Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Just drop a line to me at askandybsa@yahoo.com. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE! A surgery to repair a severely injured right shoulder rotator cuff three months ago put my right arm in a sling 24/7. Despite physical therapy, I haven’t been […]
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 657 – September 29, 2020
Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Just drop a line to me at askandybsa@yahoo.com. Here are some spectacular responses to September 15th questions! First, Game Design Merit Badge… Hi Andy, About that Scout completing Game Design, the BSA says “Approval of the Application for Merit Badge […]
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Issue 656 – September 15, 2020
Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Just drop a line to me at askandybsa@yahoo.com. Dear Andy, We have a Scout who completed all the work for the Game Design merit badge over the course of a year and a half. His counselor was a teacher by […]
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Issue 655 – September 10, 2020
________________________________________ Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Just drop a line to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Dear Andy, I should start by saying that I could not be more proud of the Scouts and Scouters here at President Ford Field Service Council. During this pandemic, in spite of all […]
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Issue 654 – September 1, 2020
________________________________________ Some time back, there was a question about why it’s not in the best interests of the Scouts you serve to delegate your Scoutmaster conferences to someone else—not even an Assistant Scoutmaster. Here’s a reason for not delegating, from a long-time Scoutmaster and frequent contributor. It’s brief, and highly significant… Hi Andy, About Scoutmaster […]
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Issue 653 – August 30, 2020
________________________________________ Hi Folks! The surgery went well, and although it’s taken a little while, I’m back in action. So here we go… Hi Andy, Well, I wrote to our BSA National Office about the discrepancies in the definitions of the points of the Scout Law, and I did get a response. The letter below is […]
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Issue 652 – August 16, 2020
________________________________________ Hi Folks! I’m going to have a bit of surgery tomorrow, to fix a physical problem that’s been buggin’ me for a while, and that’ll knock me out of action for several days. So here’s an “advance” column and I’m hoping to be back to you by the week of August 24th… Just the […]
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Issue 651 – August 13, 2020
________________________________________ This letter is for a fellow commissioner who’d prefer not to be named: You asked be about a troop’s erstwhile “executive committee” and a policy they’d recently set. Now we know there’s no such thing associated with a Scouts BSA troop: All troops have a committee of men and women willing to roll up […]
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Issue 650 – August 7, 2020
________________________________________ Last week’s column rang some bells! Here’s what some folks had to say about training and guiding Senior Patrol Leaders and Patrol Leaders, BSA resources available, district “diplomacy” and the need to avoid “politicos” and “power hogs”… Hi Andy, You’ve hit the nail-head again! A real Scout troop IS really a group of patrols, […]
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Issue 649 July 30, 2020
________________________________________ Hi Andy, We’ve got a sticky situation here and it crosses several levels. We need some outside, non-partisan help and you’re the guy for that, so here it is… I’m a District Commissioner and have a bunch of pretty darned good Unit Commissioners on the front-lines. One, in particular (I’ll call her Poppy), has […]
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