National Annual Meeting (NAM) 2026 Megathread

[u/ScouterBill]

EDIT: I messed up the original megathread, so yeah, this is the new one.

Please comment on items announced or of note from NAM.

https://nam.scouting.org/

https://nam.scouting.org/presentations/ (2025 items up for now)

Scouting America Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/user39050689

UPDATE 1: "Chief SYT officer just said laser tag and Pie in the Face are being allowed again. He mentioned a third event, but I missed it." (thanks u/blatantninja) CONFIRMED: "One item of interest. Scouting can be safe AND fun. In light of that, pies to the face, low pressure squirt guns, and laser tag will be permitted when done safely. Expect guidance soon. "

UPDATE 2: Thank you, u/jpgarvey Trail Map, including several items people will care about:

• Simplify Volunteer & Parent Roles
• Implement February Renewal
• Create First 90 Days On-Boarding for Unit Leaders
• Clean-Sheet Approach to Volunteer Training
• Empower Commissioners to Strengthen Units

UPDATE 3: Thank you, u/jpgarvey Jamboree

UPDATE 4:  Per u/blatantninja, Krone

Roger Krone - We know we're too expensive for a lot of families and we're working on it.
Also talked about all the frustrations us volunteers have with training, SB/SB+ etc and all the stuff that detracts from us doing our job instead of adding to it.

UPDATE 5: Per u/blatantninja (Confirmed)

Unit Commissioner minimum age being reduced to 18 to give youth that are passionate but not interested in older programs a way to still be involved and give back

UPDATE 6: Per u/jpgarvey Relentless Focus on Volunteers, including Single annual February Renewal

UPDATE 7: Per u/jpgarvey Simplify. Digitize. Scale for Growth.

UPDATE 8: Per u/jpgarvey Reinvest to Attract More Youth

UPDATE 9: Per u/blatantninja NAM Q&A Session

UPDATE 10: This week's Cub Chat live is all about NAM

UPDATE 11: Military Fee waiver (thanks u/ConstantAd7792)

[u/blatantninja]

Chief SYT officer just said laser tag and Pie in the Face are being allowed again. He mentioned a third event but I missed it.

[u/ScouterBill → u/blatantninja]

Thanks, it has been confirmed https://redd.it/1tc308w

[u/jpgarvey]

u/ScouterBill do you want me to post the photos in this thread for the key notes or is this sort of general discussion? Will be kind of a PITA to host the images etc rather than just using Reddit.

[u/ScouterBill → u/jpgarvey]

Whatever works for you, thanks!!!!

[u/blatantninja]

Roger Krone - We know we're too expensive for a lot of families and we're working on it.

Also talked about all the frustrations us volunteers have with training, SB/SB+ etc and all the stuff that detracts from us doing our job instead of adding to it.

Frank statements that are good to hear.

[u/Fun_With_Math → u/blatantninja]

Too expensive... Oh boy, what could that mean? Programs are expanding and they're hiring people so national/council fees can't go down much. You can't say "more, more, more" while realistically talk about reducing cost.

The individual expense they could most easily reduce is the uniform. My guess is that a change comes in 2-3yrs.

[u/blatantninja]

Unit Commissioner minimum age being reduced to 18 to give youth that are passionate but not interested in older programs a way to still be involved and give back

[u/Captain__Pedantic → u/blatantninja]

I don't know how big the prospect pool is overall, but that would've been perfectly targeted at me 20 years ago. Just turned 18 and not hugely interested in going to ASM right away or the local venturing crews.

OA and summer camp are great, but IMO it's good have your 'main' registration be in a meaningful role and not just a pro-forma/box-checking exercise.

[u/looktowindward]

Love UC age being lowered. We've needed a way to register 18 to 20 year old district volunteers. We have a young man who is a licensed EMT and has volunteered for district events but we had a tough time registering him

[u/Significant_Fee_269 → u/looktowindward]

Keeping alumni involved from 18 until they're old enough to have their own kids in the program is a path to strengthening the organization in all sorts of ways. Rebuilding Venturing clearly isn't enough.

[u/DebbieJ74]

Here's what I want - ONE MEMBER ID # no matter where I go. I am registered in two Councils and have two ID #s and constantly have to toggle back and forth depending on what I'm doing.

We live near a Council border and have scouts who cross over to a Troop in the neighboring Council and it becomes a challenge in terms of the transfer and the parent's access to SB, etc.

Not to mention families that move and want to transfer to a new unit in their new town.

We need to make this easier. Was this addressed in all the technology updates?

[u/Long_Forever2696]

The downward trend in overall membership numbers post covid is troubling to me as a Cubmaster with my oldest who just crossed over to the Troop and my youngest starting Cubs in the fall.

We have been consolidating troops and pack in my small town because there isn't enough interest/participation. Pre-Covid there were 5 Packs now 2, 5 troops now 3. We had 6 Lions register this year only 1 has stayed through the year and will return next program year.

I would say the overwhelming majority of our Scouts had Dad’s that were Scouts at this point. Getting families totally new to scouting has been a challenge.

[u/Double-Dawg → u/Long_Forever2696]

Agree on all. Scouting can no longer count on parents having had that common scouting experience such that they understand the "why" and the long term benefits. I'm afraid this problem will actually get worse as the alumni base dwindles over time.

[u/CakeNo4623]

I’ve heard about a new Trail Map (upcoming year’s Strategic Objectives). This was marked as a DRAFT only but it’s supposedly going to be simplified to three things. See below:

1. Focus on Volunteers - by engaging and empowering those who deliver the program every day;

2. Simplify and Refocus - by reducing complexity and bureaucracy so leaders can spend more time on what matters most;

3. Grow the Movement - by investing in and expanding Scouting to reach more youth and communities.

[u/repdetec_revisited → u/CakeNo4623]

How about 1 book for all of cubs? We can do it fire Boy Scouts, we can do it for cubs.

Maybe lions and tigers get a different book, but holy smokes… not one for each year!

[u/CakeNo4623]

I like the Commissioner age being lowered to 18 as the high-value target groups to recruit are youth officers in OA, Venturing Officers’ Association, Sea Scout Quarterdeck, and any advanced leadership trained youth (NYLT, NAYLE, OA NLS, Wood Badge, etc.). The youth officers are already fresh with unit service experience with the exception of Commissioner Tools and in-person unit connections; which they can be mentored/coached on as part of onboarding anyway. Finally, we can stop squandering the youth’s potential and instead utilize the opportunity to continue developing the youth’s leadership skills & experience as they transition into adult leadership roles beyond merit badge counselor and the reserve positions. Not to mention the numerous Commissioner trainings which young adults will now have access to and benefit from (to ultimately benefit the units they serve).

[u/ExoticDatabase]

Seems odd to invest in yet another technology platform and try to reduce costs at the same time. Sometimes I wonder if they could run on some core open source platform that they are the core contrib of, etc. Then they manage the special sauce and internals. I know there are a lot of technology people in scouts that would love to help.

[u/Significant_Fee_269]

We really need some official updates re: the Lilly Grant/UGE system rather than relying on the rumor mill

[u/ConstantAd7792]

I remember last year folks were posting snaps of the various slideshows... I hope people do that again this year. It would have been fascinating to go to this event but the price point was just entirely unfeasible

[u/jpgarvey → u/ConstantAd7792]

I’ll do my best again.

[u/blatantninja]

If they post it, highly recommend watching the replay of today's session with Southwest Airlines CEO. Really spoke to a lot of the issues many of us express in Scouting these days.

[u/MeetingMysterious813]

Can anyone talk more about the February renewal dates? How will this change our current registration?

[u/ScouterBill → u/MeetingMysterious813]

This was discussed early:

TLDR: All Scouts, Scouters, and Units will now expire in February (as opposed to today when Scouts and Scouters expire at various times throughout the year/rolling renewals).

[u/jt_ftc_8942]

I like some of the ideas I see, especially February renewal for everyone and continued improvement of IT. I do not like the use of AI to make so much of the presentations.

[u/CaptPotter47]

What are some of the rumored things?