistant Scoutmanster does not. (A quick takeaway from the Leader Specific Training Course- Scoutmaster)

Congratulations! You have a motivated volunteer. No one had to ask him, he came in an filled out the paperwork to be an Assistant Scoutmaster. So now what do you do? Think of the application as just that, a job application. When one applies for a job, he or she will fill out an application, listing among other things his or her qualifications to fill the open oor advertized position. So what happens next? They are interviewed! That's right, filling out an application doesn't mean they start work, it means that they are willing to work. It is therefore up to the personnel manag

I don't think that there is anything in the BSA regulations and bylaws, however, sitting in a scout uniform at a bar is not a good thing. This is the closest thing I could find that might even come close... Insignia, Uniforms, and Badges ARTICLE X, SECTION 4. Use of Uniforms Clause 6. The official uniforms are intended primarily for use in connection with Scouting activities as defined by the national Executive Board, and their use may be approved by the local council executive board for council events or activities under conditions consistent with the Rules and Re

Tampa Turtle, While our "Adult Patrol" does not compete with our boys, I bet B.P. had a great time getting into it with his boys. If it works in your troop, then keep at it!

As a retired military member who was active in scouting throughout my career, I have had the honor of being a member of several lodges both within the US, and in Europe. (Not to mention the lodge of my youth, Sha-Shu-Gah, in Brooklyn, NY) Each one had it's own really cool patches, and it was really hard to take off one lodge flap to replace it with a new one when I would PCS to a new location. The only National rule that applies to this thread is that if you want to wear an OA Lodge Flap, then you must register with, and wear the lodge flap of the council you are currently registered in

Why not. You earned it, and once an OA member, always an OA member. I wore it when my sons were in Cub Scouts and was on the Pack Committee. Every summer camp, the local OA Lodge would preform for the boys, and my sons would point out to their friends that their Dad was in the OA. Keep up with the annual dues, attend a service project or two and thanks for being a Cub Leader!

Tokala, while adults may not "need" a patrol, many troops have established unofficial "patrols" among their adult leaders. Scouting is for the boys, but sometimes one has to realize that many of the adults who make the program work are imaginatve, fun loving individuals. The "Gray Eagle Patrol" (Gray from the color of our hair) in our troop allows us to channel this enthusiasm. Sure, we're not a "real official patrol", (which is why we wear our "Patrol emblem on the right pocket rather than the sleeve) but we provide a great example in camp of how the patrol method should work, as well

While I agree that a Patrol Patch should not be worn on the right sleeve of an adult uniform, there is nothing that says it can't be, say, worn on the right pocket. I would of course, attach it to a leather backing, appropriately shaped so that it could be hung from the right pocket button. Our troop formed the Gray Eagle Patrol. Made up of active adult leaders, we have a neckerchief and "patrol flag". The Gray of course, is taken from the color of our hair, the Eagle is the goal we hope to inspire all our scouts to reach. our troop neckerchiefs are green with a narrow gold border.