Bear Cub Scout Visiting Scouts BSA Troop

The Question

A reader sent in this question about a Bear Cub Scout visiting a Scouts BSA troop:

I’m a Cubmaster for a small pack and have recently been put in an awkward situation. My Bear den leader and I attended Wood Badge training this past weekend and he ended up in a patrol with the COR from my oldest son’s troop. Unbeknownst to me, the COR invited my Bear den leader to visit the troop the following Monday. I don’t have an issue with an adult Cub Scout leader visiting a troop, but I do think that out of common courtesy the COR should have let me know about the invitation.

The issue I have here is that the den leader came to the meeting with his Bear son in uniform and the son was allowed to participate in the troop activities. When I asked the Scoutmaster, he seemed to think this was acceptable.

I have yet to locate any written information on the BSA website that addresses this situation directly, but I believe from past trainings that this is not allowed. If I am correct, where can I locate the guidelines that address this? I will need to have a conversation with my Bear den leader and would like to have some documentation as backup. I’m also concerned that my pack may suffer repercussions if any rules were violated. Hopefully this is not the case, but at the very least, I will most likely have explain to the other parents in the pack why their Scouts can’t visit the troop until they are AOLs even though another Cub Scout did.

Any advice or direction you can provide about a Bear Cub Scout visiting a Scouts BSA troop will be greatly appreciated.

My Answer

While it is unusual for a younger Cub Scout to visit a Scouts BSA troop, I’m not sure any rules were broken here by letting a Bear Cub Scout visiting a Scouts BSA troop. If the troop was OK with it, and the parent was there, and the activity did not violate the age-appropriate guidelines, then I don’t think you need to worry that there was any sort of rules violation.

Even if there was a violation relating to this Bear Cub Scout visit, I think it would be the Scoutmaster and his troop who would be responsible, not your pack.

Hopefully this Bear Cub Scout had a good time at the meeting and is now excited about joining Scouts BSA in a couple of years.

Readers, what do you think about a Bear Cub Scout visiting a Scouts BSA troop?

Video Explanation

Related Resources for Bear Cub Scout Visiting Scouts BSA Troop

Arrow of Light Scouting Adventure

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Visiting a Scouts BSA Troop

A reader asks if he can do the den visit to a Scouts BSA Troop without the rest of the den

Comments

3 responses to “Bear Cub Scout Visiting Scouts BSA Troop”

G. Stiltner

April 29, 2021

As a Scoutmaster I am not seeing a problem!! We allow our Packs Dens to visit the Troop any time. They come over and we help them with flag Ceremonies, Whittling Chip, Knot Tiring and other skills. I do not think 🤔 that there is a Rule not allowing this. If anything it keeps the Cub Scouts motivated to stay active. I don’t see any violations committed. I think you are making a Mountain out of a Mole Hill. Keeping Scouts on the program is hard enough with out a Cubmaster trying to micro manage what the Scouts in his pack do. The COR doesn’t have any obligation to tell you he invited the Dad to his Troops Meeting as long as he told the Scoutmaster. You need to do some soul searching for yourself and figure out what it is that really bothers you about this cituation. Bringing his son was his choice and the fact that he took part in the activities was the Scoutmasters choice. No conversation needs to be had with this leader, if this was me and you came to me with this problem that you have, I might be looking for a new pack for my son.

Reply
Carla

April 30, 2021

I am a Cubmaster and my husband is the scoutmaster of our boy’s troop and my dear friend is the scoutmaster of our girl’s troop. I had a female bear, now an AOL, and my friend had a male bear, now and AOL. We often invited our kids along with others to come to troop meetings to see what the big kids do and this was a good way for us to keep our own kids involved and engaged as they were beginning to get board with just the Cub program. After all they had been tagging along since toddlers.

We also have multiple Troop/Pack combined activities throughout the year to also help with the transition and engagement. Not to mention to just keep a good open relationship between the troop and the pack as they both depend on one another to be successful. (if your pack does not grow and seed your troop than your troop does not grow. If your troop does not provide support as in den chiefs and experienced guidance to fellow leaders then your pack does not thrive as it should.)

Reply
Denise

April 30, 2021

I know of no rule that prevents any age scout from attending a Scout meeting with the knowledge and permission of the Troop leadership. Troops and Packs interact in good faith so that the younger Cubs remain engaged and excited in the program and foresee their journey continuing for years to come. I’m unclear as to why anyone would be upset or feel a need to report a Scout for attending a meeting. Was he shooting a rifle or scaling a wall? I don’t really see the drama being stirred up when it’s a very natural thing for an interested Scout to visit a Troop he might want to join.

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