Dear Andy,
I’ve been a Scoutmaster for more than 20 years in my home town, and now
I’m finishing an active duty mobilization in Afghanistan. I’m wondering
if the Iraq Green Zone Council has a shoulder patch. If you know of a
source please give me a yell. (D.B.)
I don't know if there's one or not, but you guys sure as heck deserve
one! Check out, and contact, BSA Direct Service:
http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=xx&c=lc
Dear Andy,
In your first March column, Rusty Rodke, Great Southwest Council, asked
about the American Indian Scout Association. Their official website,
with much more information is at:
http://americanindianscouting.org/
I hope this helps. (Craig B., Jersey Shore Council)
Thanks!
Dear Andy,
In an earlier column, Mike Kerrigan, Revolutionary Trails Council, asked
you about “Deliver The Promise” (No. 18-251). I’ve done some checking
and this doesn't appear in the current list of Bin Resource items.
Sometimes there may be a bit of back-stock, so calling your local Scout
Shop and asking them to call National Supply doesn't hurt, but it looks
like it's out of print. (Steve Hanson, Scout Shop Manager, Capitol Area
Council, Austin, TX)
Hi Andy,
For “Deliver The Promise’,” I Searched and found this:
http://pinetreeweb.com/areyou.htm
This is on a web site published by Lewis Orans. Happy to help! (George
Fosselius, ADC, Mt. Diablo Silverado Council, CA)
Thanks!
Dear Andy,
I'm one of the BSA editors in the Scouting Project over at Wikipedia. It
looks like you got the information on the Life Scout badge from our
article, which we just merged into the main Boy Scout section. It was
merely a stub, and we felt it wasn't going to grow much:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_%28Boy_Scouts_of_America%29
Under emblems, you’ll now find: "Life is a First Class emblem on a red
heart, and initially symbolized the first aid and health-related merit
badges required for the rank, but now signifies that the ideals of
Scouting have become a part of the Scout's life and character."
As to sheath knives, you are quite correct that the only BSA statement
about these is the recommendation in GTSS. Of course, individual
councils, camps, units, camporees and other events may have their own
guidelines. In our own troop, we abide by this: “Personal utility knives
will be a folding blade, preferably a lock-back blade, with a blade
length of not more than 4 inches. Fixed-blade knives used for cooking or
preparing foods may not be stored or carried on the person but will be
stored and carried in a case, pack, or container. Axes, hatchets,
machetes, and saws will be properly sheathed when not in use and will
not be worn or stored on the person.” (We figured that if they can't
wear it, then the urge to carry something big will be minimized.) (Ed
Palmer, ASM-
Troop 84, Advisor-Venturing Crew 84, Stuarts Draft, VA)
Yup, Wikipedia was absolutely my source! Thanks for your work there!
Love your "can use it but can't carry it" way of handling things. We
guys just hafta have sumthin' big hangin' off the right side of our
belt—the bigger the better! (Goes back to the days of the six-gun, I'll
bet!)
Dear Andy,
When I became a Cubmaster, I starting looking around for new exciting
ceremonies for recognition during rank advancements, and decided on
“painted face” ceremonies. Our pack committee liked the idea, and so we
went with it. No, the Cubs’ faces didn't get totally painted, but simple
marks were made…a Bobcat paw, the mark of a Bear, and so on…either on
their cheeks or their foreheads. The boys loved it! Trying to develop
something comparable for Arrow of Light, I happened upon our OA lodge’s
Vice-Chief for ceremonies, and he readily suggested using his team as
the mechanism to award the Arrow of Light and tie it to my painted face
ceremony. He and I sat down and developed the ceremony, and set it into
motion. Then, at the end of the Webelos II year, when they were ready to
receive the
Arrow of Light, the OA ceremonies team came to our Blue & Gold dinner
and make the presentation in front of over 150 Scouts and family
members. You could have heard a pin drop that night! You could see many
different expressions on the faces of the Scouts that night, most of
them were proud expressions to be receiving this Arrow of Light given to
them by the Cubmaster and the “Mighty Chief.” This tradition has
continued with this pack for the last several years, and I don't see and
end to it.
Two years ago, I suggested to the new Vice-Chief of ceremonies that we
extend the ceremony to other packs that may want it. But initially,
after presenting the idea at a CSL Roundtable, only a few
bought in. So we did the ceremony, as asked for, and the leaders of the
packs couldn't get over how mesmerized the audience was, and the
attention everyone paid during the ceremony! Well, you guessed it! Once
the initial Cubmasters and Den Leaders started talking up a storm after
each ceremony, we’re booked almost a year in advance for more than 20
packs! We had to create two ceremony teams!
This has done wonders for our OA lodge, too! The ceremonies have exposed
the Webelos Scouts and their packs to the realm of "Boy" Scouting, and
have strengthened the ties of brotherhood more than any one program
could have. It has also assisted in ceremony team recruitment for the
lodge!
If your readers would like a copy of the Arrow of Light Ceremony script,
just go to
www.westernshoreoa.org/downloads.cfm and grab it from there.
(Curtis Stansfield, SM, Troop 413, National Capitol Area Council, VA)
Thanks for a great example of how a simple idea can become a major
force!
Dear Andy,
I’m on a quest for some information about troop by-laws. At a recent
troop committee meeting, members brought up some new things that we
thought should be brought up for a vote. But, a problem: No one can find
our by-laws. (The former committee chair is no longer with the troop and
when I asked him if he still had a copy he said he’d look, but
ultimately he was unable to find them.) What do we do now? Many of us
are new to the troop this year, and I’m thinking that if we can't find
them, we should write and vote on new by-laws. Is this the right way to
go about it? (Jennifer Sutton, MC, North Florida Council, FL)
Here's the best news of the day: YOU DON'T NEED TROOP BY-LAWS! The BSA
has all the policies and procedures you'd ever need already in place and
so long as these are followed nothing else is necessary. Stop wasting
time on this and get out there and deliver a Scouting program to the
boys. Everything you need is in the BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK, the SCOUTMASTER
HANDBOOK and the TROOP COMMITTEE GUIDE… Get these, and then all of you
GET TO TRAINING—FAST! Just remember that, as Scouting volunteers, you
all serve at the pleasure of the Scouts; it's not the other way around.
Dear Andy,
Is there a list of standard patrol emblems? Our Scout are trying to name
their patrols and we’d like to keep it basic (their imaginations are
going way out there so we just want to give them some choices). (Ray
Luellen, MC, Troop 381, Baltimore Area Council, MD)
The BSA Supply Division has 39 different, pre-embroidered patrol emblems
to choose from. Go to:
http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?ctlg=05NDC&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=UNIFORMS&c3=INSIGNIA&c4=&lv=3&item=102
Dear Andy,
You recently said, "Wood Badge is for both Cub Scout and Boy Scout
volunteer leaders. 21st Century Wood Badge combines both the Cub Scout
and the Boy Scout programs and provides a broader, more ‘universal’
perspective than the predecessor Wood Badge courses, which were two
separate courses, one for Cub Scout and one for Boy Scout leaders." OK…
I guess us Venturing and Sea Scout leaders need to go elsewhere—Wood
Badge is not for us. :) Also, Varsity Scouts are outa luck, more so
after they stopped doing Varsity Scout Wood Badge. (Michael R. Brown)
Yup, you're right... Wood Badge is for Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders.
This doesn’t mean that others wouldn’t benefit from it, but probably not
nearly as much as those involved direct with Cub Scouting and/or Boy
Scouting. For Venturing, there's VLST (formerly called VALBT and also
referred to currently as VST) and then Powder Horn (which was
specifically designed to not be "Wood Badge for Venturing"), and for Sea
Scouts there's SSOST and then Sea Badge (which resembles Wood Badge only
by name similarity). As for Varsity, you're absolutely right! But keep
smilin' anyway, because if you look at the opening of my response to
Joanna, I said, “Wood Badge is…an advanced level of training available
to ALL BSA adult volunteers, regardless of position...”
Hi Andy,
My son, a Life Scout, recently joined a new troop (his former troop
kinda died). A year ago, while still in his former troop, he was asked,
and took on the responsibility, to be a Den Chief. He had just earned
Life at that time, and now that he’s a candidate for Eagle (project and
all merit badges completed), the committee chair of his current troop
has turned him down twice because "he didn't serve in OUR troop," and
proceeded to write this across my son’s Eagle rank application. Even the
district advancement chair sent my son back to his troop, telling him
that he’d have to hold a leadership position in his troop for it to
“count.” Told this, my son did his homework: He went to our Scout Shop
and bought the BSA “Advancement Policies” book, and then he called the
BSA National Office and spoke with the National Advancement Director
there. As a result, his Scoutmaster finally signed off on his Eagle
application, because my son proved that what these people were telling
him wasn’t correct. But the “fallout” on this was that these men are now
pretty mad at him, and they’re now implying that he “cheated.” So,
although everything’s signed off, they’re now stalling. He could have
had his Eagle board of review over three months ago, and he’s still
waiting! The district advancement chair is meeting with him again—this
will be the third time my son’s been called in for a meeting, with no
board of review!
Can they do this? Or is my son getting the run-around because he’s still
13 years old (he turns 14 in May)? He’s already earned over 70 merit
badges…Is this a bad thing? What can he do to get his board of review?
I’m asking because my “Turbo-Scout” (he started as a Tiger) who always
wanted to do everything in Scouting is starting to, shall I say, "really
dislike" Scouting! What can we do? (Name Withheld)
Taking your questions in order...
Yup, it does sure look like your son's been given the royal run-around.
Whether it's because of his age or whether it's for some other reason
(like, these guys don't know BSA policy from a hole-in-the-ground) can't
be determined. I can confirm for you with total assuredness: If your son
dutifully carried out the responsibilities of Den Chief for at least six
months while a Life Scout, this absolutely qualifies him for Eagle req.
4, regardless of the troop or troops he may have been registered in
during this time. Moreover, your son deserves high marks for “doing his
homework” and then standing up for himself! As for Eagle req. 1 ("Be
active in your troop...for a period of at least six months"), this does
not have to be in a single troop. That is, if a Scout transfers troops
during this six-month period, but was active in the first troop up till
the time of transfer and then active in his next troop beginning with
the transfer, then he was still "active" in "his" troop for that
duration.
No, it’s not a “bad thing” at all that he’s earned 70 or more merit
badges. Every merit badge is about a different subject, so here’s a 13
year-old boy who’s gained knowledge and skills in more than 70 different
areas!
To get his board of review may take contacting the council advancement
chair, since the district guy seems to have proven himself a bit of a
Dodo by getting the leadership position stuff all wrong. As for the
upcoming meeting with this bird, what your son might consider doing is
to bring a "buddy" to that meeting. The "buddy" will be a silent
witness, and will take notes on the content, tone, and tenor of the
conversation. This buddy can be your son's father, or an adult associate
with his troop who's on his side, or even a teacher, pastor, priest, or
rabbi! It can even be a good neighbor. The primary purpose is to have an
independent “third party” present. A secondary purpose is so that this
boy doesn’t get run over by rhetoric. So then, at that meeting, your son
can make this statement: "Sir, since I have completed all of the
requirements for the rank of Eagle, I am respectfully requesting a Board
of Review." The buddy takes notes on the reply. Got it?
Finally, and very important, it falls to you, as his parent, to make
sure that your son understands that it's probably not "Scouting" that's
putting him through this wringer; it's jerks. Jerks can be found
anywhere... In school, church, clubs, businesses, sports, and, yes,
Scouting, too. He's going to come across jerks throughout his life, and
they have nothing to do with Scouting—They'd still be jerks even if they
weren't in Scouting! Your job is to make sure he understands this
important difference!
Dear Andy,
I’d like to know how I can get the Cub Scout Sports program guide (No.
34299). I also need information on being first-time Webelos Den Leader
(my husband) and Pack Committee Chair (me). Gena & Nick Suiter, Afton,
MO)
Hats off to you two for getting involved! Scouting is truly a
life-changing experience, for your son and for the two of you, too!
You're in the Greater St. Louis Area Council. The service center is at
4568 West Pine Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63108-2193. The phone there is
(314) 361-0600, and the web site is www.stlbsa.org
Get in touch with your council and get their schedule for New Leader
Essentials training, and Position-Specific training, and get there ASAP!
This is absolutely your best and fastest way to get what you need to
know under your belts. If you can't go together (which is always more
fun), then split up and do it separately, but make sure you both do it
-- No "messenger service" here!
The two books you'll need most are the Cub Scout Leader Guide and the
Webelos Leader Guide. Your council's Scout Shop should have these in
stock. If not, go to www.scoutstuff.org Also, read your own son's
Webelos book! Your Scout Shop can also give you the information and any
pamphlets you'll need for the Cub Scout Academics and Sports programs.
Dear Andy,
Your readers may be interested in hearing about this... The Northern
Lights District of the Hiawatha-Seaway Council, NY, has an Eagle Project
recognition tour of sorts, called "Cache to Eagle." The tour consists
uses geo-caching—a sort of high-tech treasure hunt—as a means to bring
attention to Eagle Projects that have been done in our area. A
“geocache” complete with log book, is placed on, in, or near an Eagle
Project, and then its coordinates are placed online at
www.geocaching.com, where the coordinates can be accessed and gone
after. This highlights some of the local Eagle Projects that have been
done by our Scouts. As a bonus, we've made a patch available to those
who find all twelve of the caches, and send in a form with the correct
code word from each cache (Hmm...12 caches with code words in them... I
wonder: Whatever could they be?). For those who would be interesting in
finding our geocaches, or setting up a “Cache to Eagle” in their own
neck of the woods, they can check ours out at geocaching.com by entering
"Hiawatha-Seaway Northern Lights Cache to Eagle" in the search area, or
use:
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=ec2fd79c-e397-434c-9610-8689ad109634
(Jon Matthis, CM, Potsdam, NY)
Personally, I think what you're doing is really cool! Check it out,
folks!
Dear Andy,
How do DCs and ADCs make their Unit Commissioners accountable for
attending monthly unit meetings? What are some ways we can do that?
Also, as a Unit Commissioner, I earned the Arrowhead Honor and the Unit
Commissioner Key. I’ve since become District Commissioner. You’ve said
in a prior column that it’s OK to wear an Arrowhead earned as a UC on a
DC uniform. Is that correct? I’m asking because I didn't see it in the
Commissioner Handbook. In this regard, I have two Keys and I’m working
on a third. When would it be appropriate to wear the medal? Or do you
just hang them on the wall? (Rick Curran, DC, Chicora District, Pee Dee
Area Council, SC)
To get UCs visiting their units, hold a gun to their heads! No, we can’t
do that! Baaaad idea! (But, boy, there were times I'd sure like to!)
Instead, when you have your Commissioners meetings, ask each
Commissioner for a brief (like 60-second) run-down on the general health
or perhaps a unique event going on, for each of the units he or she
covers. Go around the room, just in the order everyone's sitting. The
ones who don't get out there will identify themselves pretty quickly.
Keep this up for a couple of months, and when it's obvious around the
room who the non-visitors are, take each one aside individually and do a
brief "Scoutmaster's Conference" with them... "Say, John, I'm noticing
that you seem to have a problem getting out there to your troops/packs
and I'm wondering how I can help you. How about you and I go together
this coming week..." Give it a try.
On the Arrowhead, Yes, you continue to wear it. It can only be earned
once, and, no matter what level you earned it at, you continue to wear
it even if your Commissioner position changes. It's only removed once
you no longer hold a Commissioner position.
The Scouter's Key can be earned in various positions, and a small brass
device is available to pin on the square knot to indicate the position(s)
in which you earned it (in other words, we don't wear duplicate square
knots). The same is true of the Scouter's Training Award. As for the
medals that accompany these, they're usually better kept in your
personal memorabilia album or box.
Dear Andy,
I went to my local Scout Shop to purchase orange backings for Tiger Cub
service stars, and was told they’re no longer producing orange backing
and that Tiger Cubs use the yellow disks behind the stars now. If a boy
starts as a Tiger and complete his Webelos years, he will have earned a
five-year yellow-backed star. Is this true or is my local Scout Shop
making up rules rather than keeping items in stock?
Also, they told me that the Crime Prevention patch isn’t available any
longer. Has this program ended? Or, can I order these patches directly
from National? Or is our Scout Shop supposed to order them when we make
the request? (Mark Kopel)
I'm just not gonna mess with little colored disks, but I can tell you
that the Crime Prevention Award emblem is item number 04189 and sells
for $2.40 and is available through your local council on completion of
the application.
Dear Andy,
We’ve been a “district-in-restructure,” absent a District Executive for
some time. Is there an organizational chart available online that lists
what a district’s committees should be and what duties fall under which
committee and chair? (DT, Detroit Area Council, MI)
Yes there is, and your best resource is, of course, your own council's
Scout Executive. There are also two booklets you'll want to get your
hands on: Selecting District People (No. 34512C) and The District (No.
3079A).
Dear Andy,
Our troop recently acquired a new Scout, who transferred in from another
troop. He brought his Boy Scout Handbook and met with our advancement
chair, but she refused to accept any of the signoffs for rank
advancement because his former Scoutmaster had signed off in the front
of the rank chapters instead of in the back of the book, and didn’t date
his signatures. Can these be valid reasons to not accept rank
requirements? I’m asking because I’m new to Boy Scouting and although
I’ve taken all the appropriate training, our advancement chair seems
somehow way too rigid—she’ll even make the Scouts tie knots in their
boards of review, and I don’t think that’s what’s supposed to be done.
We’re trying to infuse some positive changes, but here we think there’s
a problem, and nobody wants to confront our advancement chair for fear
they'll have to do her job…and Yes, it’s a big one! (Name Withheld)
There just one very simple rule to abide by here: Scout's Honor. If the
Scout says he did it AND he has signatures to back up his assertions,
your advancement chair is projecting a very unsavory personal
characteristic by refusing to take the Scout's word. Do your troop and
Scouts a favor and get yourself an advancement chair who respects the
word of a Scout.
As far as troop advancement chair is concerned, this can be one of the
most rewarding of all unit-level Scouting positions! If I were offered
that job, I'd jump at the opportunity! Heck, this is the nexus of the
"cream of the crop"! Yes, there's some paperwork involved, and there's
definitely consultation with the Scoutmaster (the SM contacts the
advancement chair when a board of review is needed and the AC does the
rest), and then there's the assembling and briefing of the board of
review "team." Then there's the scheduling of Eagle boards, and if that
ain't the mountaintop, I'd better hang up my Commissioner's cap! But
that's about it. So, where's the "scary" part? I sure can't figure that
one out! Which means that if your present advancement chair doesn't get
her act straightened out IMMEDIATELY, you can flat-out remove her and
replace her with someone who can get it right instead of so terribly
wrong. This is NOT a time to walk small around this problem volunteer.
If she can't or won't straighten out and fly right, she's history! The
boys you're all there to serve (Yes, serve—YOU all are there at their
pleasure, not the other way around) deserve much better than what's
being dished out!
Dear Andy,
I’ve searched the uniform inspection sheet and the insignia guide but I
haven’t found an answer to this question: Can a Boy Scout wear a
religious square knot for an award that he earned as a Cub Scout? Our
troop says that they must come off, but I’d thought that, once a boy
earned a religious award, he could always wear the knot. (I do
understand that they may only wear one religious award knot, no matter
how many awards they’ve earned.) (C.P., Cub Scouter, Old Hickory
Council, NC)
You troop's incorrect. The religious square knot, once earned, is worn
on every uniform a boy, young man, or man may wear in the course of his
Scouting career. Since only one purple-and-silver square knot is worn,
no matter how many levels are earned, there are specially-made brass
devices that are pinned on the knot that designate the level or levels
at which the awards were earned. This isn't my "opinion," by the way;
this is a BSA insignia policy.
Dear Andy,
I've searched a great number of places, including your own back columns.
I Googled it, but still can't find it (even at BSA's site). The question
is: What are the minimum requirements to start a new Cub Scout pack? I
know they have to have an Institutional Head (IH) (who could be the COR
also?), a Chartered Organization Rep. (COR) (who can serve as Committee
Chairman?) Aren't these the only two that can be dual role? What other
spots have to be filled? How many boys are required as a minimum? (Owen
Searcy, Coosa, GA)
For these specific questions, the very best place to get your answers
isn't on the Internet, it's by calling your council service center and
asking to speak with the District Executive who covers your area. Coosa
is in the Northwest Georgia Council. The address is 100 East 2nd Ave.,
Suite 10, Rome, GA 30161, the phone is (706) 235-5545, and the URL is
www.nwgabsa.org
Dear Andy,
A Webelos Den Leader in our “feeder pack” has expressed interest in
having his den regularly attend our troop’s meetings and campouts,
starting in September when they’re Webelos IIs, and I’m stumped as to a
response. While I know it’s a requirement to attend at least one troop
meeting and outdoor activity for the Arrow of Light award, just how many
is appropriate? His view is “as many as possible.” I’m feeling that more
than one or perhaps two meetings will create a distraction, as these
boys are nine and ten years old, and while they have already achieved
all that’s possible in Cub Scouts/Webelos, they still have to reach the
maturity level of Boy Scouts. And as for campouts, I just don't see how
that will work at all (we do have day events such as outdoor
cooking—this has historically been our scheduled day for the Webelos—ice
skating, day hikes, and fishing, any of which they’re invited to join in
on. While I applaud his efforts to introduce his boys to Boy Scouts, I
feel that they’re still Webelos and will have to wait for their
crossover ceremony before joining in our full agenda. Are there any
rules or regulations regarding this matter? (Pete Sander, SM, Troop 34,
Pawling, NY)
While I like this Webelos Den Leader's enthusiasm too, I'm obliged to
point out that he's a bit over the top. The Webelos II program is
rigorous enough without introducing another set of meetings plus ongoing
camping trips with a troop. The Webelos program is a transitional
program, true, but it's not "junior Boy Scouts." He needs to focus on
the Webelos activity badges, and getting his boys to Arrow of Light.
Included in this will be a minimum of three opportunities to visit with
your troop... Once at a meeting, once at an outdoor activity (which
doesn't have to be an overnight campout), and once with his parents for
a Scoutmaster Conference. To add one or perhaps two more visits is a
nice idea, but the idea of doubling the meetings his boys (and their
parents, in some cases) will have gets in the way of the program more
than it aids it. Show him this message and encourage him to focus on the
Webelos program, so that at the right time he graduates all of his den
into the troop, rather than losing boys to early burnout.
To look through the other end of the binoculars, too many visits to the
troop by these Webelos Scouts starts to diminish the new adventures your
current Boy Scouts are expecting to have and begins to turn them into
babysitters. Not fair to them!
Dear Andy,
A while back, our Scoutmaster decreed that no Scout may work on a merit
badge until he completes First Class rank requirements, on the theory
that the Scouts will continue earning merit badges, but not advancing in
rank. One of the results of this is that we lose a lot of Scouts in
their first year, because they get frustrated that they’re not allowed
to pursue merit badges they’re interested in (Yes, they’ve actually told
us this!). My own opinion is that the new Scouts are most enthusiastic
when they first join our troop, so that going out and earning merit
badges helps maintain this interest. I also feel that each Scout is
ultimately responsible for his own advancement and advancement
timetable—We adults can mentor and guide, but ultimately the decision
should be up to the Scout. Despite this, and several conversations on
the subject, our Scoutmaster is adamantly sticking to his decree. Do you
have any suggestions on how this can best be addressed? (Name Withheld)
Here's my recommended solution: Give that dunderhead Scoutmaster a kick
in his adamant rear end! No, I'm not joking. The BSA learned a long,
long time ago that this sort of artificial stonewall impedes
advancement; it doesn't improve it. There used to be such a rule, a
bunch of decades ago, and it didn't work. It backfired, just as you're
seeing now. So the BSA wisely removed all restrictions on when a Scout
could start earning merit badges. Which means that this Scoutmaster of
yours is actually violating a BSA national policy by insisting on his
misguided decree. This isn't a matter of opinion nor is it open for
discussion. He's in violation of a specific BSA policy and this has to
change instantly or he's history. If you're the Chartered Organization
Executive Officer or Representative, or the Troop’s Committee Chair:
Make it happen.
Dear Andy,
I can’t find the answer in any BSA material to this question: Can the
square knots earned as a Cub Scout leader be kept on your uniform shirt
when you become a Boy Scout leader? (Dennis Vega, AZ)
The square knots we adult Scouters receive (earn) as a result of our
service to Scouting's various programs are absolutely 100% wearable on
our uniforms regardless of what program we might currently be involved
with or what unit, district, council, or region we might be registered
with. That's the long answer. The short answer is yes, wear your Cub
Scouting square knots with humble pride on your Boy Scout leader's
uniform!
Hi Andy,
For the past three years, our Cubmaster has changed the rules on how our
pack’s Pinewood Derby is run. Unfortunately, his changes typically
benefit his own son, who took overall second place three years ago and
first place the past two years in a row (Ino, I’m not the only one who’s
noticed this). I said something about it to him, but it was clear he was
going to stick to doing things his way, period. My question to you is
this: Is the Cubmaster actually allowed to change the rules of an event
like this every year and, if not, who do I contact? (Ken, WDL, Central
Florida Council)
I’m happy to tell you that there are no Scouting "cops" to patrol your
Pinewood Derbies to make sure they operate "within the law." Your
Cubmaster may or may not be stacking the deck, and appearances can
always be deceiving...in both directions, good and bad! Your best bet,
long-range, is for your pack committee to decide that the Cubmaster does
enough what with running pack meetings and all, and help him out by
forming a special Pinewood Derby committee that can write out the rules
and then run the races, while your Cubmaster simply emcee's the event.
Of course, to make this happen, people will have to step up and be
willing to roll up their sleeves, and you'll obviously need both a
committee and committee chair with strong backbones.
Hey Andy,
I’m an adult leader trainer, and a parent recently asked me if there are
any consequences to not following the stipulations in the Guide To Safe
Scouting (besides the obvious of not being safe.) This question arose
because their Cub Scout pack recently had a “pack bicycle ride,” and
refused to have several parents and their sons do the ride, because they
weren’t wearing cycling helmets, and now two of these families are
dropped out of Scouting, claiming that this is because they were denied
the opportunity to participate in the bike ride. (Andy Schmidt,
Glacier’s Edge Council, WI)
Let’s see… They’re leaving Scouting because someone insisted that, for
their personal safety, they wear bike helmets, and they didn't want to
do that, so now Scouting's "not inclusive." Well ain’t that flippin’
brilliant!
Of course, I don’t know what the rules for safe biking in Wisconsin are.
Maybe Wisconsin has a bike helmet rule, which would be just peachy,
because now these families can go move to another, more “inclusive”
state!
Now this may not be exactly right, so please check with your own
council's risk management committee, but I'm told it works like this:
Violate or ignore a BSA "Safe Scouting" policy and have an accident, and
you're cut loose and thrown to the (legal) sharks faster than Captain
Jack Sparrow can walk the plank!
Dear Andy,
We have more Scouts in upper-level ranks than we have available
leadership positions at the next election. Obviously, some Scouts aren’t
going to be elected, so we’ll have those meet the Star and Life req. 5
by carrying out Scoutmaster-assigned leadership projects to help the
troop. But since these projects will directly benefit the troop, can
other Scouts who participate receive service-hour credit for this? I’ve
understood that credit is only given for Scoutmaster-approved projects
that benefit either the chartered organization or the community, so
these wouldn’t fit that requirement, but I want to make certain that
this is accurate before the Scouts start asking me. I’ve read the
Advancement Committee Guide and the Scoutmaster Handbook, and I’ve done
web searches, all to no avail for a concrete answer. I’d hate to find
out later that I was wrong and the Scouts should have been credited
properly. Can you help? (Kim Merrick, Advancement Chair, Troop 491,
Montgomery, TX)
You must have one huge troop, with an inordinately huge number of First
Class and Star Scouts! Of course, only the SPL and PLs are elected, and
all other positions are appointed, but all except APL "count" toward
leadership tenure and for several (for instance, JASM, Troop Guide, Den
Chief) troops can have more than one! Are you absolutely, positively
sure there's no "room," because you’d have to have more than 16 Scouts
who are ranked First Class, Star, or Life in order to have the problem
you’re describing?
Further, as a Scout myself, and an Eagle by age 15, I can recall having
to sort of "wait my turn" for leadership. It wasn't handed to me on a
platter just because I needed it. Neither I nor any other Scout had some
sort of "entitlement." If we didn't get elected and we didn't want an
appointed position, well, we just waited till the time was right...for
the troop, and for ourselves.
Now as for Scoutmaster-assigned leadership projects, although these are
used rarely, they're always for the troop! But that doesn't necessarily
mean they're “service” projects. A project of this type might be
something that, for instance, involves teaching a specialized skill to
every member of the troop, and this isn't a "service project" and other
Scouts who might be tapped to teach by the “lead Scout” aren't
performing "service" to anyone except their friend, the lead Scout, and
their fellow Scouts. So I'm not sure you even need to deal with the
question you're struggling with, because we're not talking about service
projects in the first place!
Take a good look at the exact wording of the requirement alternative
again: "Carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the
troop." Also, note that this applies ONLY to First Class Scouts going
for Star, and to Star Scouts going for Life. It does NOT apply to Life
Scouts going for Eagle.
Dear Andy,
For a new Scout to earn the “Scout” badge, there’s a requirement that
says, "Complete the Pamphlet Exercises. With your parent or guardian,
complete the exercises in the pamphlet ‘How to Protect Your Children
from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide’.” However, in the new Handbooks and
the spiral-bound Handbooks, this pamphlet is no longer included. Any
idea why? (Diane Jones, Advancement Chair, Troop 427, Amherst, OH)
Darned good question, and I haven’t a clue! The best answer will
probably come directly from your local Scout Shop.
Dear Andy,
My grandson just received his 2007 Pinewood 07 Derby patch. Can you tell
me where on his uniform this patch goes? (Rose)
The Pinewood Derby patch can be sewn, centered, on your grandson's right
shirt pocket. If there's already something there, then it goes either on
a red "patch vest" that Scout Shops sell, or in a collection box or
album (in other words, not everything gets put on the uniform).
Dear Andy,
How long can an Eagle Scout wear his Eagle badge on his Scout shirt? I
seem to recall reading somewhere that an Eagle Scout can wear his badge
until his 21st birthday, but I can't remember where I read this. Is this
true? (I love your column. Please keep up the good work.) (Greg Maus,
SM, Troop 1122, William D. Boyce Council, IL)
At age 18 (not 21), the oval Eagle badge comes off the left pocket and
the R-W-B square knot goes on, centered immediately above the left
pocket.
