Re: Re-bad news...again
(no name) ((no email))
Wed, 31 Jan 1996 14:34:38 -0600
Bruce Cobern wrote:
>I am not saying that this did not, somehow, occur, but it is directly in
>violation of the current national policy on posthumous awarding of ranks
>which require that all requirements for the rank have been completed before
>the Scout's death, with the exception of the board of review.
This is a very important point, and Bruce is absolutely correct.
The CURRENT BSA advancement policies does NOT ALLOW ANYONE OTHER THAN THE
NATIONAL COURT OF HONOR to posthumously award ANY BSA rank (Tenderfoot through
Silver Eagle Palm), not ANY BSA special award (for instance, the Silver
Beaver, Antelope, Buffalo or World; or any other service award) to ANY
PERSON. That right has been reserved for the National Court of Honor, and
when a local Council through it's Council Scout Executive sends a
recommendation for a posthumous award, it's BETTER be documented moreso than
normally, with a strong explaination on why concurrance is requested and
the award is presented.
>Since the
>project had not been completed it is hard to see how this was approved nor
>can I understand how anyone could judge the Scout's leadership in
>completing the project. I know it sounds harsh, but I do not believe that
>this Scout should have been awarded his Eagle posthumously, unless the
>policy was different at the time.
In the PAST, it's been "call the National Court of Honor at National, talk
with the staff member and gain his verbal approval; and then, make the
presentation and send the 'packet' upwards for the "stamp" ". This was done
even though the BSA's Advancement Guidelines booklet since 1974 has stated
that local Councils CAN NOT do this. There's also been some cases back in
the middle 70s, which forced National to put ALL Eagle materials
"undergroud", whereby a group of Scouters will get together, purchase an
Eagle presentation kit and present it to the next-of-kin even though the
Scout may be a long way from earning Eagle.
I can symphasize, as Bruce wrote, with the community wanting to honor this
young man's service and leadership; but going against the established
policies to "make an Eagle" is NOT the way. My suggestions for ways to
suitably permanently honor this young man would be:
* a scholarship established in his name to fund a Scout or several Scouts
to attend the Council's Junior Leader Training course
* a matching fund established in his name to support Scouts attending
special Council or National events like the Jamboree or NOAC
* a special "leadership award" established to recognize outstanding leaders
of organizations OUTSIDE of Scouting
* contributions given in the name of the Scout to benefit community programs
or to benefit a special ongoing program
While I also agree with those that suggested that everyone could also
contribute to the James West Fellowship through the local Council, many
outside of Scouting may not see the "immediate results" as a scholarship
or a matching fund would...also, through those means, the community would
be constantly reminded of how that fund came to being ("because Scouting
meant so much to James Jones, yesterday, two Scouts were selected to
receive the James Jones Training Scholarship to attend Silver Talon, the
Cardinal Council's Junior Leader Training Seminar...").
While presenting awards after the death of a Scout or Scouter is important,
it should also be done in the correct way. By doing it that way, it further
strengthens the entire program and reaffirms the fact that "our best" become
Eagles, in this case.
Settummanque!
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle) (
co-Owner, Blackeagle Servics of Kentucky (502.826.7046) __)_
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