Re: ribbons for adults training awards
(no name) ((no email))
Mon, 1 Mar 1999 02:59:26 -0600
Jason Cruse <jcruse@SOCKET.NET> wrote and asked:
>I just completed my Scoutmaster's Key a month ago and received the
>square knot for it two nights ago. I went to my council office
>yesterday to see about the ribbon for formal wear.
You're talking about the actual AWARD itself, a medal suspended
from a green and white striped ribbon.
>They had to dig in the back offices and closets to find one. The
>shop told me that BSA wasn't using the ribbons for adults training
>awards any more.
They are lying to you. The ACTUAL AWARD is the medal, Jason.
That's like the BSA saying that from now on, all we're going to do
is award the Eagle Scout square knot and cloth badge, because
"we're not making the medals any more."
Again, someone there was pulling you leg big time, or out and out
trying to make you go away. RESIST IT!!
The Scouters' Key Award and the Scouters' Training Award comes this
way:
The MEDAL, which either should have been presented to you (more on
this later) or given to you in its case;
The SQUARE KNOT, which either should have been presented to you or
made available for you to purchase later on;
and a CERTIFICATE acknowledging your personal achievement, which
should have been presented to you or available to you later on from
your local Council office.
This COMPRISES the awarding of the Scouters' Key Award and/or the
Scouters' Training Award (and all other training awards and keys).
NOW, what MAY have happened, is that your Council has decided NOT
to sell the medals and only make available the square knots.
Several Councils are doing this, because to be totally honest with
you and everyone else here, not a whole lot of Scouters are
standing in line purchasing the medals; and when Councils are
looking at ways to trim their awards costs (part of their budget),
they look at things like training award/key medals and other things
that very few people ask for but they have stockpiles of them
somewhere in the backroom, gathering dust.
How Councils have responded to this?? Some have "project sold" the
Awards (a "Project Sale" is similar to underwriting, whereby a
professional will go out and seek a business or organization which
will purchase X number of medals based upon last years' receipients
listing on behalf of the Council. This provides that organization
with good will and a SPECIFIC PURPOSE to their funds). The Council
will present the medals to the individuals, with suitable words
about them being underwritten by XYZ Corporation this year.
As far as I'm aware, Jason, the Awards are NOT being phased out on
a National scale....if you can't find the medals through your
Council, call to adjacent Councils...they will be HAPPY to sell you
three of the medals.
EVERY Scouter should be encouraged to earn a training award or key.
But we shortchange them when we don't do the presentation in a
dignified way, and award the appropriate award COMPLETE (or as
complete as possible) to that Scouter.
Congraduations, Jason!!
Settummanque!
>I have three assistants who are almost done with their Scouter's
> Training
>awards. I would like to be able to give them ribbons as well. Is
> my scout
>shop off on their information (it's happened before)? Or are they
> really
>being phased out and I need to scramble to find three ribbons
> right away for
>my assistants?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jason Cruse
(c) 1999 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") blkeagle@mninter.net
http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle Burnsville, MN 55306-7130 (612) 435-3068
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@server.kaiserslautern.army.mil
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