Issue 654 – September 1, 2020

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Some time back, there was a question about why it’s not in the best interests of the Scouts you serve to delegate your Scoutmaster conferences to someone else—not even an Assistant Scoutmaster. Here’s a reason for not delegating, from a long-time Scoutmaster and frequent contributor. It’s brief, and highly significant…
Hi Andy,

About Scoutmaster conferences, the young people we’re here to serve and model for have an ever-changing parade of adults in their lives. In fact, other than their own parents, their Scoutmaster is often the only other constant adult in their lives from age 11 to 18—a period of rapid and tremendous change. This seven-year consistency can create trust and perspective that delegated “just check-the-box” conferences can’t. So think about it—it’s amazing how much simpler and better things work out when we trust the program and stick with it. Thank you for your service to Scouting! (Bill Daniel, Retired Scoutmaster of 14 years)
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Dear Andy,

In an effort to keep up and maintain momentum within our two Scouts BSA troops—one for boys and one for girls—as well as to foster relationships with new Scouts freshly joining one or the other of our troops we first beta-tested a “Zoom” meeting a while back. It worked out better than we thought it would—in other words, the Scouts jumped aboard! They were very happy to be able to talk with their friends and make things happen!

Here are our “beta” steps:

We met by patrols, to keep the meeting population manageable.
Each patrol formed its own “management group,” made up of their Patrol Leader and assistant, and two adults (an Assistant Scoutmaster assigned to that patrol, and a second registered adult).
These four met via Zoom the day before the actual patrol meeting, to test out and to put a plan together on which skills they thought they could cover, plus any games they thought they could play. (The idea was to keep things simple since many would be using the technology for the first time.)

To maintain “two-deep” adults, both registered adults were present—but quiet non-contributors—in the actual patrol meeting.

Here’s what worked and what we learned:

Normally, the “free” version of the Zoom app is limited to 40 minutes at a time per meeting, but during this time of covid, they’ve waived that restriction, so we were able to go for as much as 90 minutes uninterrupted.

The meeting’s “host” can set the meeting so that the participants are not able to unmute themselves (It’s under the “Manage Participants” button).

One patrol decided to work on the Sustainability Merit Badge, since they’re stuck at home anyway.

Another patrol chose a “talking only” rank requirement, and their Patrol Leader signed them off.

The Troop Guide helping the Patrol Leader of a new Scout patrol, and the Scoutmaster, recruited a couple of Eagle Scouts to help the new Scouts with some of the Scout rank requirements.

An Assistant Scoutmaster for a patrol of older Scouts provided guidance on what remained for each Scout’s Trail to Eagle.

Some Patrols played trivia games, charades, and hangman. Next week some of them are going to try an app called “House Party.”

Most of the patrols had an actual opening ceremony, with a flag and Pledge of Allegiance, and the Scout Oath and Law. (The other patrols were “Ouch—we didn’t think of this!” and they’re going to do it in their very next meeting.)

This also proved to be a great opportunity for some of the younger Patrol Leaders (who may not always speak up in normal PLC meetings) and all Assistant Patrol Leaders (who don’t always have a say in what goes on) to step up and lead!

Like the rest of us, I have no idea how long we’ll have to meet like this. But it was fun and exciting for the Scouts to do this, and the challenge for the Patrol Leaders and their assistants will be to find ways to keep it fun and engaging until we can meet in-person again.

(Chris McNew, SM Scouts BSA Troop for Girls & ASM Scouts BSA Troop for Boys, Tuckabatchee Area Council, AL)
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Hi Andy-
Here’s a photo of our Troop 607 neckerchief slide:

Our Scoutmaster makes these using copper fittings, with tape and stick-on numbers to mask. These are then soaked in a solution of muriatic acid and peroxide to corrode away the exposed metal and leave the troop numbers.

This slide is the ONLY option for neckerchiefs in our troop—you lose it, you buy a new one.

By the way, the “Jeep” patch is now an “official” part of our troop uniform, and here’s why…

Our Senior Patrol Leader was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia back in January. He’s had to “distance” from everyone as soon as he began chemotherapy. He is a track and cross-country runner and his team nick-name is “Jeep.” The Scouts chose to do this because they always want to have Jeep with his troop until we can see him again. (Thanks for your column and wisdom—I wait for it every week.) (Dave Pela, CC)

That’s a creative way to solve the “rubber-band-for-neckerchief-slide” problem—and that’s a beautiful slide, BTW! And also, what a wonderful way to honor a fellow Scout!
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(I received this letter in early August…)

Hello Andy,

I’m sure you’ve had this question many times before, but we have a Scout who will turn 18 in five weeks suddenly show up after being away from the troop for the past two years, and he tells us he wants to carry out his Eagle service project before he heads off to college over 2 years wanting to put the pedal to the metal to get an Eagle Project selected and completed so he can complete his last Eagle requirement to going off to college.

Okay, the project can be managed in time, but what about “be active in your troop and patrol”?

Plus, his BSA registration is current only because our troop treasurer pays for all the Scouts at every charter renewal and then applies those individual fees against the weekly dues each Scout pays throughout the Scouting year. Consequently, this Scout hasn’t reimbursed the troop for the past two years and now wants to pay his dues in full, to get current.

By way of background, this Scout—the younger of two brothers—and his father used to be very active in the troop. But when the older brother earned Eagle, the father pulled back and became inactive. This younger Scout did earn Life rank in 2016, he’d attended only one campout that year and just one troop meeting in 2018. Since then, he’s has been inactive as he’s become more and more involved in other activities (school, sports, part-time jobs, etc.).

We could sure use your thoughts on this! (Dave Powers)

Okay, two quick questions. How old was this Scout when he earned Life rank (specifically, his board of review date)? And was he active in the troop following his successful board of review for Life rank and, if so, for how long?

Hi again, Andy —
His Life review was May 24, 2016, so he was just under 14 when he earned that rank. His last activity was a troop campout in January 2017 and the final participation was at Sea Base in July that same year. Our advancement software automatically awards leadership roles when the six-month mark hits, but it doesn’t track attendance. Thanks! (Dave)

You’re right— This young man is hardly the first in a situation like this, and surely won’t be the last. So thanks for that additional information!
Here’s the good news for everybody: The participation requirement for Eagle says “be active for 6 months since becoming a Life Scout” (the six months don’t need to be consecutive), and he did that from May through December 2016 and then parts of January and July 2017. More, since your advancement software tracked him in a leadership position for six months, this means that that requirement is completed as well.

(One caution: If he didn’t serve in one or more of the accepted positions of responsibility for 6 months back in 2016-17, he may be out of luck now. This is worth double-checking, but the good news here is that the only two positions that don’t count for Eagle are Assistant Patrol Leader and Bugler.)

So, assuming that he has only a service project to go here, this is the best news ever! Help him achieve his goal! What a delight to guide Life Scout who has a chance to end his Scouting career as an Eagle-for-life achieve this goal!

Oh, and about the question of dues: Yes, since, as far as the BSA is concerned, this Scout has remained a duly registered youth member all along, there’s no issue at all here. And, as far as the troop is concerned, it seems apparent that you all operated on the “honor system” that dues paid by the treasurer would be reimbursed to the troop by the Scouts. So, since this Scout has said he’s prepared to do exactly that, all’s well that ends well!

Thanks for asking about this. After all is said and done, our jobs as adult volunteers are to ALWAYS help and support the young men and young women we’ve committed ourselves to serve!

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Just drop a line to askandybsa@yahoo.com. (Please include your name and council, and if you’d prefer to be anonymous—if published—just say so and that’s what I’ll make sure to do.)

Although these columns are copyrighted, all readers have my permission to quote or reproduce any column or column part, just so long as you attribute authorship: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 654 – 9/1/2020 – Copyright © 2020 Andy McCommish]