Dear Andy, I am an adult Scout Leader from the Southeast Asian nation of Singapore. My Scout unit is planning an overseas learning and adventure trip to Hawaii in November 2008 and I wish to inquire if there is a Boy Scout unit in Hawaii (perhaps Oahu?) that our troop could meet. We are planning […]

Dear Andy, I have a concern about counting nights camping outside of Scouting activities. Our troop has several of Scouts who aren’t campers and prefer not to do Scouting activities when camping’s involved. By allowing them to count nights outside of troop activities, they could earn almost the entire Backpacking and Camping merit badges outside […]

Dear Andy, I found the following statement in the USSCOUTS.ORG’s “Fact or Fiction” section, listed as a FACT: “It’s the responsibility of the Eagle Board of Review to approve the manner in which the candidate’s Service Project was carried out…The final signatures in the project workbook attest to the project having been completed; however, the […]

Dear Andy, Your November 12th column had a question about a Scout with various medical issues—The Scoutmaster’s name was Rick Jurgens, in the Patriots Path Council, NJ (adjacent to my own council). If it’s possible, could you forward him my contact information. I’m a Registered Nurse, Eagle Scout, and CC of a Pack and Troop, […]

In early November, Rolland Pfund, Committee Chair of a troop in the Patriots’ Path Council, NJ, asked: “My troop committee is considering possibly establishing a scholarship to camp program for our troop, to enable Scouts from less well-off families to go to summer camp. We’d welcome any suggestions how to best implement such a program.” […]

Sometime I get it right the first time; sometimes I need to get whacked upside the head. Here’s a case where I really blew it first time out the gate. Luckily, this parent-Scouter was pretty darned forgiving… Dear Andy, My question became an issue last night, and our troop meeting is tonight, so I’m trying […]

Hey Andy, Where can I get a “bill of materials” for a Monkey Bridge… That is, a list of poles (including length and diameter), ropes (same measurements) and any other items needed to complete the bridge? (Bob Schatke, ASM, Grand Canyon Council, AZ) Right here: http://www.netwoods.com/monkeybr/monkeybr.html— It’s written by none other than “Green Bar Bill” […]

Hi Andy, I’m working with TroopMaster, trying to get the 2005 version to work in the MS Windows emulator, WINE, so it can be used on a Linux platform. If any of your readers can help, they can check out http://appdb.winehq.org/appview.php?iVersionId=7757– We can use all the help we can get! The TroopMaster owners have given […]

First, some thoughts… Over the past six years of writing this column, including the more than one hundred columns containing many thousands of questions, one thing has become painfully apparent: A unit’s woes are almost always caused by usually well-meaning but unfortunately misguided adults who, without proper training (some without even fundamental insights into what […]

Hey Andy, It’s been forever since your last column! What’s the story? Are you OK? Have you given up on us? (John E. Walker, Black Hills Council, Scotchwood, SD) Thanks for asking! This has been an immensely and intensively crowded, busy summer. I’m still feeling sorta like a puppy at a kids’ picnic! One daughter […]