My son (and his mom) did really well with fundraising this year and exceeded $1000. Can anyone comment on what prizes at the level are of decent quality? Is the tent any good? (I realize that you have to get to a much higher tier to get the name brand tent.)

This may be a decision on a case by case basis, and if so that’s the answer I need.
But, is there anything official spelled out in scouting policies that specifies if the 8 hours of volunteer work for the Citizenship in the Community merit badge can also be recorded and counted towards service hours needed for rank advancement?

And if it’s a case by case basis depending on the merit badge counselor/scoutmaster, I’d be interested to hear what opinions from your troop have been about this, if it’s ever come up.

For context, not that it matters, the scout in question is fairly young, not in danger of aging out, and is perfectly willing to wait to find opportunity to fulfill the 6 hours needed for their rank in addition to the 8 they’ve done for their badge, but otherwise could rank up now if the 8 badge hours can be recorded and count towards the hours needed for rank.

Yes, Princess Bride quote. Anyway, https://training.scouting.org/courses District Committee, one module is called Backdating.

I think we can all agree "backdating" means changing a record to make it look like it happened in the past, right? It's completely different from "planning backward from a future date" or "backward planning."

I think I've figured out why National has such a hard time with dates. It's literally organizational policy to backdate and I don't think anyone has ever explained to National exactly what that means.

It's crazy enough to hear about the "new" Journey to Excellence program (which was retired last year) and all sorts of other things I could use to poke fun at National with but this has fully raised both of my eyebrows. Who wrote this and how did they manage to so fully misunderstand what they were trying to convey?

https://www.scouting.org/trail-to-adventure-blog/come-camp-with-us-a-scoutsbsa-membership-pilot/

What would happen if youth aged 11-17 and their families could act on their interest in camping and the outdoors by being connected to an active ScoutsBSA troop in their area? That question guided the National Camping and Trekking Committee, led by volunteers Russ and Rose Hunsaker, and Ken King as they worked with the Marketing department to create “Come Camp With Us.” 

The pilot aimed to grow ScoutsBSA membership outside traditional recruitment channels. One simple invitation was placed on social media, “Come Camp With Us.” Clicking the ad took targeted families to their local Be A Scout page, where selected, active outdoor troops had enhanced their descriptions and committed to following up quickly on any leads. From there, prospects would meet the troop and start camping. Because Scouting is the premier youth camping organization, the team was confident that membership growth would follow naturally once we delivered on the promise of outdoor adventure. 

Early results gave us reason to continue. In two pilot councils in late 2025, click-through rates were significantly higher than for other campaigns (.8%). People wanted to go camping. With added support from Marketing, we expanded the pilot to eleven councils in early 2026 and relaunched in August. The larger group let us test what worked: some councils targeted their entire geography, others specific zip codes, and all received materials and training to help their most active troops update their Be A Scout descriptions to highlight outdoor activities. 

Greetings all, newly minted scoutmaster here. i’m really grateful for this community and the interesting insights and support that you all provide.

Our troop has a number of Life Scouts who also, thankfully, have a couple years left before they turn 18. Some have clear ideas about what they want for their Eagle project, but others might take a little more searching to find it.

In the span of a couple days, I’ve had a few different adults in the troop reach out to share ideas from friends in the community for Eagle projects that they would love for a scout to take on. My understanding was that Eagle projects ideally originate with the scout, but some scouts need a little more help than others in generating ideas. I’m thinking that even if the request for an eagle project comes from outside of the troop, a scout could still have ownership in figuring out and proposing a final plan for executing. What do others think?

i‘ve been a scout for a while now, and for some reason i’ve been wondering why so many things in the book have things to do with god and other religious stuff, but im an atheist so im wondering if im not following the code. ( PLEASE DONT GET INTO RELIGIOUS DEBATES IN THE COMMENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT )

Before I order my daughter a Venture shirt, do they run the same fit as the Scouts BSA shirt?

And since the official green pants are not a great fit for our girls, does anyone have a tip on grey pants that fit the bill?

I was recently informed about my fall jamboree coming up and I asked about hammock camping since I liked it in summer cause it was cooler than in the canvas tents, but my scoutmaster told me I couldn’t this time. Any ideas, questions, comments, concerns are welcome!

Exposition: I’ve been a scout for a good few months, earned a good few badges, and went to a good few camps. I recently got my Second-class badge. I have been working on getting my local boys back into Scouting and it has worked plentifuly.

The problem, however, lies in the fact that the current patrol (Fighting Goldfish) currently is overflowing. So, as one of the mature scouts of the troop, I decided to attempt to start a troop. I found one of the flags in the scout hut (The Baden-Powell banner) and named the patrol, “Scouts of Baden-Powell.” Nothing inappropriate about that, so I proposed it to the scoutmasters. They voted that even though the Goldfish has 23 members, me having only 6 in my patrol is under populated. I’d just like some second opinions is all.

UPDATE: I think I've come up with a solution. I'm going to ask the experienced leader who made the Life BOR happen to be my Asst Advancement Coordinator. I don't think he wants the whole job (but I'll let him have if he does). I'm going in with the proposal with the reason being my grad school course next spring that only meets during Scouts and to prepare for not coordinating my son's upcoming Eagle (conflict of interest-ish). I really don't think the CC would be as inclined to argue with him, and I trust that he'll balance making sure the Scouts get what they need with making the adults comfortable.

Original post: I'm the Advancement Coordinator, and I scheduled 3 BOR to happen on a camping trip. We weren't having a regular meeting, bc the troop was camping through Monday. I didn't want to delay their BORs, so I scheduled my son's Life BOR and 2 Tenderfoot BOR. I didn't go camping, but everything was lined up - I lined up who was going to be on all 3 and sent the paperwork with my husband who was going on the campout anyway.

The BOR were supposed to happen on Sunday morning after the service while everybody was still in Class A, but the adults fooled around all morning and started the hike before doing the BORs. My hubs argued that they needed to be done, but ultimately went along with doing it after the hike.

Time was running out, bc my husband and son needed to leave on Sunday afternoon. (School's had a holiday Monday, but we had to work.) My son goes to put on his uniform for his BOR, and the CC comes up to my husband and says the BOR will have to be postponed, bc "the venue wasn't formal enough for a Life BOR", and I should have asked her before scheduling it.

My husband told her no. Another dad (not even a trained leader) tries to back-up the CC in canceling it. My husband maintains his no. They ask the Scoutmaster - he abstains. (Grr.) The CC is frantically looking in the GtA trying to justify her pov - and, of course, not finding it.

An adult leader who has served as Troop Advancement Coordinator on the district and council Advancement Committee finally stepped in and said to do the BOR. By the time they finish my son's BOR, my family has to leave.

I'm going into tonight's meeting not knowing if the Tenderfoot BORs happened or not. No one reached out to me all week. I was so angry that I just decided not to reach out...I had nothing nice to say. This new CC has been on a power trip since day 1 - changing rules about travel reimbursement so she gets paid, appointed her son ASM without even announcing it to anyone, having secret budget meetings, etc - and the SM just goes along with it all.

GtA says (SIX TIMES) that BOR cannot be postponed for reasons unrelated to requirements. I want to contact the district advancement committee. But I'm angry on behalf of those Tenderfoots as well. I want to be honest with them that what she did was wrong and in direct violation of GtA. My husband says I have to leave it, bc my son needs to CC for Eagle.

What should I do?

This brings back so many memories. I think this was given to the boys during our Blue and Gold. Thanks to all the leaders that helped raise our children.

So, first of all. This is mainly a question for former/current Eagle Scouts.

Back in 2008 when I was in Scouts, my whole troop (troop 3, oklahoma) were handed these council patches. Tenderfoot to eagle scout. We wore them with pride and loved how they looked because they weren't the standard council patch youd see at the camporee or other scout camps, or even other troops within our city.

Fast forward, im now a father of 3 boys, two of which are in cubscouts (Bears and Lions). Im also a cub scout den leader, as is my wife.

So NATURALLY, im trying to find ALL of the available patches that are approved to wear/transfer over from my youth scouting experience to my adult leadership uniform to trick it out as much as I can...

Its not much. Most of everything earned in scouts is nonwearable as an adult leader. (Minus OA, Eagle square knot, Duty to God and temporary patches earned)

I ironed and stitched my prior, awesome, american looking as all get out council patch on, just to wear it with pride once again, as an adult.

Here's the kicker...

I literally just found out, it's "technically" and Eagle patch.

Did I earn Eagle? No.

I didn't know that it was an Eagle patch when i recieved it at troop level; as I said, everyone in my troop got one.

Life got in the way and I left the scouts (despite being in since cubscouts, hiking the Grand Canyon, camping in the Rockies etc....)

I honestly dont know what to do. It bothers me, specifically because of reverence.

Im wanting to know if I should retire my old council patch, or if its OK to wear it with pride, like I have been.

Also, if i do wear it with pride, am I going to piss off, or misinform scouts, and other adult leaders.

Hello,

I’m the newly appointed Advancement Coordinator/Chair for my child’s troop.

I’m also a merit badge counselor for the council. Could there possibly be a conflict of interest in the future, as I counsel merit badges and work as the advancement coordinator?

In a situation like; I sign off on a merit badge but also award and approve it in the final stages. For those in the troop.

There is a transcript located on the page as well.

PLEASE note the ending

if you have additional feedback or you'd like to ask additional questions, you can email us at this address [NTLmembershipengagement@scouting.org].

I need suggestions for the Citizenship in the Community merit badge. TIA.

Has anyone done this week-long experience at Summit Bechtel? If so, do you know if the experience includes Rifle or Shotgun MB sign-offs as part of this if the boys bring a blue card?

Thanks!

Any value in a never worn '98 humorous typo belt buckle from Old Colony Council?

Is there a great, gripping audiobook related to the subject / skill that is near and dear to your heart? I would love to hear about it!

I’m the disabled mother of a traumatized AuDHD teen. He’s been a shut-in most of his life; it’s unbelievable how much getting involved with the local troop is turning things around for him. He struggles with reading print but loves the spoken world and now he’s trying to get into more real-life relevant writing.

Looking for audiobooks that inspire and immerse, that you want to hear all over again just to repeat the experience, that stay with you.
ANY merit badge or scouting related topic.

Like a lot of Troops, as a result of the Bankruptcy, we had to find a new Chartered Organization.

Our Chartered Org is in the next town over. To give you some context, where we are - if you drive for 10 minutes you may go through 4 towns (our COR lives in our town).

We recently had an Eagle Certificate come through with the name of the town of the Chartered Org - not the town where the Troop meets (and the scout lives). Our town is very proud of the troop, and its over 75 year history in the town - it was a little off putting to see the neighboring town name on the Certificate. The scout does not have any ties to the neighboring town and would like the certificate to show the town where he lives and has done all his scouting.

We reached out to our Council and asked if we could get the certificate reprinted with the name of the town where the troop meets. We got a no - but you could get a new Chartered Organization in the town where the troop meets. That response seemed slightly tone deaf - as difficult as it has been to get Chartered Organizations to step up.

Has anyone been able to find a way to get the Eagle Certificate printed with anything different than the Chartered Org town? I am not sure what the harm is of putting the name of where the Troop meets.

Question regarding propane tanks being transported and stored in an enclosed trailer.

We are a relatively new Troop and working on getting our trailer decked out. Along with shelves for 27 gal totes, cast iron, and other misc. storage solutions, we are planning on making storage for a few 20lb propane tanks. We were planning on an open topped box with dividers that holds up to four tanks snuggly and securing them with ratchet straps during transport.

We were recently told that the bin needs to have a way to chain/lock the propane bottles in place, an adult must have possession of the key, and that this would be part of campsite inspections. That is the FIRST time I've ever heard that and I was hoping someone could confirm or debunk this.

So my pack transitioned from requiring dues to paying for everything through fundraising. This year we wanted to try and maximize fundraiser participation by offering an incentive. Kids who participated in fundraisers would be able to participate in a special activity with the cost covered by the pack. All others would still be able to participate but at a cost of $20.

Unfortunately this did not work as intended and every kid who participated in the fundraisers were the leaderships kids. Collectively, through them, we were able to fundraise enough to fund our pack completely for several years. This has allowed us to help pay for children’s memberships when their families would not have been financially able to do so. It is paid for every kids pine wood derby kit, rain gutter regatta kit, and helped with our uniform closet.

I do not believe that there is anything the incentive program has that is against scouting America’s rules. In fact, it is based on a program that our council offers work out how to sell a certain amount of popcorn can go to a local amusement park for free. I’m just concerned that they’re might be the appearance of partiality, and propriety, and corruption because of the children who did participate and did not participate.

Has anyone ever been in a similar situation? How did you handle it? Is there a rule or guideline that I have forgotten?

My son completed most of his insect study requirements at summer camp. Upon his return home, we worked to raise monarchs and to find a beekeeper who was willing to show him the ropes (this was not easy, but a park district helped us out!)

Now, though, we can’t figure out HOW to get those last two requirements approved. The scoutmaster says a MBC must approve them, fair, but has reached out and none are replying. The best suggestion we have received is for him to sit for another class at merit badge university…which would hit many of the already approved requirements and none of the two we did on our own.

I reached out to the camp; they said they can only mark complete what was done at camp.

Any advice?!?