In my last column, Scouter Rick Pixler of the Great Salt Lake Council was looking for a listing of our Chief Scout Executives, National Presidents, and Honorary Presidents. I could give him a partial list, and asked for some help. Almost simultaneously, two fine Scouters came to our rescue—Michael Brown, fellow columnist and contributor to […]

Dear Andy, In reply to your call for Monkey Bridge materials—our Troop uses a Monkey Bridge for the crossover ceremonies for incoming Webelos and, when the Pack asks, for their yearly advancement ceremonies. We found the best place to get a solid list is in the Pioneering Merit Badge book. Thanks for the great column! […]

Hi Andy, Saw your comments about Merit Badge Counselors not giving written tests. Just to let you know, USSSP website has a 15 page “worksheet” for the Cooking Merit Badge, and it sure looks a lot like a test to me! (Daniel Amyx, ADL, Pack 120 NetCommish Comment: Usually Andy answers the questions here, but […]

Several longstanding Scouting friends wear 15 or more “square knots”—all properly placed (even with the colors in the correct direction), with no duplicates where there should be none, and with no inappropriate embellishments or incorrectly placed badges anywhere else on their Scouters’ uniforms. No “parents pins” on their collars or pocket flaps; no “temporary patches” […]

How’s this for a “success story”… Hi Andy, I’ve been reading your column avidly while looking for a unit Commissioner opportunity. Great column! I’m an Eagle Scout with grown children and am looking for a volunteer Scouter opportunity in NH. In order to find the right fit I decided to attend several district meetings (Roundtables, […]

To lead off this New Year, let’s first give a tip of the Commissioner’s Cap to John Szpytman, of Dearborn, Michigan, who wrote this Letter to the Editor of NEWSWEEK magazine: “Howard Stern in a Boy Scout uniform insults those in Scouting who work to show young men a better path of values. I just […]

In my Mid-December column, Dave Sutter was looking for movies that fit requirement 5 of the Citizenship in the Community merit badge. I came up with “Inherit The Wind,” “Norma Rae,” “Erin Brockovich,” “A Civil Action,” and (my personal favorite) “Pay It Forward,” and asked YOU for YOUR thoughts. Here’s what a couple of readers […]

This column is read by upwards of 30,000 Scouters, parents, and Scouts each month, across 157 councils (that’s nearly half of all councils in the BSA!) in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and overseas, too! Would YOU be willing to tell just five of your Scouting friends about this column and […]

So far, this column is regularly read by Scouters, parents, and Scouts in at least 154 councils across 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, Germany, Hong Kong, and even Iraq! Here’s a special request: Would YOU be willing to tell five of your Scouting friends about this column and the website where […]

I love readers with sharp eyes! Read on… Dear Andy, I need to help you out a little with some information you gave a Cub Scouter in your November column. Charles asked you about the timing of when a Cub Scout begins to work on his next rank. You indicated that this occurs in September […]