Re: Adult Awards, Leader Knots

I think that you need to step back and separate your frustrations with your
local council scouters from your antagonism towards adult recognition.
While I don't have any of the "Silver" awards, I would guess that there are
several people on the list who have them and received them for their
exemplary service to scouting, and I don't believe insulting them or
belittling their accomplishments is a scout-like thing to do.

I have only been to one of the dinners where the Silver Buffalo awards were
handed out (along with various lifesaving awards for scouts who had earned
them and a couple of other awards I don't recall). From what I remember,
all of the people involved had contributed significantly to local scouting
programs.

Yes, having scouts earn Eagle is a great reward, but some scouters may
never get to experience this. The adult award is supposed to (at least in
my understanding) reward and encourage scouters who are presenting a
quality program for the boys, both at the troop level and at higher levels.
In many ways, it isn't much different than the aim of the advancement
program for the boys -- to encourage progress along the scouting path.
There are very few square knots that can be "earned" by adults (most are
obtained on the nomination and recommendation of others) -- the Scouter's
Training Award, the Scoutmaster's Key, and the Scoutmaster Award of Merit I
believe are the only ones at the Boy Scout level that have set
requirements, and these are set up so that the requirements coincide with
what you need to be doing to have a quality program.

So I will continue to work on my Scouter's Training Award (the only one I'm
currently eligible to work on), because I know that along the way it's
helping me make an extra effort to provide a good program for the boys (and
when/if I get it, it sets a good example for the kids to see -- the same
reason I wear my Eagle, Arrow of Light, and religious award knots)

Jon Dixon
dixonj@colorado.edu

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