dg98adams

I read over this post and decided to post my opinion. Discipline? There's 2 choices: If someone saw him do it and he admits guilt. #1 - Send him home for a month of meetings.... or #2 - Hand him sand paper/paint to make it right. His choice If no one saw him actually do it, and NO ONE ELSE admits guilt. Hand every Scout, other than the Patrol whose box it is, sand paper/paint for some cheerful service.

Also, I'd like to add a Scout doesn't "fail" any portion of a Merit Badge, rather, they can choose to earn it (complete it) or not" right up until they turn 18. I think my son probably has 45-47 Merit Badges, and maybe a dozen he started and never got back to.... he's turning 17 this summer. I know there were some badges that spanned 2+ years and multiple Counselors.

If the "plan would be lead a series of presentations" and Create opportunities for Cubs to experience what it would take to earn the religious emblem...." then that's a ticket. This is a "plan" not a fixed goal of earning it. The family or the pastor of that faith would do he heavy lifting. You cannot hang a ticket on an activity you don't control. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. i.e. anyone going beyond your "plan" and earning an award. The religious emblems have a program based on several different faiths. Info is availed from the Scout office

Hmmm,.. some out of whack things in this one. IMHO the key to the Webelos program is "Transition"... Cub Scout to Webelos Scout.. to preparing for Boy Scouting. I would further suggest more often than not the parent/WDL/CM/SM don't understand it enough to make it work like it's laid out. Some WDL's concentrate on the awards/AOL so much they loose sight of the Transition process, which should happen from the beginning. (ever hear about the mom/dad that wants the Webelos Scout to "graduate and cross the bridge" - to nowhere, since he is not planning on transferring on to Boy Scouting?

I agree, if it's something that is on the council site or is in the Council Email, point it out or CC me on it, just don't read it to me in the RT. I have always said RT needs to be info about events/activities before it is made generally available (3 months+). I also suggested a RT "A-Team" to visit the Leader Meetings or Pack/Troop meetings on those units that don't come to RT. To put a hand-shake out there and let them know ANYONE can come to RT to learn about upcoming events. A "A-Team" would be 2-3 Experienced Scouters with a Poster or activity or some handouts... not take

Been there did that.... When you get the list start with highest amount due (probably popcorn, mail them a (registered??) letter with amount/due. If you get no response, CC it to the council for further directions/collections. No Scout is handed a late bill, and avoid: email or phone calls (too easy to ignore). For dues/T-Shirts/Campout late fees and the like, I would also send a letter a little less formal. Non-threatening of course, just a "Please catch up on XXX before the next recharter/Campout/etc", with some contact info if they want to discuss it. This is especially hel

Well, I did find the following statement in the BSA Cub Scout Guide for Ceremonies, if you have to have something "official". But I'm sure I covered it in a similar fashion during my time as BALOO Chair in Campfire Planing. "No Hazing. All ceremonies should refrain from initiating activities that might be interpreted as hazing. Activities such as branding, tattooing, painting on whiskers, forcing boys to wear ears or tails, or similar, should not be used. Never force a boy to do anything that may cause him discomfort or embarrassment." Course that's directed at youth..... should we n

I'm a NRA RSO/Rifle Instructor and BSA Archery/BB gun cert. Prone is a bit low to prop up, but I don't see why not as long as he has good shoulder contact.

Strangely enough, when we had Scouts come back from NOAC, they have taken to wearing the OA sash on their belts. I think I'm the only OA Brotherhood member in the Troop who took the Troop OA rep aside and showed him the statement in the OA handbook about Sash wear. He still went with the flow.

Welcome , and been there with a small Troop and seen it grow from 5 to 50 (10+ new Scouts every year). Strongly endorse the SM concentrating on training the SPL/ASPl for Troop Leadership Training so they can turn around train the other Scout leaders and leverage the PLC. As SM do not take an active role in the Scout Meetings, other than SM minute at the end. Also promote Patrol identity, don't combine Patrols on outings just because some of Patrol A did not show up...

I might spend a little time discussing how Webelos is different from the previous ranks..more personal responsibility to the Den Leader, and how this rank will expand the Scout experiences to aid in the Transition process to become Boy Scouts. Not all Webelos go on to Boy Scouting, but they all deserve the opportunity get exposure to it.

Not to weigh in on the overall topic, but "secure ingredients" would mean IMHO going to the store, using the Meal-Plan ingredient list and picking out items that fit the budget.... this is where sometimes the name-brand is outside of the budget, where a cheaper generic would be fine, or scratch ingredients over a packaged item is almost always is cheaper. It's also an opportunity to scrimp on some items and splurge on others and still meet the budget/food list. I have taken several such trips with Scouts and had that discussion... especially with Scouts from families with more economic f

Hate to see a Scout hung out because of an Adult interpretation.... but you have had access to the same Eagle requirement info that the SM does... Did you not serve in ANY approved POR after getting Life?

No, as the MB councilor, you have the right frame of mind. Get familiar using "no more, no less" If the requirement says do then they "DO", if it says "Discuss" then they "DISCUSS". Merit Badges are EARNED, not given away.

CMP = Civilian Marksmanship Program http://www.odcmp.com/

JoeBob, Just faxed our CMP affiliate application to the CMP office. Thanks for the tip! DG

Check out SportKilt.com for summer light kilt, I ordered a couple McLarn skull wraps from them, Cool site. DG

We now have 2 NRA rifle instructors/Range Safety officers in the Troop (I am one). We actually have added 3 more Range Safety Officers since. So, we just did 1 Troop .22 rifle shoot last week at our Camp Range. 30 Scouts switched in/out of 9 lanes all day to go thru ~3000 rounds. We qualified 2 older Scouts, and 4-6 are close. The majority of the Scouts shot at paper plates with "black dots" marked with a sharpie. If they got the sighting rounds to get close, I switched them over to NRA-A-17 or NRA-TQ-1 targets I found online and printed out. We still used the "quarter" a

My sons book lasted because of the Scout Store material cover, and using a zip lock bag on camp outs. He's almost an Eagle and on the same book. Getting them wet or just damp will cause them to go bad fast. (This message has been edited by dg98adams)

New Scout Cross over materials (book, necker, slide, packet of Troop info) Sending a Scout (or 2) to NYLT Troop Scout Leader Training Weekend - materials/food/patches Troop Adult Leader Training (some Troops help pay for ACA, Lifeguard, Paddle Craft, Wood Badge, etc...) Merit Badge Books Troop Program Books/manuals/guides Web Site (if you don't use a free one) Family Night at Summer Camp (We cook in camp, and parents are invited, they bring a side, but Troop buys meat). Consumables: Propane Tank Refills Charcoal Lantern Mantles Rope COH refr

Better Scouts than mean have coined: hunger = best teacher rainy weather, no raincoat = you get wet solving your own problems = life lesson I would be surprised if this incident doesn't come back as a reason to plan for the Scouts involved.

No, I think by "giving in" you are just as lax as the last guy. I would not follow a bad tradition. You got a couple choices: 1 - Make it known, if a Scouter feels they have EARNED (stress EARNED) a knot, then they need to track their own progress and fill out the knot dates/requirement boxes accordingly. It's possible they have never seen the progress card used. There is a simple PDF form for them... hand them out. Let it be known you will have the Comm. Chair or Advancement Person collect and process the knot cards. Scouts are Trustworthy, so it's "On your Honor". And leave it at

We (bunch of Unit Commissioner types) we told by the Council that if our primary position was not registered with the District, the database (ScoutNet?) that calculates values for Commissioner-to-Units and Council dash-board statistics would be off. So now most register with the District or Council in their primary position, then multiple in the units.... but SM aren't used for Unit Commissioners, that I know. I'm one of several District registered and active ASM's in my sons Troop/Crew.

A little late to this show, but as a District Advancement member, and a Merit Badge Councilor myself I certainly have a problem with this Merit Badge Councilor. If it was my son (and he has seen this 1st hand), you are doing the right thing discussing it with him to see where he stands on it. As others have said, and rightly so, the Merit Badge Councilor is outside the influence of the SM, but should be accountable to the District and the Scout for "no more no less" when it comes to the Merit Badge. I would also keep an eye out for any more of the "Troop Merit Badges" that are d

Only other thing I did when I was CM and worked to get DC for the dens, was also show the DC the Award form if they choose to pursue it beyond the Boy Scout tenure for the Cub Scout year, so they would be aware of what I needed. I also chatted each DC up a couple times during his tenure and gave feedback back to his SM/SPL.