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the mad rush to Eagle before 2014


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And I thought the rush was so they didn't have to do the Cooking MB.

It's gonna be a real sticker shock for some of these people when they realize there have been actively gay scouts earning Eagle prior to Jan 1st.   Stosh

hello all, long time lurker. Just wanted to post this to hear other scouter's thoughts on the subject. We have a few scouts and families who will be leaving the troop on Dec 31 due to the membership policy change. Some of them are extremely close to earning Eagle, and have been plowing down merit badges and eagle projects in a rush to get their eagle before then. Do any of you have members of your troop doing this, and what are your thoughts on it?

 

Personally, I understand taking a stand and sticking with it (even if I dont agree with it). But what kinda sticks in my craw is that if its so important to take a stand against "what boy scouts has become", then why is it so darned important to get eagle? My feeling is that if they really had a problem with scouting, they would have left immediately and to heck with the rank. Why should it still be important? I know, I know....so their kids can pad their resume. Just seems so hypocritical. I dont know, maybe its just me. Thoughts?

 

I thought the mad rush to Eagle before 2014 was due to the Cooking Merit Badge requirement. We've got 4 Life Scouts in the troop that have finished their Eagle Projects. Only one of them has Cooking merit badge, as he doesn't expect to finish the other Eagle required badges before January 1. One of the three without Cooking MB has been a Life Scout since 2010. I hope he's diligent on his paperwork, and gets it done on time.

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We have not seen any blowback on the policy change...we have seen a handful of Star/Life scouts with lingering Cooking partials hurry to complete once they figured it would be the least work.
How is it any less work? Although the MB is required in Jan 2014, and the badge is slated for some revisions, the new book won't be out until mid year. The MB may be earned under old requirements until the end of 2014.

 

On the flip side, if they THINK they are saving work by wrapping up early, there is no reason to let a partial linger by disavowing them of that notion. ;)

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The ridiculous thing in my opinion is this is the COOKING MB not CAMPING MB or BACKPACKING MB or T-1 requirements. Nowhere in the requirements does it state the cooking must or should be done for your Patrol. Just cook for "two others". There is absolutely no reason the troops program should slow down the ability of a Scout to earn the MB. Anyone insisting these cooking activities must be done while camping or backpacking with the troop is just adding to the requirements. It sure would be a whole lot more fun to do with your patrol but not required. It is about cooking camping, backpacking and kitchen meals, not camping or backpacking. In fact I think it is probably a good idea to practice cooking a backpacking meal before actually trying it out on the trail.

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The ridiculous thing in my opinion is this is the COOKING MB not CAMPING MB or BACKPACKING MB or T-1 requirements. Nowhere in the requirements does it state the cooking must or should be done for your Patrol. Just cook for "two others". There is absolutely no reason the troops program should slow down the ability of a Scout to earn the MB. Anyone insisting these cooking activities must be done while camping or backpacking with the troop is just adding to the requirements. It sure would be a whole lot more fun to do with your patrol but not required. It is about cooking camping, backpacking and kitchen meals, not camping or backpacking. In fact I think it is probably a good idea to practice cooking a backpacking meal before actually trying it out on the trail.
Agreed (I say as a Cooking MB counselor). We created a couple of "cooking MB" teams on a recent campout so that there would not be any limitations on opportunities to cook. Best dutch oven enchiladas, dutch oven mac & cheese, and dutch oven chili - I was waddling by the evening.

 

I do, though, have the backpackers have to hike in their stove and food - only to teach the concept of dried food plus water might or might not be that much lighter than "real" food depending on where you camp. We camp in the dessert a lot, and using a full water bottle to boil isn't always the best choice.

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But what kinda sticks in my craw is that if its so important to take a stand against "what boy scouts has become"' date=' then why is it so darned important to get eagle? My feeling is that if they really had a problem with scouting, they would have left immediately and to heck with the rank. Why should it still be important? I know, I know....so their kids can pad their resume. Just seems so hypocritical. I dont know, maybe its just me. Thoughts?[/quote']

 

I agree with you. You can be on either side of the memberhip issue and think it's hypocritical. I know a couple of families like this but I just keep my mouth shut. I have to pick my battles and this is not the one.

 

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I don't think I could sign off on an Eagle application for a Scout I knew was leaving in January because of the policy change. If I were sitting on an Eagle Board with a young man in that position, I'd ask a lot the questions about exactly what Scouting means to him and why the award would still be meaningful.

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My son and his patrol will probably skew the statistics. Son turns 18 in April. High school senior sending out college applications this month. Finished project and all other requirements about 6 months ago. Turns out one teacher never sent in their letter. Tracked down the missing letter and had SM conference this week. Gay issue and cooking MB have no play in the matter. Been in scouting since Wolf. 11 years of scouting. He is last guy in his patrol to finish up his Eagle. In the last 4 months, three patrol mates also wrapped up their final requirements. All turn 18 within 6 months. All have been in scouting since cubs. Patrol of 9, all earned Eagle with about half within the last year. One member of the patrol has a brother who also earned his Eagle in the same troop couple years ago. Aged out and is now openly Gay.

 

Yeah all will leave scouting in the next several months due to age and in the fall all will head off to college. Amazing and diverse group of young men.

 

Regardless of the reason behind the immediate need to finish up for those lads the original poster is worrying about, the lads will have completed all the requirements just like all other Eagle Scouts. They had to progress through the program and be exposed to the morals, ethics, and adults who live the the life. When they mature and move out into the "real" world they will look back and remember the great times they had as a Scout. Those lads were molded, shaped and matured under a good system. Parents may be pushing them to finish due to the parents reasons but the lads have benefited regardless of the reason driving them to finish now.

 

Not many 15-17 yr olds are willing to tell their parents to stuff it and refuse to finish something the boy probably wants to finish anyway. Looming changes in policy just provide an excuse to finish. I say hold judgement until after the first of the year. Ask the boys who don't return if they miss scouting. If they stayed in long enough and were active enought to earn their Eagle, I bet you all will say they miss scouting.

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My son and his patrol will probably skew the statistics. Son turns 18 in April. High school senior sending out college applications this month. Finished project and all other requirements about 6 months ago. Turns out one teacher never sent in their letter. Tracked down the missing letter and had SM conference this week. Gay issue and cooking MB have no play in the matter. Been in scouting since Wolf. 11 years of scouting. He is last guy in his patrol to finish up his Eagle. In the last 4 months, three patrol mates also wrapped up their final requirements. All turn 18 within 6 months. All have been in scouting since cubs. Patrol of 9, all earned Eagle with about half within the last year. One member of the patrol has a brother who also earned his Eagle in the same troop couple years ago. Aged out and is now openly Gay.

 

Yeah all will leave scouting in the next several months due to age and in the fall all will head off to college. Amazing and diverse group of young men.

 

Regardless of the reason behind the immediate need to finish up for those lads the original poster is worrying about, the lads will have completed all the requirements just like all other Eagle Scouts. They had to progress through the program and be exposed to the morals, ethics, and adults who live the the life. When they mature and move out into the "real" world they will look back and remember the great times they had as a Scout. Those lads were molded, shaped and matured under a good system. Parents may be pushing them to finish due to the parents reasons but the lads have benefited regardless of the reason driving them to finish now.

 

Not many 15-17 yr olds are willing to tell their parents to stuff it and refuse to finish something the boy probably wants to finish anyway. Looming changes in policy just provide an excuse to finish. I say hold judgement until after the first of the year. Ask the boys who don't return if they miss scouting. If they stayed in long enough and were active enought to earn their Eagle, I bet you all will say they miss scouting.

Oh come on resqman; we need to over analyze and make more of things than really needs to be done because National is out to destroy the program. Don't you understand? If you follow the rest of the three or four forums that continue to have regular postings, all of them seem to have axes to grind and are full of "chicken little" pronouncements. Get with the program.
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