Dear Andy, As a Commissioner, I work with new unit leadership as they begin to pick up the reins. No unit’s perfect and, as you know, there are varying degrees and types of dysfunction from one to the next. New Committee Chairs often want to make positive changes in the units they’ve volunteered to serve; […]

Hey Andy, About a year ago, I wrote to you about a pack that didn’t follow BSA rules in many areas, and your advice was “Get out…transfer now!” At the time, I convinced myself that, if I stayed, I could effect some change and get them to follow BSA guidelines on how a unit’s supposed […]

There’s no question but that these columns have sharp-eyed readers! Here’s a sampling… Dear Andy, In your June 12, 2010 column, you mentioned a Scout needing to change to the newest requirements for Camping merit badge instead of completing it using the requirements he’d started with. I think you’re just a bit off the mark […]

Hi Andy, I’m acting as a temporary Den Leader for my son’s Tiger Cub den. I didn’t realize until I found this website that there’s a new Video Game belt loop being offered for Cub Scouts. I’m an Eagle Scout, and I didn’t earn that rank by sitting on my butt playing Pac-Man and Donkey […]

Dear Andy, In that question about patrol food-shopping, you recommended that a designated Scout or two does the shopping, then brings the bill back to the patrolfor an equal-share reimbursement. Another way is to estimate the total bill in advance, build in a “safety amount,” and divide this among the patrol members, and then the […]

Hi Andy, In your May 10thcolumn, one of the correspondents mentioned that his son going for Eagle intended to use “Quartermaster ‘Mentor’—aScoutmaster-assigned leadership project” for his leadership requirement. A “Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project” can’t be used for Eagle; only for Star or Life ranks. For Eagle, a Scout must serve for a minimum of six months […]

Good morning Andy, Can you explain national’s position on hours needed for an Eagle project? The guidelines are vague and subject to interpretation, and the concern in our troop is that, if the guidelines are subject to interpretation by boards of review, then requirements for hours spent on identical projects can vary between Scouts, districts, […]

1914 marked the year the Boy Scouts of America first published its own version of the HANDBOOK FOR SCOUT MASTERS. While certainly a “how-to” guide for hands-on Scoutmastership, much as today’s editions, this book, uniquely, discusses at length the fundamental philosophy underpinning the Scouting movement. Importantly, this philosophy has changed little in the past 96 […]

Hi Andy, When the Cubs are bringing the flags to the front of the room on which side does the American flag go?Should the American flag lead and the pack flag follow?When carried, should the flag be at an angle to the bearer? (Art Aigner, CM, Greater Niagara Frontier Council, NY) If the Cubs are […]

When’s the last time your boss said to you, or you said to an employee or staff member, “Hey, show up on Saturday morning and there’ll be a ‘kicker’ in it for you,” or “If you take on this special assignment, you can plan on a nice bonus,” or “Do this and there’ll be a […]