Son went to camp on crutches

[zuzy 23]

Hi all, son went to camp on crutches and did great. Wished he could say he had a good time, ASM was on him the whole week because he,did not agree with the golf cart. Also made the whole week miserable for the entire troop. Son says,ASM makes them do everything perfect and cannot have any fun.....he so wants to eagle and find a new troop.

 

Speaking of Eagle...son turned 15 today. Has all badges needed, has project done, written, and signed by SM. ASM at camp belittled my son, he is the SPL and told the SM that he did not agree that son is,EAGLE material. He is toooooo young and does not believe in young Eagles. NOW SM is giving son a hard time. All son needs is SMC and board of review before turning in paperwork. SM is not,available this next meeting, all of a sudden for SMC and then it will be another two weeks to get that. Then the board of review.

 

Is it typical for all of this to take sooo long you get things done? It just seems like these people are saying without saying it, that we will get around to you when we get around to you, whats,the hurry.

 

I am afraid that SM is playing games with son, and it is making me ughhhh.

 

What do you think?

[NJCubScouter 1389]

So what does that mean, "not available"? Does that mean the SM will be missing the next 3 meetings? (Assuming you have troop meetings in July and August, we do not.)

 

My opinion is that if there is a definite set date for the SM Conference in three weeks, and your son just turned 15, that's ok.  (Still time to get 11 palms if he timed it right, assuming he wants to end up with 76 merit badges.  We had a kid get about 70 once, but I digress...)

 

If, however, there is no set date and your son is getting the runaround, maybe it is time for him (that's him, not you) to decide what he wants to do.  If all that remains is the SMC and BOR, I believe the Guide to Advancement would permit an application for Eagle "under disputed circumstances" if the foot-dragging carries on too long.  (In my council, once the SMC is done the BOR wouldn't be an issue, because the Scout schedules that directly with the District Advancement Chair, not with anyone in the troop.  Members of the troop committee are then invited to participate on the date selected, and the SM is invited to attend and introduce the Scout, but the troop-level leaders have nothing to do with setting the date.  They do have to sign the application, and if they don't, that takes us back to the Under Disputed Circumstances chapter of the BSA Advancement Lawbook Guide to Advancement.)

Edited July 6, 2016 by NJCubScouter

[zuzy 23]

SM said he will be out of town the day of this,weeks meeting. Wants to schedule a PLC on thec14th. Plcs are usually Mondays. Told son maybe they could talk then . BUT son has a basketball tournament 1 hour away that evening and won't be able to attend plc....sigh.

[MrBob 96]

Sounds like ASM KillJoy needs to take off the campaign hat and be reminded that BSA Summer Camp isn't USMC Boot Camp.

[JosephMD 38]

I wouldn't worry about a couple of weeks if he hadn't taken the opprotunity during the previous six months, especially if basketball takes priority.  He should schedule his scoutmaster conference at the next time that it is convienent for both of them.  If the SM will not set a schedule, then, it is time to go to the distirict or council under disputed circumstances. In most cases, this will take several weeks, or even months, but committees have to meet, they have to make a determination, all of that takes time, they are just volunteers. 

[desertrat77 1144]

As a scout I attended summer camp one year with a SM and ASM who were perfectionists and put down artists.   Miserable week.   But we still had fun, away from the campsite (where those two donkeys spent most of their time).

 

There is pride in endurance.   Hang in there, it will be worth it.

Edited July 7, 2016 by desertrat77

[zuzy 23]

Basketball doesn't really take priority. Plcs have been on Mondays and this,adult run troop now wants to schedule one for a Thursday on the 14th which just so happens to be an away school basketball tournament that was scheduled in April.

 

It has gone this way for the past 4 years. Sports says they want priority and Scouts says they want priority. Son is on the Eagle door and SM is not making it easy.

 

Yes, I understand all these people are volunteers, but there could be at least a rhyme or reason to doing things. This troop seems to operate on whims.

[JosephMD 38]

15 is not a young eagle, considering one could earn eagle before they are even 12 if they join when they are 10 1/2. It takes 17 months, that's it.  Of course, it will probably take most longer.  My son seems to be on track for earning Eagle at 14, still has personal management, fitness, & family life, all of which he has started, and a project to do.  His goal is to have is Eagle Court of Honor before he goes to the National Jamboree in July of 2017 (he'll be 15 in March). 

 

I know a scout who earned Eagle at 12, he might have been young, but nobody would look at this scout and say he wasn't Eagle material.

[SSScout 1615]

The Scout must make his own way.  He will be an Eagle someday, maybe not next week, but it will happen.   He will decide how to make it happen.  Basketball?  Scouts?  Room for each , a little give and bend.   Coach will understand if Scout is a little late to a game. Scout and SM will arrange for the SMC, at a PLC?  At a Coffee shop?  Mutually agreeable site. (YPpolicy governs) . And, as has been said, the EBoR is , in most Districts,  not a Troop thing, but a District (or even Council thing).  Find out from Eagle coordinator (should be listed in District hierarchy) how to schedule.   Usually, SM or his designee escorts Eagle candidate to the site and introduces the candidate to the BoR, and then steps out.   Troop CCMs may or may not be formally invited, but usually other Scout parents are invited to participate.  But no one from the Scout's own family or Troop may participate  in HIS EBoR.

 

Yeah, it may seem like things are glacial, but it will happen.  As us Quakers like to say,  "way will open", when it should.  Let your Scout know you support him, but let him deal with it.   He is, after all, an Eagle to be.... 

 

By the way, what was his project? 

[qwazse 4342]

Missed opportunities on the adults' part.

The biggest: if at all possible, we have SMCs at camp.

 

That said, these administrative delays are minor. Your boy has a chaotic schedule that simply doesn't flex with his troop.

 

It wasn't working AT ALL with his other troop.

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

I would suggest having your son (not you) make his SMC requests in writing (email) and cc: the CC in preparation for kicking it up to Council. But he has to meet whatever the local troops attendance rules, etc are. Too much Mickey Mouse here...as a career ASM I would never tell a boy he is not Eagle Material...I have kept a few thoughts to myself. In retrospect half the time I was wrong anyway.

 

Your son will get there.

 

Wish me luck, Son #1 has his EBOR tonight!

[zuzy 23]

You are quite right Qwase, the schedule did not work at all at the last troop.  Thanks for the check

 

Just an impatient mama here.  Could not do SMC at camp because all the blue cards were not registered at council.  They were supposed to be, but the last one was held up.  Still is not registered.  He turned it in to SM on the 6th of June and Advancement chair nabbed it on the 7th and she said she would register it while they were at camp.  Changed her mind and said she will do it after the committee meeting this week with all other badges earned at camp.  So, still kind of waaitng on last Eagle Family LIfe badge to be registered and good to go.  Guess son was all dress and everything at camp, but could not do the SMC because of this faux pas.. 

[desertrat77 1144]

 

Wish me luck, Son #1 has his EBOR tonight!

 

Good luck, and please update us with the good news later tonight!

[zuzy 23]

Good Luck my friend!!

[MrBob 96]

Could not do SMC at camp because all the blue cards were not registered at council.  

 

I would not have held-up an SMC just because some paper-pusher didn't push a piece of paper.  The merit badge is earned once the MBC signs it, not once the Council decides to do data entry.