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Humorous and/or horrifying story


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I consider it humorous, although others might be horrified.

 

At my Wolf Cub Scout's school, they had a table full of free books. My son spotted one with a BSA emblem on it and brought it home. From the vague description, my guess was that it was a MB pamphlet.

 

It turns out it was an OA Handbook, circa 2000. It was in pristine condition, and had the price tag from a local used book store. My guess is that Junior went off to college, and the parents unloaded some of his old books.

 

For those who are horrified, don't worry--I took it out of circulation. :-)

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I'll go you one better than that. While helping staff the Trainer's Edge course this past Saturday, I strolled down to the scout shop (run by national) during our lunch break to buy a Chapter Adviser position patch. What did I find sitting on the shelf? No position patches, they were in a controlled drawer behind the counter. What I did find was the Ordeal, Brotherhood and Vigil ceremonies for sale to anyone that wanted to buy them. I asked the manager if he understood that the ceremonies were safeguarded material that only OA members were supposed to have access to based on what honor they were. His response, "you know, we've had other people tell us that". I spoke to the Lodge ADviser and the Council Program Director who both told me that when the council operated the scout shop, they could control things like that. Now that national runs it, they can do what they want and ignore their requests to put the ceremonies behind the counter.

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Ok I was about to say that OA stuff wasn't supposed to be on sale except a few minor items, but things have changed and they can.

 

HOWEVER restricted items like the ceremonies books, chapter adviser patches, sashes,etc are required to be secured and paperwork/proof needs to be offered to buy. They are not suppose to be on the floors but behind the counters.

 

Actually the SE has a LOT of influence over the shop, despite the shop being nationally owned. They can change that, heck they can mandate that NO OA restricted stuff be sold, at least last time I worked for national. We did not sell anything OA related except what could be ordered via the web, restricted OA position patches (and we verified who they were) and DSA knots (we had a few folks who could get those and they were known personally by the staff).

 

If the SE doesn't want to get involved, call the regional VP of supply. He can fix it in a jiffy.

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Eagle92,

 

In our shop, everything OA is on the floor with the exception of the position patch which was behind the counter. Since the shop management basically blew me off, I sent an email to Scout Stuff customer service. Try going to the natonal BSA website and finding an organizational list with phone numbers and email addresses. That animal doesn't exist.

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HMMMM interesting. All I can find is the headman's info. Oh well here's his info

 

Michael A. Ashline

Director, Supply Group

(704) 588-4260 or (704) 583-9475

 

Hate using the 5" guns when the 40mms will work just as well. But ya gotta use ya resources, and hit the target.

 

 

(ASIDE, yes I've been watching SONS OF GUNS and the episode BLOWING UP THE KIDD. They have an absolute AWESOME overnight program, better than the USS ALABAMA and USS YORKTOWN, and a fraction of the course. They actually have tour guides assigned to you to give you the normal tour, plus go some extra places if you want. Tour guides get "interrogated" by the Tim Nessmith before they are able to give tours. Trust me I know. Best placed I ever worked at.)

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  • 3 months later...

At my scout store, there is a whole bin of Eagle Life Member knots out on the floor. I went in with my NESA membership card, expecting to be carded, and they didn't say a word, just scanned the knot and put it in a bag. I was a little disconcerted. I'll have to check for OA stuff on the floor next time...

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