Eagle Ceremony

[scoutmom2]

I have a question regarding Eagle ceremonies and the Eagle Boards role. Last night at a meeting, we had an upset parent. Her son's Eagle ceremony is this weekend and the chair of the Eagle board had requested a copy of the program. Well, he called her yesterday afternoon and told her that she couldn't use the music "On Eagle's Wings" because it was a (his words) "a funeral song." He also told her that the Eagle Scout her son had chosen to give the Eagle Charge couldn't do it, only a board member could. He made other changes in the program and told her what the Eagle board members would be doing for the ceremony. The programs have been printed and she was really stressing out. Two of the parents at the meeting told her that it was her son's Eagle Ceremony and he could have whatever he wanted. They used the same music in the past and there wasn't a problem with it. The chairman has rearranged ceremonies in the past (usually at the last minute) and isn't always consistent in what he has told parents. So, what is the Eagle Board role in the ceremonies? Do they even need to be involved (one parent said they weren't in her sons)? My son's ceremony will be in the Spring and I don't want this kind of conflict! He wants a real low key ceremony (his words).

 

Anyone have any experience in this area?

 

 

 

 

[gwd-scouter]

Not knowing all the details I can only say from reading your post that the Eagle Board Chair is out of line.

 

The Eagle Scout and his family determine what type of ceremony he wants. It can be formal, informal, in a church, in the woods, during the day, in the evening, whatever. He can have whomever he wants give the Eagle charge - even someone who is not an Eagle Scout (though he usually is). He can ask whomever he wants to speak at his ceremony, or no one at all.

 

My older son had his Eagle ceremony in 2001 and I've been to several others over the years. While members of the Eagles' BORs may have been invited to attend and once or twice may have said a few words about the Eagle, none were ever a major part of the ceremonies and most times not included at all.

 

 

[EagleInKY]

It sounds like your troop has some local customs that are different from most. In most troops, I believe the planning is in the hands of the family. The troop may have some things they typically bring to the show (decorations, banners, etc.) and should participate (color guard, ushers, roles on the agenda). It should be up to the Eagle Scout and his family to design the ceremony to their liking.

[OldGreyEagle]

Not sure of some of the terminology used here, but the Eagle Board of Review's "charge" ends when they either accept or reject the Eagle candidate. If they accept the scout as an Eagle, and National verifies the scout is an Eagle, then he is an Eagle and the ceremony recognizing that rank is up to the scout and his family.

 

Beavah may have another take on this, but tell the old coot to chill and let the ceremony go as planned

[John-in-KC]

In absolute agreement with the folks who've posted earlier.

 

We're in the late stages of planning a 7 Scout Eagle COH. Program is locked in, am waiting on one boy to email me his artwork for the cover of the program.

 

Other than a specific guest speaker having some "how he does this" things, this is about the young men and their families. Anyone else should be directed to the SM or CC without any other comment

[emb021]

As others have pointed out, the Eagle Board has no say in Eagle COH. Now, there may be some local traditions in play (troop, district, council), but overall this sounds strange.

 

 

[SSScout]

Elevetyumpteen years ago, I became my troops first Eagle. This was due to several dynamics (aside from my own desire and drive), which I'll not go into at present. The troop set up the CoH and, quite frankly, I'm not sure if my folks had much say in its arrangement. It was a larger version of the troops usual CoH, candle lit, Scout Law, etc. Scoutmaster said something, some other Scout high mucky mucks (whom I did not recognize) said something, my mom cried. My dad almost did, he was a singularly unemotional fellow,usually. I remember all my Scout friends shook my hand.

 

I have attended ECoH on camping trips ( the ceremony was held in the wood lot of the boys grandfathers farm, next to a campfire), in grand church halls, in rented halls in the Holiday Inn. I've attended as an invited guest (daughters boyfriend, "in the past" as she says now), as a Scout of the troop (old troop has had 42 since me), as a Scouter in my sons present troop (not yet for him. Giv'em time). I've seen various types of crepe paper and flags. I've eaten really pasty cake from a bakery, mom's choco cookies, and BBQ chicken. I've drunk fruit juice and Kool Aide. I've remembered my own Scout history and listened as somebody recounted a teenagers shorter time line. I've heard very little music, actually, but Taps from a hidden bugle at the closing of the proceedings always moves me.

 

The ceremony is to be meaningful and memorable. Suggestions can be made by anyone with an interest in the boys award, but I must agree with all posts before, I think the C of the EBoR can't really impose his design on the Troop or family. That's just bad manners. He is not a "commandant".

 

Scoutmom, pass my congratulations on to your friends and their young Eagle. Tell him not to forget to put all his Scout badges in a shoe box to show his son, eleventyumpteen years from now.

 

YiS

 

 

[evmori]

Once the Eagle BOR has reviewed & passed the Eagle candidate, their job is done. They have no say in what you do or don't do at a Eagle COH. That is up to the Eagle & his family.

 

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[nldscout]

Unless this Gentleman is the SM or CC, then I would say he is an invited guest. So as I see it you could do 2 things, politly tell him the way your going to do it and ask him to be polite and observe, or if he gets insistant, disinvite him.

 

 

[GernBlansten]

I always thought John Ashcrofts "Let the Eagle Soar" would be great for an Eagle COH.

 

http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2002/02/25/ashcroft.sings.wbtv.med.html

[scoutmom2]

Thank you all for your input. I directed the Mom to this website so she could read what you all said. The gentleman who wanted all the changes in the Eagle Board Chair and not a part of our Troop (part of the Council instead). It has been past practice to invite the board to the ceremonies so they could see all of the Scouts accomplishments. For this boy, it's been a long road and we almost lost him a few times. It took being a CIT at summer camp that brought him around and gave him the desire to continue. His patrol, along with the rest of the Troop, are very excited about him completing this stage in scouting. Because of past behavior issues that the family was willing to work on and not give up on, we hold him as an example to other boys who are having a hard time getting along with others. That if this Scout could do it, they can too! His mom is very vocal with parents about their struggles and how the scouting program helped them. This will be an awesome ceremony! Your congratulations will be passed along! Thanks.

[Trevorum]

Good advice, all. The nature and details of ECoH are at the discretion of the Eagle and his family. Period. As SSS alluded, the Court can be as elaborate or as simple as the family wants. Any appropriately meaningful ceremonies or speeches may be included. I suppose all that is minimally necessary is an authorized BSA representative to present the award with his/her congratulations. The rest of it is just icing.

 

This thread caught my eye as my son has his EBoR in two weeks and we are starting to toss around ideas for his ECoH. He definitely wants it outdoors. With a Bar-B-Q. Y'all.

[LongHaul]

There are actually two issues here, first the authority, or power if you will of the Council volunteers, and second the traditions of the unit. The Eagle rank, all the hoopla and prestige aside, is just another rank advancement. Outside his own unit I would be willing to bet the Council "Eagle Board Member" in question has never demanded that a unit COH be altered to his liking for a rank other than Eagle. As has been said by others the Eagle Boards duties ended with the acceptance or rejection of the Eagle petition. The fact of the matter is that the boy is already an Eagle Scout. What songs are played and who administers the Eagle Charge is irrelevant, the boy is and Eagle Scout by the power of the National Organization. Trevorum thought all that is minimally necessary is an authorized BSA representative to present the award with his/her congratulations, that BSA representative has already spoken and the award has been issued, who actually hands it to the scout is again irrelevant.

Next we have the traditions of the unit. Some do the same thing for every Eagle. Some allow the boy to write his own ceremony. As SM I have written each of the ceremonies for our Eagles and tailored them to the individual boy. For me what seems to be the central issue here is the fact that the ceremony has already been decided upon. A Scout is Courteous, even the CO should think long and hard about asking for changes last minute. This was surly not planned last minute and anyone with a say had time to say it. I suggest telling the Eagle Board along with it's chairman that their contributions to Scouting are appreciated and that they are invited to attend as guests not participants.

LongHaul

 

[nldscout]

Maybe its time to borrow WDL Mom's cattle prod and put it to good use in this situation!!!!

 

[scoutldr]

As the EBOR chair, this person works for (or maybe IS) the District Advancement Chair. As has been written above, once the EBOR is over and the Eagle Application is signed , this "gentleman's" involvement is over. IF he's invited to the COH, it is as an invited guest and he should comport himself appropriately. The COH is a troop function, not a District or Council function, and as long as it's conducted in good taste and there's nothing that would embarrass the BSA or the Chartered Organization, the troop is free to design it as they see fit, with the input of the Eagle and his parents.