acco40

From the referenced article: Former President Jimmy Carter had harsh words for the change on Friday, calling it an embarrassment and saying it exposes the state to nationwide ridicule. "As a Christian, a trained engineer and scientist, and a professor at Emory University, I am embarrassed by Superintendent Kathy Cox's attempt to censor and distort the education of Georgia's students," Carter said in a statement.

I believe your troop condensed what should be a thorough annual planning with having just a planning conference only. The first task in annual planning is to DO YOUR HOMEWORK a.) Gather district, council, school and CO dates for events that will effect the troop. b.) Review resources needed to plan the annual program. c.) Review the advancement status of each Scout. d.) List goals for the troop. e.) Review the program features available to the troop. Second is to GET PATROL INPUT - Review proposed troop program plan first with SPL and then with PLC. Each patrol leader is asked to review this plan with his patrol members at the next troop meeting. The patrol leader should seek ideas from his patrol on what proposed programs they like or dislike and what additional programs they might be interested in. Feedback, in writing, should be given to the Scoutmaster on a timely basis. Third is a Program Planning Conference - The success of the program planning conference began when the Scoutmaster prepared the Senior Patrol Leader. The SPL should conduct the program planning conference. The conference is usually attended by the Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster(s), SPL, ASPL, PLs and Troop Guides. Planning the annual plan is only the first step in planning the troop program. On a quarterly basis, the patrol leader's council (PLC) should review the annual plan and make any adjustments that are necessary. Program features are available as a resource that provides detailed information on four weekly meetings, a monthly highlight activity, advancement requirements that can be satisfied, and some good skills suggestions. The boys should ask for them and use them!!! Patrols (eachshould havean assigned Assistant Scoutmaster) are assigned the task of formulating the monthly troop meetings. Also, specific adult leadersmay act as the coordinator for the monthly outings.

We stopped making collages in Cub Scouts. However, it would look pretty neat having a multitude of merit badges glued on a surface together. {Sorry, my wicked side surfaced.)

I think it is much more simple than that. Local councils are in charge of their LOCAL contingent. The national council is in charge of the staff positions. Therefore, local council #1 priority is their local contingent and the national council's #1 priority is staff.

Where did FOG's post go? Has there been a universal "squelch?"

But has the Kennedy gene pool become "centralized" now that we have Ah-nold ruling California?

From our council training committee: In a decision recently handed down by National on an appeal, several key issues were considered and precedents were set. The following is quoted directly from that decision: Serving in a position of leadership means that if they are elected or appointed to a position, such as Patrol Leader, and serve in that position for the required time, they have satisfactorily completed that requirement. The conclusion is that time in position fulfills the requirement. The decision also said, The issue of whether their service is satisfactory is resolved at the local board of review for that rank. Therefore, a boy who was in the position of Scribe for six months from Life to Eagle had fulfilled that requirement. That does not necessarily mean that he will pass his board of review, because if his service was not satisfactory, he could be turned down at the board of review. The National Advancement Committee offers the following advice for Scoutmasters. Each time a Scout is elected or appointed to a position of responsibility, he MUST be given his job description and responsibilities. If you have a Scout in a position and he isnt doing his job, he needs to be counseled and removed if necessary. At some point down the road, he may be ready to try that position again or another one. Remember, if he served in the position for two months that is two months fulfilled towards completing the requirement. Also, if a Scoutmaster removes a Scout from a position of responsibility, he/she must notify the Scout and putting it in writing is preferable, though not required.

Like it or not, some interpret one of the commandments (i.e. worshipping graven images) as not Pledging Allegiance or taking Oath's for anything other than God. Remember, he may be a jealous God so why take chances?

"Taking" Iraq spoke well of our military might. Dems (and others) are not complaining about the length of time, but the lack of a plan. That does not speak ill of our military but of our politicians. What are our (USA) goals in Iraq? If it was to remove Saddam, done. If it was to destroy the WMD capability, done. If it was/is to build a democracy why wasn't that stated on the onset and if that was the goal, there are a few other sovereign nations we should be attacking soon for the same aim. The Shi'ites would love a one man, one vote system. The US government is dead set against it. The fear is the Sunnis would be taken advantage of. What to do, what to do. There are no simple answers. Yes, it is easy for Democrats to sit on the sidelines and complain or criticize but that does not justify the administrations plan.

For what it is worth, the SPL in our troop took JLTC (JLT training at a week long council sponsored training event) last summer and generated a "ticket" to complete.

Bob, do you agree or disagree that a Troop may have JLT training a requirement for certain (or all) positions of responsiblity? I not debating the merit of such a requirement. It is my understanding that a Troop may have requirements for positions of responsibility (i.e. tenure, age, rank, training, etc.).

A Canadian is an American without a gun.

Sorry for the grammatically impaired previous post: Now for my question: Having Scouts in uniform recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag; does it violate the "Flag Code?" One of the reasons for debate with respect to the flag code is the meaning of the "while in uniform." Does it refer to members of the military (no not just US Army, but all armed services, yes even the Air Force) only or does it include Scouts in their field uniforms? My interpretation is that is does include Scouts and Scouters in their field uniform.

Last weekend, WInter Camporee. Earlier, I (SM) brought in my gear for "show and tell." Next week, boys brought in their gear for review. Next week - go camping. Temperature 9F (High), -3F (low). Everyone stayed toasty! Good news, it was sunny and very little wind. My SM minute, in a nutshell, "Mother Nature can be VERY unforgiving to Scouts who are not prepared in the winter time. Be prepared."

I know a sure fire way to make sure one of the troops get flushed out - give it to us! OUr council has filled out their allotment and is awaiting approval for another troop from the national council.

Hey eisley, how about editing out the adds before posting (or possibly even now!)? Nobody show this to my nine year old. She ask to "steer" all the time.

Section (k) of the flag code states: When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience. A few other notes: the President of the United States can do what he pleases with respect to the flag. Now for my question: Having Scouts in uniform recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag violate the "Flag Code?" P.S. Out of respect for those whose "designated" Sabbath is not Sunday, please refer to Scout Sabbath and not Scout Sunday. (This message has been edited by acco40)

Bob White I respectfully disagree. For example, a CO may have a requirement for the Boy Scout unit (Troop) that it sponsors that all members be Roman Catholic. The BSA allows this. I think you would agree. Therefore, using logic, one could state that having membership in the Catholic Church is a requirement for Star rank IN THAT TROOP. Similarly, if a troop has a requirement that a Scout take troop JLT, council JLT or any other specified training to hold a youth leadership position (well within the guidelines of the BSA I believe) then having the training becomes a de facto requirement for Star IN THAT TROOP. Now, as a SM, I do not like requirements for the youth to hold leadership positions. Our troop has guidelines but no hard and fast requirements for these positions. Now one could become bull headed about the issue. Similar to the argument some would make about being male is not a requirement for OA (youth) membership. While not a written requirement per se, one does need to be 1st Class, which requires membership in a troop, which requires a certain genetic makeup so one could arguably state that being male is a de facto requirement for OA (youth) membership.(This message has been edited by acco40)

Nobody has commented on this statement: "above the Cub Scouting Program". I see this as a problem within the BSA for many. They see Boys Scouts, Sea Scouts, Venture Scouts etc. as "above" Cub Scouts. They are not. Yes they are older but the programs are not "above." The BSA, not that long ago, once tried to exclude the younger boys, the Cub Scout program, from the BSA. Now, Cub Scout membership dwarfs the rest of the BSA. From my perspective, excluding males or females on the surface does not benefit the BSA. That is not to say that all males or all females should we welcomed as members. Also, individual units (aka Chartered Organizations) should be free to make these exclusions if they felt the need. Personally, I would have no desire for my sons to join a unit that excluded a gender but that's just me. Don't get me started on the blanket exclusions of other facets of our society.

Requirement 5 states that while a 1st Class Scout, to serve actively for four months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop. On the surface, no JLT, TJLT, JTLC or many other alphabet soup courses used to train junior leaders are required. However, a Scoutmaster would be remiss if they did not offer training to their junior leaders. That is the SMs prime responsibility. A troop may also institute requirements for holding "office" for the youth leaders. Hopefully, those requirements, if any, are determined by the youth. So while not a black and white requirement, it may be an implied requirement for members of certain troops. P.S. I love the added Format this Post feature!

Anthony Quinn. Ah yes, how many other Mexicans could play a Greek, Italian and an Eskimo on screen!

Attend in uniform. No real change is needed from the church service in question. The focus of the service should NOT be on the Scouts themselves.

In my "question" I did not state that the doctors in choice #1 were luddites; I specifically stated that they used current up to date drug treatments. I'm not quite sure where Adrianvs gets the notion about "mocking" or my ignorance of Christianity, but I do not prefer to be called a bigot. My only point is that in the preference of caretakers to choose doctors who have been schooled in creationism or evolution. Yes, they could be schooled in both but given a finite amount of "study time" where would one prefer their doctor spend his limited resource (time) studying?

At the age of 40, you are told by your mother's doctor that she has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. You have two options. One, put her in a treatment facility where 100% of the doctors are throughly educated in the areas of Bible scholarship, the power of prayer, and creationism. The standard treatment is to petition the Lord with prayer. Two, put her in a treatment facility where 100% of the doctors are throughly educated in genetics and gene mutation. There standard treatment is utilizing experimental gene therapy. Both facilities utilize current up to date drug treatments. What do you choose for your mother?

Believe it or not! When I was a den leader, I had parents who did not want me to use those BSA Cub Scout wall posters that tracked the boys advancement. Instead of seeing the chart as a reward and a carrot, they saw it as a tool to inflict shame and self doubt. As SM, I wanted to make (have the boys make ideally) a wooden peg board type tracker to show the boys ranks and position in the troop. It got nixed by the parents because it may hurt the feelings of some. We live is a different society than the one I grew up in. The youth is going to get a very rude awakening when they enter the "real" world as adults.