________________________________________ In my previous column (No. 497 – August 3rd), Jim Byers asked, “In Venturing and Sea Scouts, if you have a coed group on an overnight outing, you need both a male and a female adult leader. Okay so far, but then what’s the reasoning that says a Boy Scout troop (or team) can […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, Can to explain to me the rationale behind this anomaly in the BSA’s GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING? Here it is: In Venturing and Sea Scouts, if you have a coed group on an overnight outing, you need both a male and a female adult leader. Okay so far, but then what’s the […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, We held a Tenderfoot board of review last night for one of our newest Scouts. We had two committee members present. I had sent out an email to the committee last week, right after I’d conferenced with this Scout, stressing the need for a review ASAP, but these two were the only […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, I think your advice to that granddad about uniform wearing (Issue 494 – July 5, 2016) was perfect. My 14-year-old Star Scout son didn’t want to wear his uniform pants to a den meeting where he was the Den Chief. I refused to drive him until he changed out of his jeans […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I have a problem with my grandson, who’s a Star rank Scout. I’m an “old timer”—been in Scouting as an adult since 1988—and still proud of my Scout uniform. My wife (his grandmother) and I pay for my grandson’s Scouting experiences: all except summer camp, which his mom pays for. We fund […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, My question is about the 1910 Anniversary Ring patch that goes around the World Crest. At first, the 1910 patch was available to anyone who was BSA-registered at the time it was issued. But what about now? It’s six years later. Can a Scout (or Scouter) who wasn’t in the BSA in […]

________________________________________ Hi, Andy, I have a question about the Camping National Outdoor Award that you probably have addressed before, and I’m not sure where else to go. I have done an internet search, but have not found a source to answer the question. I understand the definition of “under the auspices of Scouting,” and the […]

________________________________________ Last week’s column (June 9th – No. 490) about “earned awards” versus “participant recognitions” sparked a whole bunch of responses. Here are a few, to give you all a perspective on not only how boys feel about this issue, but how their parents feel as well… Hi Andy, I’m a regular reader and I […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’ve just finished my first year as a Cub Scout adult volunteer—Tiger Den Leader—after several decades as a Scout and Scouter. We finished this year with ten Tigers, of which eight were with us for the entire year and two for the past six months (these two participated fully for the months […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, You recently answered a question about where the Doctorate of Commissioner Science patch could be worn. There is, in fact, a DCS “square knot” that can be worn on the uniform. It’s Item #18093 in Scoutstuff.org and the BSA Uniform Guide and it can be worn above the left pocket flap of […]