Last night was our Pack’s Blue and Gold. It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people, not only for the event, but for the whole Scouting year. We all work our tails off to make the event a success, and I will say, other than a couple of awards getting missed, overall, it was a great night. 

10 out of 10 Scouts crossed over…that puts us at 100% crossover for the last 4 years. Now, all of those Scouts have not stayed with the Boy Scout program, and I am truly sorry for that, but not to sound pretentious, none of the dropped Scouts are from my troop. 

Anyways…back to my post. As I was saying, it was a great B&G dinner, with a lot of awards, a lot of good-byes and a lot of thanks. As the night went on, I worked the room. I have a large personality, and I am not really uncomfortable in front of a crowd. But last night was a bit different. 

Chalk it up to not knowing my crowd, or worrying about the other shoe to drop in regards to how the event was going or just overall jitters. But like I said, I am pretty good in a crowd. 

I walked around the room, looking at the faces in the crowd. I took some pictures, said a couple things to a couple people, patted a few on the shoulder and went back to my table. I sat across from the CR and his wife, next to my ASM and his family (they were an ‘outgoing’ family who crossed late last year), another one of my Scout’s and his family, and then 2 of my 3 boys…one Tiger, the other the Troop Guide. (My third son went to his troop meeting). 

I looked at George, the CR, and said, “I think that it’s time for me to move on from the pack. My time here, is done. I don’t know 2/3rds of the people here, and to be honest, I want them to enjoy their Scouting experience…without me. I have been here for 10 years, and I think that it’s time for a new generation to pick up the torch and lead this pack.”

“Nah…you will stay around for awhile…heck, you have a Tiger, so you have 4 more years.” was his reply.

I looked at him and said that I didn’t think so anymore. I went on to tell him that I don’t have the desire to continue on as a Cub Leader, nor the ambition to want to figure it out. I had been saying for years that it’s time for me to let the pack sink or swim. I have been seeing them sinking, but they are still trying to swim, too. I have to have faith that they will do fine without me. It’s hard, but I think that last night was my exclamation point on my time as a leader with Pack 4363. I made the commitment to stay with them until May 31st, and will keep that promise. But come June 1st, I just can’t see me ever donning the blue shoulder loops anymore. 

I could be wrong, but as far as I can see, this may be the end of my era in Cub Scouting.

Saturday was TLT…Troop Leadership Training for those that aren’t into using a lot of acronyms. The event was well attended…actually, the entire PLC was there, and they were really excited.

One of the first things that we did was the ball-toss game. Everyone gets into a circle, and tosses the ball to each other. There are a couple rules that go with the game.

1. You have to throw the ball to the same person.
2. You have to receive the ball from the same person
3. You can’t toss the ball to the person on either side of you
4. You can use any tossing method to get the ball to it’s destination

So, they started in a circle. One ball…lot’s of goofing, lot’s of time “wasted” on just one ball. I italicize the wasted, as at the time, they thought it was a waste. After about 5 minutes, I introduced the 2nd ball, and they still struggled with it. They didn’t even get a chance to get to 3, as the frustration set in, and it was time to actually get started.

In all, we had an 86-page PowerPoint presentation to get through. Whew, this was a bit more in depth than the last time. I was armed with my bag of mini-candy bars, my buzzers and a cup of coffee…I never got to the buzzers, but it was fun to have them anyways.

We went through the slides, talking about the 8 methods, the structure of the troop, how to handle conflict, Start-Stop-Continue, Vision and a lot of good materials. They listened, I spoke. They had questions, I answered them. They may not have understood some of the verbiage, but I would try to explain it to the younger scouts.

One thing that impressed me, was the amount of notes they took. Their pens and pencils were flying, writing everything down that I was saying and copying everything from the PowerPoints. I would ask questions, guided-learning questions of course, and the first one to belt out the answer would get a piece of candy. Talking out of turn or taking someone’s candy (think interception) would result in push-ups. “Drop and give me 15″…and then count 1, 3, 9, 13, 15…and we would all laugh about it. This worked for the argument that the Scout uniform wasn’t comfortable…if you could do push-ups in the uniform, you can do anything.

We started by 9 and finished by 12:30…just as the pizza lunch arrived. While the Scouts were in one room, eating their pizza and watching YouTube videos on the SPL’s laptop, my Scoutmaster Team and I sat in another room and ate our pizza and got to know each other a bit more. Now, mind you, 2 of my 3 ASMs, I have known for 8 and 5 years, respectfully. Jay, I haven’t known for more than 3 months.

We talked about the program, some of the fun that we have and other things, all while just enjoying a couple pieces of pizza. Mark and I talked about what we have done, Joe and Jay talked about what we could do. In all, we knew what we need to do, to be successful mentors.

After lunch, we had a PLC…once again, very fruitful. The SPL did a great job handling it all, the ASPL learned, the PLs understood, and the TG was ever so diligent in his duties of helping. All in all, I was very happy at the end of the day.

I came home, checked some things on the computer and got a call from a Scout who has been away from the troop since last fall, with sporting commitments. Well, last weekend, I got a text from his Dad saying that he wasn’t coming back. I had thought it was due to all the sports, but during training, the PLC let me know that he may not come back due to some issues that happened a few weeks after summer camp with a Scout and his Dad.

So, I asked him to come back for a meeting or two…he needed to see how much the troop has changed in the last 6 months. I couldn’t guarantee that he would love the results, but I know, as well as the rest of the PLC knows, that our troop isn’t the same one that we were 6 months ago. The unruly Scout’s behavior, changed. The adult…removed. The problems with the charter org…fixed, as we moved both night and location, and got a great new CR.

And then to wrap it all up, I threw in the “100% attendance” for TLT and how the Scouts are truly running the program now.

All in all, great day for 1363. We are only going up right now, and that’s what happens when you let the Scouts do what we talk about doing…letting them lead.

Always cross them. Always dot them…you know the drill. We have rules and regulations to follow, but sometimes, not everyone does. And that comes down to recharters. 

Today, I had to drop off applications for Scouts that crossed over. We wanted to get them transferred so that they begin to advance in rank. We planned on turning those apps in with the recharter paperwork, but the council office explained that if we don’t do the transfer now, any ranks the scouts worked on before the expiration of the charter would be null.

It made sense to me. If a Scout transfers to a unit, before recharter and his pack renews the registration, his membership stays active. If a Scout transfers after recharter, but his pack renewed the registration, his membership stays active. If the Scout transfers after recharter, and the pack doesn’t renew the registration, the Scout’s membership drops…he’s on the unregistered list. And this may be unknown to Troops and Packs, and may not get found until the Scout registers for camp. Then someone has to cough up the fees and application. 

So, here’s where this all comes into play. I, as the CC for the Pack, am charged with handling the recharter. As I looked over my roster, I found the names of 4 Scouts that crossed over in February…2012. Why were they still on there? Didn’t they cross? Why is it only 4? 6 Scouts crossed last year…4 to one troop, 2 to mine…didn’t make sense to me…

Until today. I was at the council office for the reasons above, and asked the Registrar about it. She said, “that’s funny…I had to call their leaders and tell them that we needed transfer apps, and needed them by the 31st, or the charter will expire, and those scouts fall onto the unregistered list.”

“But, isn’t that a part of the joining process for becoming a Boy Scout? Find a troop and fill out an application?” I asked. 

“Yea, that’s right…” said the Registrar

“So, that’s why those 4 Scouts are still on my charter? In other words, they were registered with my unit. Meaning that ultimately, if something would have happened, our pack and or CO could have been responsible? There’s something wrong there. Now I know why I have seen Scouts still on our council roster 11 months after they have crossed over. I just thought it was a system glitch.”

I got to thinking…if this unit, a unit that’s been around for +30 years, has been doing this for that long, has the council been going back and fixing things for them? Because, if those Scouts weren’t properly registered, they aren’t members in the BSA…and if they have no membership, they earn no rank. 

I also got to thinking…we paid $9 in transfer fees today…obviously, if this has always happened with this unit, does that mean that they have never paid the $1 per Scout, and in essence, gyp the BSA out of proper dues? My mind got to racing about how irresponsible this is…and to a unit that, at times, has seemed to point the finger at my unit and make disparaging remarks about how our program is run. 

“You don’t want to go over there…they make you guy all your own equipment. Here, we have plenty”

“They are all young over there…no experienced leaders or older youth to teach”

“Their a small troop…we are much larger and that makes us better”

Actually, we have a very well run program. We don’t get many calls about improper paperwork (closer to no calls, except for today). Our stuff is in on time, and we have….wait, wait…I ain’t gonna say what we do or have…that’s gloating…let’s just say that we are GOLD in JTE…but there is room for improvement. 

So, because we dot our I’s and cross our T’s, we have a solid program. I am not going to bash on another program, but this is one of those things, that as CC for the pack, I really have to look hard at this. Do I not renew the Scout’s membership that are transferring to that troop? Or do I send that unit’s leaders a friendly reminder to make sure that they fill out the proper paperwork? I am kind of torn. I don’t want to put the pack in an unnecessary  spot, liability-wise. But I don’t to punish my former Scouts for the mistakes of their new unit. 

I think that by crafting a finely worded email to the troop leaders would suffice. Not too terse, not too lenient…I don’t want to be construed as being bitter or spiteful or having “sour grapes” because I compete with this troop, but if I don’t lay it out on the line now, something may slip through the cracks and ultimately, affect a Scout’s future Scouting career. 

I do have some thinking to do, but I know which way that I am going to go…gotta cut this short, as I have to save some of my typing energy for an email.

Having one of those days? Can’t get everything completed in the time frame that you have allotted for yourself? 

Well, fear not, fellow Scouters, I am in the same boat. As you may or may not know, I am a Scoutmaster for Troop 1363, but I am also the Committee Chair for Pack 4363. I took over the latter, as a courtesy to the Pack, to help them out when the old CC resigned, due to time running short. She just had too much to do and too little time to do it. 

Why? It’s only an hour a week, right? Well, no…it’s really not. Unless you are just someone that goes through the motions, and limps through the program. If that’s the case, really, do yourself a favor and resign your post now. Your Scouts deserve more than that. 

Training…not only yours, but ensuring the rest of your Pack is trained. That can be daunting in itself. Personally, our pack does pretty well when it comes to getting trained. I keep on it, using the MyScouting.org site, along with Packmaster, which gives a nice matrix on who needs what.

Finances…we have been blessed to have had a great treasurer for the last 4 years, and from what I can tell, we have been blessed with someone who has stepped up to take on the role. It always makes me nervous, finances that is, to have a new leader in that role. We always read about embezzling from the Scouts, and with all things new, we sometimes have our doubts. But in this case, the media isn’t going to sway me, I am happy with our choice.

Program…leave those choices up to the Cubmaster. That’s why you hired him. He runs the program. Good, bad or otherwise. If you are fielding complaints about his program, then step in. But at a committee meeting, when everyone is clamoring to be heard, I just sit back and defer to my Cubmaster when it comes to program. 

So, do I have this under control so there is no griping or complaining about what happens in the pack? Nope, sure don’t. What I do have is a group of parents that do what is asked of them, and any complaints or “you should do it this way” comments are met with “Great…what are you going to do to fix/rectify/change it to make it better? Put a plan together and bring it back to the next meeting so that we can discuss.” In a nutshell, put up or shut up…that’s my motto as CC.

I don’t want to sound like I am all big and bad, or the world’s largest a-hole, but I am the CEO of a company. Not in my regular job, but as CC of the pack, everything ultimately falls on me. It’s on me to delegate, to find event chairpersons, to make sure the bills are paid, to answer to the CO, to make the difficult decisions. I choose to have it that way. I want to be “that guy”…the jerk. The more that I can look like the bad guy, the easier it is on my frontline leaders.

If the burden and pressures are off them, they can focus on their jobs. If a family hasn’t paid their dues, and their names have to come off the camp roster, that should be me to handle…not the treasurer, not the CM…me, the CC.

As the title states, my time is short…not short enough to not blog, but short as in time as the Pack CC. May 31st, I am stepping down. There will be the comments of “sure you are” or “I have heard that before” but I am sticking to my guns on this one. I came into the CC role with the interim tag, and that tag will stay there, until 5.31.2013.

Point North, my friends…

Last night, I talked with one of my transfer scouts…his younger brother crossed last month, and he decided to join him in our troop. He came to the meeting wearing his old neckerchief and numbers. I jokingly made a comment to him, and he said “uh, yea, well, I don’t know if I am staying or not”…so I took him off to the side to have an impromptu SMC with him to find out what he meant.

I started off the conversation stating that I was kidding, but that he wasn’t. “Is there something wrong with the troop or your patrol?” He said that they goof a lot and don’t seem to take it seriously. I asked him if there would be anything that he would do to make that any different, like be a leader in the troop, or something like that. He said “no”

I pressed a bit further, to find out what he didn’t like, and that was about it. I stated that we will have some fun, but it’s all new to him. I encouraged him to give us a shot before dismissing us. He agreed. We talked about his rank, and how he needed to go back to his old troop for the Court of Honor to get his rank. I asked if he passed his BoR, he said that he did, and I said “then you are a First Class Scout now.” He looked at me funny, but excited.

“Really? I was told that I am not First Class until the CoH”

I looked at him and said, “nah, once you pass the BoR, you move up in rank. You don’t have to wait until the CoH. We recognize it right away and get you the rank for the next week. We will talk about it at the next CoH, but rank is immediate…recognition comes two-fold, once at the meeting, again at the Court of Honor.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

I was seeing a pattern here on why he wasn’t diggin’ his old troop.

“So…if you don’t want to be a leader, what are your goals? What do you want to accomplish in Scouting? Eagle? Order of the Arrow?”

“Oh, I can’t be in the Order of the Arrow. I’m too young”

Hmmmm, OK…what kind of hooey is this Scout getting fed? I looked at him and said, “How many nights of camping do you have? You must have the 15 nights already. If so, with your First Class rank, you are eligible to be in the OA on the next ballot, which will be in March for our troop. Is that a goal of yours?” He didn’t really have an answer because he didn’t know if I was full of it or not.

“How many Merit Badges do you have?”

“5″ and he listed them for me. Then he said that he is working on the Citizenship in the Community, but only has until April to finish it. I looked at him funny and said, “why, do you turn 18 in April?”

He looked at me funny, and said “no, I started working on that one last year, and we only have a year to finish it or we have to start over.”

Wow…I had only read about this online, never experienced it. But there it was…someone not delivering the promise. I quickly started to think about things…where would this Scout get this information? It had to be from his old troop. But I didn’t want to believe it.

Luckily, I had an ace up my sleeve…my CC was there, and he’s an MBC for the Cit in Comm MB. The Scout told me that he only needed to complete a couple more things, but that he was really busy and didn’t know if he could complete them in time or not.

I looked at him and said “you have until you are 18 years old to complete that MB, or any MB for that matter. You can work on any MB at anytime, and as many as you want at one time. Now, if you start a bunch of them, and don’t finish them for years, I will ask you about them, but there are no time limits on Merit Badges.

“Really? Are you sure?” he asked. I confirmed my answers and then asked him if he had the blue card so that I could take a look at it. I mentioned that if he didn’t have it on him, bring it next week, and we will see what he can do to complete the MB. He looked at me and said that he didn’t have a blue card. I asked if he knew what it was, to which he said “yes, but I don’t think that I ever got one.”

“Not even for summer camp?” I asked

“Oh yea…forgot about that. I didn’t really do anything with it, though. I signed up for what I wanted and I think that I handed it to the counselor. Then I got my badge at the next Court of Honor.”

I called the CC over, and we talked to the Scout about it. We then went over the uncompleted requirements and Bob said that it sounds like he has it completed. I went to my bag, got out a Blue Card, signed it and handed it over to the Scout. I said that if he wanted to finish it on his time, go ahead.

It was shortly after this that it seemed as if there was a bit burden lifted off this Scout. I can’t say whether this will change his mind (I hope that he sticks with us), but I know that I helped arm him with knowledge that should he decide to go back to his old troop, he can go in with a bit of a different perspective.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,600 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

Continuing on my last post…

So, his side deals have cost him a troop, and probably a pack. In the past 3 years, he has held up the re-chartering process, too, by not completing his YPT. We called him, emailed him, stopped in and did everything to get him to complete it. He got it done, but it’s going to be another drawn out process once it expires again.

A couple of years ago, the local Elk’s Lodge asked us to do a Flag Day Ceremony for them. We obliged. A few months later, they invited us to a dinner to say thanks. We obliged. The Exalted Ruler of the Elk’s asked me at that dinner how we were doing with our Charter. Good was my reply, we want to stay where we are. He gave me his card, and that was the end of it. They called again this year to do the ceremony…once again, we obliged. This time, they were even happier that we came, more so than the last two times we were there…and the previous two times, they were ecstatic.

So, the CC of the troop and I started talking about how much the Elk’s liked for us to come to there for Flag Day. I mentioned about George (the Exalted Ruler) talking to me months before about our happiness with the Moose. That was the first hint at things to come.

The second hint of things to come, was the next troop meeting…we walked into the hall at the Moose Lodge, only to find a banquet going on. Yup, we got bumped, but didn’t even get a call this time. The banquet attendees finished up, and got done in time for our meeting, but left the hall a mess, so the boys had to clean up their mess before they could start their meeting.

The third hint, on the next week, was more people in our meeting space. It’s not that we don’t welcome visitors, but these weren’t visitors…they were diners  who were drinking…in our hall, while we were trying to have a meeting. For pete’s sake, at least stand and put your hand on your heart when you see the flag. Combine that with one of the morning cleaning people complaining about our poor job of setting up the dining room, we just about had enough.

We left for camp, and the CC and I decided that once I got back from camp, we would start preliminary discussions about the possible move of the CO. Well, that didn’t happen for a while…for the simple fact that we…got…bumped…every…night…of…August. Yup, no meetings for a month. That was the final hint.

I called George on Thursday, met with him on Friday, and we made a handshake agreement 2 hours later…contingent upon 3 things. 1.) We could move troop meeting nights, 2.) the whole troop approved it, and 3.) approval from the Elks.

Well, the email went out on Saturday morning, and by noon, I had 100% support of the parents on making the move AND switching meeting nights. The following Wednesday, the Elk’s Board of Trustees approved the chartering of Troop 1363.

One bonus that we got out of it, was our Court of Honor. We were supposed to have it at the Moose Lodge on the 6th of October, but our CR couldn’t give me a confirmation, so we didn’t know if we would have a CoH. I mentioned this to George, he pulled out the Elk’s calendar, and low and behold, the hall was available for the same night. “Consider it yours for the night” he said, and we accepted.

We had our Court of Honor on that night, and it went over really well. The parents were excited, as was the new CR. Well, he wasn’t the CR yet, as we are still chartered with the Moose, but that will be changing in the next week. We presented the scouts with their awards, did a special Arrow of Light ceremony for one new scout, enrolled him and did the crossover, and made his dad one of my new ASMs. My last presentation of the night was for George…a neckerchief, a woggle, our troop numerals and a Chartered Organization Representative patch…that really made his night.

One thing that I neglected in all of this…our new CR is a Silver Beaver, Woodbadger, District Award of Merit, former DE, for UC and former District Commissioner. His wife has an equally impressive resume. They are the parents of an Eagle. So, I think that we are getting a pretty sweet deal…

So, let’s recap…

* We have a more than qualified new CR
* We have a CO that wants us there
* We have a new, larger facility that we will be the only ones in the building on troop meeting nights

I just can’t see how this is going to be a great thing for the troop, and it will help us grow.

I used to be a Moose, but I think that I will soon be an Elk…