{"id":999,"date":"2011-11-28T20:45:50","date_gmt":"2011-11-29T01:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/?p=999"},"modified":"2011-11-28T20:45:50","modified_gmt":"2011-11-29T01:45:50","slug":"issue-279-november-30-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/2011\/11\/issue-279-november-30-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue 279 &#8211; November 30, 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Rule No. 44<\/span><\/strong><strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Never argue with idiots.\u00a0 They\u2019ll drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m a member of the National Scout Council in my country, Liberia, Africa.\u00a0 Scouting says, &#8220;We are volunteers, and non-political&#8230;&#8221; Why aren\u2019t Scouts permitted to participate in national politics when we\u2019re (supposed to be) training boys with leadership skills?\u00a0 How, then, do we develop their sense of duty to their community and country? (Moses F. Shellu,) <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Scouts are absolutely permitted (and encouraged) to be involved in the democratic process of their home country.\u00a0 I personally remember how, as a Scout many years ago, my troop and many others across the country placed GET OUT THE VOTE &#8220;doorknob hangers&#8221; on the front doors of every residence in our town, especially in presidential election years!\u00a0 This is still done today, some 50+ years later.\u00a0 Scouts are also encouraged via several rank and merit badge requirements, to speak with elected officials in their communities, thereby learning more about their responsibilities and the responsibilities of involved citizens. Moreover, the very structure of a Scout patrol and troop is designed to model the democratic method of elected representation.\u00a0 The only &#8220;political&#8221; aspect not permitted, for reasons that should be obvious, is for Scouts to engage publicly in partisan politics\u2014that is, encouraging others to vote for particular candidates or issues versus others.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hi Ol\u2019 Wise One,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>A troop is going to do a 50-Miler on bikes and apply for the award. The Scoutmaster\u2019s told the Scouts that they have to \u201ccarry their own gear.&#8221; One of the parents didn&#8217;t think this was right and put his son\u2019s gear in a chase vehicle that also carried \u00a0food and camping gear, giving the pack and other gear and supplies to his son each evening of the ride.\u00a0 The Scoutmaster thereupon gave the 50-Miler patch to each of the Scouts on the trip\u2026except this one Scout. \u00a0Now, his parents have gone to the council personnel, claiming that the Scoutmaster discriminated against their son and added requirements to earning this award.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>(Now I do know that we\u2019re not to add to or subtract from the requirements for ranks or merit badges, but would this BSA policy also apply to something like a 50-Miler?)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m thinking that if you take the Scout off his bike and put him in a canoe, he has to carry his pack\u2026If you put him on foot, he has to carry his pack\u2026if you put him on horseback, he\u2019ll need to have his pack with him; therefore, I find myself agreeing with the Scoutmaster: If you don&#8217;t carry your pack with you, you don\u2019t get the patch.\u00a0 But others have observed that \u201cBoy&#8217;s Life\u201d magazine has featured other troops using support vehicles to earn their 50-Miler. \u00a0But there\u2019s this question: Is it really safe to require a Scout to carry a 40 lb. pack on his back while pedaling a bike? Many fellow Scout leaders say it\u2019s not.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What are your thoughts on this one? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with these three thoughts&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can&#8217;t save boys from their own parents.<\/li>\n<li>There&#8217;s no cure for stupid.<\/li>\n<li>Some folks never get it that Boy Scouts isn&#8217;t &#8220;Webelos 3&#8221;!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So here&#8217;s the deal: It&#8217;s not a rank and the poor kid had no choice\u2014so give him the patch for his back pack and make this go away.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, what&#8217;s with the Scoutmaster?\u00a0 Has he never heard of \u201cNo\u201d?\u00a0 I don&#8217;t understand why he, with his Committee Chair\u2019s support, didn\u2019t simply tell these well-meaning but misguided parents, \u201cYou come back with that vehicle to pick up the pack, and you&#8217;ll pick up your son and take him home with you, too.\u00a0 That\u2019s how the mop flops and the Mercedes Benz.\u201d<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Can a troop make\u00a0rank advancement requirements stricter than what\u2019s required by the BSA? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>This is a point of disagreement between another Assistant Scoutmaster and me. \u00a0His position is that it\u2019s the troop\u2019s option to make\u00a0requirements stricter than what\u2019s specified by the BSA.\u00a0 For instance, the troop is requiring Scouts who hold leadership positions to attend 90% of all meetings, camp-outs, and other activities, while 70% attendance is required for all other Scouts, and unless they comply they don\u2019t advance. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>My position is the opposite: Troops must follow all requirements precisely as stated by the BSA and aren\u2019t permitted to either take away or add to these requirements, not only for ranks but for merit badges as well. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Which one of us is closer to what\u2019s supposed to be happening? (Randy Williams, ASM, Cape Fear Council, NC)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is the kind of bone-headed malarkey that kills the Scouting program faster than a grenade with a pulled pin.<\/p>\n<p>The BSA strictly forbids any individual, unit, district, or council from adding to or subtracting from any requirement.\u00a0 This is widely published and generally known; consequently anyone attempting to do so needs to be considered renegade; if he or she persists in doing this despite having been made aware of the BSA policy, then we\u2019re dealing with a despot mentality.\u00a0 For easy confirmation, refer to <em>BOY SCOUT REQUIREMENTS<\/em>&#8230; any edition.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding the issue of participation (also referred to as the \u201cactive\u201d requirement), per the new <em>GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT<\/em> it is permissible for a unit to set <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">reasonable expectations<\/span><em> <\/em>for participation; however, if draconian standards are being enforced this should be immediately brought to the attention of your council&#8217;s advancement committee, who will counsel the troop leaders and help them make things right.<\/p>\n<p>If the problem persists, Scouts now have an alternative path for their boards of review, if these aren&#8217;t being provided by their troop. Personally, I&#8217;d hope it doesn&#8217;t come to that, because it would mean significant embarrassment, not of the Scout, but of the troop and its adult leaders.<\/p>\n<p>As for merit badges, the troop and its leaders\u2014whether youth or adult\u2014have absolutely nothing to say.\u00a0 The only authority for signing off a Scout on completion of the requirements for a merit badge rests with the Merit Badge Counselor&#8211;this is, again, a national policy of the BSA. Moreover, no one has the right to test or re-test a Scout on any merit badge or its requirements once the MBC has signed, demonstrating it is completed.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The <em>GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING<\/em> allows Webelos Scouts to camp overnight with a troop; however, it doesn\u2019t set a ratio of adults-to-Webelos except to say that a specific adult is to be responsible for each Webelos.\u00a0 Obviously, the camp-out needs to be age-appropriate for both the Scouts and the Webelos, and the den needs to provide enough adult leadership to adequately supervise the Webelos.\u00a0 From the book: &#8220;A Webelos Scout may participate in overnight den camping when supervised by an adult. In most cases, the Webelos Scout will be under the supervision of his parent or guardian. It is essential that each Webelos Scout be under the supervision of a parent-approved adult. Joint Webelos den-Boy Scout troop campouts including the parents of the Webelos Scouts are encouraged to strengthen ties between the pack and troop. Den leaders, pack leaders, and parents are expected to accompany the boys on approved trips.&#8221; So what ratio is expected? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While &#8220;camping overnight <em>with a troop<\/em>&#8221; isn&#8217;t a requirement for the Arrow of Light, participating with one&#8217;s den in an overnight <em>or day hike<\/em> certainly is, and so is visiting a Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity with one&#8217;s den.\u00a0 The <em>GTSS <\/em>advises us that in no case can a Webelos Scout (or Arrow of Light Scout, as second-year Webelos are now designated) camp overnight absent his parent\/guardian or a parent\/guardian-approved adult, and this will be done on a one-on-one basis.\u00a0 That&#8217;s a ratio of 1:1. That&#8217;s the deal, straight from the BSA.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We have a small troop and a large number of the Scouts are from single-parent homes\u2014they live with their mothers, mostly. As Scoutmaster, I\u2019m taking a lot of heat from these mothers about how I\u2019m doing things, like giving their Scout-sons the freedom to make (correctable) mistakes, allowing them to lead themselves (rather than me being the \u201cbig boss\u201d), and so on. Now I\u2019m certainly not a perfect Scoutmaster, but my life would sure be easier if even just a few of these women would get off my case and pitch in, instead, as committee members!\u00a0 What do I do here? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Women, if they like you, will give you the shirts off their backs!\u00a0 And if they don&#8217;t, they&#8217;ll consider every time you mess up grounds to rip your eyeballs out!\u00a0 And <em>never<\/em> mess with Mama Bear or get between her and her cub!\u00a0 <em>But<\/em>, there\u2019s definitely something you can do that&#8217;ll make a difference\u2026 Invite them\u2014one-at-a-time\u2014for a cuppa java, with the understanding that your wife\u2019ll be there, too.\u00a0 Then, if you meet at a coffee shop, don&#8217;t sit in a booth\u2014sit at a four-sided table, and don\u2019t put the mother between you and your wife (that is, don\u2019t \u201cbook-end\u201d her), so that no one feels ganged up on.\u00a0 Chat, but make sure the women get to chat more.\u00a0 Talk not with your wife but with the woman you&#8217;ve invited.\u00a0 Have, in the back of your mind, two possible jobs you believe she can handle, that will help the troop.\u00a0 Tell her about both jobs, including the good stuff and how it makes a real difference and the bad stuff that every new job has (but don&#8217;t overdo it here, and keep persons and personalities out of it, or you&#8217;re going to poison her before she even says yes to anything!).\u00a0 Then it\u2019s her choice&#8230; Ask, \u201cWhich one of these\u2014just one\u2014would work best for you, do you think?\u201d\u00a0 And when she picks, immediately take the other job off the table and focus on what needs to be done right away, a little ways away, and at no rush at all.\u00a0 Give her the name, if possible, of someone she can go to, to get answers (maybe that&#8217;s your wife, which would be a wonderful bonding opportunity!)<\/p>\n<p>Then buy the coffee (or breakfast) and make sure she doesn&#8217;t throw in one thin dime!\u00a0 Hug (briefly and formally) in the parking lot, and you&#8217;re on your way!\u00a0 Next day, send her a little personal thank you card, signed by you or you and your wife.\u00a0 (No email thank you can ever be as powerfully meaningful as a mailed card.\u00a0 People put these on their mantles and leave &#8217;em there for years, by golly!)<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t wait for the cows to come home &#8212; Do this right now!<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I&#8217;m trying to find a specific\u00a0policy on knives for Cub Scouts. \u00a0I&#8217;m a Bear Den Leader and there seem to be a lot of opinions about what&#8217;s allowed and what&#8217;s not, concerning type and size (mostly size), but no one can point to an official\u00a0document\u00a0from BSA and say that that\u2019s the real deal.\u00a0 Can you help? (Tom Doyle)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s make this easy&#8230; Take a look at the size of the Cub Scout pocket knife available at your Scout shop or at www.scoutstuff.org&#8230; Next, notice that, at the Bear level (meaning: Not Tiger or Wolf), Cub Scouts can earn the \u201cWhittlin&#8217; Chip.\u201d\u00a0 Once they earn the Whittlin&#8217; Chip, just tell them (and their parents) that they can carry a pocket knife no larger than the official Cub Scout pocketknife <em>to activities where a knife might be needed<\/em> (this obviously excludes pack meetings and probably most den meetings, for instance).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there a written BSA policy on this somewhere? (Tom)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No worries&#8230; Pocketknives are OK on a limited basis beginning with Wolf, says the BSA&#8217;s <em>GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING<\/em>, so that&#8217;s your first policy. Your second policy is in the <em>WOLF HANDBOOK<\/em>, page 223, where it&#8217;s stated that a <em>pocketknife <\/em>is an essential for <em>camping<\/em> (italics mine); however, there are neither Wolf achievements nor Wolf electives that involve the use of any edged tool, including a pocketknife.\u00a0 This doesn&#8217;t happen until the Bear year, and that&#8217;s where you&#8217;ll find your third policy.\u00a0 It&#8217;s in the <em>BEAR HANDBOOK<\/em>, page 147: &#8220;Keep your knife at home unless your parent&#8230;<em>and<\/em><strong> <\/strong>Den Leader tell you otherwise&#8221; (italics mine).<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m a new Cubmaster, and I\u2019ve encountered a conflict between two committee members.\u00a0 (I\u2019ll most likely be talking with our Unit Commissioner about this, but I\u2019d like to get your viewpoint, as well.)\u00a0 <\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The start of this Scout year brought a new committee chair, and me as the new Cubmaster.\u00a0 My committee chair had difficulty with initiating communication at the beginning of this transition period, from which a conflict emerged and has now gotten out of hand.\u00a0 Another new pack leader, who had recently moved into the area had\u2014via pre-move emails\u2014offered his \u201cextensive Scouting resume\u201d to the pack.\u00a0 Based on this resume, I offered him an Assistant Cubmaster slot.\u00a0 But it seems that, unbeknownst to me, members of the pack committee had the opposite reaction\u2026they were turned off by his \u201cresume.&#8221;\u00a0 Then, before ever meeting anyone personally, he suggested changing our pack\u2019s usual fall campout event to, instead, going to a council-wide even for packs.\u00a0 Our pack\u2019s secretary (who, having run our own event for years, was considerably \u201cattached\u201d to it), fired off a shouting flame-mail, which achieved \u201cHow Dare You!\u201d return-fire. \u00a0As with messes like these, both had used \u201creply all\u201d with unhappy results all-around.\u00a0 Computers all around town were exploding!\u00a0 I stepped in, as best I could, and offered to manage this back down to molehill size.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Then, a surprise\u2026 Turned out I really liked where this guy was coming from!\u00a0 We agreed that, between us, we can take this pack to exciting, positive places it\u2019s not been before in anyone\u2019s memory.\u00a0 So I smoothed things over with the secretary, and all seemed well\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>On the committee\u2019s first meeting of the year, our Chair couldn\u2019t attend, so I led the meeting. All seemed OK.\u00a0 My new Assistant Cubmaster sat to my immediate left; the Secretary to the right.\u00a0 I directed my remarks forward, to the committee members.\u00a0 At a point, the secretary interjected a remark which was directed to all, generally, but, instantly and unexpectedly, the ACM directed his own remark laterally behind me, directly\u00a0to secretary, and the result was a re-performance like the emails, but this time face-to-face. Not to let the meeting devolve into rancor, I rapidly and delicately as possible ended the meeting.<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In a post-meeting de-brief, the ACM saw himself as doing nothing wrong except sticking up for himself when \u201ccornered\u201d and the secretary was too emotional to settle down.\u00a0 After a brief cool-down moment, the secretary apologized for here original email while the ACM mildly allowed as how his outburst may have not been in the best of judgments.\u00a0 But the damage is done and the tension amongst the pack\u2019s adult volunteers is now catastrophic, and I\u2019m smack in the middle.\u00a0 <\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>At this point, I believe mediation is only answer, and it will come most likely through our Unit Commissioner.\u00a0 However, with your experience, what would you recommend? (Steven Marquez)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>OK, several thoughts here&#8230;\u00a0 First, you need to caution both the secretary and the ACM, separately of course, that there&#8217;s a choice: You can be right, or you can be happy\u2014take your pick.\u00a0 They also need to be told, privately, that there&#8217;s a big difference between being right and being righteous.\u00a0 Think &#8220;cooperative inventiveness.&#8221;\u00a0 From now on, they can only use the words &#8220;\u2026and so&#8230;&#8221; \u00a0No more, &#8220;Yeah, but&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>What happened at that meeting is classic group dynamics stuff. You, as the leader of the meeting, occupied the &#8220;power position.&#8221;\u00a0 So what did your two buddies do?\u00a0 The secretary took the &#8220;power position&#8217;s best friend&#8221; seat to your immediate right and the ACM (maybe because the right-hand chair was already taken) took the &#8220;power position&#8217;s second-best friend&#8221; seat.\u00a0 With those two seats in place, the mayhem had to happen!\u00a0 It&#8217;s always a duel between those two seats!\u00a0 In any sort of group&#8230; volunteers, business, education, whatever!\u00a0 What happened was virtually inevitable, and there&#8217;s almost nothing you could have done to stop it, except get up and change seats before starting the meeting!<\/p>\n<p>There are only two kinds of leaders: Those who lead from authority and those who lead from influence.\u00a0 Almost never can anyone come from both places at the same time; inevitably, one &#8220;style&#8221; will dominate over the other.\u00a0 From what I&#8217;ve gathered so far, your ACM is leading from authority and your secretary is leading from influence. This is oil-and-water&#8230; actually, it&#8217;s more like gunpowder and fire.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s something to try&#8230; You and the Committee Chair need to be a <em>team<\/em>.\u00a0 The CC&#8217;s job is to keep the secretary away from the ACM (including non-overlapping emails), and your job is to keep the ACM away from the Secretary.\u00a0 This is do-able\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Since pack committee meetings in a very well-run pack don&#8217;t include either Den Leaders or ACMs, and CMs only part-time, and leaders&#8217; meetings led by the CM include any ACMs plus DLs, and no committee members, get these two different types of meetings in place and you&#8217;re halfway to a solution.\u00a0 Further, since pack committees aren&#8217;t supposed to have anything to do with creating pack program (they only support; they don&#8217;t decide), the secretary won&#8217;t be showing up at the leaders&#8217; meeting, or making decisions about what the pack as a whole does or doesn&#8217;t do.\u00a0 And your job is to control your ACM before he annoys the Den Leaders, too!<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s sorta like two kids who can&#8217;t get along&#8230; Keep &#8217;em away from each other!<\/p>\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\u2019ve been reading your column for\u00a0some time and now I have a question for you\u2026 For an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project, how does the BSA define \u201cgiving leadership to others\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019ve read both the 12<sup>th<\/sup> and 11<sup>th<\/sup> editions of the <em>SCOUT HANDBOOK; <\/em>and the<em> SCOUTMASTER HANDBOOK<\/em>, <em>PATROL LEADER HANDBOOK<\/em>, Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project workbook, NYLT syllabus, <em>TROOP COMMITTEE GUIDEBOOK,<\/em> plus www.<a href=\"http:\/\/scouting.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Scouting.org<\/a>, and can\u2019t find any formal guidelines for the Scout or those who are supposed to be mentoring him.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The reason I\u2019m asking is because many troops require adults to supervise the Scout on-site, even though the Scout is supposed to be doing the leading (and supervising).\u00a0 How can a Scout lead if he\u2019s being directly supervised by some adult?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Moreover, I\u2019ve noticed Scoutmasters\u00a0and unit committees\u2014instead of the Scout\u2014do the asking and arranging of helpers for Eagle projects, even though the BSA says that Scout is supposed to be organizing the personnel needed for his project<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When this sort of stuff happens, how can any Scout from troops like these truly \u201cgive leadership to\u201d his own project? (Bob Fario, Patriots\u2019 Path Council, NJ)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>First, let&#8217;s understand this: The BSA doesn&#8217;t formally define what &#8220;leadership&#8221; is, as pertains to a Life Scout&#8217;s service project for the Eagle rank.\u00a0The BSA does say, however, that one of the responsibilities of the members of the board of review for Eagle rank is to determine the extent to which the Scout showed leadership in the carrying out of his project.<\/p>\n<p>Second, now that the BSA has rewritten the rules, it is, in fact, required that adults provide &#8220;two-deep leadership&#8221;\u2026 However, the word \u201cleadership\u201d in this instance needs to be understood to mean \u201csafety net\u201d and not \u201ctaking charge\u201d or \u201csupervising.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(Although you didn\u2019t bring this point up, the typical rationale for having multiple adults present at a Life Scout&#8217;s work-site (assuming there&#8217;s construction, of course), is the whole \u201cpower tool\u201d issue, which can easily be made to go away by simply using hand tools.)<\/p>\n<p>Third, it is assumed that the Life Scout will take charge of all aspects of his project, including recruiting his helpers.\u00a0 (If I were sitting on a board of review for a Life Scout whose Scoutmaster or Committee Chair or some other misguided-but-well-meaning adult had participated in some major way toward recruiting help, <em>and the Scout allowed this to happen<\/em>, I\u2019d have serious misgivings about the &#8220;leadership quotient&#8221; here\u2014but do understand that this is my personal value and not necessarily the BSA&#8217;s.)<\/p>\n<p>As to your question, &#8220;How can a Scout&#8230;truly give leadership?&#8221; we can only take deep breaths and hope that the district or council advancement committee present at the board of review counsels the troop&#8217;s adult leaders afterward (without punishing the Scout for the failure of the adults to &#8220;get it&#8221;), or, somehow, the district advancement committee picks this up during the project concept sign-off process and counsels that troop&#8217;s adult volunteers.<\/p>\n<p>What else might be done?\u00a0 Well, this would be a wonderful topic for a Boy Scout Leader Roundtable!<\/p>\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&#8217;m a relatively new Unit Commissioner, but this is my third \u201ctour\u201d in Scouting (youth for nine years, Scoutmaster for five, and district level for five more). \u00a0I read with interest your comments, a while ago, about the Scoutmaster who made Scouts do push-ups for even slight and harmless \u201cinfractions.\u201d\u00a0 While I was reading, I was remembering when my Scoutmasters when I was a Scout had been Army and Marine Corps Sergeants (I&#8217;m a proud Army brat)\u2014We got a <em>lot<\/em> of \u201cDrop an\u2019 gimme ten\u201d!\u00a0 But never for stuff like forgetting a handbook! In an era when students could get paddled, at school, by both teachers and principals, ten push-ups was hardly considered \u201ccorporal punishment\u201d!\u00a0 But that was then.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fast-forward to today, when things that were common practice once are permitted no longer. \u00a0What that Scoutmaster himself may have been subjected to, years ago when those things were accepted by society at large, bears no relationship to what\u2019s acceptable today. \u00a0Today a Scoutmaster should not be treating Scouts any differently from how he\u2019d want his own son to be treated by a teacher. \u00a0 He\u2019d probably go ballistic if his own son was made to \u201cdrop-and-do-ten\u201d in front of the class or out in the school hallway for forgetting to do his homework (or for any other reason, for that matter). \u00a0So, Scouting must be no different. \u00a0I hope all it took was a face-to-face with the Committee Chair and Chartered Organization Representative, and that the guy became the kind of Scoutmaster our sons need most\u2014because no one who cares about the Scout themselves wants a Scoutmaster to fail, any more than we want our sons to fail. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>As you&#8217;ve said countless times, Scouting is intended to teach the right behavior when we mess up. \u00a0It can be done with carrots as well as sticks (better with carrots, usually). \u00a0My own son&#8217;s Scoutmaster instituted a \u201cTroop Cup\u201d patrol competition that the Scouts really loved and responded to very well\u2014points were awarded to each patrol at each troop meeting for the number of handbooks that showed up, whether they had their patrol flag, and how well they hollered out their patrol cheer. (Obviously, the number of handbooks couldn\u2019t exceed the number of Scouts present, and since each patrol had eight Scouts, that put a premium on regular attendance with their handbook by every Scout, and those who missed a meeting or came but without his handbook let his whole patrol down. \u00a0It was a big deal when the Scoutmaster announced the points earned by each patrol that week and for the six-month \u201cpoint period.\u201d\u00a0 What was the \u201cprize\u201d?\u00a0 A simple \u201cWe\u2019re Numero Uno!\u201d (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thanks for your point-of-view!\u00a0 I also remember being a Scout in a troop Scoutmastered by a former NCO (who\u2019d been \u201cbusted\u201d three times, or so he bragged), who made us do &#8220;duck-walks&#8221; and &#8220;drop n&#8217; gimme ten&#8221; if we so much as hiccupped.\u00a0 I quit that troop after two fun-for-nobody-but-the-Scoutmaster meetings.\u00a0Today that duckwank would be charged with abuse of minors, and the arrest would be righteous.<\/p>\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 have a Scout in my troop who is awaiting his Scoutmaster conference for advancing to Star rank. \u00a0I\u2019ve been making him wait on this conference for three months because he\u2019s not been displaying a lot of Scout spirit towards other Scouts or towards classmates at school. The latest incident happened when he took money from a Scout at a troop meeting without asking. The other Scout was paying his dues and was due to get change back; instead, the Scout in question kept the change. I was about to give him his conference that night, but that made me very unsure of how best to proceed. This Scout has instigated several incidents that have almost started a fight with another Scout. The worst was at summer camp, where he was almost sent home. Any guidance you can give me would be most appreciated. (Mike Hom)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s get some details out of the way, first\u2026 Like the dust-up at camp last summer.\u00a0 Whatever happened, it was dealt with, and the decision to keep the Scout at camp was made.\u00a0 That\u2019s the end of that story, unless someone like building up cow-chip arsenals.\u00a0 As for the unreturned change from a dues payment, I first need to ask why dues are given from one Scout to another instead of from a Scout to the troop\u2019s (adult) treasurer.\u00a0 But, if you\u2019re absolutely certain that this was deliberate on the \u201cproblem\u201d Scout\u2019s part, what was done?\u00a0 How was he helped to learn, right then and there, that there are consequences to our actions?\u00a0 Merely withholding a Scoutmaster conference is a semi-\u201cpunishment\u201d and hardly relates to the behavior \u2014 Where\u2019s the \u201clearning moment\u201d here?<\/p>\n<p>OK, &#8217;nuff sed.\u00a0 Let\u2019s move on to the \u201cScout spirit\u201d aspect\u2026<\/p>\n<p>How about we start with what this Scout&#8217;s handbook tells him about such conferences: &#8220;&#8230;Every Scoutmaster conference is an opportunity for you to review how you are doing&#8230;&#8221;\u00a0 Now let&#8217;s add what your own handbook tells you, as Scoutmaster: &#8220;&#8230;The Scoutmaster conference can be used as a counseling tool at any time and for a variety of other (i.e., not necessarily precursors to rank advancement) reasons&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Based on these insights, this Scout needs a conference <em>right now<\/em>.\u00a0 If you don&#8217;t do this, how will you ever get to the bottom of what&#8217;s troubling this young man, that he&#8217;s doing the things you&#8217;ve described? When you do this, without waiting any longer, you demonstrate to this Scout that he&#8217;s important and that you care.\u00a0 It doesn&#8217;t mean he&#8217;s &#8220;ready to advance&#8221;\u2014Such a conference isn&#8217;t a shoo-in; it\u2019s structured so that the Scout can self-evaluate.\u00a0 You&#8217;re the facilitator; not inquisitor or lecturer.<\/p>\n<p>After you&#8217;ve asked him how it&#8217;s going at school, with his brothers and\/or sisters (if any), with his parents at home, and so on (one-by-one, of course), you might open up the key subject something like this&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Well, you&#8217;ve completed almost all the requirements for your next rank, so here&#8217;s where we get to chat a bit.\u00a0 One of the sort of undefined requirements is &#8216;Show Scout spirit,&#8217; which means living the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life.\u00a0 How well do you think you&#8217;ve been doing this&#8230;?&#8221; (Then you stop talking, and remain silent until he speaks up.\u00a0 If he doesn&#8217;t speak up, you simply say, &#8220;OK, well, when you figure out how you&#8217;re doing in this area, come see me and we&#8217;ll talk again.&#8221;)<\/p>\n<p>The very next week, if he doesn&#8217;t seek you out by about halfway through the troop meeting, take him aside and ask him, &#8220;Say, you&#8217;ve had a week to think about Scout spirit&#8230; I&#8217;d like to hear from you on how you think you&#8217;re doing&#8230;&#8221; (Then, same follow-through as before.)<\/p>\n<p>At some point, it&#8217;s going to dawn on him that he needs to speak up.\u00a0 Maybe sooner; maybe later.\u00a0 Give him time, and don&#8217;t pressure him, because this needs to come from &#8220;inside&#8221; him and he has to know you&#8217;re not &#8220;the enemy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>If his reluctance persists, you may need to say to him, &#8220;You know, I&#8217;m not your teacher, pastor, parent; I&#8217;m your Scoutmaster, which means that anything you and I talk about stays between us.\u00a0 With that understanding, how about we talk a little bit about what you believe Scout spirit really means.&#8221;\u00a0 Then give him a chance to talk, and follow up with, &#8220;OK, if that&#8217;s Scout spirit, how do you think you&#8217;re doing?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A few guidelines&#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don&#8217;t badger him<\/li>\n<li>Stay open (including your &#8220;body language&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li>No desk or other furniture between you<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t accuse; don&#8217;t bring up whatever happened at summer camp (that&#8217;s way past!)<\/li>\n<li>Never ask a &#8220;why&#8221; question (e.g., &#8220;Why did you&#8230;?&#8221; &#8220;Why didn&#8217;t you&#8230;?&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li>Remain nonjudgmental at all times<\/li>\n<li>You&#8217;re not his &#8220;friend&#8221; or &#8220;buddy&#8221; but you <em>are <\/em>like an uncle or big brother.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Waste no time.\u00a0 This boy needs someone like you NOW!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thanks. You\u2019re very clear in your advice but I didn\u2019t give you all the information. \u00a0I\u2019ve had numerous conferences with this Scout about how he handles himself in front of other Scouts and how things in the troop and his life in general affect his attitudes toward his peers. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It seems to me that he just makes bad decisions at the worst of times. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s one Scout in the troop who just seems to draw the worst out of him at times. I\u2019ve sat both of them down together and also separately, to try to come to some kind of settlement for them.\u00a0 I know I&#8217;ve got my work cut out for myself\u00a0with these two; any further advice would be greatly appreciated. (Mike)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As Scoutmaster, I once had two Scouts who &#8220;hated&#8221; (their word) one another; they refused to be tent-mates, even though they were in the same patrol.\u00a0 I told each one of them this (separately): &#8220;OK, I hear you.\u00a0 But before I ask your Patrol Leader to split you two up, I want you to come back to me knowing everything about that other Scout&#8230; I want you to tell me his favorite subjects in school and the ones he hates; I want to know how he gets along with his brother(s) and sister(s); I want to know what his favorite football, baseball, and basketball teams are; I want to know what sports he likes playing and which he doesn&#8217;t; I want to know who his best friends in the troops are and who he&#8217;d just as soon avoid; and I want to know what his favorite foods and snacks are and what vegetables he can&#8217;t stand; heck, I want to know what his favorite gum is and what his favorite computer or x-box games are.\u00a0 When you can come back and tell me these things, I&#8217;ll think about splitting you up.\u00a0 You&#8217;ve got two weeks to do this.&#8221;\u00a0 Can you figure out what happened?\u00a0 Yup&#8230; you&#8217;re right!\u00a0 Worth a try&#8230;?<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If a registered Scout leader is enrolled in or attending anger management classes or counseling, can he or she hold any registered leader position or perform any functions as a registered leader? \u00a0What about contact with youth? (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Well, it&#8217;s good to know whoever it is, is getting needed help!\u00a0 As for the legalities of this situation, and its ramifications, best to ask your Scout Executive.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We have two Scouts who are unable to complete their First Class requirements because they can\u2019t swim four laps. All their other requirements are completed, and we\u2019ve worked with them on swimming the distance three or four times, now.\u00a0 Is there any other way they can complete First Class? (Kimberli Brewer)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Nope, no other way unless they have some sort of medically-confirmed mental or physical disability.\u00a0 That said, I have to believe they&#8217;re going to feel pretty left-out if they&#8217;re not swimming by next summer&#8217;s Scout camp experience with their troop.\u00a0 So, based on what you&#8217;ve told me, they need to build up their stamina so that they can swim 75 continuous yards using any stroke other than the elementary backstroke and then complete to continuous 100 yards using the elementary backstroke.\u00a0 This may take pool-time and practice, but it&#8217;s hardly impossible for just about all healthy, enthusiastic Scouts! (Maybe they&#8217;ll try a little harder, and accomplish this, if they know that there&#8217;s no &#8220;Get Out Of Jail Free&#8221; card in the deck!)\u00a0 Let them do this on their own&#8230; It&#8217;s their rank and they need to own it.<\/p>\n<p>But, before you cut them loose to work on this for themselves, be sure to re-cast their situation\u2026 It\u2019s absolutely not that they \u201ccan\u2019t\u201d swim 100 yards; it\u2019s simply that they haven\u2019t done so, yet.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what another Scouting reader has to share, that may help these Scouts\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s one for &#8220;weak swimmers&#8221;\u2026 Learn the breaststroke! This is the easiest to learn of all swimming strokes, and is perfectly OK for the First Class swim test. \u00a0Forget the &#8220;American crawl&#8221; or \u201cfreestyle,\u201d which is a difficult racing stroke that has become the basis for most learn-to-swim programs. (Tom Trask, MC, Colonial Virginia Council)<\/strong><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Hi Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If someone earned the Scoutmaster Award of Merit and then later earns the Unit Leader Award of Merit, can he or she wear both knots?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Also, are we supposed to stop wearing the centennial ring around the World Crest on January 1<sup>st<\/sup>?\u00a0 Or does it get worn \u201cforever\u201d so long as you were a registered BSA member in 2010?\u00a0 (Name &amp; Council Withheld)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The original Scoutmaster Award of Merit has historically been a white knot on a tan background; now, a square knot of a different motif is used more broadly to signify Award of Merit for Cubmasters, Coaches, and Venturing Advisors as well.\u00a0 Should someone who&#8217;s already wearing the SAM square knot be accorded the comparable award for Cubmaster, Coach, or Advisor, he or she would continue to wear a single square knot, but would now attach two devices to it: One for Scoutmaster and one for the second (or third) program in which it was received.\u00a0 These devices use the classic &#8220;butterfly-on-post&#8221; clasp and are pinned to the badge itself. (We try not to wear duplicate square knots, and these devices are the solution to this situation.)<\/p>\n<p>(By the way, one doesn\u2019t actually \u201cearn\u201d these recognitions in the sense of completing requirement; these are by nomination only and seek the recipient.)<\/p>\n<p>The centennial &#8220;donut&#8221; made for wearing around the World Crest can stay in place in years beyond the centennial.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<hr align=\"center\" size=\"2\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Andy,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We have a gentleman in our district who was presented the Robert E. Burt Volunteer Award medal and plaque by the Sons of the American Revolution in 1990 for his outstanding service to youth and Scouting. Since the Community Organization Award didn&#8217;t come out until 1992, would he be entitled to wear this square knot on his uniform today? (David Pottorff)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My research tells me that the Robert E. Burt Boy Scout Volunteer Award is the name for an award for Scouters of the Sons of the American Revolution; an honor due to members of the SAR who act as role models and provide dedicated service to the young men in the Scouting movement.\u00a0 It&#8217;s awarded by the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution and is recognized by the BSA in the COA category.<\/p>\n<p>It therefore strikes me that if the gentleman you&#8217;re speaking of received the medal, he should certainly be eligible to wear the &#8220;square knot.&#8221;\u00a0 Heck, if he received it today, he sure would!<br \/>\n<strong>HappY ScOuTing!<\/strong><\/p>\n<form>\n<h3>Andy<\/h3>\n<p>(November 30, 2011 \u2013 Copyright \u00a9 Andy McCommish 2011)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/form>\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. 44: Never argue with idiots.\u00a0 They\u2019ll drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience. Dear Andy, I\u2019m a member of the National Scout Council in my country, Liberia, Africa.\u00a0 Scouting says, &#8220;We are volunteers, and non-political&#8230;&#8221; Why aren\u2019t Scouts permitted to participate in national politics when we\u2019re (supposed to [&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-999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-3"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/999","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=999"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/999\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1001,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/999\/revisions\/1001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}