{"id":947,"date":"2011-05-06T08:55:42","date_gmt":"2011-05-06T12:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/?p=947"},"modified":"2011-11-14T08:56:32","modified_gmt":"2011-11-14T13:56:32","slug":"issue-254-may-6-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/2011\/05\/issue-254-may-6-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue 254 &#8211; May 6, 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"justify\"><span><span style=\"color: #008000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Andy\u2019s Rule No. 8<\/span>: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium;\"><em>Scouting\u2019s first \u201cvolunteers\u201d are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the Scouts themselves<\/span>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><span style=\"color: #008000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Andy\u2019s Rule No. 9<\/span>: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium;\"><em>Program produces participants. Show me a dull, no-show troop or pack and I\u2019ll show you dull programs.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><span style=\"color: #008000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Andy\u2019s Rule No. 10<\/span>: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium;\"><em>Cleanliness is next to godliness; except at camp, where it\u2019s next to impossible.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p align=\"justify\">\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>My son took the NYLT training four years ago, and for the last three years, he\u2019s staffed NYLT as a Troop Guide, then Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and this year he\u2019ll be Senior Patrol Leader and Youth Course Leader. Is there really still more he could learn by attending NAYLE? (Marci Nystrom)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>Absolutely! Thanks for asking! NAYLE is totally unique in format and the learnings and team-building are different, too! So if there&#8217;s no conflict in dates, your son could be this year\u2019s NYLT Course Leader and also either attend or maybe even staff the NAYLE in your region! For the most current information, reach out to John Glockner at <a href=\"mailto:QPI@mail.com\" target=\"blank\">QPI@mail.com<\/a> or <a href=\"mailto:quantumprecision@inetmail.att.net\" target=\"blank\"> quantumprecision@inetmail.att.net<\/a> \u2013 They\u2019ll both get you to the same place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Readers<\/span>: If you haven\u2019t checked out NAYLE (my April 18<sup>th<\/sup> column) for your sons or your friends\u2019 sons yet, run don\u2019t walk!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I\u2019m the incoming Committee Chair for a 15 year-old troop with about 60 Scouts. I\u2019m reviewing troop records, to get my legs under me, and I just learned from our treasurer that we have over $10,000 in the troop bank account! That seems like an awful lot of money for a troop that has all the tents, canoes, and patrol cooking gear it could ever possibly need, and a trailer to haul it all in, plus a pretty large \u201cexperienced\u201d uniform bank, flags, stands, and so on. In asking around, I\u2019ve also learned that most of the other troop committee members not only want to hold onto this money, but want to continue doing troop fund-raisers, selling popcorn for the council, and so on, \u201cin case of a rainy day.\u201d But, truth told, I can\u2019t think of a \u201crainy day\u201d situation that could possibly use up that amount of money, even if the storage locker and everything in it was burned to a crisp or stolen lock, stock and barrel! I\u2019d like to put that money to use somehow, but not just by writing a check to our council, even if it\u2019s for the council\u2019s endowment fund. Any thoughts or ideas? Help! (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>You\u2019re right: That amount of money is pretty much unnecessary for any Scouting unit of any size to be holding on to, even if for that proverbial \u201crainy day\u201d! Half a lifetime ago, the BSA rule was that troops and packs would \u201czero-out\u201d at the end of their charter year, on the principle that money earned by this year\u2019s Scouts should be invested in this year\u2019s Scouts. Not a bad rule at all, to my way of thinking! <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>I also agree with you that, while I\u2019m sure your council would appreciate additional funding, and a reasonable portion of that sum you all have right now would certainly make a difference, the money would sort of disappear into larger accounts and that would be the end of that! So, how about this\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>What could your troop do with a significant portion of those funds that would <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">leave a legacy<\/span>? That\u2019s right: a legacy\u2014Something that comes from your troop and with which your troop would be identified, pretty much in perpetuity. Such as: a new war canoe for your councils\u2019 camp, with \u201cTroop XXX\u201d painted right on the bow and stern. Or how about a new pole barn in the council camp\u2019s Scoutcraft area, again with your troop identified. Or maybe the famous bronze Scout statue by R. Tait McKenzie for the front lawn or foyer of your council\u2019s service center. Or, for your troop\u2019s sponsor\u2026 if a church, a stained glass window; if a synagogue, something equally appropriate; if a school, a new backstop for the baseball diamond; for any of these, a gazebo with benches\u2026 You\u2019re getting the idea, yes? This is a wonderful opportunity to truly create a legacy that reminds all who see or use it that \u201cTroop XXX Was Here\u201d!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I\u2019m going to ask about a Scout who recently advanced from Star to Life, and the requirement that a Scout has to serve in one or more of the positions of responsibility. This particular Scout served in one position of responsibilityfor three months and then another position for another three months, for a total of six months. Is this OK, or should it be in just one position for a total of six months? (Bill Korpecki, ASM, St. Louis Area Council, MO)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> This is absolutely OK! The requirement states, &#8220;one or more&#8230;&#8221; so he&#8217;s perfectly &#8220;legal&#8221; on this! Thanks for asking an important question!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I\u2019ve looked all over a bunch of websites, trying to find the proper placement of mother pins on a ribbon. I\u2019ve been told, many moons ago, that you work from Scout up to Eagle, making Eagle the top pin. Is that correct? (Wesley Crew, CC, Pinetree Council, ME)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Bottom line: It doesn&#8217;t really matter much. Mom&#8217;s gonna do it the way she wants to, anyway! But, whichever way you do it, it won\u2019t be wrong!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong> I\u2019m an Assistant Scoutmaster for a new-Scout patrol, working with the Troop Guide and Patrol Leader to deliver the First Year=First Class program. Some of the troop\u2019s other volunteers (other ASMs and committee members, too) not only don&#8217;t support this but are in fact very much against it, and it took us some time to find the BSA literature that says this is the way to go. Along with my effort to get new Scouts through to First Class by the end of their first year in the troop, I often encourage Scoutmaster conferences right away\u2014as soon as the next-to-last requirement\u2019s completed\u2014even when we are on campouts, and when these are successfully concluded, I\u2019ll recruit at least three committee members, so a board of review can be done right there! Now I\u2019m told that the troop\u2019s \u201cusual system\u201d is for the Scouts to first sign up for a Scoutmaster conference and then sign up for a board of review, in two sort of appointment calendars or books. Is this a case of just one\u2019s right, or are they both OK to do?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong> Now several people in our troop have read your columns (at least some of them), but several of these are saying that you\u2019re \u201cnot official,\u201d and that they don\u2019t have to follow your opinion any more than anyone else\u2019s. How do I reply to that? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>Let\u2019s get that last point out of the way, first: Yes, when I\u2019m asked for my opinion, take, or point of view, I\u2019m certainly going to provide it, and when I do I\u2019ll tell you without hesitation that it\u2019s my own opinion. But, that\u2019s not what usually happens. What usually happens is that folks ask what the BSA policy or rule is on whatever question they might have at the moment, and when this is the way the question\u2019s asked, I\u2019ll absolutely never offer an opinion; instead, I do my homework, check my references, and provide the policy, word-for-word whenever possible, and cite the source, right down to page number and paragraph whenever possible. So, don\u2019t let these otherwise good folks try to duck or dodge an issue that\u2019s not going their way using the subterfuge that it\u2019s only one opinion versus another\u2014That just ain\u2019t so, and any of my columns proves that beyond a doubt. <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Now, let\u2019s take a look at the BSA-stipulated procedures for Scoutmaster conferences and boards of review\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>The conferences are scheduled by\u2026wait for it\u2026the Scoutmaster himself, because it\u2019s the Scoutmaster\u2019s responsibility to know how close a Scout is to completing all the requirements for any rank that Scout\u2019s working on, so when he sees that the Scout\u2019s on the eve of completion, the Scoutmaster pro-actively schedules the Scout to have a chat (otherwise known as the Scoutmaster conference). <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>Next, Scouts definitely don&#8217;t &#8220;sign up&#8221; for boards of review. After their Scoutmaster conference concludes, the Scoutmaster informs the troop&#8217;s advancement coordinator (or the committee chair) that this Scout is <em>ready to advance<\/em> and needs a board of review, which is then duly scheduled. Consequently, your idea of &#8220;on-the-spot&#8221; reviews is completely in keeping\u2014in process and in spirit\u2014with the BSA-mandated advancement plan. As a matter of fact, there\u2019s no acceptable rationale whatsoever for delaying a Scout&#8217;s advancement by delaying his board of review (especially if that delay is for the convenience of the troop&#8217;s committee members, who it must be remembered serve for only one reason: to serve the Scouts. It&#8217;s not the other way around!).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> It\u2019s interesting that the &#8220;documentation&#8221; on these subjects is fairly light. The <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Scoutmaster Handbook<\/span><\/em> states: &#8220;A troop should schedule its boards of review to occur on a regular basis, so that Scouts and leaders can plan for them well in advance.&#8221; The <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Troop Committee Guidebook<\/span><\/em> notes that one of the stated duties of the troop&#8217;s advancement coordinator is to &#8220;arrange quarterly boards of review,&#8221; but there is no statement to the effect that quarterly is the maximum frequency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> So, to better understand what\u2019s going on here, let&#8217;s step back and take a look at the overall methods of Scouting, advancement being one of these\u2026 Here, we encourage Scouts to advance in rank; we encourage them to come out on hikes and campouts so they can complete requirements to advance; we stress staying as active in the troop as possible; in the Scoutmaster&#8217;s conference we tell the Scout, &#8220;OK, you&#8217;re ready to advance!&#8221; But then, when a Scout does all this, the very next thing some misguided troop committees tell him is, &#8220;OK, now you need to wait till it&#8217;s convenient for us to meet with you for a board of review.&#8221; Does this make sense? Does this fit with everything else we&#8217;ve encouraged the Scout to do? And what, finally, does this tell the Scout about how really &#8220;important&#8221; his advancement is to the men and women who are supposedly there to aide and encourage him? In short, it&#8217;s a disconnect&#8230; Psychologists call it \u201ccognitive dissonance.&#8221; In other words, it becomes the antithesis of what we profess to be instilling in the boys and young men we&#8217;re here to serve.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> So, the solution\u2014for better or worse\u2014is for good folks like those in your troop to pull back the shades and see the light. See that the more frequently they can hold boards of review, the more frequently Scouts can advance! Just like hikes and campouts&#8230; We do these as often as possible so that we offer a solid and active Scouting program. Wouldn&#8217;t we want to think of boards of review in the same way? After all (from the <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Scoutmaster Handbook<\/span><\/em> again), a board of review for all ranks from Tenderfoot through Life isn&#8217;t like orals for one&#8217;s terminal degree: They last maybe 15 minutes, tops! And, yes, they can be done anywhere! (At a campout or during lunch break on a hike can be a perfect time for three committee members to visit with a Scout and ask him about his experiences and how well he&#8217;s liking his troop&#8217;s Scouting program.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> I truly hope you&#8217;re able to describe this idea to the other volunteers with your troop in such a way as they come to realize that this is a greater benefit to the Scouts they\u2019re there to serve! Doing this will contribute greatly to the enthusiasm of the Scouts, and this is how we continue to engage the young people under our wings!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong> My son, who\u2019s an Eagle Scout, will be participating in an Eagle Scout court of honor. He\u2019s currently in a Venturing crew and will be wearing his green Venturing uniform. What\u2019s proper for him to wear? My understanding is that he can\u2019t wear his Order of the Arrow sash at the same time he\u2019s wearing a merit bash sash. Is it proper for him to wear his merit bash sash with his green Venturing uniform shirt, or should he wear his OA sash instead? Also, where does his OA knot go, on his Venturing shirt? Thanks for your help! (Sandra Carter, Central Florida Council)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> If your son is a Venturer and will be attending this event as such, then wearing his full Venturer uniform\u2014shirt, pants or shorts, belt, and socks \u2013is totally appropriate. But <em>not <\/em>just the green shirt; it needs to be the whole nine yards!<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Since this isn\u2019t an Order of the Arrow event, and since your son isn\u2019t representing his OA lodge at this event, he leaves his OA sash home (now he may be tempted to wear the OA sash draped over his belt, but he needs to know that there\u2019s an actual BSA uniforming rule that says no dice!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> The merit badge sash is optional. He should take a look at himself in a mirror, wearing it and with it off. Which &#8220;look&#8221; does he prefer? My guess is that he&#8217;s not going to like the color clash\u2014it can be pretty gross to some eyes\u2014so he may want to leave that sash home, too (like the OA sash, there\u2019s another BSA rule that says merit badge sashes don\u2019t get worn over the belt, either!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> By &#8220;OA knots&#8221; if you&#8217;re referring to the OA Distinguished Service square knot (it&#8217;s a white square knot on red cloth, with a red border), it\u2019s worn centered and immediately above the seam of the flap of his LEFT shirt pocket. <\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Hello Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I\u2019m a Senior Patrol Leader and I need to know how I should address my Scoutmaster about problems in the troop. I don\u2019t want to be too confrontational, but I don\u2019t want to not speak up at all. One of the problems in the troop is that the Scoutmaster has trouble with the idea of letting a 13 year-old Scout (me!) run the troop. He doubts my ability to successfully do my job as Senior Patrol Leader. He has us do everything as a troop; we do nothing as patrols. I\u2019m trying to get all the new Scouts to First Class, so that we don\u2019t have to keep working over and over on the same requirements all the time. Since I joined the troop two years ago, we&#8217;ve done exactly the same requirements on all outings and at all meetings. We need to do things with what the patrols and Scouts need done, and have the more experienced Scouts help teach the newer ones what they need to learn, and then we all need to move on to new stuff. Another thing that has me bothered is that I\u2019m trying to get all the new Scouts to do \u201cTNT\u201d\u2014these are Scout camp sessions that help Scouts complete the requirements from Tenderfoot to First Class, because if we can get the new Scouts to First Class then we can all work on merit badges instead of the same basis requirements all year long. I said this at a meeting and the Scoutmaster said that all we would be doing in TNT is what we&#8217;ll be doing at troop campouts, so why waste your time doing that when we&#8217;re going to be doing it anyway as a troop.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I\u2019d very much appreciate it if you could please give me all the advice you can for these situations. Thank you. (Scout\u2019s Name Withheld, Northeast Georgia Area Council)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> From your letter, it&#8217;s not difficult to figure out that you don\u2019t really have a Scoutmaster\u2026 You actually have &#8220;the world&#8217;s oldest Patrol Leader&#8221;!<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>I understand how boring this is for you all, and even for the younger Scouts who have to do the same stuff over and over and over! Here&#8217;s the thing: THIS ISN&#8217;T SCOUTING! But I&#8217;ll bet you&#8217;ve figured that out already. Here&#8217;s about the only suggestion I can offer, other than to go out and find another troop that gets it right, and then transfer into that troop (you&#8217;re not &#8220;married&#8221; to a troop\u2014you do know that, yes?)&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Show what you&#8217;ve written to me to your parents, particularly your dad. Then ask them to read the first couple of chapters of your handbook, so they can see what you&#8217;ve been promised, and then make a comparison to what you&#8217;re getting. If they believe that what you&#8217;re getting isn&#8217;t Scouting the way it&#8217;s supposed to be, maybe they can talk to some other parents in the troop, and find out if their sons are as unhappy as you. If this is the way it is, then your parents will need to talk with whoever sponsors the troop, and speak up for you boys\u2014They need to say they want a change, and that unless this happens they&#8217;re going to have to find another troop for you all to be in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> After you&#8217;ve shown this to your parents, and you&#8217;ve talked it over a bit, you or they can write to me and we can talk about what to do. I\u2019ll wait to hear from you\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>When a Scouting unit is traveling, must they wear either the Class A (Field) or Class B (Activity) uniform? Is this an issue on the legality of Tour Plans and\/or BSAinsurance? There are several of us within the organization\u2014in packs, troops, crews\u2014who have all sorts of different opinions on this. Can you shed some light? (Leigh Ann Bostian, Marin Council, CA)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> The BSA is indeed a uniformed organization (the uniform is in fact one of the eight specific methods of Scouting).<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> I&#8217;ve written about this question before\u2014it&#8217;s in several different columns\u2014but it\u2019s certainly worth reviewing again! The short version is this: No, it&#8217;s not mandatory for Scouts to wear their uniforms while traveling; however, there are simply too many good reasons for doing this, compared to not doing it. When we travel in uniform, we look like a Scouting unit and we make it easy for ourselves to spot one another, and keep one another safe and out of harm\u2019s way. Additionally, our boys and young men also tend to behave more like Scouts when they&#8217;re in uniform, thereby minimizing behavioral issues. Further, in uniform, we show the world that we&#8217;re Scouts and thus receive positive feedback. By &#8220;uniform,&#8221; I&#8217;m referring to the standard, complete Scout uniform; not parts. And I&#8217;m definitely not referring to &#8220;activity uniforms&#8221;\u2014tee-shirts with the rest of the standard uniform\u2014because the tee-shirts are for rough, dirty, or sweaty work; not simply traveling from one point to another. (Wear the tee-shirts under the uniform shirt.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Obviously, adults who normally wear uniforms (e.g., Den Leaders, Scoutmasters, etc.) need to be absolutely letter-perfect in their own uniforming, so as to set the highest example. (Part of our responsibilities is, after all, as role models for the boys and young men in our care.)<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong> Our family\u2019s new to Scouting. Our son is 7 and just joined as a Tiger. As a family, every year we raise money for breast cancer awareness, because our family has been severely affected by breast cancer. Last year, my son raised $1,000 on his own. Is there anything we can do to get the other Scouts involved with us? Most would be happy to, especially if there\u2019s some sort of achievement relating to it. Although I\u2019ve looked and looked and can&#8217;t find anything to do with charities, I\u2019m new, so I could have missed something. Please let us know! Thanks! (Lacy Clagg)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> The BSA itself is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and, as a Cub Scout member of the Boy Scouts of America, your son (and, likely, your family) will be involved in fund-raising and donations for the BSA, which is totally appropriate. That said, do have a conversation with your pack&#8217;s committee chair and see what he or she has to say about your interest. But also keep in mind that sometimes, we don&#8217;t need to hand a kid a badge&#8230;sometimes we do things purely because we&#8217;re Scouts!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Isthere a minimum age or minimum rank requirement for a Scout to be a Den Chief? Wehave a 10 year-old Scout who has been with our troop for a month, and he wants to be a Den Chief at his old pack. Although he doesn&#8217;t yet have any Boy Scout experience to share with a den, this Scout is interested in the role and has even signed up for Den Chief Training. His former Cubmaster is fine with this, and actually would like to have his help. What do you think? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> First, let\u2019s remember that \u201cage 10\u201d really means \u201cpretty close to being 11.\u201d And let\u2019s also remember that, for Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and even first-year Webelos, \u201cteaching Boy Scout skills\u201d isn\u2019t what a Den Chief does. With these understandings, I think this is just about wonderful! There\u2019s no specific age prerequisite to being a Den Chief (although it&#8217;s suggested\u2014but only suggested\u2014in the <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Scoutmaster Handbook<\/span><\/em> that DCs be &#8220;older,&#8221; there&#8217;s no hard-and-fast requirement here). Most Scouts don&#8217;t want to be a Den Chief, even though it&#8217;s definitely one of the most challenging leadership positions a Boy Scout can tackle. So, in light of this Scout&#8217;s desire and enthusiasm, and the known interest by that Cubmaster (and Den Leader too, I&#8217;d assume), let\u2019s get out of this Scout&#8217;s way, so he can get his training and then go for it!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I&#8217;m an advancement coordinator. Am I allowed to wear my &#8220;Proud Parent&#8221; ribbon on my uniform? (Manuela)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> If you can find it in the <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">BSA Insignia Guide<\/span><\/em>, or the \u201cLeader Inspection Sheet,\u201d go for it!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Here&#8217;s a link to \u201cspoof merit badges,\u201d for that Scouter who was trying to find them, a while ago. Some are really fun to present as gag awards (but I personally don&#8217;t think they belong on an actual sash): <a href=\"http:\/\/www.streamwood.net\/\" target=\"blank\"> www.streamwood.net<\/a> (Marc Garduno, MC, Far East Council)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> These are hysterical! I especially like &#8220;Citizenship in the Universe,&#8221; and &#8220;Finger Carving.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> (I&#8217;ve for years thought there should be a real merit badge called &#8220;Badge Placement&#8221;\u2014Teaches a Scout how to sew, and where to sew stuff on the shirt correctly!<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>You&#8217;re always right on the money&lt;grin&gt; Thanks for providing your magnificent columns. I hope I can one day meet you in person, once Ihang up my military garb and get back home. Take care. YiS. (Marc)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>While you&#8217;re wearing your military garb&#8211;BE SAFE! And come home safely. THANK YOU for your service to our country.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Here\u2019s a simple question that I can\u2019t seem to find an answer to, about the process for completing merit badge requirements. Specifically, is it a BSA policy that a Scout must have a \u201cBlue Card\u201d\u2014filled out by the Scout and signed by the Scoutmaster\u2014in hand before starting work on a merit badge? Everybody I\u2019ve asked thinks yes, and, by extension, merit badge requirements can\u2019t be met by work done prior to starting a merit badge. On the surface this seem reasonable and seems consistent with verbiage like \u201cWhile a (rank) Scout, take part in \u2026\u201d But is there anything that\u2019s actually official on this and, if so, where can I find it? (Marc Strohwig, SM, Mt. Diablo-Silverado Council, CA)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Couple of years ago, I would have said something like, \u201cStart by taking a look at page 187 of the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Boy Scout Handbook<\/span> (at that time, that would have been the 11<sup>th<\/sup> edition). There, you&#8217;ll see that a merit badge isn&#8217;t begun until the Scout has spoken with his Scoutmaster, obtained a merit badge application (aka \u2018Blue Card\u2019), called and then met with his assigned Merit Badge Counselor. This procedure is readily available to be read by every Scout and Scouter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>But that was yesteryear; not today. Today, I\u2019m going to say: <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">2011 Boy Scout Requirements<\/span><\/em> (SKU 34765) is the source you want. Swing on over to page 22, and check out the very last sentence in the fourth paragraph: \u201cYou should also discuss (with your counselor) work you have already started or possibly completed.\u201d Need verification? OK, then take a look at the two sentences that are boxed and highlighted, also on that same page, at the bottom, that talk about \u201c\u2026the work you have already started or completed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>However, there\u2019s a leavening process involved in this, as well. Take a look at the second paragraph on page 23, where it further states, \u201cThe counselor will\u2026make sure you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required.\u201d This means that, ultimately, the counselor is still the final arbiter, as should be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> For instance, if I were the counselor for Camping, and a Scout came to me with a note from perhaps his Scoutmaster saying that he&#8217;d already completed, let&#8217;s say, a dozen or so days-and-nights of camping, I&#8217;d say OK. But if the note said that all 20 had been completed, then I&#8217;d have a serious problem, because I wouldn&#8217;t be able to counsel the Scout on the wood skills that make a novice camper into a backwoodsman. This is where I might even tell the Scout that, since he\u2019s not going to learn anything from me, maybe he\u2019d better go find a counselor who\u2019s content with just signing stuff off. (Understand clearly: I have that right, as a counselor.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> OK, let\u2019s try another situation\u2026 How about Swimming. If a Scout brings a note stating that he knows and can perform all the required strokes, I&#8217;d still have him swim for me, if only because I&#8217;m a counselor and I want to impart some of my own knowledge, to help this Scout &#8220;polish the chrome&#8221; and be an even better swimmer. But if it\u2019s simply that he\u2019s already a First Class Scout, I\u2019m not going to demand that he repeat the swim test.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Now let&#8217;s take Communications. The Scout brings a note saying he&#8217;s done a five-minute speech (one of the more energetic requirements for this badge). I&#8217;ll probably say OK, <em>but <\/em>I want to see the written speech before I&#8217;ll apply my initials, and I&#8217;ll absolutely talk with the Scout about the process he went through, the setting of the speech, and his impression of the audience&#8217;s reaction. And I&#8217;ll probably ask what he&#8217;d do differently, or say in a different way, if he could do it over again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> In sum, while it\u2019s perfectly legal to have started or even completed one or more requirements for a merit badge in advance of meeting with the counselor, unless a counselor gets the opportunity to actually counsel, what&#8217;s the point? The point of merit badges is for a Scout to gain new skills and\/or knowledge under the guidance and tutelage of an experienced and knowledgeable adult. To me (and this is absolutely my own opinion), it\u2019s pointless for a Scout to work in isolation on all of the requirements for a merit badge, using work sheets he\u2019s made or taken from some Internet site, and then go find a counselor to look over the stuff and sign him off. That\u2019s just way too \u201csterile\u201d for me!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong> Our troop\u2019s parents committee will shortly be electing a new Scoutmaster, and it&#8217;s going to be a very close vote between two Assistant Scoutmasters, each with very different ideas of how the troop should be run. The final vote will likely be swung by just one or two ballots. My questions are: How are votes distributed? Is it one vote per family, per adult present, or per Scout in the troop? Or, if this is at the discretion of the troop, who decides? This is important, because whoever the new Scoutmaster is, he\u2019ll likely be the Scoutmaster for the full duration of my son\u2019s time in Scouting, and I&#8217;d like to see the wiser choice prevail. Thanks! (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Scoutmasters aren&#8217;t &#8220;elected&#8221; by anyone. Scoutmasters are appointed. The head of your Chartered Organization (sponsor) or that person&#8217;s designate (registered as Chartered Organization Representative), with input from the registered unit committee chair, makes the selection, does the recruiting of the right person, and then encourages that person to take the necessary training for the position. The decision of the COR and chair must be based on one key criterion: Who will best deliver the Scouting program, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">as it\u2019s written<\/span>, to the youth members of the unit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>Parents, in general, do not get to decide. And what\u2019s really scary is two individuals with widely differing viewpoints on \u201chow the troop should be run,\u201d because THERE\u2019S ONLY ONE WAY, and if they don\u2019t understand that, then you don\u2019t want either one!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I&#8217;ve noticed that there are three different &#8220;trained&#8221; strips available from the BSA Supply Division\u2026 the old red version, the centennial version, and a small red one to fit on the centennial uniform for Cub Scout leaders. Which do I wear on a Venturing uniform shirt? (Adam James, Cradle of Liberty Council, PA)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Which one do you like the looks of the most, when you pin it on and take a look at yourself in the mirror? If you&#8217;re going to wear one, then at least make it the one you sorta like, there being no particular hierarchy or specific meaning\u2014overt or hidden\u2014to each or any of these. These are pretty cool and lots of good folks like to wear &#8217;em. I did, for a while, and then, after I&#8217;d completed Wood Badge, I decided to take the &#8220;trained&#8221; strip off and let the Wood Badge speak for itself, it being the highest level of training in the Cub Scout\/Boy Scout programs available. On the other hand, when I completed Sea Badge, on one shirt I wear the square knot and on another shirt I wear the pin instead (never both on the same shirt, of course), but I digress&#8230; Training is critical to your own sanity, efficiency, and ability to deliver to youth what their handbooks promise to them, so don&#8217;t ever feel shy about training and don&#8217;t ever delude yourself into thinking you can stop!<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span><strong>Hello Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span><strong>I\u2019m currently serving as a troop committee trainer. I was asked about when did the BSA change or drop the left-hand hand shake as a must for any Scout? At a recent court of honor, the Scoutmaster used the left hand while some of the ASMs used their right, claiming that they\u2019d heard at their last position-specific training course for Scoutmasters and assistants that the left-hand handshake has been dropped. What&#8217;s the real skinny here? (Mike Czyzewicz, MC)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span> Look in any\u2014that&#8217;s ANY\u2014handbook, from any year in the past hundred, and you&#8217;ll find the Scout\u2019s left-handed hand-shake. Those ASMs need a lesson in fundamentals and tradition, and while we&#8217;re at it, those trainers needs some fresh training. Your troop\u2019s Scoutmaster needs to straighten out his assistants before their ignorance transfers to others, including the Scouts! The left-handed Scout hand-shake is GLOBAL for goodness sakes!<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span>There are several icons that absolutely and universally say \u201cSCOUT.\u201d They are (not necessarily in this order): The neckerchief, the \u201cSmokey Bear\u201d hat, shorts-with-knee socks, and the left-handed hand clasp.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Happy Scouting!<\/span><\/p>\n<form>\n<h3><span>Andy<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/form>\n<p><span><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"100%\">\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"5\" cellpadding=\"5\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table width=\"95%\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Got a question? Have an idea? Send it to <a href=\"mailto:AskAndyBSA@yahoo.com\"> AskAndyBSA@yahoo.com<\/a>. (Please include your POSITION and COUNCIL NAME or TOWN &amp; STATE)<\/p>\n<p>May 6, 2011 \u2013 Copyright \u00a9 Andy McCommish 2011)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span>Letters to AskAndy may be published at the discretion of the columnist and the editor. If you prefer to have your name or affiliation withheld from publication, please advise in your letter..<\/span><\/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>Andy\u2019s Rule No. 8: Scouting\u2019s first \u201cvolunteers\u201d are the Scouts themselves. Andy\u2019s Rule No. 9: Program produces participants. Show me a dull, no-show troop or pack and I\u2019ll show you dull programs. Andy\u2019s Rule No. 10: Cleanliness is next to godliness; except at camp, where it\u2019s next to impossible. Dear Andy, My son took the [&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":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-3"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/947","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=947"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":948,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/947\/revisions\/948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}