ChaiAdventure

I am going to take the other side here and say that you have some reason for being upset.

The leaders that were going up late made plans with you that they would take your son. In my mind, that is a pledge of trust that you assumed would be honored.

We expect that our scouts would not make a pledge and go back on it, and I would expect the same from the leaders.

This may have made for a difficult conversation as in "I can take you (daughter) or your venturing friend, but not both since we have already promised to take (your son) and there will be no room. I know that is not what you want to hear, but I made a promise..."

In the end...I believve that they decided on the easy wrong versus the hard right.

I feel like Steve Martin in the movie The Jerk...."the new phonebook is here, the new phonebook is here..."

My issue with females in the OA relates to the definition of "adult." A female can become a Boy Scouting Scouter (ASM, Committee, etc.) at 18. She cannot be elected into the OA until she is 21....another definition of "adult." Even though she has been in the Scouter position for three years and nothing has changed as far as her position as a Scouter. Why?? If she is good enough to be a Scouter within the Boy Scout program, and is eligible in every other way, then why wait? So she cannot be a member while a Venturer?? And if so, why?

The whole thing makes little sense to me.

I am not saying that females need to be OA members. In fact, I wonder often why adult females need to be members of a "boy-only" organization e.g. OA....BUT what I am saying is that if females are going to be welcome into the ranks of the OA...then why the age disparity. For the very few 18-20 year old females who are eligible by virtue of being Scouters in Troops, and who are voted in, are also Venturers....so is it such a travesty that they can wear a flap for a couple of years as a youth (venturer)/adult (scouter)?? Any female that takes on that responsibility of being a Scouter and a Venturer has surely shown commitment to the program, and understands the meaning of cheerful service.

Just sayin'...

not to start a new argument...but is it really the role of the COR to act as the uniform police for the unit?? having looked at the BSA guidelines for a COR, I could find nothing remotely close to that duty....

as far as patches...I wear my Bear patrol patch from WB...I wear it proudly both as a tribute to the fine individuals I had the honor of meeting during that course, and as a conversation starter for other scouters...."hey...you are a bear?? don't they just eat and hibernate??"

that is a great list for improvement...well thought out and any or all would make a huge difference...hopefully someone in a position of power and influence is listening...

one of my biggest issues that you have hit on is the IT piece...

all Scouts and Scouters should have a "dashboard" that would follow them through their scouting "career" and capture all of their most important achievements...

being military and seeing a lot of scouts and scouters in transition, it would be great to have an archived record of advancement, membership, training, etc.

this should be easy to accomplish and would start off by the online application (seriously, are we still filling out carbon copy forms???)

yes, he can wear it....no issue at all

US Code: title 36, Chapter 10

Might want remove your hat when you lower your BS flag

I don't know much about the etiquette of when to wear a hat, since I rarely wear hats (outside of when I am in uniform). What I do know is that taking your hat off during the national anthem is not a tradition, it is a federal law. Having said that, I will not say anything to an adult with a hat on, but to anyone who won't stand (that has the physical ability to), I will always make a comment (and after five combat deployments, I have earned that right).

We did have a situation with the boys wearing hats inside our CO (a church). While I know the rules allow scouts to wear hats inside, I believe it is entirely within the rights of the CO to enforce their custom. Easy decision...hats off in the church.

(This message has been edited by chaiadventure)

I just tried calling about a one-piece numeral with the founder's bar included. I guess they are used to the veteran's bar, but the founder's bar was something they had not dealt with. The woman on the phone was very nice and explained that she would have to make some calls and would get back to me. Let's see....

ScoutBox - I agree but the other way around. I would have liked to have seen the new venturing shirt in the scout color....

As far as the pants...yup. Take the scout pants and turn them gray.

I don't see the big issue. If your Pack doesn't agree with the concept, then start your Dens at the Tiger age. For that matter, if Tigers are not to the age level where the Pack leaders are "comfortable", then have a Wolf Den be your entry point.

RESQMAN

Which camp was it?? We are deciding on where we want to go next summer and the cart thing will be a consideration. That is something that we do not want the boys exposed to. It was disruptive at Jambo enough.

never mind...there is a left pocket button for powederhorn...the world is now as it should be

I am sure that they did a survey, but I am not sure who they talked to.

A front cargo pocket is just plain stupid. The side cargo pockets actually served a purpose.

There is still no button for a powderhorn emblem.

But what do I know, I liked the old action shirt.

you mean these??

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=products&c2=UNIFORMS&C3=TROUSERS&C4=&LV=3&item=505PANT&prodid=505PANT^8^01RTL&

LisaBob

The USAPATRIOT Act has a provision for BSA?? Seriously??

From what I read, the Act only mentions BSA in terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. There is no further mention of Scouting at all. I am not sure why it would address Scouting in the first place. Am I wrong?

Beaver...I am almost 100% in concurrence except for the lunch thing. I like that the boys will get their lunches with breakfast. It gives some more flexibility and cuts down on the staff requirements. I am also not enthralled by the J-phone, but let's see....

I like the Venturing campsite...and that changes a lot. I wonder if there will be program changes to go along with it, like Venturing activities and opportunities for Venturing "advancement."

Most of all though, I applaud the "no POVs, everyone walks."

you have a boy who joined a few weeks ago and has already completed his requirements for AOL....seriously???

I like all the changes...it usually means that we can get a decent discount on the "old" model.

I find it interesting that there are so many replies, yet we still do not know what is at the heart of this issue. All that was said was the boy and his family came and left....at the end of the opening prayer.

Unless someone talks to the boy or the parents, this could have been over a stomach ache, a house on fire, or a sudden message that they won the lottery and had a limited amount of time to pick up their earnings.

the only boys that occasionally wear nametags are the ones who got them going to Jambo...the rest don't

as for the adults, I think the name tags make it a lot easier for the parents and other District/Council leaders to approach you....

please let us know when you get more info from your source...there will be more of us interested

I received the same knot and noticed the difference. I had to trim the background to the embroidered part. It appeared to not have been done properly when it was manufactured. At the same time, I heated the edges to avoid the sides from fraying.

Beavah

Great argument for uniforms, but not sure that I agree with your perspective.

Uniforms in Scouting are not to distinguish one scout from another, but rather to unite Scouts as Scouts. Uniforms are a common denominator that bind all of BSA......just look at any scene from Jamboree, or a photo from Boy's Life.

That is the purpose and defination of a uniform....sameness, equality and shared situations.

We have a solid program and know our limits. We have absolutely turned boys away FROM OUR PROGRAM and referred them to other nearby programs. Scouting didn't lose the boy, we simply populated a program that could handle the addition.

some touchy folks here who apparently are afraid to laugh....

those offended at least have a chance of getting over themselves....the Cowboys, well their chances are much slimmer