And people say that our back and forths in these electronic forums (Scouts-L, LinkedIn, other places) don’t do anything but give them headaches!   From the January 2013 edition of Advancement News: “A new version of the “Application for Merit Badge,” No. 34124, commonly referred to as the “blue card,” is being released later in January […]

 
 Hi Scott!!  Happy Holidays to you and yours!!   You wrote and asked me:   “I stumbled across your website today while doing a little internet searching regarding the Cub Scout Arrow of Light Award.  I earned my Arrow of Light in 1992 and my Eagle in 1998.  I have a first grade son who […]

 
 UNCLASSIFIED The news item refers to him as the “Executive Director”, one of several titles a Council Scout Executive in a local Council may be known by. My heart goes out to his family and to everyone in the South Texas Council he touched through his leadership and support. Thank you to Calvin Gray for […]

 
  Hi Doug!! Thanks ever so much for asking me your question, which was: “I have a question about the ability to wear a camp patch that I had on my uniform as a youth.  I attended Yards Creek Scout Reservation from 1986-1992.  Each year, a new rocker was issued, and the camp patches changed […]

 
  Hi David!! Sorry for the late response. Yep, I’m still here and my site’s still being managed by myself.  I’ve been sorta busy with work and the creation of a new portal for Lone Scouts and Scouters. You wrote in part and asked me: “But I’m wondering whether youth can wear their Eagle palms on […]

 
 The Scout appeared in Scouting field uniform this morning on CNN; I can’t find the link to the CNN piece but it was very good.  Here’s the original story which prompted the CNN producers to place him on the CNN Saturday Morning program (and on somewhat of a rotation during the first part of the […]

 
 Today, several news stories told of a “campaign” being conducted by mostly “straight” Eagle Scouts, returning their Eagle Scout medals and attempting to “resign” as Eagle Scouts.  After reading the blog story on Yahoo News written by Mike Krumboltz ( you can read it at  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/eagle-scouts-return-medals-over-organization-anti-gay-184508093.html#more-27750 ) I had to respond in the best way I […]

 
 The Boy Scouts of America is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Eagle Scout rank, the highest youth rank in the Boy Scout part of the Scouting programs. The other programs’ “highest ranks” are the Arrow of Light (Cub Scouting); the Silver Award (Venturing) and the Quartermaster rank (Sea Scouting).   A question on a Scouting blog asked […]

 
 Hey Jason!!   You wrote in part and asked me: “First of all, let me lead of by saying thank you for the countless hours of volunteer work you have given the BSA.  I am heavily into Scouting.  I have been a DL in all dens, served as Cubmaster, and am now in the process […]

 
 This is the week I start the massive (189 pages!!) update to the Badge and Uniform Site along with the Frequently Asked Questions. There will be periods in which the site will NOT be available, as I try to ensure consistancy across all of the pages — and to do this, I have to take […]