[NO. 676]
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Hi Andy,

As a sort of “free-ranging” commissioner, I get invited to lots of courts of honor and I’m always happy to attend. But I’ve noticed two general habits that, when I stop to think about them, puzzle me.

The first one is about the two kinds of courts of honor (aka “COH”). Most Scouts BSA troops in my council have two kinds. They hold COHs for Scout through Life ranks. And they hold others for Eagle only. Why? Yeah, it’s the top rank, but it’s still a rank.
Often when I ask, the frequent reply is, “That’s how we’ve always done it,” or sometimes, “That’s what our district trainer told us to do.”
My second question is this: At COHs for Eagle, there’s often a display that includes photos often going back to Cub Scouts. Frequently there’s a “portrait” photo of the new Eagle in uniform. Okay so far, except the Scout is still wearing the Life rank badge; there’s no Eagle in sight.

I know these points won’t make or break a Scout troop, but I’m wondering what’s going on. (Mitch Erickson, Commissioner, Patriots’ Path Council, NJ)

Thanks for writing to me—sharp observations and good questions! This is how we learn from one-another! T find your answers instead of me just “winging it,” I started by checking the BSA GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT; I discovered quickly that this book is silent on courts of honor. So I turned to the TROOP LEADER GUIDEBOOK and found twelve references. Three are relevant (boldface mine):

– Courts of honor provide deadlines for Scouts to complete advancement requirements and an opportunity to reflect on their progress during Scoutmaster conferences and boards of review. (p.30)

– Every three or four months, the troop should hold a court of honor…all Scouts who have advanced to any rank…or…earned merit badges since the last court of honor should be recognized. (HOWEVER) Scouts should receive their new badge as soon as possible. (p.100)

– Courts of honor…held three or four times a year…offer formal recognition of Scouts who have advanced in rank…or earned merit badges or other awards. Most troops hold separate COHs for Scouts who have reached the rank of Eagle Scout. (p.61)

So there you have it for your first question. Although it hasn’t always been this way, separate COHs for Eagle rank are indeed encouraged. But this isn’t a “rule.” A COH can certainly include all ranks, culminating with Eagle and followed by Eagle Palms (although, strictly speaking, palms aren’t ranks; there is no higher rank than Eagle).

Between you n’ me, there are lots of advantages to “all-rank” courts of honor. Many more Scouts and their parents will be there than at an Eagle-only CoH. More local media folks will be there. More Scouts in the troop get to see “the mountaintop.” Parents of Scouts moving along on the trail to Eagle will—perhaps for the very first time—get to see what happens when their daughter or son reaches the summit of Scouting advancement. Finally and importantly, the Eagle Scouts themselves will enjoy having a much larger audience than if they were “alone” on the stage.

Yes, I’ve seen those “Life Scout” photos, too. And I think I know why. It’s mainly because far too many troop advancement coordinators (a troop committee position with a very specific set of responsibilities) and Scoutmasters don’t understand that, in this particular regard, the Eagle rank is exactly like all the other six ranks.

The Scout earning the rank is given the badge he or she has earned “as soon as possible” (see that boldface up above in the second TLG quotation? Yup, that’s it!).

So what does “as soon as possible” mean, from a practical viewpoint? Simply this: Present all badges for ranks and merit badges to Scouts who have earned them at the very next troop meeting! Yes, this means the Scoutmaster and advancement coordinator will need to hustle—get the troop advancement report filed at the council service center and go get the badges. Right now. But heck, what are we here for, if not to encourage and support Scouting Advancement?!

NEWS!

The BSA just announced that on March 1st this year all temporary changes made to Scouts BSA advancement requirements to address the COVID-19 pandemic will expire, and the standard rules for Scouts BSA advancement will return on the March 1st date.
This will include the temporary deferment of some swimming requirements for Second Class and First Class, the virtual activities temporarily substituted for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks, and requirement 9b for the Camping merit badge; in all of these instances the regular requirements will return on March 1st, 2022. The GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT, Section 10.2.2.0, states: “(Youth) members must meet current advancement requirements as written for merit badges, all ranks, and Eagle Palms—no more and no less—and they are to do exactly what is stated.” Direct any questions directly to Garfield.Murden@Scouting.org.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!

Happy Scouting!

Andy

I answer every message I receive. Please include your name position, and council. To remain anonymous if published, just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 676 1/19/2022 Copyright © 2022 Andy McCommish]

21st YEAR HELPING SCOUTS, SCOUTERS, & PARENTS

Here we go again! I sure hope this works!!!

Dear Andy,

Before the Covid world we’re in, our parents used to drop their kids off before our monthly Pack meetings and then pick them up when the meeting ended; few ever stayed around during these meetings. We’re going to start up again in September, first with outdoor meetings. Later in the year we’ll see if we can go indoors safely. But what about the drop-off/pick-up? We’ve had lots of time to read up on how a pack should operate (we were all brand-new leaders right before Covid hit, and “inherited” what had been done before). Our leaders’ manuals say the parents should stick around, but a lot of our Cubs have brothers or sisters who need looking-after, or at least that’s what these parents are telling us. Any ideas? (Bob O’Linck, CM, Montana Skies Council)

Sounds like you’ve got a BSA means “Baby Sitters Anonymous” situation. I’m guessing that your parents (and former leaders) didn’t know that monthly meetings are where their sons and daughters get to perform, lead songs and skits, and get awards like Wolf and Bear and Arrow Points and stuff. Or maybe your predecessors were the “stars” of the show. Or maybe you were the kind of pack that hires a magician or snake charmer or clown to entertain the Cubs each month. All of which means the Cubs were just sitting like lumps and watching instead of being the show itself! Consider reversing things. Make the Cubs the stars and you leaders sit back and enjoy their show…along with their parents and brothers and sisters!

Dear Andy,
Instead of indoor troop meetings, we’ve concentrated on outdoor events for our patrols. But when we have camp-outs at nearby lakes, it kills us that we can’t have a troop swim! Yes, several of our adults are trained in Safe Swim Defense. But none of them has BSA Life Guard or YMCA certification. We do have two Scouts who earned BSA Life Guard at camp two years ago, so they’re still “current.” But since they’re under 21, they can’t be supervisors. Can we invite a SSD-trained, BSA Life Guard adult from another troop to come with us, so that we’re covered? (Irv G. Ranch, Land O’ Lakes Council, MN)
Sure you can do that, and that’s a great idea. But you actually don’t have to. So long as your adult supervisor is SSD-trained, and you have Scouts with BSA Life Guard, you’re covered for a troop swim. That’s because your registered adult supervises (SSD Point 1) and the Scouts are the lifeguards (SSD Point 4). Happy trails…and lakes!

Dear Andy,
We just lost our Cubmaster; she moved away. She was really great with the kids, and she’ll be tough to replace. I’ve spoken with our parents, but they seem afraid of all the work involved. Any suggestions? (Norman Lake, Mecklenburg County, NC)
Cubmaster was one of the best jobs I ever had in Scouting. As some wag once said, “Den Leaders do all of the work and get none of the glory, but Cubmasters do none of the work and get all of the glory!” Now that’s not entirely true—the Cubmaster is, after all, the “patrol leader” of the Den Leaders who form the “patrol.” But, like a good patrol leader, the Cubmaster’s primary responsibility is to delegate…to the Den Leaders. The Cubmaster is also responsible for the content of the monthly Pack meetings, while the Den Leaders meet with and prepare their Cub Scout dens. And it’s the Cubs themselves who get to perform, while the Cubmaster is the “Emcee” or “Ringmaster” for the night!
If you present it this way, any parent with even a modest flair for “crowd management” would be crazy to not grab the Cubmaster slot!

Dear Andy,
I’m a Unit Commissioner and I really like my job and my units’ leaders. But a couple of my units doesn’t like it when I drop by unannounced. They think I’m a “spy” for the council. Of course, I’m hardly that. I drop by as a friend would. Is there any way I can change their point-of-view? (Glen Watkins, Hudson Valley Council, NY)
Maybe dropping in unannounced really isn’t such a cool idea. I know this is depicted a lot in family-type TV shows, but in real life? Well, not so much.
Would you do that to a friend? Probably unlikely. You’d call first to see if they’re home and if it’s a good time, and then you’d probably bring something to show your friendship—maybe that tool you borrowed last spring or some just-baked cookies, right?
Well, your units’ leaders like to be treated the same way. So do it! Call first. And maybe if it’s not convenient, respect that. Then, when you do go, bring something. It can be actual cookies, or maybe a flyer about the upcoming Camporee, or news about a Roundtable or a training event! That’s what a true “friend-of-the-unit” would do. I’ll bet you can do it, too!

Dear Andy,
At a National Jamboree, I happened to notice some odd-looking beaded “necklaces” around some Scouters’ and Scouts’ necks. They all had claws at the bottom. They didn’t seem to be “OA.” What was I looking at? Thanks! (Lynn Guinee, SM, Los Angeles Area Council, CA)
You spotted members of The Tribe of MIC-O-SAY! (Check the Internet—there are websites that explain more than I’ll do here.) MIC-O-SAY, founded in 1925, is—like the Order of the Arrow (est. 1915)—an “honor camper fraternity.” It began in the St. Joseph Council, Missouri, and spread over the years to further councils in the Missouri-Kansas area. MIC-O-SAY was created by a locally famous Scouter and Scout Executive H. Roe (“Chief”) Bartle, to “reinforce the principles of the Scout Oath and Law, and foster continued participation in Scouting—especially camping.” The “coup beads” and claws you saw represent advancement through the levels of MIC-O-SAY commitment.

Dear Andy,
When Webelos Scouts join our Scouts BSA troop, that’s great, but we’re having trouble getting their parents involved in the troop, too. They think they should “drop-and-run” when it’s troop meeting time, and we never see their faces! We need help, but how can we do this when all we ever see are the tail lights of parents’ cars? Help! (Ward Montgomery, Chicago Area Council, IL)
I had the same problem when I was Scoutmaster. The Committee Chair and I decided to try holding a “new parent orientation meeting,” with light refreshments. We, along with my assistants and her committee members personally called (way better than a “broadcast email”!) each new parent, describe what we’re doing for them, invite them, and get a commitment that they’d attend (we didn’t settle for “maybe” or “if nothing else comes up”).
Once there, our Committee Chair explained how all parents whose daughter is in the troop needed to have a “job” in order to support our girls and their troop. On the cork-board behind us, we had pinned a bunch of index cards, each with a different job and description on it (e.g., Outing Drivers—Transport patrols to or from outings, Treasurer—Keep the troop books and pay all bills approved by the CC, Advancement Coordinator—Keep records of Scout rank advancement and merit badges earned, and purchase awards for courts of honor,…etc.)
We explained that every family should take at least one card (we recorded who took what) and that any “leftover” cards would be “assigned.” Probably because they thought this was an ongoing “tradition,” everybody took a card.
(BTW once the Committee Chair finished her explanation, there was an awkward silence among the parents and, at first, nobody moved. That’s when I—as planned—added, “Right now, the first people to pick their job has a bunch of great choices; but if, at the end, there are cards left up here and also uncommitted parents, we’ll just assign the rest. As we had hoped, the parents wised up fast and made bee-lines for the cork-board!)
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!

Happy Scouting!
Andy
(AskAndyBSA@Yahoo.com)

[No. 675 8/17/2021 Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

Thiago, with his sister Julieta and younger brother Santiago, and their parents had just moved to our Southern California town from Guadalajara, Mexico. One of his plans in his new home and country was to be a Boy Scout. When they first moved here just a few weeks before, his father, Juan Carlos, had told him, “Esto es lo que son los verdaderos niños estadounidenses—son Boy Scouts” (“This is what real American boys are—they’re Boy Scouts”).

All three kids were almost one hundred percent bilingual—his parents had made sure of this before emigrating, and they were pretty good with English, too. Thiago had already enrolled at our nearby middle school and was placed in a class that had four of our Scouts. One was a newly-elected Patrol Leader. This meant I didn’t have to make any “Solomon’s decision” on what to do about a patrol for Thiago. He’d already been invited to join the Raving Raccoons.

With guidance first from me, then his Patrol Leader, and then me again for the wrap-up, Scout rank came easy. And continuing to work with his patrol mates, Thiago had half of Tenderfoot completed the end of April.

After I’d had good conversation with Juan Carlos, his parents encouraged Thiago to come with our troop to summer camp. What he didn’t have by way of equipment we were able to fill from the gear our graduated Scouts had left with the troop for situations like this (their own idea, years before).

At camp, check-in was smooth, our troop’s campsite was ready, and we picked tents by patrol buddies quickly. Then, into our swimsuits and head to the waterfront for our swim-tests… But Thiago hung back. When our Senior Patrol Leader asked his Patrol Leaders to gather their patrols and line up for the short walk to the water, Thiago’s face seemed to blanch as he very tentatively got in like with his patrol. I figured I knew why.

When we got our instructions at the waterfront—jump in feet-first, level off, and so on—we were also told that anyone who didn’t want to take the tests didn’t have to. Thiago was the only Scout to take a seat on the grass beside the lake.

Sitting down near him, I asked, “Don’t feel like swimming today, Thiago?”

He was quiet for a while. Then, “I can’t swim…Nobody in my family can swim,” he said.

“Hmmm… You know, Thiago, I’d much rather you tell me you haven’t learned how to swim yet; not that you ‘can’t’ swim,” I said.

“OK, Andy,” he replied. “I haven’t learned how to swim yet.”

“That’s OK, Thiago, you don’t have to go in the water today at all.”

I let the afternoon and the next morning pass. After breakfast and campsite cleanup on our second morning, several buddy pairs—including Thiago and Billy, his tentmate—asked me if they could go fishing at the space set aside next to the waterfront. Of course that was fine by me, and I decided to join them after my ASM agreed to hang out in our campsite for the next couple of hours.

But they weren’t biting that morning, or just didn’t like our bait. So I walked over to Thiago and Billy.

While Billy was breaking down his rod and cleaning up, I asked him, “You know, Thiago, yesterday you told me you hadn’t learned how to swim yet. Today’s a fine day. Sunny and warm, and not much wind on the lake. In fact, it’s an almost perfect day. Do you think this might be a good day for swimming?”

Thiago gave me a grin. “Sure, Andy. Today’s a fine day for swimming!”

So the three of us asked the waterfront staff if we could use the shallow (I personally hate the expression, “non-swimmer”) area for about a half-hour, and of course they said okay.

It didn’t take long. Starting with learning to keep our eyes open underwater, progressing to push-off-and-float, adding kicks and simple arm-strokes, Thiago was swimming. Definitely not Olympic free-style, mind you, but definitely swimming.

That night, at dinner in the mess hall, we went around each patrol table and asked each Scout to tell a little about what he’d done that day. Of course, Thiago’s story was about swimming, but it’s how he said it (and what he didn’t say) that gave me my “Scoutmaster’s paycheck” that night.

“I went swimming today,” Thiago announced. He didn’t say, “Andy taught me to swim.” He didn’t say, “I passed my Second Class swimming requirement.” He simply said, “I went swimming today.”

That’s advancement.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy
(AskAndyBSA@Yahoo.com)

[No. 674 4/20/2021 Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

Hi Andy,

I’ve recently been hearing about the BSA changing its national structure from four regions, each with six to nine “areas” within them (totaling 28), to a bunch of areas smaller than regions but larger than their former “areas” and called “National Service Territories.” Is this right? Are we going back to something like the dozen regions we had in the 1940s into the early 1970s era? (John Arable, DC, Great Plains Council, NE)

Yup, you’ve got it right—There’s a reorg on its way, but it’s not “moving back.” This is a genuine effort to move forward. Let’s also remember that the BSA has previously initiated across-the-board changes in our regional structure beginning in the 1910s, continuing into the early 1920s, then 1948 and 1973.

Let’s let the BSA describe what will happen and what the volunteer-professional roles will be. Check it all out here: https://www.scouting.org/commissioners/news-for-commissioners/?fbclid=IwAR0-oGlQNWoIeFFiJ16ApvkcLghVX7kaupcKORrECDlFJoJNiv-KWMbHLHY
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Dear Andy,

As a result of Covid-19’s impact on employment, the parents of a Scout in our troop both lost their jobs, and I just learned that their home was foreclosed on. They’re all—there are Mom and Dad, our Scout, and his younger sister—living out of their one vehicle, an SUV that’s about ten years old but at least paid off!

Does the BSA have anything that helps families like these and, if they do, where can we find whatever forms need to be filled out? We’re in the North-Midwest, but I don’t what to say more than this, so as not to embarrass them. (Name & Council Withheld)

I’m terribly sorry that this family is in such a dire situation—and I’m sure they’re not alone. Unfortunately, while the BSA is indeed a not-for-profit organization, I don’t believe it has or is associated with a foundation that can help provide for families like the one you’re trying to help.

But this is far from the end of the line. It’s entirely possible that your troop’s sponsor may be able to help—or may be able to put you in touch with an alternate resource. Also, the local community may have resources. Check with the closest YMCA and local food bank. Also, consider such websites as “gofundme.com” as a possible solution that’s not Scouting-based. I sure hope at least one of these ideas bears fruit! My heart’s tugged by this family’s situation, and I hope it can resolve quickly!
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Hi Andy,

We have a new Assistant Scoutmaster. He’s 19 years old and earned his Eagle Scout rank about two years ago. When he hit age 18, he stuck around rather than the classic “Eagle-and-age-out” routine (he’s attending a local community college, sort of, because of the Covid situation. He’s been a great ASM because he understands both leadership and how to be a team player—so much so that we may have a “jealous” Scoutmaster. Jealous because he tends to be aloof and judgmental with the Scouts, including the Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leaders, and even his own son. (Frankly, some of us on the committee do wish this ASM weren’t just 19; if he were 21, we’d probably consider changing Scoutmasters!) But anyway, here’s why I’m writing to you…

Our young ASM—I’ll call him “Pete” (not his real name)—was recently involved in a sheriff’s traffic stop—he had a broken taillight lens. He had been driving with a former high school classmate in the passenger seat and, unfortunately and unbeknownst to Pete ahead of time, his buddy stupidly popped a beer can that he had stuffed in his jacket pocket and waved it at the sheriff. This ended with the car impounded and the two young men saying hello to the desk sergeant at the Sheriff Department. Neither was charged (friendly sheriffs, thank goodness!), but both Pete and his buddy spent about an hour in lock-up. Pete got his car back and replaced the taillight lens himself; his buddy got the “Dutch Uncle” talk of his life and was released UOR.

Word got around of course, and of course the tale escalated. It quickly turned into the two being arrested, and put in prison, and on and on—none of which had happened (I’m former military police, so I made a couple of phone calls to double-check and help if needed).

So we thought this was over, when the Scoutmaster came to our troop committee (I’m not the chair, but I was a few years ago) and demanded that we “pull” Pete’s Eagle rank. He wanted our agreement that he’ll write a letter to our council Scout Executive and Executive Board, and also to the BSA national office, describing how Pete had “tarnished” the Eagle rank and demanding that Pete’s Eagle be revoked.

I told him that this wasn’t going to happen, for the simple reason that Eagle is “earned” not “bestowed,” and this means that there is no one and no group or organization that has the authority to take this rank away from Pete: Earned is earned and that’s that!

Some of the other committee members aren’t so sure about what I said, so I thought this would be a good time to write to you as a double-check, before this goes any further. Any thoughts or advice you have will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! (Pierce Boylan, MC, Former CC & SM, Prairie Winds Council, MT)

Stand your ground. The answer is: ABSOLUTELY NOT. Once he or she has earned it, the rank, the merit badge, and all else in Scouting cannot be “nullified,” or “taken away,” revoked, or any such thing. This is not only because once earned it’s the Scout’s forever, but—and you can read the entire rules and regulations of the BSA on this point—there is no procedure for doing this, no matter the reason.

Please inform Pete (and ALL Scouts, for that matter!) that Eagle is Eagle, period. Plus, he personally did nothing wrong. As for his buddy, his actions were—in a word—brainless. And that’s that.

BTW, I certainly don’t have the final word on this, but I know who does! Don’t hesitate for a second to call Mike LoVecchio at the national office (972-580-2000) and check. He’s a good guy and one-hundred-and-ten-percent knowledgeable.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy

I answer every message I receive. When writing, please include your name & council. If you want to be anonymous—if published—just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 673 4/13/2021 Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

I’ve usually published a humorous “April Fool’s Day” issue, but I’m going to make an exception this year. Honestly, with all that’s been going on this past year—world pandemic and isolation, contested elections, “cancel culture,” kids not attending classes and teachers not teaching, stuff at our southern border, mass shootings, and this morbid list goes on—I just can’t think of a way to be humorous without sarcasm or irony or being seen as “picking” on someone or some group of people, or being “mean” to someone else, or whatever. So, with sincere regret, I’m going to
take a “pass” this year.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy

A while ago, I had the opportunity to chat informally with four highly successful high school principals, two of whom had also been award-winning football coaches of state- and regionally-titled teams. All had been Scouts. The highest rank among them was Life. As we were talking about Scouting, teens, high school, college, and careers, I asked, “When should ‘Eagle Scout’ come off a guy’s resume?” Their immediate, unanimous answer– NEVER!
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Hi Andy,

I liked your answer to the commissioner who found himself cut out of the new district alignment decision-making process, but I’d like to add this about Scout troops and “feeder” Cub Scout packs: Nobody decides what troop a graduating Cub is going to join except him or her and their family. The idea that “higher-ups” on the Scouting “totem pole” are going to unilaterally decide that certain packs are or are not “feeders” for specific troops is bogus.

Yes, you’re right that this relationship often gets taken for granted. This is why the adult leaders of all the packs and troops in question need to get together and work this out between themselves, with the plan that everything remains “open” and that no troop is “cut” from any made-up “list.”

In my experience as both a pack and troop leader, I saw that 99% of the decisions on what troop to join depends on the Webelos Scout already knowing somebody in that troop—sometimes a brother or sister; sometimes a friend or classmate. At the age for joining a Scouts BSA troop, kids don’t care about the stuff their parents think is important—they want friends to have fun with. If the Scouts themselves in a local troop take the time to get to know these almost-teens and their other Webelos Scout friends, then show them a good time and make them feel welcome, that troop will be top-of-the-heap when it comes to crossing over—and, although there can be exceptions—like my own son—Webelos Scouts almost always like to go together into a troop, so they can now form their own patrol! (Cheers, CCR)
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Hi Andy,

As a still-learning Scoutmaster, I have a few random questions…

– Who is “authorized” to sign off on rank requirements for Scout through Second Class? Can a First Class Scout do this? How about Assistant Scoutmasters? (I thought the answer was Yes for both, but there’s some questioning going on among the adults and parents in our troop.)

– Two merit badges—Cooking MB and Camping—have requirements for both planning and cooking meals on campouts. For these requirements, would you consider prepackaged trail dinners where you just add water a meal? In one case, the Scout did do more, like adding fruit, snacks, and so on, and he did put thought into the menus (they weren’t just boxes of M-and-C). I’m inclined to give him a “completed” on these, but I’m not sure what the expectations are, such as do these meals have to be from “scratch.”

– What is our responsibility as Scouting volunteers if a Scout confides that he’s being bullied at school (by a classmate that isn’t a Scout)? Of course, as his Scoutmaster, I’d find a way to quickly pass this on to a parent, but would I also be obliged to contact the school where this is happening? (Concerned SM)

Thanks for raising these points—they’re all good ones. Here we go…

– The troop (specifically, the Patrol Leaders Council) decides, with guidance from their Scoutmaster, who is responsible to the troop’s committee chair and sponsor. You’ll find more details on this in the TROOP LEADER GUIDEBOOK.

– Although I earned both of these merit badges on my way to Eagle well more than a half-century ago, I’ve never been a counselor for either Cooking or Camping. Your best resources will be fellow registered counselors. And, although the likelihood of this is slim, I should mention that no Scoutmaster is ever somehow “automatically” a merit badge counselor for either of these or any other merit badges.

– I don’t usually subscribe to “what if…” scenarios, but I’m making an exception here: If a troop’s youth member alleges abuse of any kind from his peers or any adult in a Scouting environment, the adult told this will immediately inform the council’s Scout Executive, who will know the correct procedure to follow (see GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING—Youth Protection/Membership Infraction-Incident Information Form No. 680-676). If, however, if the alleged abuse is reported to be taking place outside of Scouting (e.g., at school, whether or not by Scouts), then the wise adult will immediately contact that school’s principal, who will provide advice on next steps and by whom.

(BTW, You need to start raising questions like these at your district’s Roundtables! I’m almost certain there are monthly “Zoom”-type meetings.)
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Dear Andy,

I know you’ve addressed the issue of butane lighters before and stated that they are prohibited by the BSA, but I’m confused.

The Wilderness Survival merit badge pamphlet specifically discusses Scouts using lighters. It has a paragraph titled “Matches and Lighters” that says (in part): “If you have a butane lighter, guard it against moisture and cold by keeping it tucked inside a pocket close to your body. Bring it out only when your fire lay is complete and you are ready to ignite tinder.”

If the BSA prohibits Scouts from carrying and using lighters, why does this merit badge pamphlet teach Scouts how to carry them and how to use them to start a fire?

Further, the BSA’s “Boys’ Life” (now called “Scout Life”) web page on “The Scout Outdoor Essentials” lists lighters in “Matches & Fire Starters,” with the recommendation to “Store matches or lighters in resealable plastic bags.” Here’s the link: https://boyslife.org/outdoors/outdoorarticles/6976/scout-outdoor-essentials-checklist/

Why would the BSA include lighters on an official list of Outdoor Essentials for Scouts and even provide recommendations on how scouts should store them, if they are prohibited?

I’m familiar with the Guide to Safe Scouting prohibition on using “liquid fuels” to start fires. But based on the above, it appears to me that the BSA doesn’t intend or interpret that prohibition to apply to using a lighter.

Accordingly, our Troop allows Scouts who have their “Firem’n Chit” to carry and use butane lighters. But we of course want to make sure we are following official BSA policy. If there is an official BSA publication out there that specifically bans lighters that we’ve missed, we’d love to see it. (Gil Castro, ASM, Mt. Diablo Silverado Council, CA)

Having been writing these columns for 20 years, I’d have extreme difficulty finding precisely where I’ve stated that butane lighters are entirely prohibited by the BSA. (NOTE: More on this in a moment…)

Pages 13, 29, 30, and 31 of the Wilderness Survival merit badge pamphlet show or discuss butane lighters (i.e., Bic brand-style lighters) and the GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING tells us that these same lighters are on the BSA “recommended” list. So if your Scouts use these, it’s okay by the BSA—so long as they’re not inside tents.

Well, surprise! I just found what I think you must have read… Issue 265 from July 28, 2011. Here’s what I said ten years ago…

“Hi Andy, Our troop will be going on a week-long camping trip soon. I’ve earned my Firem’n Chit, so I’m curious if it’s okay for me to bring a Zippo lighter with me.”

“Zippo lighters contain flammable liquid…leave it home. The 2011 edition of the GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING says two things: “Using liquid fuels for starting any type of fire…is prohibited” and “No flames in tents.” Now take a look at the Firem’n Chit’s statement: “This certification grants a Scout the right to carry matches and build campfires” (underline by me).”

Bottom line: I erred by falling short of a complete answer because I didn’t check beyond the GTSS. Had I checked further, I hope I would have seen and pointed out the acceptance of Bic-type lighters. As a career researcher, I’m embarrassed that I didn’t check further. Thanks for letting me know about this discrepancy.

Thank you for your kind response and clarification, and for all you do for the Scouting community. We’re lucky to have you as a resource. (Gil)
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I’m not in the habit of telling personal “war stories.” This is one of the few in captivity. I’m sharing it for anyone who believes they’re being held back by some self-important adult martinet—whether in or out of Scouting—who’s making up their own rules.

I graduated from my Cub pack on my 11th birthday, as was done in those days, and joined a Scout troop that met at my grammar school (we didn’t have “middle” schools then).

In going for Tenderfoot rank, I was prepared to do what my handbook said. I completed almost all the requirements, with just one to go. This one—pretty much the same as today—was to repeat the Scout Law and tell in my own words what each point meant to me.

My “reviewers” were the Scoutmaster and the Committee Chair. Starting with Trustworthy, I started to describe how this meant being honest and always telling the truth, and…

That’s as far as I got. I was told I’m doing it all wrong.

“In THIS troop,” they said, “we expect you to memorize exactly what your handbook says about each point of the Law.”

“But my handbook says I’m supposed to describe in my own words, and that’s what I was doing,” I said, puzzled and embarrassed.

“Well not in THIS troop,” they said. “In THIS troop, we have a HIGHER standard. And you just FAILED.”

I was crushed. I nearly cried in front of these two men. But I didn’t. I went home after the troop meeting determined to complete my first rank, and something else.

By the time the next weekly meeting, I’d memorized all twelve definitions from my handbook. Standing at attention in front of these same two, I raised my hand in the Scout sign, repeated the Scout Law, and—without missing a word—recited all twelve definitions, exactly.

“Good. Now you’ve passed. Here’s your Tenderfoot badge,” that Scoutmaster said.

I said thanks and put the pin in my pocket. Then I walked out of that troop meeting and went home.

I came pretty close to walking away permanently, but I didn’t. With my father’s help I found a new troop—one that got it right. Four years later, I’d earned my Eagle rank and stayed active in Scouting for another half-century.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy
I answer every message I receive. When writing, please include your name & council. If you want to be anonymous—if published—just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 672 3/30/2021 Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

Hi Andy,

A local troop has invited me—their Unit Commissioner—to sit on a board of review for a young man destined to be their newest Eagle Scout. Is there any protocol issue with someone in my position (i.e., UC) to do this? I figure I meet the “fog a mirror” criterion, but is there something else that would prevent me from doing this that I don’t know about. By the way, yes, I’m an Eagle Scout myself (if that makes a difference). (Will Mitchell, Milwaukee Area Council, WI)

I get the humor, but please take the time to 86 that “fog a mirror” reference—it takes a lot more than that to sit on a board of review for Eagle rank. Those who invite you must be assured—whether you’re registered with the BSA or not, or an Eagle Scout or not—that you (1) are age 21 or older (of course you are, or you wouldn’t be a commissioner), (2) understand the significance of the Eagle Scout rank (yes, you are likely to meet this criterion), and (3) understand the purpose and importance of the review (do you?). All of this is quite a bit beyond the “mirror” reference (thank goodness!).

So yes, definitely do this if you meet all criteria—and I’ll bet you do! But be aware that this may or may not be true of all reviewers, so do you best to make sure this review is for the benefit of this Scout and not for the benefit of any reviewer’s ego. And enjoy it—this is the proverbial “top of the mountain”!
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Hi Andy,

I’m really confused by a new apparent “requirement” (although it says it’s not!) for carrying out service projects of any sort, by any Scout and BSA unit, up to and including the service project requirement for the Eagle Scout rank.

A recent “Scouting Wire” broadcast email blast from the national office states: “Prior to any service projects, use the SAFE Service Project Planning Checklist (680-027 2021 Revision) and simplified SAFE Project Tool Use Guidelines.”

The “Tool Use Guidelines” text and chart are essentially the same as what you’ll find in the BSA’s GUIDE TO SAFE SCOUTING.

But the “Project Planning Checklist” looks to be brand-new, and it’s weird. It states that it “can” be used, and the BSA defines the term “can” as meaning “optional.” It also states that this checklist “…is not an added requirement for an Eagle Scout service project.” Okay so far. But then the form calls the checklist “protocols,” and this has a very different connotation from “optional.” In fact, the form states: “If it is not practical to meet these protocols, do not conduct the activity or service project.” That seems like pretty strong language for something that’s “optional.”

Further reading doesn’t clear anything up, because there seems to be stuff missing. There’s no place to enter the number or type of unit, or any of the unit leaders, or the planned date(s). More, there’s no indication that this checklist is supposed to be sent to anyone or signed off by anyone.

Also, the document has a check-box for “Supervision” that states: “Youth are supervised by quality and trustworthy adults who set the example for safety.” What? What happened to “Two-Deep Leadership” and the incumbent qualifications for this?

Unless you can help me by telling me different, I have to assume that—once again—the BSA’s left-hands have no idea what the right-hands have already done. Which, to me, makes this form total baloney—just another piece of meaningless paper that we volunteers are supposed to diddle with, to no real purpose. Please straighten me out and tell me I’m wrong. (Chap Ellhille, SM, Winston-Salem Area Council, NC)

I’ve found and read both documents, with particular attention to the checklist. In reviewing your observation relative to that form, I can’t find anything you’ve said that’s based on missing or misinterpreting what that form says (and doesn’t say). This means I have no reason to alter anything you’ve pointed out. Yes, it’s indeed a weird form, and it does contain strange instructions and omissions. Not having a direct resource in Irving, Texas, I can’t offer you a path to pursue this further. I think where I net out is that it’s indeed an optional form that you may find useful, but beyond that, I don’t see any sort of “path” for it to travel except to your troop’s file, perhaps for future reference.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy
I personally answer every message I receive. There’s no “writing staff”—just me. When writing, please include your name & council. If you’d rather be anonymous—if published—just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 670– 3/16/2021 – Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

To reach the Eagle rank, a Scout will have learned dozens of new skills and completed hundreds of specific requirements through the seven ranks and no less than 21 merit badges. Although the Scout’s Eagle Scout Service Project is just one of these hundreds, it’s often the one most well-known. This is because this project is the combination and culmination of the most critical skills learned through Scouting: Service to others, creativity, planning ahead, and leadership, to mention the most often cited.

Matthew Reger, who lives in the extreme northwestern county of Washoe, Nevada, is an Eagle Scout who successfully completed one of the most unusual—and highly needed—service projects I’ve ever come to know.

Lee Murray, of the Sierra Nevada District, Nevada Area Council, wrote to me about this. Here’s what he said:

“I thought I’d share this with you and your readers. For one of my Scouting roles, I have the pleasure of coordinating and scheduling my district’s Eagle Scout boards of review. As we know, all candidates for this highly valued rank are amazing. But occasionally we run across a young man or young woman who is extraordinary. Matthew Reger is one. For his service project, Matthew took a very sensitive and personal subject and developed a completely unique service project that initially didn’t fit neatly into any prior template for what an Eagle Service Project should look like. For those who needed to give it a green light, it took some real out-of-the-box thinking—which is exactly what Matthew has done to create it. Approval came forth, and Matthew and his team successfully completed it. It became the centerpiece of our conversation with him at his review. (That’s also when I learned that my own 14-year-old son is one of those who had a role in influencing Matthew to carry out this particular project.) Yours in Scouting, Lee.”

What was Matthew’s service project aimed at? TEEN SUICIDE. Here’s an excerpt from a speech to the teachers at his high school, that he’d delivered to promote his suicide prevention plan and its components:

“I’m here to…give you resources to help prevent (teen) suicide in Washoe County. I was inspired to do this in honor of (teen’s name) and (teen’s name), two boys who committed suicide in 2019. They were both 14 years old. One was a Scout with me and the other was a boy I had known through my mom’s business.

“Washoe County’s (teen) suicide rate is more than double the national average.

“When someone commits suicide, they leave behind family and friends…who then struggle. I know how hard it can be to recover after the loss of a loved one because my dad died in a helicopter crash…when I was just seven.

“(I have kits) for you and this presentation and some helpful handouts are on a USB flash drive in the kits.”

Lee has told me that one file is Matthew’s presentation to groups and the second is the Awareness Kit he and his team developed. I’ve tried to attach them to this issue, but no luck! But I’m sure Lee wouldn’t mind sending them to you: leemurrayaia@yahoo.com

Please put these to use – The life you may save could be…

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy
I personally answer every message I receive. There’s no “writing staff”—just me. When writing, please include your name & council. If you’d rather be anonymous—if published—just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 670– 3/16/2021 – Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

Hi Andy,

Looks like I only write you when things are going seriously awry, but thanks to your personal mission, I do know who to turn to when things aren’t right.

I’m a 20+ year volunteer and presently an Assistant District Commissioner (“ADC”) for a fairly large, multi-district council. We’ve had re-orgs in the past and it looks as though we’re starting yet another one. But where the earlier ones were transparent and inclusive, this one isn’t.

Some of my fellow commissioners and I have learned (afterwards) about meetings of staff and some volunteers held with no prior announcements, and they’ve been “closed sessions” as well. I know this for sure, because another ADC sent me the Zoom link for one of these, but when I attempted to “join meeting” I was locked out. In response to a quick text message about this that I quickly sent to my District Commissioner and District Executive, I was told I’m “not on the list,” but they promised me that they’d tell the Zoom Host to admit me. That never happened. I waited for over an hour to receive the invite confirming the session number and pass code, but that never happened. Plus, when I re-texted the DC and DE, neither responded.

Four days later, I still hadn’t heard from the DE, and then the DC told me that I’d been “transferred” to another district and I’d shortly be told which one!

Turns out my “new” district holds its commissioner meetings and district Roundtables at a location that’s more than an hour’s one-way drive from my home. When I pointed this out, I was switched to another, closer-to-home district and to three troops that I’ve served before and know well.

But then, when I met with each of the three troops’ “key three” (Chartered Organization Representative, Committee Chair, and, Scoutmaster), I learned that, thanks to a newly-drawn district “dividing line,” these troops have been “separated” from their former “feeder” Cub Scout packs! This, without any advance notice, or consultation, or actions of collaboration. It was simply done, thus giving three troops no traditional means of annual recruiting and three packs high and dry.

This isn’t the first time the DC and DE have lied to me. I’m truly puzzled about whatever happened to the Scout Law’s “Trustworthy” and “Courteous.” As a leader from one of the troops I served said, “None of these changes, or the way they were done, fits any part of the Scout Oath or Law.”

I’ve complained about the treatment of these six units all the way up the line and the only result is that the BSA national office has invalidated my “myscouting.org” name and password. I now have Internet access to my own records, to say nothing of my district’s and my unit contacts’ information!

Among other stuff I’m seeing…

Chopping out a fast-growing troop’s feeder pack (they have different sponsors, but are in the same general neighborhood and share their town’s schools!), leaving the troop high and dry.

The seemingly arbitrary forcing out of dozens of multi-decade volunteers (like me!).

“Behind closed doors” meetings and you only find out about them when you’re unilaterally reassigned or—worse—simply sent packing.

Is there anything that can be done to right our sails and proceed in a healthier (and more Scout-like) direction? (Loyal but frustrated ADC)

Probably not. If you and others are being shut out and ignored now, there’s little you’re going to be able to do to change this. In fact, you’ve already discovered that when you took some of your complaints “up the line.” (But it’s unlikely that the BSA national office was actually involved, because these folks have enough “fires” to deal with—like lawsuits and bankruptcy—and the last thing they need now is to get involved in local councils’ hairballs. Talk to your council’s registrar and see if you can get your “identity” back—and you’d best do this hat-in-hand and refrain from being belligerent or accusatory!)

In any corporate re-org (and I’ve gone through a couple of these in my professional career), there are the “ins” and the “outs.” The “ins” are a small group and cohesive; the “outs” are typically the rank-and-file, widely spread and usually with no “network.” This of course means you’re hardly alone. It’s just that you’re likely not closely connected with the majority of others who are being treated the same as you…or worse.

o what to do…

“Don’t try to fight city hall” is pretty good advice. “Ride it out and let them chew each other up” is also good advice. Don’t get on your high horse about “not living up to the Scout Oath and Law”… That’s preachy and petty. The Scout Oath in fact instructs us to “do our best” to live up to the points of the Oath and Law, and if you think about it, “our best” is indeed the best we can do! It’s just that, for these jokers, the bar’s been set a lot lower. Best to not get exercised about someone else’s inability to meet “your” standards.

All that said, there definitely is something you can do as a unit-serving representative of the BSA: You can focus on helping your units survive and thrive despite what’s being thrown at them right now. You do this by not allowing yourself to create or engage in a “unit-level pity party.” Instead, you’re the cheerleader (yes, CHEERLEADER!). Your units’ leaders need somebody who can think positively, who can find solutions to problems, who can keep them from self-destructing, who can find ways to dodge bullets and find a way around the cannon-fire.

If you’re up to it, this is the most important thing you can do! It will help your units the most! Here’s one example…

A Scout troop with a traditional “feeder pack” of Cub Scout who’ll graduate into that troop in time gets lazy. They start believing that it’s de facto that all that pack’s graduating Cubs will join their troop. It doesn’t occur to their key adults—the Scoutmaster and the troop’s chair and committee—that from at least December through February, it’s “open season” on Webelos Scouts who will soon graduate. Teach the troop you serve how to gently go after every pack in their town and—with your fellow commissioners—encourage every other troop in town to do the same.

When all the troops do this, it makes the pack leaders feel important and valued and it gives their graduating Webelos options instead of same-old, same-old. This changes the choice-dynamic for families: Instead of parents asking their son or daughter, “Are you gonna join Scout or play club or traveling soccer?” it becomes, “Which troop do you want to join?” This is a huge change in families’ thinking and it’s not only their offspring but Scouting itself that benefits!

Finally, let’s talk about you. If you continue to be unhappy and can’t shed that feeling, it’s time to go find something else that does make you happy. Because the simple fact is that if you’re not happy, no one around you is going to be happy, either. Give yourself the gift of happiness, whether it’s through Scouting or elsewhere—You deserve it!

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!

Andy

I personally answer every message I receive. There’s no “writing staff”—just me. When writing, please include your name & council. If you’d rather be anonymous—if published—just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 669– 3/10/2021 – Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]

We’ve been looking at various viewpoints on uniforms in the past several weeks. Here are some more that just came in. We also have some further comments about parent-drivers staying at a troop’s campouts, sometimes with dining provided by the Scouts…

Hi Andy,

When I first joined Scouts, I used the money I earned selling newspapers (and netting 2.5 cents per paper) on the streets of southcentral Los Angeles to buy my own uniform: $10.41. Later, I bought the green-with-white-belt Explorer uniform for only slightly more. That took sales of about 600 newspapers.

A few years ago, one of the boys for whom I was legal guardian (there were three kids in all), wanted to be a Scout (he went on to earn Life rank!), so he had more than one uniform along the way (kids do have habit of growing). At that time, shirt, pants, belt, and necessary insignia cost over $100 and was no bargain because this “BSA official uniform” had been made somewhere in Asia, and the shirt’s buttons were sewn in a nice row along the shirttail—no wearing it till we removed the buttons and sewed them to meet the buttonholes! (Dean Whinery, Life-long Scouting volunteer & council paraprofessional, now in Zacatecas, México)

Yup, I get it. My youngest son had any number of uniforms between 1988 and 1998—neckerchiefs, shorts, pants, belt, knee- and short-socks, cap—and none of them cost less than $100. Ouch!

In the late 1990’s, when I worked as my council’s Sea Scout Commodore (about the same sort of job as a Unit Commissioner), the recommended uniform shirts and pants came from the Dickies brand (the BSA didn’t sell uniforms for Sea Scouts or their adult volunteers). This was oaky by me, because a khaki shirt-and-pants combo from Dickies cost me about 70 bucks, while a comparable combo from the BSA ran over 90 simoleons!

Hi Andy,

On the issue of driving parents, if a group of them camps and cooks for themselves, they send several positive messages to the Scouts (assuming the Scouts are within sight of them). First, cooking can be fun (assuming they’re not kvetching at each other). They can also create interesting dishes that the Scouts can aspire to. Plus, they’ll be “demonstrating” good cooking methods (bring the water to an active boil before dumping the macaroni in), and techniques (use a plastic spatula in the no-stick frying pan). (Mitch Erickson, UC + executive board, Patriots’ Path Council, NJ)

Your ideas about adults cooking and Scouts looking on in awe and admiration are indeed interesting. There’s just one little problem. Scouting’s method of learning is not for youth to watch and listen–it’s for Scouts to DO. To actively dig their hands in, get grimy, make mistakes and fix them, encounter problems and solve them–all with an adult “safety net” but without direct interference except on issues of safety. Scouting is kinetic and visceral. Scouting is hands-on, not hands-twiddling-thumbs while listening to some adult drone on about how to do everything while all are surrounded by parents and others steeled to immediately jump in and keep Scouts from making mistakes.

Hi Andy,

For camping trips with parents and adult volunteers driving, I’m suggesting one more thing—arrange it so that the parent group can sort of “show off.”

Some of my favorite times as a parent when my sons were Scouts were when we went camping with the troop. The Scouts would do their thing in their patrols, and the parents and leaders would form their own “patrols” for cooking and such. We parents took great delight trying to outdo one another with creative menus.

Occasionally, we’d pitch our campsites downwind from the patrols Scouts and cooked things that smelled really good. Since many of the Scouts didn’t know that “cooking” can be much more than a scorched pot with mac-and-cheese lumping up at the bottom, “tube steaks” (hot dogs) skewered on a branch and held over the flame, and powdered “bug juice.” Camping upwind of us, our tasty aromas from beef Stroganoff, roasted corncobs, and a cranberry cobbler would waft in their direction, often yielding a Patrol Leader or two coming over to our campsite to watch what was going on and get better whiffs of those tasty aromas.

Most times, we parents would pre-plan, making way more cranberry cobbler that we’d ever need or bringing more ”s’mores” supplies than we could possibly finish. Then we’d tell the Scouts about our over-cooking “problem” and ask them if they might be able to help us off-load our excess desserts. Their eyes would light up! “Sure we can help!” they’d say.

For breakfasts, we’d usually bake multiple batches of cinnamon rolls, using a couple of Dutch ovens. Same thing: A couple of Scouts would show up at our patrol gateway, wide-eyed and asking what we’re cooking now. For this, we’d have the raw materials bagged in proper quantities for a normal patrol size and we had a couple of recipe card for them. (On Sunday mornings after the troop’s Scouts’ Own service, we’d notice as the Scouts were packing up, that their unopened little boxes of Count Chocula, Lucky Charms, and Froot Loops were getting repacked to take home. Mission Accomplished! (Robby Wright, ACC, San Diego-Imperial Council, CA)

What you and other parents did was a wonderful parent-kind-of gesture, and surely appreciated. But I’m a bit confused. I’d though this level of the Scouting programs was about Scouts doing things for themselves, with no parents around. I recall the famous quotation, “Never do for Scouts what they can do for themselves” so I’m not sure that what those troop parents did fits with Scouting’s purposeful plan of adults being “guides on the sides” instead of “sages on the stage.”

==========

Hi Andy,

I read your piece about adults grumbling about gas money to drive their Scouts to outings and the meal kerfuffle regarding both Scouts and adults.

About parents driving their sons or daughters and maybe another Scout or two, I agree that whatever dollars are spent on gas might at the most equal a couple of Chili’s hamburgers, and I also agree that gas is a small cost relative to the benefits of Scouting for our kids, so how about just sucking it up. That said, if the week-long summer camp is the three- to five-hour drive, one way, then a flat dollar amount for their vehicle and time is a fine gesture, sure to be appreciated by all (and maybe even refused by some).

Besides, it’s likely that the parents’ gas expenses may be tax-deductible. warranted. Plus, how about recognizing all parent-drivers at courts of honor—a I think a public show of thanks (and maybe a small token from that camp) can go a long way!

About who cooks what: In our troop the patrols do cook all meals to include leaders and parents. As Scoutmaster, I don’t think it’s much of an issue, but if it ever becomes one, we’ll be sure to have the Patrol Leaders Council decide what to do.

One way to handle this is to have the adults cook for themselves as a “patrol” of their own. (Joe Sefcik, SM, Connecticut Rivers Council)

I think you’re really onto something with your idea of recognizing all adults—parents or not and drivers or some other contribution to the troop—at every court of honor. Yes, these events are for the Scouts, but having “audience members” stand for recognition goes a long, long way! (A public “thank you” always trumps a couple o’ bucks!)

As for Scouts cooking, serving, and cleaning up for parents and such, I think that horse has been beaten up enough today.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!

Andy

I will personally answer every message I receive. There’s no “writing staff”—just me. When writing, please include your name & council. If you’d rather be anonymous—if published—just tell me and I’ll honor that. Although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 668– 3/2/2021 – Copyright © 2021 Andy McCommish]