Re: Eagle BOR Expectations

Mike,

While I stongly believe that it is important to encourage Scouts to
attend an Eagle BOR in uniform, I would hesitate to establish a rule
requiring a particular type of uniform for Explorers, deferring instead
to the decision of the Post as to uniform. If a young man were to arrive
in scrubs with a nametag, that would be fine with me, if that happened to
be his Post's uniform. BSA (whether inconsistent or not) has allowed
Explorers (for now at least) to finish work towards Eagle and to pick
there own uniforms. If BSA had meant that Explorers could pick there
uniforms for everything they do except Eagle Boards they could have and
would have said so. Some "uniforms" may be a bit odd by our standards,
but the choice was left to the youth members of the Post.

We've been focused on Eagle Boards of Review, but I would venture to say
that we ought to be focusing on every Board of Review, encouraging Scouts
from the first one onward to come in uniform. Once the habit is built,
it becomes progressively easier for the Scout to understand the
expectation and there is no great shock later when it comes time for an
Eagle BOR. It is just important, if not more so (knowing that most
Scouts never reach Eagle), to encourage uniforming at the Tenderfoot,
Second Class and First Class boards as a way of reinforcing this METHOD
of Scouting (it isn't a goal or aim, but a method).

I add that last bit because I think it important to remember that there
is a distinction between the goals of Scouting and measuring progress
towards them and the methods used by leaders to help Scouts reach those
goals.

Character development, citizenship, and fitness are the aims/goals of
Scouting. We use advancement as the carrot to encourage growth and
measure achievement with an eye towards helping the Scout reach those
goals.

The methods are what we as leaders use to help Scouts reach those same
goals. But we should be careful not to let any one method become so
important that it begins to look like a goal in and of itself, whether
advancement, uniforming, or whatever. Nor should we decide a Board of
Review on whether a Scout has had the advantage of a method of Scouting
or has assimilated it. The methods are our tools as leaders. Uniforming
is a tool. We use it for a purpose. If the uniforming method didn't
always work for a particular Scout, but he grew in character,
citizenship, and fitness, I would be inclined to give him the benefit of
the doubt (might ask a few more questions though).

I can recall a Troop BOR session a few years back where I had two young
men up for Star and Life. The Star candidate came in complete spotless,
freshly pressed, immaculate uniform. Unfortunately he was also
disrespectful, rude, and otherwise a pain. He hadn't learned much of
anything and said so. He wasn't enjoying Scouting, but was there because
of his dad. He did not pass that night and was coached into coming back
after trying harder. The next young man came in with a uniform shirt
untucked hanging over his sweats. This kid was as nice as any you'd ever
hope to meet, had gone the extra mile twelvefold on everything he'd done,
had helped a second Troop that was struggling, took extra time for
younger Scouts on campouts instead of running off with his buddys because
he knew he had a job that he was responsible for performing as ASPL. He
passed without question. Yeah he felt bad about his uniform and would do
better next time. But he had the right stuff.

Speaking only for myself in the Scouting Spirit, Michael F. Bowman
E-mail: mfbowman@capaccess.org Visit: ftp1.scouter.com/usscouts
U. S. Scouting Service Project FTP Site Administrator (PC Area)
Helping to deliver the promise of Scouting from Alexandria, Virginia

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