(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) THIS IS FOR ALL SCOUTS… Never believe anyone who claims you don’t “deserve” your next rank! Only YOU can request—and absolutely expect to receive—your Scoutmaster conference and your board of review! ALWAYS […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

________________________________________ 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 […]

________________________________________ 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 […]

________________________________________ 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 […]

________________________________________ 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 […]

________________________________________ 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 […]

________________________________________ 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, […]