Dear Andy, I know that many families—especially military families—move during the summer and then have to find a new troop for their Scout(s) to join once the school year starts. (We live in a city that hosts a military training base, which means we have plenty of families that go through this each summer.) This […]
About AskAndy
Andy is a Board Member of the U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc.Andy was recognized in 2017 as a National Distinguished Eagle Scout and Regent of the National Eagle Scout Association. He is currently serving as council member-at-large. His previous position, which he held for over 20 years (except for several years when he served as District Commissioner and Assistant Council Commissioner-Training), was Unit Commissioner. He has previously served as Den Leader, Webelos Den Leader, Cubmaster, Pack Committee Chair, Scoutmaster, International Representative, and--as a Scout--Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. He is a charter member and founding director of his prior council's Alumni Association and Eagle Scout Alumni Association, both established in 2001. He earned Eagle Scout rank at age 15, in 1957; two years later, he earned the Explorer Silver Award--at that time referred to as the "Double-Eagle." At age 16, he served on the National Junior Leader Training Camp Staff at Schiff Scout Reservation (at that time this was a salaried position). He also served on the Philmont NJLIC Staff in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and, later, on two Pilot Regional NAYLE Staffs. His recognitions include: Kashafa Iraqi Scouting Service Award, Distinguished Commissioner, Doctor of Commissioner Science, International Scouter Award, District Award of Merit (2), Scoutmaster Award of Merit, Scouter's Key (3), Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award, Cliff Dochterman Rotarian Scouter Award, James E. West Fellow (3), Wood Badge & Sea Badge. He has attended four National Scout Jamborees: Scout in 1957, First Assistant Scoutmaster in 1993, National Staff in 2001, and NESA Featured Speaker in 2014 and 2017. The BSA included his article titled "Frictionless Scouting Events" was incorporated into the BSA National Training Video, "Meetings of the District" for ten years. He is a charter member of the BSA National Advancement Advisory Board and has written multiple technical articles for the BSA Advancement Team's "Advancement News" since 2012. Read Andy's full biography
Issue 600 – May 21, 2019
I’m looking at a postage stamp at the moment. Just a tiny bit of paper with some ink on one side and glue on the other. Pretty insignificant, you’d think. After all, the envelopes and packages it’s affixed to are often much more valuable, carrying contracts and paychecks, letters of remembrance and love and friendship, […]
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Issue 599 – May 14, 2019
________________________________________ ~ By Presidential Proclamation ~ Police Week ~ May 12th through May 18th Peace Officers Memorial Day ~ Wednesday – May 15th TOMORROW you will see NATIONWIDE LOWERING of the NATIONAL COLORS and the FLAGS of EACH STATE. Please do the same for the AMERICAN FLAG you may display at your own home ~ […]
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Issue 598 – May 7, 2019
________________________________________ Hi Andy, Our troop has logo T-shirts that both our Scouts and our adult volunteers wear. And, for a parallel troop for girls that we’re starting up, we’re now ordering T-shirts for the girls, in a female cut. Okay so far, but then, in preparation for a fund-raising car wash, the mothers on our […]
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Issue 597 – April 30, 2019
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’m a bit confused and need your help understanding something regarding Youth Protection. I’m a registered leader in a Cub Scout pack and, as such, have completed the BSA’s Youth Protection Training. Our pack is sponsored by a Roman Catholic parish, which happens to be a different denomination from my own. I’ve […]
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Issue 596 – April 19, 2019
________________________________________ Huge THANKS to the Scouters of the Michigan Crossroads Council 2019 Academy of Scouting & College of Commissioner Science! Michigan Crossroads is a unique “super-council,” comprised of four councils functioning as “districts” in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula (locally called “The Mitten”): Great Lakes Field Service Council, President Ford Field Service Council, Southern Shores Field Service […]
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Issue 595 – April 9, 2019
________________________________________ Hi Andy, It’s always been my belief that, as a registered adult leader, I could make and receive phone calls to and from my Scouts, but the most current BSA policy on this says that “private online communications (texting, phone calls, chat, IM, etc.) must include another registered leader or parent. Is a regular […]
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Issue 594 – April 2, 20I9
________________________________________ Hi Andy, I just attended a College of Commissioner Science. At several junctures, other Commissioners mentioned uniform inspections as being “old-school” and for fuddy-duddies. I’ve poked around on BSA and affiliated websites, and found plenty of PDF versions of the BSA’s Uniform Inspection Form as well as some PowerPoints of indeterminate vintage, but I […]
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Issue 593 – April 1, 2019
________________________________________ SCOUT CRACKERS! BRAND NEW! JUST FOR SCOUTS! The BSA just launched a new fund-raising program for Scouts BSA troops for boys and for girls! Almost five years in the making, your Scouts will now be able to sell SCOUT CRACKERS and receive 70% commission for every box of these yummy treats they sell! […]
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Issue 592 – March 26, 2019
________________________________________ We have a winner! Last Tuesday I published Issue 591 at 12:15 in the afternoon. Eight minutes later, the first to respond in the fastest reader response time ever was long-time reader, Scouter, and friend Matt Culbertson of Carlisle, PA. Here’s what he had to say about that Scouts BSA troop for girls that […]
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Scouting Cartoons by Rich Diesslin - Click to visit the cartoon gallery at usscouts.org. 
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The NetCommish web site was selected by Scouting Magazine in 1998 as one of ten "Quality Scouting Web Sites." The article, entitled "
