From: MAJ) Mike Walton (settummanque, the blackeagle (blkeagle@USSCOUTS.ORG)
Date: Tue Apr 27 1993 - 19:05:05 CDT
AH, the old "First Class before Venturing" question (which has NOTHING to do
with age and EVERYTHING to do with interpretation):
David Kenison wrote:
>To clarify the situation - I think the problem has to do with a scout
>joining Venturing. My council office maintains that if a scout has not
>earned the first class award before he becomes a Venturer, he can advance
>to Life but not to Eagle, even if he has time to complete the appropriate
>requirements.
Well, first, according to the way I (and I do believe the BSA's Boy Scout
and Exploring Divisions (when we had such a Division!) )read the policy,
it's the following:
In order for an Explorer (now Venturer) to advance past First Class (that
is, to earn Star, Life or Eagle), he MUST have earned First Class through a
Boy Scout or Varsity Scout unit. He can choose to earn Star, Life and Eagle
through a Troop or Team, or through a Crew or Ship, or both at the same time
if he wants to.
But he FIRST must be First Class in order to advance further as a Venturer.
Second Class won't do it. Even if he's serving as both a Boy Scout and
Venturer, he can STILL advance by doing his advancements as part of his
Troop or Team and then when he's earned First Class, then he can "move over"
to Venturing and continue up the trail as either a Crew or Ship member.
This is the way the policy has always been with regard to "Explorer
advancement" now "Venturer advancement".
>They were not able to provide a reference for that yesterday, but will try
to come >up with one today.
Because your Council is making stuff up as they go along, David, that's all.
The policy I explained is contained in clear American English within several
BSA publications:
*the Insignia Guide
*the Advancement Procedures booklet
*the current Scoutmasters' Handbook
*the Venturer Leaders' Handbook
(and in the current Scout Executive Manual)
>In LDS troops, where boys are routinely advanced to Varsity and Venturer
>groups at age 14 and 16, this could be an issue for a scout who becomes
>enthused later on.
No it's not, because that same policy (with the word "Explorer" instead of
"Venturer" only because the booklet hasn't been revised yet (if so, LDS
Scouters, can one of you please shoot me a over a copy? Thanks!) is
contained within the LDS Scouters' Guide as well.
If your Council is creating a new policy, I hope that the National Boy Scout
Programs Director has approved it.
Settummanque!
-----
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (settummanque, the blackeagle)
http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle
[Purchase Your Binder! for Scouting's Y2K's publications!]
personal inquiries via kyblkeagle@aol.com,
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professional inquiries via mike.walton@usarc-emh2.army.mil
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