________________________________________ Hi Andy, Great April Fool’s column last week… or I truly hope it was I’ve been an avid reader for quite a well and have always found useful information in your columns. I’ve also reached out a few times with questions, and your replies were consistently prompt and to the point. One particular thing […]

________________________________________ STUMPERS!  Did you ever get asked a question that you’re just not sure how to answer? I’ve had a few, so I thought I’d share them with you. Maybe you can come up with an answer. Here we go… Dear Andy, I’ve heard that a new merit badge—Hunting—will require bagging small game and migratory […]

________________________________________ Here’s a letter I received from Paul Wolf, the USSSP.ORG’s resident guru on advancement requirements… Hi Andy – In your column last week (No. 436 – March 10, 2015), one of your readers asked, “Is there a process by which changes to the requirements for merit badges are introduced?” The answer’s Yes. Each January, […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, I have all the original “See-N-Do” series of slides from the 70s, but I don’t have the script to go with them. I’d like to make a PowerPoint presentation out of these and add a narration. Would any of your readers happen to have anything that resembles the original script, or a […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, While at the Philmont Training Center for a week-long session on advancement a few years ago—which overall was very good—we spent part of one day talking about getting a new Scout to First Class in his first year. This topic keeps coming up. I understand that somewhere it’s written that making First […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, Does a troop have to accept any boy who wants to join? (Name & Council Withheld) “Have to” is an interesting way to phrase your question, so let me ask… What’s the situation that’s prompting the question? In other words, what’s “the question behind the question”? It’s prompted by a current decision […]

________________________________________ In my January 13th column (No. 431), in response to a reader’s comment about “lard-butt Eagle Scouts,” I responded, “Yup, pull-ups are still required for Personal Fitness merit badge.” I was right and wrong at the same time. Our USSSP resident expert on advancement requirements, Paul Wolf, mentioned to me that “actually, that is […]

________________________________________ Thanks to you loyal readers and great Scouters for being patient with me! Yup, took a vacation. But by the time I returned I had a major client assignment in my lap, so I did the unthinkable: I let my work come before my Scouting commitment! Egad! ======================================== Dear Andy, I’m in the midst […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, A Life Scout in my troop informed me last week that his Eagle project was complete and that he’d like to have a Scoutmaster conference with me. While I was aware that the project was in the works, I was surprised to find out it had been completed, because no one in […]

________________________________________ Happy New Year Andy, As a regular reader, I’ve been able to serve as a more effective commissioner. I got a “paycheck” last night that I want to share with you. It was at an Eagle court of honor for a Scout that had needed help navigating around some adults. I used advice you’ve […]