From: Anthony Mako (ajmako@NLS.NET)
Date: Mon Jun 19 2000 - 11:30:19 CDT
<Kirk Barley wrote>
Sounds like a lack of belief in the Law and missing what is important.
</Kirk>
<Bob Lazell replied>
You have that right. Bureaucracies are never very good at getting at what
is really important. As I have pointed out every time I've ever had trouble
with scout shop purchases, I am the one who authorizes the badge, yet I'm
not allowed to buy the badge without the piece of paper I signed?
Now to the argument that this is the way the blessed paperwork is monitored
I say, well find another way that does not interfere with volunteers trying
to serve the boys rather than spending their time feeding the bureaucracy.
</Bob>
Bob and Kirk,
First, believe me when I tell you that I agree there is a problem with the
way awards are sold. Let's keep a couple things in mind before badmouthing
anyone over this:
* The ScoutShop in your council serves EVERY unit in the council, not just
yours. The folks who work in Great Trail's ScoutShop know me very well. They
know my father very well too. That doesn't stop them from asking my troop
number every time a make a purchase, or insisting on seeing the paperwork.
There are hundreds of units in Great Trail Council, and many more unit
leaders. The people manning the ScoutShop couldn't possibly recognize every
Scouter who walks in to buy something. In this instance, the paperwork
provides the ScoutShop with a pretty useful indicator that you're AUTHORIZED
to purchase the awards you're purchasing.
* You have to turn in the advancement report anyway, so what's wrong with
purchasing the awards at the same time - the paperwork is already there. If
you take a look at the back of the advancement report, you're supposed to
ORDER the awards at the same time you turn in the advancement report.
* While it would certainly be more convenient for you or I to be able to
walk into the ScoutShop and purchase any award we want, it's not very
responsible. The ScoutShop has the same responsibility to the rules and
regulations of the BSA as you and I do:
<Quote from 1999-2000 Insignia Guide>
Article X, Section 4, Clause 8: All badges and insignia of the Boy Scouts of
America shall be used exclusively by the members of the Boy Scouts of
America, registered and in good standing according to the records at the
national office, who qualify in accordance with the provisions herein set
forth or as may be authorized by the Executive Board from time to time and
published in the official handbooks of the Corporation.
</Quote>
<Bob continued>
As one who is a data manager by profession, I can assure you that there is
nothing quite as simple as accessing a database such as is *supposed* to
keep current advancement information, to quickly ensure that advancement
records are being kept up to date.
</Bob>
I can agree with that. In fact it would be pretty easy in GTC's ScoutShop to
be able to look up advancement records at the point of purchase. Computer
technology COULD be used to verify awards purchases as they are scanned into
the cash register. That particular interface hasn't been created for
ScoutShops, yet. Still, paperwork would still be required for any
advancement reports that haven't made it into the system.
<Bob continued>
The main point of my even caring about this issues has nothing to do with my
own convenience and everything to do with serving the boys. Your troop may
feel differently (and mileage may vary) but, our troop has long recognized
advancement on the spot with presentation of the badge. Furthermore, at
summer camp we have been presenting merit badges at a final troop campfire
for 30 years. Both of these practices require the advance purchase of
badges. I'm sorry but the sole reason for not allowing pre-purchase has to
do with bureaucracy not the boys, and to us, the benefit to the system by
not allowing it just does not outweigh the benefit to the boys of immediate
recognition.
</Bob>
Bob,
What your unit does is a good thing. However, I am well aware of what it was
like in the '70's and '80's when ANYONE could walk into a ScoutShop and
purchase ANY award. Hey, I used to have a troop that met IN THE SAME
BUILDING as the ScoutShop. I could have an SM conference, have a BOR
standing by, and run off to purchase the award WHILE the Scout was in the
BOR. I discovered a rather unhappy part of that sort of freedom.
<Bob continued>
Yes, the paperwork is important and the monitoring of it is essential, what
I am saying is DO IT SOME OTHER WAY. Based on the wide variety of responses
to my question, isn't it obvious that the current system is not working and
the rules sporadically enforced, if at all? When I took over as SM five
years ago, I found, much to my dismay, that advancement forms had not been
submitted to council for over 3 years. Now, before anyone jumps up and says
see, see, let me ask a simple question: For those 3 years the troop
faithfully re-chartered, paid dues, attended Council wide events and did
every thing else a troop does, how is it that nobody noticed that not a
single Scout was advancing or earning merit badges? I'll tell you why,
because the current system cannot tell you that and some other way needs to
be found.
</Bob>
When it came time to do my first Eagle application as Scoutmaster, I learned
a valuable lesson about paperwork. No one involved in the troop for four
years prior to my involvement had filled out advancement reports. None of
the awards this Scout had earned (and in many cases been presented) had been
reported to the council! Previous leaders had simply purchased the awards
and presented them. Imagine my suprise when I saw the council's printout
showing this Scout was only First Class.
In answer to your question, it's simple. No one noticed that the Scouts
weren't advancing because 1) everyone in the council doesn't show up to your
troop meetings; 2) someone didn't do what they were supposed to do; and 3)
everyone ASSUMED the leadership of your troop knew what they were doing. So,
okay we agree the system needs work. I'm curious, what suggestions do you
have for fixing the process? Remember, however it is fixed, the solution has
to support the entire process. Whatever process you come up with has to do
the following things:
1) Ensure that awards are only purchased by authorized persons (i.e. unit
leaders buying awards for their units, members buying awards they have
earned)
2) Ensure that the appropriate paperwork has already, or will in the near
future, but processed properly.
BTW, district Advancement Committees have the responsibility of overseeing
advancement in their district. They SHOULD be monitoring advancement reports
from their district units. They SHOULD be monitoring advancement rates and
providing training or other assistance when problems are identified. This,
as you and I have both experienced, is often ignored in favor of
concentrating on Eagles.
So, my question again, Bob and anyone else who wants to answer, how would
you fix the problem, accomplish the two goals above, AND be able to do all
the things you want to be able to do. Please review page 2 of the current
insignia guide before answering.
YIS
Anthony Mako, Scoutmaster, Troop 381
ajmako@nls.net
