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Anyone else having problems obtaining their National Tour Permit? I submitted our National permit for Sea Base on April 1, 2008. Our trip is August 3rd, and I have as yet not received the permit. Our council office said this morning. "Well the Central Region is really backed up. You should have it next week." I hope to God so, as we are leaving in 10 days! There is no phone or EMail addresses for the Regional office so I cannot check myself. Is anyone else having this problem, or could it be our council was late sending the permits to regional and is blaming the regional office playing CYA??

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We had a heck of a time getting ours last year (also in Central region) and had to have our council folks call and badger the regional office multiple times. Now you mention it, thanks for the reminder - I think I'll file NOW for NEXT year's camp. (Grr)

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I think it's central region. I sent in my permit last year for summer camp out of state, 6 month's early and with last minute expedition, phone calls and threats by our council personnel, central region faxed the permit to summer camp after we left Wisconsin and before we arrived in Wyoming. It would seem that one has to hold their feet to the fire before they come through in some cases.

 

This year, we started out with major threats and had our permit within 3 weeks.

 

Stosh

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Thanks for the phone number, Bob. I called today and got the same reply as our council - "We're very busy. We should get it to you by next week". It cant take more than 5 minutes to review and sign it. But not 3 1/2 months!! I don't understand, but I will be on the phone to them periodically till I get the permit in my hands.

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You have submitted it within the guidlines, correct? Then why worry about it. If you get the signed copy back ok, if you don't thats ok too.

 

Would you cancel the trip if you didn't get it? I hope not. Will not getting the signed copy affect anything? Insurance, travel plans, your schedule? Nope

 

So you did your part, if they don't do thiers, oh well.

 

Take the boys, have a great time, let the paperwork worries be someone elses problem.

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From the Florida Sea Base Leaders Guide:

 

"You must have the signed original tour permit when you arrive at Sea Base. Crews that fail to do so will not be able to begin their adventure."

 

I don't know how strongly they follow that statement, but I don't want to be the one to find out.

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That was the same requirement posted by the camp we attended last year out of state. I serioiusly was concerned that when we showed up it wouldn't be there and we had just driven 1000 miles for nothing. One would think the regional offices could be a little more sensitive to this issue.

 

Stosh

 

 

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nldscout, The camp and high adventure base our troop attended in NC last year required us to show proof of a national tour permit too. We submitted it months in advance and only got it a couple of days before departure, after repeated pressure was brought to bear on the regional office. It sounds like this is a common issue for CENTRAL region, though apparently not for other regions.

 

Hello...anybody from Central paying attention out there? Please fix this!

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What totally surprises me is that the Central Region's excuse is their backlog of permits. It would seem that reading that one page and signing off on it and faxing it back to the councils must be a quite a challenge for these people. Last time I checked, it took longer to fill out the form than it does to read it.

 

For real, people, the permit with a threat will expedite the form and it only takes 2-3 weeks if your council puts the pressure on.

 

Stosh

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something to consider. Each region covers an approximately 15 state area. Each state has on average 6 councils. Each council has approx 140 Boy Scout Troops. That is about 2100 troops in each region.

 

What time of year do you think most units go on trips that require National tour permits? It's mid June through mid August.

 

Most National tour permits arrive at the region offices in a 6 week period of the year. That is a lot of paperpushing in a very short period of time. There is an old Indian proverb about not judging a person until you have walked in his moccasins. I think it is easy to misjudge what the workload is in a office where you have no idea what all they do.

 

I have never had an application take more than three weeks. I am not sayiong it does not happen, I just think it is a rare instance.

 

 

As far as the suggestion to " Take the boys, have a great time, let the paperwork worries be someone elses problem"

 

All I can say is that is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY bad advice when it comes to national tour permits.!

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BW, if a unit submits an application 3 months before the event, follows up with a phone call to verify they received it, but doesn't receive said permit until after the event, who should reimburse the unit for the trip?

They clearly cannot engage in the trip with the permit.

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