Crossramwedge

Went through WB in 2008. All of the members of our WB Eagle patrol served on a WB staff in 2010. I really can not say what I came away with in going through WB, except I made a lot of friends and that alone was worth the money it cost me. I just enjoyed it. A bunch of adults getting together and acting like kids while learning scouting methods and team management skills.(This message has been edited by crossramwedge)(This message has been edited by crossramwedge)

Ah the politics of scouting. Seems like these boys are carrying the hammer. Did the IH appoint the COR or was the COR "Appointed" by those that be in power? Some sort of Committee? Our IH is so busy that he basically says the the COR's decisions are final. He is happy to just get updates now and then.

Either way it looks like you are going to have to go to the IH and voice your concerns. The COR will probably be the one choosing the CC. You want answers and the only one who would be able to step in and answer your questions would be the IH.

I am a COR and if this situation came up I would put a stop to it immediately. You let him get away with this it will be setting a precedent where other adults in the troop may want time to promote their personal interest also. Troop meetings are not meant to be hijacked and used as a platform for promoting ones commercial business interest. He should not be allowed to pass out flyers or promote his business at a BSA troop meeting in any way shape or form. Contact your COR and CC and make sure they are aware of the situation. If they know about it and are not willing to step in and stop it then you really do not have anyone else to turn to.

Son has to do his Eagle project to earn his Eagle rank. He has submitted project to all concerned. The project has been read by all. He needs one more signature to get the project under way. The man is out of town and will not be back for a week. Son needs to get the project done before winter sets in. It has been suggested by another leader that he start approaching buisnesses for donations before he gets that last signature. We have been assured that the project will be approved. This info comes from a source very much in the know about the approval of Eagle scout projects. If he where to approach a business and inform them that he is awaiting final approval of his Eagle project and if that project is approved would they be willing to donate supplies to help him build it, would he be out of line?

$2400.00 fee. NW Ark. Provided transportation on Tour bus to and from jambo all meals provided. Large duffle bag, quality back pack, 3 troop class B shirts,1 cap, all uniform patches for 2 shirts, jambo neckerchiefs, a tote tub. Toured capital, Lincoln memorial, T. Jeffersons home, several museums, Arlington cemetary, Mt. Vernon, $100.00 Debit card, White water rafting. Bought all tables, tents, rain flys, eating utinsels , snacks, ect. shakedown weekend. Will be having a "reunion" in 2 months where a quality meal and program will be provided for all the jambo participants as well as their immediate family.

Are the patrol meals precooked or do the boys have to cook their food from scratch. In other words how hard is it going to be for these kids to get the food cooked in a timely manner? Is the food brought to their campsite?

It's a Wonderful Life

I am going to put my two cents in here. If the IH of our CO walked up to me (CC/COR)and told me that He wanted to move a different direction and needed to dissolve the CO/ Troop relationship it would be my duty as CO/CC to relay that to the troop. I would Ask the IH if he would be willing to transfer all said equipment, Troop Unit number and accounts over to a new CO if one could be found in a reasonable amount of time. If not I would also relay that to the troop. When this happens the Troop( in my opinion) has been released from any obligation to the CO and has the right as individual leaders and parents to go CO shopping. They had been released from their obligations to the CO. The CO ceased "Owning" them and has no right to tell a Group of people wether they have the right to form a BSA Troop. All the CO can do is keep the unit number for the remainder of the charter and confiscate all money and equipment if they have a mind to do so. They cannnot keep a group of people from starting a new scout troop.

Woodbadge coming up soon. I understand that Edge training is required to be on a WB Staff. Several on this staff have not gone through Edge Training and are not going to do so. The WB SM knows this and is not going to require them to go through Edge Training. I wonder what problems will insue because of this. Some of them are QM and the SM does not feel like a QM needs the Edge training because they do not partake in actual training of the WB Patrols. But others will be Troop Guides, Scribes so on so forth. I think you get the picture.

I know if a local troop who has 30 boys and 80 adults registered. They brag about it. They say that they have every Merit Badge covered so on so forth. They brag about being a "Eagle" factory. They come right out and say that their main objective is to produce "Eagles". One of our boy's visited them. He was turned off by the way they do things. Adults totally in charge. Advancement is their main priority. But you go to "Camporee's and they never win any Ribbons or hardly place in any of the competitions. What's that tell you.

The COR can also hold certian positions in a troop or pack. So does he or she wear the Silver or Green? Or both ). I am a dual person such as this. I personally wear the CC patch and Red shoulder epaulets. Sorry, have not warmed up to the new uniform and various changes that come with it.

Some people are not willing to take the chance with their kids in a situation like this. We to as a troop have gone and helped feed and cared for the homeless . But this is a completely different scenerio. Week in and week out week there is a possibility for a tradgedy (that is avoidable) to take place. Lone Star and others prefer that their daughter not be a part of that tradgedy. If a person wants to shelter their kids in this matter then its their business.

I personally believe that the BSA troop should switch meeting places ( if Possible) with the GS Troop and solve some of these problems to a certian extent. That would be the Scout like thing to do. Just my two cents.

A church has a mandate from God to minister to people. This church has decided to minister to homeless men by providing them a place to stay. They are doing God's work.

Lone Scout is the father of his kids and has a mandate from his Creator to protect them. He stated that in no way would he let his kids be subjected to the circumstances surrounding This GS Troop on a regular basis. Thats his decision and it needs to be respected.

There are to many down sides to this situation on the Girls part. All it takes is ONE incident and a girls life is ruined or worse over. Lone Star is not willing to take that chance with his daughter. Even the best screening sometimes does not work. Look at the situation last week with the "underwear bomber".

My wife is pretty lenient in these areas, but even she said that to many things could happen, not worth the risk of subjecting our daughter to an enviroment such as this on a regular basis.

I come to this board for answers from leaders who have been in scouting far longer than me. I am in the midst of troop leaders who also have been around scouting far longer than I and being in the positions of CC/COR I want to be armed with the best ammunition I can muster when I am approached with a problem from one of these long involved scouters. It does not hurt to be informed. I have been able to use information I have learned here in situations that have been thrown at me in the troop. Thanks.

Convoying to me is what I used to do when I was a kid. I had a job during the week that was 150 miles from where I lived. I came home on weekends and returned to work early Monday morning. The speed limit back then was 75 miles an hour. A convoy consisted of a line of vehicles traveling closely together at speeds of 90 miles an hour and above. We were like a long snake that sometimes consisting of 20 or more vehicles all equipped with CB radios. We did not pass each other but stayed in line. I now look back on it and realize it was not the best thing to have done, but it was a common occurence and people did not have the distraction of cell phones and texting. When you use a CB radio you just pick a the "Mic", press the button and start talking to anybody on that frequency. Of course a certian channel was used by all those people in the convoy. I think it was channel 19. Everbody traveling used it. You did not have the distraction of having to have to dial up anyone. If you had to pull over or make a pit stop you simply keyed the "Mic" and let everybody know what you where doing.

My son pulled a classic. Use your imagination here. Camera and "Road Kill". Enough said.

I am with Beavah on this one. One need not ride on ones bumper when following someone. Just keep them in line of sight. What if there is a vehicle breakdown and that vehicle is carrying most of the gear. What if a deer runs out and smacks a vehicle. It just makes since to at least stay with in proximity of each other. You can follow a vehicle and be safe. Just distance yourself. I would not call vehicles a quarter of a mile apart "Caravaning".

Lisa,

The Advance Chair is the father of the ASPL whose car was vandalized and not the father of the trouble maker. He just took on the responsibility and was not in charge of advancement until recently. Our Former Advance Chair had to re-locate in a different state 1400 miles away or lose his job.

Point taken, the Adults will handle it.

You know that there are those who would say that this should be a private matter between the parents and the kids involved and that the Scouts have no right to interfere in a private matter. Some would argue that since the episode did not happen during a Scout event then the Scouts do not have a right to punish the offending kid. I know I will probably hear that argument from the Dad.

The other young man involved is a nice kid. A Eagle scout who has stuck around and stayed with the program. Never have had any serious problems with him. It seems that the offending party has some sort of vendetta against the Eagle scout.

All the Cub units I know usually refer to individual Webelos as either a first year or second year Webelos.

This just happened yesterday. The older boy's in the troop would prefer him to be gone. I think I am going to go to the SM and suggest that the older boy's meet and figure out what type of punishment should be meted out. The ASPL will be asked to refrain from this decision. I think that the punushment given to him will probably finish his chances to get "Eagle". This young man really does not care if he gets kicked out. In fact that(in my opinion)is what he wants. His Dad is the one who wants him to earn his Eagle. The kid does not really give a hoot.

Well here is another issue. The young man in question was caught by the police "tagging' a car. He drove over to another H.S. in town and proceeded to "tag" (vandalize) the ASPL's vehicle. He was caught by the police. No real harm was done to the car. The ASPL was so embarassed by this he did not inform his parents. His Dad is the Advance man for our troop. This is getting out of hand.

My daughter can read and write in a form "elvish". Tolkien who wrote " Lord of the Rings" was considered to be a linguist and made up the languages spoken by the characters in the " Lord of the Rings" If a scout was skilled in reading and writing in these languages, I wonder if he would qualify for this patch. ;0)(This message has been edited by crossramwedge)

To be blunt, but speaking from experience, the young man may need to be evaluated by a professional to see if there is something going on in the physical/mental relm that is a major contributor to his acting out and being so stubborn and unsocial. Only his parents can see that that is done. They may have not even thought about it. Not every kid that acts out is ADD, ADHD, Bipolor ect. but it needs to be ruled out if possible. Its a fine line because now a days the first thing that people want the doctors to do is blame a persons actions on one of these disorders. That is why a person needs to see a competant professional who is able to discern wether there is a disorder and if there is come up with a plan to help control the situation. A person may have a combination of disorders and it can become complicated.

I come from a family that has been dealing with stuff like this for generations. I could give examples from family members just acting out, being stubborn and just plain unsocial to family members that have taken their own life. I hope that this young man is able to cope with his problem wether it be that he is just a plain jerk or to the possibility that he is dealing with other serious disorders.(This message has been edited by crossramwedge)(This message has been edited by crossramwedge)(This message has been edited by crossramwedge)

One of the problems here is that a lot of Church's do consider the Scouts to be a part of the Ministry. They incorporate them into the youth ministry of the Church. The top leaders in our church go to leadership classes (not BSA related) held by the church before they even can become a Scout Leader in the Troop. The CC, COR, SM, Main ASM all must be members in good standing with the Church. We report and turn over any funds we receive to the church. The church takes care of our Scout Accounts and so on and so forth. How in the world can the IRS then say that the Troop is not a ministry of the Church. That may be the law, but its not right and needs to be changed. We are an interdenominational church and are not affilated with any main line denomination.