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Leader Knots? (Changes to policy)


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The leader knot is an individual effort. Record your progress on the corresponding tracking sheet, get your committee chair to sign off on it, then submit it to your district (your DE will know who should receive it). That said, packs should be promoting this program as a way to recognize their leaders.

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92hatchattack: I grew up in an area where none of the leaders wore knots (except the Eagles) Here, I've seen some local leaders who wear 4-5 rows (even though the uniform policy says only wear 5). Get with your Committee Chair and Pack Trainer...you'll be surprised how easy they are to earn...and leaders like recognition just like the scouts. We should be able to recognize our Pack Leaders for all they do. A small square cloth knot really doesn't say a lot, but at the same time...it does say "We noticed, and we appreciate all you do."

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Question. What if I would like to earn one of these Leaders knots, but my pack is not actively participating in the square knot program? Should I encourage that the pack start participating in the program? I feel as though many of the leaders may find this laughable.
The knots are all about training, unit performance, and participation at the district level in roundtables and scouting universities to stay trained and informed. If your leaders find those activities "laughable" you have a bigger problem. Go ahead and pass out the forms.
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Our Pack encourages participation to earn cub knots but I don't force it on anyone. The changes and consolidations being make to the Cub Scouting knots are really a return to way it was about 30 years ago and I like the change because we have too many knots today. Take a look at some of the older pictures of scout leaders - you will be hard pressed to find anyone that had a "fruit salad" of knots on their uniforms. I have 3 knots on my uniform but I have made a commitment to myself to keep it at a maximum of 3. Less clutter looks better.

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Question. What if I would like to earn one of these Leaders knots, but my pack is not actively participating in the square knot program? Should I encourage that the pack start participating in the program? I feel as though many of the leaders may find this laughable.
My District will help process the paperwork for Cub Leader knots. They are usually pretty good but if you want to walk the paperwork around to get it done faster you can do that too. Our Scout Shop usually did not require the paperwork for the Den Leader knots but did for CM knot. Now with the new knots I cannot say. The shop *is* pretty insistant on the District processing the Boy Scout knots.

 

Brewmeister has it right...if they find it laughable they are silly. Leaders who take the knot requirements seriously are trying to develop a quality program.

 

Of course, I *do* find in funny when you see someone with more than 5 or 6 knots. If they are for something achieved (training, exellence in leadership or program) then I get it. If they are for donating money something like that I find those odd. Would rather have the knots be achievement based rather than participation or donating money.

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  • 2 weeks later...
92hatchattack: I grew up in an area where none of the leaders wore knots (except the Eagles) Here, I've seen some local leaders who wear 4-5 rows (even though the uniform policy says only wear 5). Get with your Committee Chair and Pack Trainer...you'll be surprised how easy they are to earn...and leaders like recognition just like the scouts. We should be able to recognize our Pack Leaders for all they do. A small square cloth knot really doesn't say a lot, but at the same time...it does say "We noticed, and we appreciate all you do."
The Guide to Awards and Insignia recommends no more than 3 rows of knots, but since it's a recommendation and not an absolute decree, I'd call it more "wearer's discretion".
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Interesting thread for me. Like 92hatchattack, I am both ADL & ACM this year.

 

I've not given knots much thought to date, but i suppose it would be good form me and the program, and good to show my son that I too am working towards achievements and awards. Too bad there aren't many options for me though..... Am I missing any others?

 

Just at quick glance, it looks like the Socut Leaders Training award is the only knot we would be eligible for as "A" anything. In my short time with the pack, we haven't been all that active in pursuing things like Journey to Excellence award, which is one of the requirements. I'll have to look into it.....

 

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As far as I am aware of, all knots are achievement based. Even the James West knot. It was designed so that individuals could be honored by their units when they didn't qualify for any other award. (Of course, some people make the donation themselves)

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BLW: Look into the JTE, it's not that hard if you're running an active program at all. As far as the awards: A) We Earn them and B) none of them are very difficult to earn. Our hardest part has been ensuring our registrations are correct at District vs. what we show.

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I'm looking forward to earning my first knot this year. It wasn't easy getting to the training and making sure I did some of the other things, but I really did want to give the boys a proper, quality program, and not a watered-down version of it. I also learned about the National Den Award, and I made sure we did everything on that list, too. That award is just a ribbon for the den flag, but that's okay. Our pack flag has a ton of ribbons on the top. It would be fun to do the same for our den flag.

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