{"id":1647,"date":"2014-04-15T15:50:38","date_gmt":"2014-04-15T19:50:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/?p=1647"},"modified":"2014-04-15T15:50:38","modified_gmt":"2014-04-15T19:50:38","slug":"issue-393-april-15-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/2014\/04\/issue-393-april-15-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue 393 \u2013 April 15, 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

________________________________________
\nHi Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

My son just crossed over into a pretty good troop. Based on my own experience as a Scout (my two highlights were being elected Senior Patrol Leader and making it to Eagle along with my two best friends) the troop seems to be getting lots of stuff right, like using The Patrol Method, the Senior Patrol Leader runs the meetings, there\u2019s an active Patrol Leaders Council with minimal need for Scoutmaster intercession, meetings run on time and have lots of fun activities, and my son\u2019s in a new-Scout patrol with a Troop Guide who understands he\u2019s not an \u201cacting Patrol Leader.\u201d But, despite all this good stuff, there\u2019s something weird, and it\u2019s about their uniforms. First, the so-called \u201csenior Scouts\u201d are the ones who wear jeans and khakis with their Scouts shirts, while all the younger Scouts wear full uniforms. This strikes me as self-defeating because these older Scouts are supposed to be setting the example for the younger and new ones, and if anything it\u2019s exactly the opposite. The other thing is patches. Yes, I know that \u201cwe should be thankful they\u2019re in uniform and not worry about whether or where they wear patches, but there are two that weren\u2019t around when I was a Scout that really bug me: The mini-flap-shaped \u201cTotin\u2019 Chip\u201d patch and its mate the \u201cFirem\u2019n Chit\u201d patch. I\u2019ve lost count of the number of Scouts in the troop who wear one or both of these on their shirt pocket flaps\u2014are they really \u201clegal\u201d to be worn there (or worn at all)? I remember, as a Scout, we carried cards instead. There were like licenses: They said we know and will follow correct safety procedures with woods tools and fire-building. We even signed them, promising to follow safety procedures! What\u2019s the deal here? (Hal Facre, Scout Dad, Patriots\u2019 Path Council, NJ)<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a working Commissioner, I\u2019m sworn to uphold and advocate for the policies and procedures of the BSA. But there\u2019s nothing that says I have to agree with the wing-nuts in the Supply Division who create these silly things just to make a buck or two. Next thing you know, we\u2019ll have patches for \u201cI Brush My Teeth Up-and-Down\u201d and \u201cMy Mommy Doesn\u2019t Dress Me Anymore,\u201d and heaven knows where these will get stuck on Scouts\u2019 uniforms! But maybe I should save that for next year\u2019s April Fool\u2019s column?<\/p>\n

In Boy Scouting, the only \u201clegal\u201d flap-shaped patch (worn on the right pocket flap) is the Order of the Arrow lodge patch.<\/p>\n

The BSA\u2019s GUIDE TO AWARDS AND INSIGNIA says that neither the \u201cTotin\u2019 Chip\u201d nor the \u201cFirem\u2019n Chit\u201d patch is for uniform wear except centered on the right pocket (the \u201ctemporary patch\u201d position, which would better be named the \u201cat the wearer\u2019s discretion\u201d position) or on the back of the merit badge sash. Trouble is, you need to \u201cread the fine print\u201d to find these cautions, and we both know how many folks do that!<\/p>\n

There\u2019s little you, as a parent, can do to stop or reverse this silliness, unless some day you become Scoutmaster and convince your troop\u2019s advancement coordinator to stop handing them out, or convince the Scouts to stop wearing them in the wrong place(s). For your own son, just try to convince him that getting it right is important in Scouting because, later on in life, he\u2019s going to need to get other things along the same lines right, too.
\n==========
\nDear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

My son is signed up to attend a state-wide Jamboree. At the orientation meeting, we were told that he must have at least three pairs of shorts and five pairs of socks, and all of these must be official BSA\u2014nothing else can be used or substituted. Is this really necessary? He’s already being required to purchase a new uniform shirt with the council contingent troop number (although \u201csecondary\u201d shirts with his home troop number, etc., can be brought, too). This trip is already costing a small fortune and this requirement seems excessive to me. What\u2019s so wrong about wearing non-BSA shorts and socks if he\u2019s got his uniform shirt on? (Scout Mom, Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, BSA uniform shorts are necessary. There are no alternatives, except “experienced” shorts. So ask around in your troop to see if anyone who\u2019s not going to the Jamboree has your son’s size. Then offer to buy them, or ask to borrow them on the basis that you’ll return them fully cleaned after the Jamboree! The reason why these are necessary is so that the whole contingent is \u201csuited up\u201d the same\u2014the same way sports teams, marching bands, orchestras and choral groups, and other organized groups wear identical uniforms. (If your husband owns a tuxedo or blue blazer, you already know about \u201cuniforms\u201d and their importance in certain situations\u2014this is no different and teaches your son an important \u201clife lesson\u201d!)
\n==========
\nDear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking for some clarification on the Camping merit badge. Req. 9 says, \u201cCamp a total of at least 20 days and 20 nights. Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched. The 20 days and 20 nights must be at a designated Scouting activity or event. You may use a week of long-term camp toward this requirement. If the camp provides a tent that has already been pitched, you need not pitch your own tent.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is considered “long-term camp”? My son has camped 16 days and nights, with just 4 to go for this requirement. But he\u2019s just been told that he could not add on 3 days and nights of camping completed at winter camp, since 6 nights of camping had already been counted from summer camp. I\u2019ve not been able to find any documentation of what is short-term and what is long-term. The only thing I’ve seen is specific to Order of the Arrow requirements, not the Camping merit badge. When I asked someone at our council, the response was that long-term is 72 hours or more; however, she was basing that on an old medical form, adding a further comment that, “that’s just something we know.” I have trouble accepting that answer. No one has been able to document anything further. So, are 3 days and nights of camping considered long-term or short-term? (Melinda Stewart)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The BSA defines short-term as up to but not exceeding 72 hours. However, there\u2019s more to be considered. I\u2019m doing some guessing here, but if that \u201cwinter camp\u201d was a \u201ccouncil resident camp,\u201d and not a troop or patrol camp-out, then even if it fit the correct time it wouldn\u2019t necessarily count because your son already has the \u201clong-term camp\u201d (implying \u201cresident camp\u201d) portion of this requirement completed. This would especially be true if your son is \u201cborrowing\u201d those 3 days and nights from a longer total winter camping time-frame.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s more\u2026 On at least three of the camping experiences that, when totaled, add up to 20 days and nights, your son needs to have also carried out at least two of six different sub- or side-activities. Please suggest to your son that he discuss Req. 9(b) with his Camping Merit Badge Counselor.
\n==========
\nDear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the red BSA Jac-Shirt, the regulations aren\u2019t clear about wearing a six-inch Order of the arrow \u201cjacket patch\u201d along with another, such as the oversized NESA (National Eagle Scout Association) patch: “The Order of the Arrow has adopted the jac-shirt as its official jacket, and members may wear the six-inch national Order of the Arrow patch centered on the back,\u201d and “The large Philmont, NESA, Jamboree, National Camping School, and International Participant emblems are approved to be worn on the back of the jacket. Only one such emblem may be worn at a time.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

So does this mean you can wear the OA patch with the NESA patch, or do you have to choose between the OA patch and the NESA patch? (Hillman Terzian, Eagle Scout \u201903, National Capital Area Council)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Choose the one that means the most to you, and wear it. The sum of what the BSA is saying is: One, only. Once you start adding other stuff, your jacket starts looking more like a patch blanket.
\n==========
\nDear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

The BSA seems unclear as to where the cloth badge for the Commissioner\u2019s Arrowhead Honor is worn on the left uniform sleeve relative to the \u201cTrained\u201d strip. In the GUIDE TO AWARDS AND INSIGNIA (20012, No. 33066), page 55 shows the Trained strip between the Commissioner’s badge and the Arrowhead, but on page 65 it shows the Arrowhead between the Commissioner’s badge and the Trained strip (this is for the shirt with no sleeve pocket). Placement on the Centennial shirt is clear. Can you clarify this? Is there one standard, or two? (Frank Pellegrine, ADC, Greater Niagara Frontier Council, NY)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are now indeed two positions, depending on the shirt you have. If it’s one with a pocket on the left sleeve, then the Arrowhead goes immediately above that pocket. If no pocket, it goes immediately below the Commissioner badge.
\n==========
\nDear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

I recently became Chartered Organization Representative (\u201cCR\u201d) for my son\u2019s troop. The Scoutmaster (let’s call him \u201cPhil Mont\u201d) has been involved with the troop for a total of at least ten years, at least half of that time as Scoutmaster. His own son has aged out of Scouts and is now in college, but Phil keeps postponing a decision to step down. He\u2019s an Eagle Scout himself, cares deeply about Scouting, and can be wonderful with the Scouts. Over the years, he\u2019s been an inspiration to a great number of young men and has made a significant, positive difference in the lives of many of them. He runs an outdoor program that’s solid, if not inspired. But there\u2019s a dark side to this story\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite these fine (if sporadic) qualities, he has little difficulty publicly embarrassing parents\u2014especially new ones\u2014when they ask questions or make mistakes. He frequently sets Scouts up for failure by continually failing to provide leadership training for them leadership positions. When Scouts make mistakes, which they inevitably will, he\u2019ll disparage them publicly, often fails to distinguish between behavior (\u201cYou made a mistake\u201d) and character (\u201cYou\u2019re a screw-up\u201d). He seems to enjoy passing judgment on Scouts, along the lines of, \u201cYou\u2019re not worthy of being a (insert rank).\u201d On hikes and camp-outs, it\u2019s okay with Phil if the Scouts he likes or who have been with him for a long while to pack cell phones and use them for non-Scouting activities, but confiscates new Scouts\u2019 phones. Although he has several Assistant Scoutmasters, he keeps them carefully cordoned off from the Scouts, permitting no interaction, while simultaneously complaining that these same ASM\u2019s \u201cdon\u2019t step up to the plate\u201d and get anything done. He\u2019ll berate any parent or committee member who he believes is having direct contact with any Scout\u2014even if the Scout himself initiated the conversation. And, if Phil thinks any other adult\u2014volunteer or parent\u2014is attempting to \u201cusurp\u201d his \u201cpower,\u201d well, get ready for a verbal fire storm. Rather than employing The Patrol Method for outings, Phil insists on buying all the food for the entire troop and then cooking it himself for troop meals instead of patrol cooking\/dining. He like to buy equipment he thinks the troop will need (whether the troop does or not) and then submits the bill for reimbursement even though he had no conversations beforehand with the Quartermaster, committee, or Patrol Leaders Council (last year, we were obliged to pay Phil some two thousand dollars for stuff he bought). There\u2019s more, including flat refusals to work collaboratively with parents\u2014particularly those of the female persuasion\u2014accusing most of them of being \u201chovercraft.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now I get it that no one is all bad or all good, and I want to believe his intentions are well-meaning. But I think he’s tired out and doesn’t recognize that he’s slipping.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Committee Chair and are in agreement that there needs to be a change in \u201cmanagement style\u201d in this troop, including getting the youth leaders correctly trained, having functioning patrols, and a bunch of other stuff that\u2019s clearly missing from the Scouting program this troop. In short, we\u2019d like to be able to convince Phil step aside voluntarily so we can publicly thank him for his overall dedication at our next court of honor. But we also realize that it may be necessary to relieve him if he won’t step down on his own. Maybe we could offer him a sort of \u201cScoutmaster Emeritus\u201d position?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you have any suggestions for ways to convince Phil that it\u2019s time to move along? (Name & Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your description is of the very worst kind of adult role model Scouting could possibly have. If you were to put this duck wank\u2019s supposedly \u201cgood\u201d qualities on one end of a balance beam, and the damage he\u2019s doing on the other, which end do you think would be the heavier? Phil\u2019s got to go. There\u2019s not a moment to waste, because the damage he\u2019s doing is pervasive, ongoing, and\u2014in several ways\u2014just plain nasty.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the good news: As CR, you’re in the catbird seat, especially since you and the CC are of the same mind. So make your decision surgically; then\u2014as you\u2019ve considered\u2014carry it out compassionately. But “Scoutmaster Emeritus”? What’re you smokin’? If, when you and the CC meet privately, eyeball-to-eyeball, with him to tell him it\u2019s time he moves on voluntarily, and he declines, fire his sorry butt on the spot and remove him from the troop charter roster immediately.<\/p>\n

==========
\nDear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a Life Scout with everything for Eagle rank completed. My Scoutmaster signed my Eagle application, but our Committee Chair refuses to, because, he says, I went around our troop\u2019s Eagle advisor by obtaining signatures and then finding another Eagle advisor (yes, I did, because the first Eagle advisor was stalling me for no reason other than it wasn\u2019t \u201cconvenient\u201d for his). Time is important. I turn 18 in a week. What do I do now? (Name & Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your Scoutmaster is your best ally. Go to him and tell him what you’ve just told me. Ask him to go to bat for you. “Eagle advisor” is an unofficial position. There’s no BSA \u201cregistration code” for it. Tell your Scoutmaster why you found it necessary to make the switch, and get your new Eagle advisor on your side, too. Meanwhile, don’t panic! An Eagle board of review definitely can take place after your 18th birthday because it’s not a “requirement” in the technical sense\u2014although it must, of course, be done. If the Committee Chair continues his refusal to sign, your Scoutmaster can guide you through the \u201cBoard of Review Under Disputed Circumstances\u201d procedure described in detail in the BSA GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT.
\n==========
\nHi Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thinking about service stars and dual program registration, if a youth spends, let\u2019s say, three years as a registered Boy Scout (only), and then two years as both a Boy Scout and Venturer, it would seem reasonable that he could to wear a \u201c5 Year\u201d pin with green background plus a \u201c2 Year\u201d pin with a red background. If this is not the case, would one simply choose which stars to wear to add up to the correct total (which seems odd to me)? If this person were to then spend 5 years as an adult Scouter, he could then wear three stars: 5 Years green, 2 Years red, and 5 Years blue. But if you combine them (as many Scouters would) this would be 12 years, while the actual time spent registered with the BSA is only 10 years, so it now seems more reasonable to wear a single 10 Year pin with a blue background disk. The BSA AWARDS AND INSIGNIA GUIDE doesn\u2019t seem to mention anything on this subject, although it does mention \u201cprimary registration,\u201d but I am not sure what exactly that is indicating. Are you aware of any official guidelines or rules on this? If not what are your thoughts? (Wayne Brown, UC, San Diego Imperial Council, CA)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Service stars should add up to the total number of Scouting years, simple as that. The wearer has a choice as to what colors for how many years in which program. As for overlapping years, you\u2019re correct: The BSA doesn\u2019t have a specific \u201cguideline or rule.\u201d I imagine this is because these are neither ranks nor awards nor special recognitions\u2014you can buy them by the fistful at your local Scout shop and nobody\u2019s going to challenge you. So let\u2019s just use a little bit of discretion and a lot of what God put between our ears.
\n==========
\nHey Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n

My questions are about a Scoutmaster\u2019s responsibilities in relation to the troop committee. Should the Scoutmaster be deeply involved in committee decisions? Should he be reigning over the committee? Does the Scoutmaster have a vote in the committee? What\u2019s the relationship between the Scoutmaster and the Committee Chair? (John)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Scoutmaster isn’t a member of the committee; he reports to the committee regarding the troop program. The troop’s program of activities and meeting content is decided on and planned by the Patrol Leaders Council (“PLC”). The PLC is headed by the Senior Patrol Leader; the Scoutmaster acts as the Senior Patrol Leader’s consultant.<\/p>\n

The Committee Chair of course heads the troop committee and delegates responsibilities to its members. Ultimately, the Scoutmaster serves at the pleasure of the Committee Chair (and Chartered Organization Representative).<\/p>\n

This same structure applies to Cubmasters relative to pack committees, and Crew Advisors relative to crew committees.<\/p>\n

Review the TROOP COMMITTEE GUIDEBOOK and the SCOUTMASTER HANDBOOK for greater detail.<\/p>\n

Happy Scouting!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Andy<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council. (If you\u2019d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll do.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

[No. 393 \u2013 4\/15\/2014 \u2013 Copyright \u00a9 Andy McCommish 2014]<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

________________________________________ Hi Andy, My son just crossed over into a pretty good troop. Based on my own experience as a Scout (my two highlights were being elected Senior Patrol Leader and making it to Eagle along with my two best friends) the troop seems to be getting lots of stuff right, like using The Patrol […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-22"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1647","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=1647"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1651,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1647\/revisions\/1651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}