Re: Who signs Advancement?

Bill Myers asked a really great question:

>Is there a DEFINITIVE reference to who can signoff on the Scout
>through 1st Class advancement.

Nope. That's because depending on the way that *your Troop* is
organized, your leaders can decide on "who gets to sign off" items
in the Scout Handbook: youth leader or adult leader.

The space calls for "leader's initials" in the Scout Handbook.
Naturally, the leader that would be closely responsible for
coaching that Scout would sign...so I would say that for the first
three ranks, that the Scout's Patrol Leader or the Senior Patrol
Leader would sign the book. The Scoutmaster would sign after the
Scoutmasters' Conference, and the chair of the Board of Review
would sign the Board of Review line.

>There seems to be a push and shove in the troop over
>'qualification' vs 'traditionally' vs 'scoutmaster only' ... etc.

Many remember when the book was supposed to be signed by the
Scoutmaster at some points and others remember when "a Scout that
have completed that (Skill Award) would sign off on other Scouts
completing that skill. I can see that. But a leader is a leader,
and the youth leaders of the Troop should be called upon to
actually sign and approve fellow Scouts. They are in a much better
position to know whether or not the Scout has those skills or have
completed the actions toward that skill.

>Looking in any handbooks (both scout and adult), information from
>BSLT or Woodbadge, etc. etc. I can find NO specific answer. It
>almost seem that it is assumed that this basic question is obvious
>(Which of course it is, since the way I thought it was done for
>the last 35+ years is surely correct.... :-) )

And *which way* was that?? I remember that my YOUTH leaders would
sign at some points and later, I remember that as Scoutmaster, *I*
had to sign off the small booklet or the books!

>Interestingly enough, asking my District Exec, as I picked
>up popcorn yesterday yielded the answer. "Scoutmasters and Asst.
>Scoutmasters but I've don't think it's actually written anywhere."

It's not; not specifically; but here's what the BSA's Advancement
Procedures booklet says (p.13):

"THE BOY SCOUT IS TESTED. A Scout may be tested on rank
requirements by his Patrol Leader, Scoutmaster, Assistant
Scoutmaster, a Troop Committee member, or a member of his Troop.
The Scoutmaster maintains a list of those qualified to give tests
and to pass candidates. The Scout's merit badge counsellor teaches
and tests on the requirements for merit badges."

Hope this all helps out, Bill!!

Settummanque!
(c) 1998 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") blkeagle@mninter.net
http://mninter.net/~blkeagle Burnsville, MN 55306-7130 (612) 435-3085
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@server.kaiserslautern.army.mil
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