I'm sensitive to the the "scouting pants" issue. When the new uniform came out, I bought all my sons the new pants. I bought three pair for myself. All three of mine fell apart. I returned some and got more. They wore out too within six months. So I've got lots of junk pants that I could return for more junk pants. Either they wear thru or disintegrate.

Luckily, I bought lots of the old-style pants for my sons that were on clearance. Saved our budget. So at this point, my sons are properly uniformed to staff scout camp. I wear pants I buy elsewhere that don't fall apart. The first ones I bought ten years ago are still good. Don't fit me though.

Plus ... SM + MBC is two applications because one is a troop registration and the MBC is a district registration. Two different units.

Not to delay this as it's not key to the original poster's comments...

http://www.samhoustonbsa.org/leader_...nit/hints__faq

See "Does a leader need a new application for each time ...". It indicates it's okay at recharter because the IH is signing the recharter. Our council has a short "Change Of Position" form that requires the COR signature (same signature that goes on the new leader application) to approve the position title change. I'm the CC & COR in our units. So I sign that form and it's a done deal. It's really not that big of a deal and not requiring a new application saves a lot of headaches. Plus every time I've rechartered our pack, 50% of the leaders (i.e. most of the den leaders) change position anyway between (TL, DL, WL, CM, ACM, MC, etc)

I've only needed to use the form when replacing the CM or SM or when a leader is chasing knots and needs every month of credit possible.

ADCinNC is right. You have to already be registered in the unit. You need an application to associate with a unit. Each unit is an entity in and off itself. After registered in the unit, you can change position without a new app. Still takes COR signature though. Our council has a single page form. I'm the CC & COR in each of my units. Just makes life a lot easier.

At recharter time though, you can change people's titles almost at a whim within the same unit.

Ummm.... Perhaps your councils are different. In our council, if you are registered in the unit, your name can be shifted around between different positions in the unit WITHOUT a new application. If you are NOT registered in the unit, yes, a new app is needed.

But for years, I've changed leader titles both at recharter and as needed using a change of leadership form.

Tiger den leader --> Cub scout den leader
Cub Den leader --> Webelos den leader
ASM --> scoutmaster
Scoutmaster --> ASM
Committee member --> ASM

If they don't care about reimbursement, then you shouldn't worry. Just remember to thank them for the donation.

I must admit that I'm one to rarely submit expenses. I ask for a check BEFORE when I'm rechartering the pack or paying for camps. If I'm registering one scout and it's mid-way thru the year, I usually don't even bother with reimbursement. On the flip side, I also don't do as much fundraising. My son probably only sells $300 in popcorn. So instead of doing a huge amount of fundraising, this is how my family contributes.

jblake47 ... I applaud your commitment and follow thru. I just wish it was the standard. With today's society, I can easily see why busy UCs might let slide working with units that were not in crisis.

I'm just sort of sad about the whole thing. BSA has many charter partners who have contradicting values. BSA needs to NOT pass this. The damage will just continue. People will ignore the rule to do what they want and the public action groups will continue to beat-up BSA for being intolerant.

Instead BSA needs to pass something that says .... "BSA provides a program structure and materials and leaves membership management to the charter partners to manage consistent with the beliefs of those partners."

If a charter partner has beliefs that contradict too much, then BSA should not have chartered them in the first place. Heck, that's why we are in so much trouble. BSA wants to depend on schools for recruitment but the use private group beliefs.

[URL="http://www2.scouter.com/member/9031-desertrat77"]desertrat77[/URL="http://www2.scouter.com/member/9031-desertrat77"] said it well.

UC is a theoretical idea that I doubt ever worked “on a broad scale”. The issue is numbers, a structural issue. There are just not enough knowledgeable UCs with the right temperament who can consistently serve and have the time and resources to serve. Read desertrat77’s post.

Most experienced scouters know the UC concept is broken and most have given up on the UC program. Few take an honest evaluation because UC has a long tradition back to the beginnings of scouting.

Instead district committees keep trying to fix the UC ranks within their own district. A few districts have something that works. … or so I’ve been told … I’ve never seen it. But generally it's not that districts have done a poor job. Heck, most districts are fighting to get enough roundtable commissioners to do a good roundtable.

In my 11 years of leadership and multiple units, I've yet to see a UC visit. I’ve met a few UCs, but I’ve never even heard about a unit visit.

BSA needs to replace the unit commissioner concept with something that works.