________________________________________ Hi Andy, While I know that the Camping and Service logs in the back of the Scout Handbook are great tools to use in keeping track of these activities, is the use of these mandatory, or is this in the realm of “adding to requirements”? (Bobby Sammons) No, it’s not “adding a requirement”—It’s a […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I found this very nice Personal Management Merit Badge Workbook using a google search. I would like to use it for our Merit Badge College, but it has a copyright: “Workbook © Copyright 2015 – U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. – All Rights Reserved”. How do I obtain a “right to use” […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, The Silver Beaver nomination process seems to blur across the BSA councils. Councils don’t like to reveal their selection process, have crude ranking procedures, ignore potential information on the personal records, don’t ask for recommendation letters, and so forth. In my opinion, it’s a mess. I’ve made suggestion on how to improve […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, On the question of “Should a group of Scouters band together and purchase a James E. West Fellowship for another Scouter?”—Without a doubt, Yes! I’m on the professional side of the campsite. When I was promoted from District Director to Development Officer, the volunteers of my district wanted to demonstrate their appreciation […]

________________________________________ Here are some interesting updates on “World Scout Scarf (Neckerchief) Day” that I missed but my readers didn’t… Proof that being glib isn’t nearly as important as being a good researcher! Hi Andy, In your response to Mitch Erickson in your September 8th column about wearing the neckerchief, you didn’t mention “World Scout Scarf […]

________________________________________ Dear Andy, For an upcoming District Awards annual dinner, some of us Scouters have come up with the idea of collecting $1,000 between us and recognizing our outgoing District Chair with a James E. West Fellowship. A few of us aren’t so sure this is a good idea, but we can’t seem to get […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I must have looked this up twenty different ways on Google, and still can’t find an answer anywhere… What part(s) of a Cub/Webelos uniform “carries over” to a Boy Scout uniform? For years I’ve been told it’s only the Arrow of Light; are there any others, like the Cub Scout Religious Emblem […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, I’m told that a Webelos II den will be ready to cross over right now, in September. Seems to me this is too early. They haven’t even started their second year yet. Makes me wonder if the Den Leader is anxious to be done with that position and the sooner the boys […]

________________________________________ I tried jeans. Just once. I thought, well, as a Commissioner visiting one of the troops I serve, maybe I should look like the Scoutmaster and his assistants, and most of the Scouts. Big mistake. The first comment when I walked into the troop meeting was, “Hey, Andy, you’re outa uniform!” This from a […]

________________________________________ Hi Andy, In your July 30th column (No. 448), about that Venturer in the Silicon Valley area, I almost get the feeling someone’s looking for reason not to help this young man. Yes, 60 miles might sound like a long distance, but in that area people often commute two or more hours by car […]