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Roger Chatell

Roger Chatell
Member since : Feb-15-2009 (Verified)
8 Ideas, 10 Comments, 145 Votes

User Activity Stream

Ideas Posted

25
I am getting reports from volunteers that Tiger Cub is not an option on internet advancement for those operating manually. Apparently Packmaster and other programs work fine, but I am told that there is no spot to manually enter a boy's date that he earned Tiger Cub. If so, can this be remedied?
Moderator Comments
10/20/09

From: Tom Ritchey, ISD

Internet Advancement includes Tiger Cubs on the unit roster and allows for the entry of Bobcat and Tiger Cub ranks for youth members who are in the Tiger Cub den. When Tiger Cubs are advanced to the Wolf den it is no longer possible to enter the Tiger Cub rank as this must be earned while the member is a Tiger Cub. Internet Advancement is regularly evaluated and this suggestion will be considered at the first appropriate opportunity.
36
At the World Jamboree other Americans and I noticed how simplified other countries' uniforms were. Indeed, we do have many patches and large sizes. I even heard to other countries might have coined Americans as "Ego Scouts" in reference to all the badges on our uniforms. A very major shift, but might we consider smaller patch sizes? For instance, can we reduce knot sizes to fit four in a row, rather than three? Badges of office could be half their current size. I think most patches could be reduced in size. Seems we went in the right direction with the new green Trained patch being slightly smaller. I can see it now, all the down votes, but I thought I'd put that out there.
Moderator Comments
10/7/2009

From: James (Jamie) K. Shearer, Department Manager, Program Impact Department

Each Scout Organization throughout the world has control over their marks, insignia, and uniforms – something that sets each organization apart from the others, yet all part of the world brotherhood of Scouting. Your recommendation will be passed along to the Advancement Task force for review and possible action.
Not sure why PAS Find only shows the last few years of membership history for an individual, but it would be great to see ScoutNET's entire history on a person in PAS Find. Currently seems to go back to only 2005.
Can the ProSpeak editor mass e-mail all professionals monthly when a new edition is posted online? Now that it is no longer coming in paper, I am trying to hunt it down. Now did I write down that link?
I am not sure what a solution is, other than for our leadership to keep it in mind. We need to realize and recognize the contributions of our spouses as we carry out our mission as professionals. When I was a new DE at the Northeast Region all-hands in 2002, my wife heard the message several times that the BSA appreciates what she does at home in supporting my efforts in the field. Although the 2008 national gathering also had a spouse's program, I am not sure we heard that message as clearly as we did in 2002 in the region. For those of us that are married, and married with children, our spouses do alot at home, often in our absence on nights, weekends, and other random times. Let's remember to show appreciation for our employee's spouses regularly.
Moderator Comments
6/21/09

Lisa B. Young, Director, Human Resources Administration

We should all say “thanks!” to our spouses on a regular basis. We’ll continue to keep this in mind as we go forward.
The training award knots mostly have those Progress Record sheets that are designed to be cut out and folded into little credit-card sized checklists. Can we simply redesign those to be a normal award application?
Can we look at the Tiger Cub rank badge? The older Bobcat, Wolf, and Bear badges have a 'normal' looking animal on them. But the Tiger badge looks like a cartoon drawing of the Lion King's Simba. And it should have only one word like the others and say just "Tiger" instead of "Tiger Cub."
Moderator Comments
8/6/09

Michael Ramsey, Brand Management Dept. Manager

This suggestion has been forwarded for review.
-27
I think we should look at the bear advancement program. Currently, a boy picks 12 out of 24 achievements. You have to get three from this group, and four from that group... The leftovers can be picked at for elective credits, and coupled with the real electives, it can be confusing. Can we just select 12 achievements and leave it at that, just like the wolf program has?

Roger Chatell - Father of a Bear, Pack Advancement Chairman, and District Director
Moderator Comments
8/10/09

From: Bob Scott, Innovation Coordinator

The program currently called Fast Tracks on the Advancement Trail does just that. Den meeting plans for the Bear year are available at scouting.org.
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Comments Posted

Roger Chatell 15 days ago
Maybe at PDL1 too!
Roger Chatell 15 days ago
Yes, yes, yes! I understand the history is that WBLS was for Wolf-Bear-Lion-Scout, and when Lion left the scene someone came up with the "WE'll BE LOyal Scouts" thing. But yes, we talk of innovation, the second century, and Cub Scout 2010... I agree, time to change the name from Webelos to something else. (I gave up mentioning "Webelos" in schools long ago.)
Roger Chatell 2 months ago
Amen Eric, Marc, and Michael! I too believe the health insurance is great for individuals, but for spouses and children, it is exorbitant.
Roger Chatell 2 months ago
Indeed. I think we as professionals need to be far more aware of using the correct terminology for our Venturing program. Even management in my experience will say "Venture Crew" or "Venture Scouts," when it should be Venturing Crews and Venturers. Let's correctly identify our products with each other and with volunteers.

Time to bid farewell to the Venture Patrol too.

As far as Rovers, from what I have seen in other countries, they are social opportunities for twenty-somethings, and they often also serve as Cub Leaders or Commissioners.
Roger Chatell 2 months ago
There are many possiblities in this issue. I too believe we should one day be a fully coeducational program. Another aspect could be keeping Venturing as is, but rather lowering the Boy Scout age-out down from 18, Cub Scout graduation down a year, and begin recruitment in Kindergartens. I know there are many points there, and across the country there are varied feelings on them all.
Roger Chatell 2 months ago
I agree that packs are not grasping the directive that Webelos is an 18-month program. Many do indeed wait until the end of the school year to graduate their 2nd year Webelos. I remember that it was in or around 1988 that the two year Webelos program came to fruition. I am not sure we need to get 2nd year Webelos firmly in a troop for those last 6 months. I think the problem is deeper. Another drastic idea on my part, but I believe Cub Scouting should be for grades K-4, transitioning to Boy Scouting in grades 5-8, transitioning into Ventuing for grades 9-12, plus a seperate program for collage students. But that might be too big a pill to swallow.
Roger Chatell 2 months ago
Seems to me there is a precedent for knots that represent larger things that can also be worn... medals of honor, Scouters Key, adult religious awards, Eagle. (Perhaps the knot is not supposed to be worn with the item? I'm not that handly with the needle and thread to remove the knot and put it back.) I would not find a Wood Badge knot objectionable. I can never find my beads when I need them anyway!
Roger Chatell 4 months ago
Indeed. I think the Cub advancement program is a mountain of once-great ideas that have accumulated over time like Arrow Points, Progress Towards Ranks beads, belt loops, activity badges, etc. All great stuff, but altogehter there is such a mind-boggling variety. And I know that people hate sewing on the little odd-shaped Arrow Points too!
Roger Chatell 5 months ago
Where is this happening? My sons have completed this requirement at radio stations in 2008 and 2006, and we had no difficulty setting it up in Connecticut. The boys went on the air each time too, talking about Cub Scouts.
Roger Chatell 5 months ago
A novel and well stated proposal. When I was at the World Jamboree, I learned that this is simular to other countries that have the programs for all ages in a town (or chartered partner for our purposes) in what they call a "section". The youth joins at a young age in the Cub program, and just grows into older programs as the years pass, continuing in his "section". He joins the section, and the progression from Cubs to Scouts is as smooth as we might consider a Wolf becoming a Bear. We could make that work here in the BSA, but with a major effort from the National Council down.