I have beads, a couple rows of knots, DAM being one of them, and all the COH's I have attended, only two got me out of my chair in the audience, During ECOH's I was called up to receive the boy's Mentor pin.  

 

At the call out campfire a couple of weekends ago, they asked if the Ordeal, Brotherhood and Vigil members to stand.  My ASM asked me why I didn't stand.  I just smiled and said, this is for the boys.  If they want to know what level I am in in OA all they need do is ask.  It was interesting that the all the Vigil members were adults.  

  It was interesting that the all the Vigil members were adults.  

 That is true!

Edited May 17, 201511 yr by desertrat77

In fairness if a youth becomes an OA member at 14 he not eligible for vigil until he's 17. At which point he's a year from leaving the program. So it's really no surprise now is it?

Edited May 17, 201511 yr by dcsimmons

I'm curious, anyone have the history of adult awards in scouting? I doubt there's a definitive guide, but the creation and evolution (see what I did there?) of adult awards in scouting would be an interesting read.

 

Frankly, I'd like to see awards given and or voted on by the boys for the adults. THAT would mean more than anything given by adding adults. Boy-led should mean in all aspects of the program, no?

In fairness if a youth becomes an OA member at 14 he not eligible for vigil until he's 17. At which point he's a year from leaving the program. So it's really no surprise now is it?

Okay:   very few young people, scouts or scouters, are Vigil.   Most seem to be of the "very seasoned" set.

In fairness if a youth becomes an OA member at 14 he not eligible for vigil until he's 17. At which point he's a year from leaving the program. So it's really no surprise now is it?

 

It is when the adult vigil members including the drummer for the event are all adults and three boys 2 in costume, one not, do the ceremony.  The OA boys were outnumbered big time.  I'm not counting myself in the OA adults that night, just the adults involved with the tap-out ceremony that came in to make it happen.  It only emphasized the decline of our council's lodge over the past 20 years.

I'm curious, anyone have the history of adult awards in scouting? I doubt there's a definitive guide, but the creation and evolution (see what I did there?) of adult awards in scouting would be an interesting read.

 

Frankly, I'd like to see awards given and or voted on by the boys for the adults. THAT would mean more than anything given by adding adults. Boy-led should mean in all aspects of the program, no?

I couldn't care less about the history of adult awards but I think that idea of boys deciding the awards is an OUTSTANDING idea! Yes, 'boy-led' should mean in all aspects of the program. Great Idea!

Edited May 17, 201511 yr by "Q"

I'm curious, anyone have the history of adult awards in scouting? I doubt there's a definitive guide, but the creation and evolution (see what I did there?) of adult awards in scouting would be an interesting read.

 

Frankly, I'd like to see awards given and or voted on by the boys for the adults. THAT would mean more than anything given by adding adults. Boy-led should mean in all aspects of the program, no?

yep, sure would be.

 

I would say this current set of awards.... well at least the few I've looked into hoping to find some way to recognize my den leaders... are a disappointment since some of the requirements are things that are outside of the scouter's control.  They seem like something cooked up around a big corporation's mid level management's conference room table.

 

I do like your idea of a system of official awards given from the boys.

I couldn't care less about the history of adult awards but I think that idea of boys deciding the awards is an OUTSTANDING idea! Yes, 'boy-led' should mean in all aspects of the program. Great Idea!

The reason I'm interested is because I think the adult awards are linked to the decline in scouter enrollment and participation. I'm curious if there were started as a means of adult retention.

The unit leader award of merit, for Scoutmasters at least, requires a letter from the SPL by way of nomination:

 

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-003_wb.pdf

 

I think that's what makes that award neat.  It comes from the Scouts.

Edited May 17, 201511 yr by LeCastor

The reason I'm interested is because I think the adult awards are linked to the decline in scouter enrollment and participation. I'm curious if there were started as a means of adult retention.

Yeah, that makes sense.

The reason I'm interested is because I think the adult awards are linked to the decline in scouter enrollment and participation. I'm curious if there were started as a means of adult retention.

 

Not sure about the numbers for adult participation around here.  The focus has been on the loss of youth.  

 

The issuance of awards to adults in my councils has steadily declined over the last twenty-five.  The two Scout shops  combined sell less than ten Scouter's Key or Scouter's Training Awards medals per year.  I am repeatedly told by Scouters on the respective committees that have to beg for nominations for DAM and SB.  

 

My two districts have no one responsible for adult recognition as was once the practice.  (But one has no training chair or roundtable commissioners, so .....)

 

The only training on recognition of adults is in the "other" category at universities of Scouting or the like. I did it once, and the seventeen participants seems amazed at the list of possible awards. None complained about the just-announced elimination of four Cub adult awards, thoughtful the majority were Cubbers,

Bad Wolf gets an extra large brownie point!!

Having the boys decide on adult awards would apply lots of leverage in good ways.

 

1- Adults would wear the awards.  The boys that awarded you the patch would see if you wore it.  Then you would be setting an example.  (As opposed to wearing knots at RT where it's mostly social pecking.)

2- District personnel could come to the units for nominations/elections - and actually be SEEN at the unit level other than FOS... 

IMHO, one reason why old fogey Vigils outnumber youth Vigils is that we all get older.  I know I got Vigil as an OA youth, but a Boy Scout Adult. Yep I was a "G.A.S.er " (Gray Area Scouter) once.

 

Now I'm just an old fogey.

IMHO, one reason why old fogey Vigils outnumber youth Vigils is that we all get older.  I know I got Vigil as an OA youth, but a Boy Scout Adult. Yep I was a "G.A.S.er " (Gray Area Scouter) once.

 

Now I'm just an old fogey.

Eagle, I'm all for those young adult scouters getting Vigil...but it seems to be quite rare these days.   In fact, that should be the bulk of the Vigil candidates.  Just seems that Vigil has turned into another Silver Beaver or "gold watch for the old guy" award.