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Re: Advancement Transfer Question
Ron Raab-Long (raablong@DMV.COM)
Mon, 19 Oct 1998 15:30:03 -0400
I've tried to stay out of this discussion because it's one of those "hot
button" topics, but I think I should chime in here.
Several times we have had Scouts come to our meeting to see about
transferring into our troop. On one occasion the parent cornered me and
said
that his son had completed ALL of his Life requirements and was looking
for a
troop to give it to him. His old troop, local and well respected in the
area,
denied his Life until he showed Scout Spirit (another Hot Button topic)
because of some behaviour and leadership problems they had had with him.
I tried to clearly explain to the father (who incidentally, wreaked of
liquor)
that our Scoutmaster could not sign off this boy until he knew something
about
him. The father demanded a time frame and I refused. I did not feel
the
Scoutmaster, who was absent that evening, could be held to an arbitrary
time
line by me, the then CC. I told the father that his son was welcome in
our
troop, and would advance with us if he chose. But it would be "awhile"
before
it happened. We never saw him again. He eventually worked out the
problems at his original troop and went all the way to Eagle.
Another time a Scout and his father, who was a SM at another troop, left
their
troop to join ours. He also had finished the work for a rank, but I
can't
remember which one. This young man came into the troop and made an
immediate
impression on the SM. At our next COH (about two months later) he
received
his rank advancement.
Another time I was contacted by the SM of a troop just to the south of
us.
One of our Scouts, whom we had recently disciplined for cheating on a
merit
badge exam at the Naval Academy, had joined his troop. This Scout
passed him
three completed Eagle merit badge blue cards. Two had my name as
counselor,
one had the name of one of our AS's that had been transferred to Germany
a
month before. The SM asked me if I had indeed signed them. I was sorry
to
have to tell him I hadn't seen those cards, nor was I even registered to
counsel those subjects.
I tell this to show that, as much as it hurts to admit, not all youth
members
can be trusted. Is it adding to the requirements to get to know a Scout
before we advance him? I don't think so. The SM has to know something
about
the boy before he can recommend him to a BOR. The SM who signs off on a
Scout
he doesn't even know, IMHO, has shown poor judgement and cheapens the
program
for the rest of the boys.
YIS,
Ron Raab-Long
--
Ron Raab-Long DelMarVa Council
SA, Troop 903 Two Bays District
Boy Scout Training Coordinator Dover, Delaware USA
Unit Commissioner Problem Captain, Delaware OM
E-Mail:raablong@dmv.com Bobwhite, NE-IV-35
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