________________________________________ Bryan Wendell, BSA Senior Editor and author of the “BRYAN ON SCOUTING” blog site has just published major changes in the way Scouts earn Eagle Palms. The modifications, Bryan informs us, will take effect on August 1st this year. For a complete read—which I can’t emphasize enough!—go to: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/07/10/changes-to-eagle-palms/ Here are some of Bryan’s […]

________________________________________ Hey Andy, At a recent meeting, our council advancement committee announced a “Scout Night” overnight campout at our local minor league baseball field. This campout was posted on our council’s website as available to all Scouts, Cubs, Venturers, and families in the council. One of the advancement committee members pointed out that this could […]

________________________________________ An international convention of over 40 thousand Rotarians, a quick vacation at Oak Island, North Carolina, two major all-day in-town events, and now the dust has settled a bit, so I’m finally back at this keyboard, with most of my fingers functional again. Here we go, with my thanks for your patience… Hi Andy, […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’d like to help Scoutmaster Kociemba, who was having problems securing a Unit Commissioner for his troop. I’ve forwarded a link to your issue No. 533 to our Council Commissioner, who has tasked the appropriate District Commissioner to get on this. So, I’m hoping he’ll soon get the support he’s looking for. […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’ve been our troop’s Scoutmaster for the last five years and an Assistant Scoutmaster before that. We’d like to have a Unit Commissioner for our troop, so that we can function better and run our troop the way that it’s supposed to be (particularly Scout-led). We’ve requested this from our District Executive […]

________________________________________ Have you ever thought, “Wow! I wish I’d said that!” Well here’s one that, for me, fits that category. It’s from long-time loyal reader, Jason Orton. Jason’s message can stand by itself today, and be remembered by us all for the future… Dear Andy, Another great issue of Ask Andy this week! Each one […]

________________________________________ Thought for the Day… “It’s easy to lead a group of Scouts who want to go where you’re leading them. The challenge is when they don’t want to head in that direction!” (Tim Donohue, Eagle Scout-April 12, 2017) ========== Dear Andy, We have a Scout in our troop who we’ve been working with for […]

________________________________________ “Thought for the Day”… We applaud the youngest Olympic Gold Medalist. We honor the octogenarian who crosses the finish line at the Boston or New York marathon. But when it comes to Eagle Scouts, far too many of us dismiss this singular achievement by calling the youngest “baby Eagles” or the oldest “cardiac Eagles.” […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, What’s the BSA policy for an adult leader to wear his actual Eagle Scout medal? The term, “formal occasions,” has come up on some websites. What’s considered a formal occasion in Boy Scouting? (McKay Dunn, CSLRTC/CM, Trapper Trails Council, UT) Let’s start with this: Male, uniform-wearing BSA volunteers who earned Eagle Scout […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, Our son just got home from a weekend campout. While there, he participated in a Firem’n Chit “class” taught by a Second Class Scout (same rank as our son). During this class, he was told that since he couldn’t start a fire with one match he wouldn’t get his Chit. The Scout […]