{"id":1210,"date":"2012-04-05T06:47:44","date_gmt":"2012-04-05T10:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/?p=1210"},"modified":"2012-03-31T22:55:16","modified_gmt":"2012-04-01T02:55:16","slug":"issue-301-april-5-2012","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/2012\/04\/issue-301-april-5-2012\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue 301 &#8211; April 5, 2012"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Rule No. 67:<\/span><\/strong><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>\u201cNo\u201d and \u201cLet me think about that\u201d have identical meanings.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m a pretty new-out-of-the-box Assistant Scoutmaster for a troop that\u2019s been around for some seven decades, with a Scoutmaster who acts like he\u2019s been around even longer.\u00a0 I\u2019ve done my \u201cScouter\u2019s homework\u201d and feel pretty confident that I\u2019m up on how things are supposed to be done, but among the things that puzzle me is why only committee members can sit on boards of review, and not Scoutmasters or Assistant Scoutmasters.\u00a0 The guy wearing the Scoutmaster hat in this troop must feel the same way; whenever a board of review comes up, he just gets a bunch of adults\u2014me and other ASMs, parents, whatever\u2014and tells us to go do the review.\u00a0 I\u2019ve asked him a couple of times about why we do it this way when the BSA literature says otherwise, and his answer\u2019s been pretty much the same both times: \u201cJust go do the review.\u00a0 Nobody at \u2018council\u2019 checks, anyway, and we need to get these done.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m feeling sort of uncomfortable about this, but it does seem pretty harmless, and the Scoutmaster\u2019s also on the council executive board, so he must know what\u2019s right.\u00a0 But is this really OK? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s absolutely not \u201cOK\u201d to deviate from a stated BSA policy\u2026even when it\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019ll get \u201ccaught.\u201d\u00a0 To do so because you figure it\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019ll be \u201ccaught\u201d is reprehensible.\u00a0 So much for \u201cScout\u2019s Honor.\u201d\u00a0 This is exactly the kind of miscreant that needs to be busted, and have his sorry butt kicked out of the troop and the council, and into the middle of next week.\u00a0 If you get my drift\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, you may be interested in what Matt Culbertson, member of the BSA national advancement committee advisory panel, has to say about what that board of review policy is in place (and why it\u2019s an act of at least stupidity to ignore it):<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hi Andy!\u00a0 Let\u2019s address the &#8220;why&#8221; of that policy&#8230;\u00a0One of the key purposes of boards of review is to assess how the troop is doing from the viewpoint of the Scout.\u00a0\u00a0 Typically, committee members have little if any interaction with Scouts, unlike the weekly meetings that include the Scoutmaster and any ASMs.\u00a0 Thus boards of review provide the Committee Chair and committee members with feedback directly from the \u201cend-customers\u201d on how well the troop\u2019s Scouting program is really working.\u00a0 This can provide further valuable (although largely anonymous, in the event of negatives, obviously) feedback to the troop\u2019s direct contact adult volunteers on the quality of the week-to-week and weekend program content to which they provide oversight, from the perspective of the Scouts.\u00a0 This policy also provides Scouts with opportunities for additional adult interactions. (BTW, drives me nuts when folks say they&#8217;ll do what they want because no one will catch them.\u00a0\u00a0Nice ethics and values message there!\u00a0 Maybe we should go back to the district- and council-run boards of review for <em>all<\/em> ranks, like the days of yore!\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And let\u2019s add one further thought, for those who complain, \u201cI can\u2019t get anybody to volunteer for the troop committee!\u201d\u2026 This procedure provides a solid incentive to be a committee member instead of yet one more standing-on-the-sidelines ASM, because committee members get to see the end-results of the BSA advancement plan!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The BSA\u2019s ADMINISTRATION OF COMMISSIONER SERVICE fieldbook states that Unit Commissioners can\u2019t be registered as unit leaders.\u00a0 Can you define unit leaders for me?\u00a0 My take is that this would include Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, and Assistant Cubmasters.\u00a0 The PowerPoint presentation on \u201cDistrict Commissioner Basics\u201d (MCS 409) shows these four positions, only, as being excluded from Unit Commissioner assignment.\u00a0 Also, can a UC assigned to Pack \u201cA\u201d also be a Committee Chair (or committee member) in Troop \u201cB\u201d?\u00a0 Last one\u2026 Can a Commissioner be assigned to a troop that he was a Scoutmaster of, at some time in the past? (Don Wiater, DC, Bucks County Council, PA)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong>Let&#8217;s start here\u2026 COMMISSIONER FIELDBOOK FOR UNIT SERVICE (p.23): \u201cCommissioners must not be registered as unit leaders\u2026 Although some commissioners may be registered on a unit <em>committee<\/em>\u2026their principle Scouting obligation must be with commissioner responsibilities.\u201d\u00a0 So, as you can see, this applies to more than just unit-level Commissioners; it applies to <em>all <\/em>Commissioners.<\/p>\n<p>On your further questions&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Unit Leader&#8221; refers to, essentially, uniformed, direct-contact adult volunteers: Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, and their assistants, obviously, but in keeping with the principle should probably include Den Leaders, too (for pretty obvious practical reasons, despite their not being specifically mentioned\u2014but this part is my own personal thought, having been a DC; it\u2019s not a stated BSA policy).<\/p>\n<p>The BSA makes no similar stipulations for unit committee members (including chairs, who are still committee members, of course).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, we&#8217;re taking about contemporaneous positions; a Commissioner having held but no longer holding a unit leader position would be a &#8220;wash.&#8221;<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>When it comes to \u201cmovies for Scouts,\u201d don&#8217;t forget the oldies but goodies, like \u201cIt&#8217;s a Wonderful Life\u201d and \u201cMr. Smith Goes to Washington\u201d! (AT Ballenger, SC)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yup, those are classics, and definitely make their point, too!\u00a0 Except for &#8220;Follow Me, Boys!&#8221; I try to stick with more current options, for today&#8217;s young audience.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>On movies about individuals or groups bringing about change in a community, may I also suggest &#8220;Invictus&#8221; and &#8220;Radio.&#8221;\u00a0 While both deal with race issues, they\u2019re both heartwarming true stories that have many different nuggets of wisdom and inspiration for any viewer, Scout or not. (Christopher Boix, ASM, Connecticut Rivers Council)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Both good suggestions, and I&#8217;ll add them to the list.\u00a0 Also consider &#8220;Remember The Titans&#8221; and &#8220;We Are Marshall&#8221; in the sports genre.<\/p>\n<p>I also just watched \u201cSecretariat,\u201d a Disney movie that\u2019s definitely not a happy-family-feel-good.\u00a0 It\u2019s real, gritty, serious, and not only shows a model of steadfastness of purpose but shows what happens when we stand up to bullies and refuse to be stepped on.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We have a new troop Chaplain who is very energized about this role. \u00a0He\u2019s doing a great job, and incorporating new ideas into our troop, but perhaps because of his new-found his zeal, he\u2019s presenting more of his own faith-based tenets than remaining \u201cdenomination-neutral&#8221; to include all Scouts\u2019 faiths.\u00a0 Any thoughts on how to address this matter? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start by checking with the BSA.\u00a0 The duties of the Chaplain are described on page 17 of the TROOP COMMITTEE GUIDEBOOK.\u00a0 No more; no less.\u00a0 Proselytizing is not a part of these duties; this must be made very clear by the troop\u2019s Committee Chair.\u00a0 The BSA is very clear on the point that we are to be nonsectarian and nondenominational; any inroads in this direction must be terminated immediately. (This is, for example, why the &#8220;Scout benediction&#8221; refers to &#8220;The Great Scoutmaster of all Scouts,&#8221; and not Thor, Allah, Krishna, Jesus, Mohammed, Mithras, Zeus, etc.)\u00a0 All faiths\u2014organized and otherwise\u2014must be acknowledged; there is no alternative to this; there is no &#8220;wiggle room.&#8221;\u00a0 If this person cannot follow these principles he must be asked to find another area of responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>Now this doesn\u2019t mean that we can\u2019t ever go to a religious institution or event; for instance, on Scout Sunday\/Sabbath, there\u2019s no reason why the entire troop shouldn\u2019t all attend a single service\/mass\/gathering together (especially if a religious institution is your sponsor!).<\/p>\n<p>(My own troop, \u201cback in the day,\u201d was sponsored by a Presbyterian Church.\u00a0 After the Scout Sunday service there, we\u2019d gather, by patrols, in the courtyard, for brief conversations\u2026 While some of the Scouts were likewise Presbyterian, others were Jewish, Baptist, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, and even Hindu and Buddhist.\u00a0 The conversations were lively and smart; the Scouts compared and contrasted their own faiths with what they\u2019d just experienced, and all came away understanding more than they had before.\u00a0 I\u2019d call this a positive and winning experience for all!)<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>About how long would it typically take to plan an Eagle ceremony, after the Eagle board of review? (Mike bowman, SM)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unless we&#8217;re talking about a brand-new troop, an Eagle court of honor would, I&#8217;d hope, have a fairly standard &#8220;template&#8221;\u2014they\u2019re not all that terribly complicated.\u00a0 That said, my own personal preference is to not have courts of honor for Eagles only, because they often put undue burdens on both the troop&#8217;s volunteers and parents but on the Scouts as well.\u00a0 Case in point, I&#8217;m currently the Commissioner for a troop with four new Eagles, and each one is having a separate event, each scheduled about a week away from the others, in addition to regular troop meetings and outings and separate from their &#8220;regular&#8221; courts of honor (for all other ranks, merit badges, etc.).\u00a0 It strikes me that the best courts of honor include all ranks, from Tenderfoot through Eagle and Palms, so that all parents and all Scouts can see the entire &#8220;trail to Eagle,&#8221; beginning with the Scout badge and including all six ranks plus palms as earned.\u00a0 Let&#8217;s face it, to expect an entire troop and all parents to show up, and turn the Eagle ceremony into a virtual &#8220;coronation&#8221; is, to my mind, more burdensome than celebratory.\u00a0 But that&#8217;s me.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>During the majority of our district\u2019s Roundtables, some Scouters prefer to stand in the rear and kitchen area of the meeting room.\u00a0 We have no problem with them standing; it&#8217;s the conversations that start off as a light buzzing sound but grow into\u00a0noisy competition with the presenters that\u2019s the problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As Roundtable Commissioner, I\u2019ve tried slowly milling around the room, to gently and quietly \u201cshush\u201d this.\u00a0 Our District Commissioner has also done this.\u00a0 But it seems that these attempts at a \u201cfix\u201d last only a few minutes.\u00a0 We have discreetly asked these folks to stand outside to have their conversations, and we\u2019ve had one-on-one conversations with the \u201crepeat offenders\u201d before the meeting, but each month it starts in again, as if they have no clue they\u2019re disrupting the meeting.<\/p>\n<p>We understand that they\u2019re coming to the Roundtables to see their friends and catch up, but speaking while the Scouter or guest is presenting is, in my opinion, disrespectful.\u00a0 Do you have any ideas on how to permanently stop this habit? (Suzanne Johnson)<\/p>\n<p>Yup, I&#8217;m more than a little familiar with this type of behavior (if not disregard) at RTs.\u00a0 Can&#8217;t fight fire with fire, remember; we need to fight fire with water!\u00a0 So, close off the kitchen area and run the chairs right up to the back wall, leaving no space at the back of the room for &#8220;klatches.&#8221;\u00a0 Second, make your RT sessions interactive, with questions by the speaker to anyone who&#8217;s carrying on side conversations.\u00a0 Third, use the Scout sign or Cub Scout sign, depending on the session, without ever using the words, &#8220;sign&#8217;s up,&#8221; and remain so until everyone in the room gets what&#8217;s going on.\u00a0 Fourth\u2014and this one&#8217;s critical\u2014when voices at the back or sides start to get louder, the speaker at the front of the room lowers his or her voice, right to the point where it&#8217;s difficult to hear above the yakking in the back, and let the audience self-discipline those who&#8217;ve gone wayward.\u00a0 Finally, publish an agenda that lets everyone know there will be &#8220;cracker barrel time&#8221; near the end of the meeting, where folks can mingle and chat amongst themselves\u2014 In other words, create a specific time for them to do what they like doing: Build camaraderie and friendships and catch up on personal news.<\/p>\n<p>Now don&#8217;t be tempted to &#8220;cherry-pick&#8221; from these&#8230; do &#8217;em all, for maximum success!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m looking for some guidance, preferably BSA national guidelines and procedures, concerning integrating special needs Scouts into a troop. \u00a0Presently, we have six special needs Scouts in our troop. \u00a0Our scoutmaster has all these Scouts in one patrol with a few other Scouts. \u00a0I feel the special needs Scouts should be integrated into the two other patrols as well. (Darren Johnson)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The BSA used to publish a booklet titled <em>A GUIDE TO WORKING WITH BOY SCOUTS WITH DISABILITIES<\/em> (No. 33056C &#8211; $2.00), so I&#8217;d recommend tracking it down and starting there. If having all the challenged Scouts in a single patrol (which, by the way, is too large, as you&#8217;ve described it\u2014better when patrol size is six) is working, best to let it alone.\u00a0 However, if it&#8217;s not, then yes, it&#8217;s often infinitely better to integrate challenged Scouts one-by-one into a variety of patrols.\u00a0 This has to be a call at the troop level, and maybe input and final decision by the Patrol Leaders Council is your best option. (Rule No. 4: When in doubt, ask the Scout!)<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We have Scoutmaster conferences and boards of review by committee members for the Scouts so we can to ask them questions, and they can ask us questions, so we can make sure they\u2019re enjoying Scouting and to make sure they\u2019re safe and our Scoutmaster and PLC are keeping them involved.\u00a0 But I have not found where we do this same thing with our adult leaders and other troop volunteers.\u00a0 I was talking with our D.E. and he suggested we do this: Have reviews with our leaders to make sure they\u2019re OK, doing what they\u2019re there to do, and maybe get their perspectives on the program and where they see themselves next year, and so on.\u00a0 Are you aware of any programs that the BSA or other troops may have, that would support this idea?\u00a0 These wouldn\u2019t be reviews like you\u2019d have in the workplace for promotions or raises, but a time for scoutmasters and ASMs to be up-front and honest with their interests and feelings without being judged.\u00a0 Does this make any sense?\u00a0 I\u2019d appreciate your insights or thoughts on this. (Larry O&#8217;Neal, SM, NC)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While don&#8217;t have personal experience with your idea, I like it a lot!\u00a0 I&#8217;m seeing it more as a series of one-on-ones: Committee Chair with Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster separately with each ASM, Committee Chair separately with each committee member, and so on.\u00a0 Nothing strictly formalized; rather, a periodic way of getting barometer readings on satisfaction levels and maybe suggestions for delivering an even better program to the youth we\u2019re all here for.\u00a0 It&#8217;s also something Unit Commissioners can do regularly with each Committee Chair and unit leader!\u00a0 Sorta like what we do at home&#8230; &#8220;Hey, son, how&#8217;s it going at school?&#8221; kinda thing.\u00a0 (If you decide to go ahead with this, I&#8217;m sure our readers would be interested in what you all learn!)<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m wondering why there\u2019s no &#8220;color guard&#8221; patch for Scouts.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been troop color guard for a year and a half, along with three other Scouts. \u00a0There should be a patch for active color guard duty for six months, like the regular Patrol Leader and APL, Webmaster, Librarian, etc., where they can wear a patch on their sleeves. (First Class Scout, Mt Diablo-Silverado Council, CA)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m guessing there&#8217;s no specific patch for this because most troops rotate which Scouts act as color guards, meeting by meeting.\u00a0 Honestly, I&#8217;m not aware of any troops (and I&#8217;ve seen lots of them) that have the same designated Scouts to be the color guard, week after week, for a whole year or more.\u00a0 It&#8217;s an interesting idea, but let&#8217;s face it&#8230; In an average troop meeting, maybe it takes two or three minutes?<\/p>\n<p>But you still might want to suggest to your Senior Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster that maybe you could wear a special arm-band or something similar while you\u2019re performing your color guard responsibilities.<\/p>\n<p>As a First Class Scout, you&#8217;re sure ready for a more active leadership position in your troop\u2014Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, and more\u2014and I hope you&#8217;re interested in these, too!\u00a0 Stay on the Scouting trail, and have fun while you&#8217;re at it!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Happy Scouting!<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><em>Andy<\/em><\/h3>\n<p align=\"left\">Have a question?\u00a0 Facing a dilemma?\u00a0 Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council.\u00a0 (If you\u2019d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll do.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[No. 301 \u2013 4\/5\/2012 \u2013 Copyright \u00a9 Andy McCommish 2012]<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp; <\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rule No. 67: \u201cNo\u201d and \u201cLet me think about that\u201d have identical meanings. Dear Andy, I\u2019m a pretty new-out-of-the-box Assistant Scoutmaster for a troop that\u2019s been around for some seven decades, with a Scoutmaster who acts like he\u2019s been around even longer.\u00a0 I\u2019ve done my \u201cScouter\u2019s homework\u201d and feel pretty confident that I\u2019m up on [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-18"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1210"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1215,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210\/revisions\/1215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}