The Boy Scouts of America will accept openly gay youths starting on New Year's Day.

It's an historic change that's prompted the scouting organization to ponder a host of potential complications -- ranging from policies on tentmates and showers to whether Scouts can march in gay pride parades.

Yet despite their be-prepared approach, BSA leaders are rooting for the change to be a non-event.

Some churches are dropping their sponsorship of Scout units because of the new policy and some families are switching to a new conservative alternative called Trail Life USA. But massive defections haven't materialized and most major sponsors, including the Roman Catholic and Mormon churches, are maintaining ties.

The new policy was approved in May, with support from 60 percent of the 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council. The vote followed bitter nationwide debate, and was accompanied by an announcement that the BSA would continue to exclude openly gay adults from leadership positions.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

More Coverage:

Md. Teen to Become One of 1st Openly Gay Eagle Scouts / NBC News

Boy Scouts Prepare to Accept Gay Scouts Jan 1 / ABC News Blog