what does "6 months active in Troop" mean?

[SR540Beaver 116]

OGE,

 

He served two terms as ASPL, but did the SM credit him for the service? We don't know from the info offered if he served "successfully" or not. If he is only there half the time or less, how could he fulfill his responsibilities without someone else doing his job for him?

 

APL is not a creditible position for rank. My son's APL plays football and wrestles. In the last 6 months, I've seen him at one (maybe two) campouts and a handful of meetings. His attendance was sporadic enough that my son was named "acting APL" when the real APL wasn't around. We just went thru elections two weeks ago and my son is now officially the APL for the patrol. Had APL been a creditible position, the old APL would have been replaced and would not have been given credit.

 

Right or wrong, our PLC created requirements and expectations of leadership long before we joined the troop. Boys fill out an "application" listing the offices they are qualified for and would be willing to serve in. This aids in the creation of ballots and gives the SPL a list of who to select from for appointed positions. They sign it agreeing to make the commitment if elected or appointed (depends on the position) and a parent signs it stating that they will support the commitment. This gives us a strong and committed leadership group that we can count on. Another condition of getting the position is attending the troop JLT. For senior leadership positions, they are allowed one missed outing. Junior positions get two. All of this is known up front and agreed to. We are a boy led troop that runs around 40 boys per meeting and we have 16 Webelos crossing over in the next week or two. The success of our troop depends on the commitment of the boy leadership and our training them in leadership. That can't happen if they are not there.

 

Before anyone thinks we are too cold hearted, the SM does utilize his ability to assign a project to a scout who has waited until the last minute for Eagle and needs leadership to get it.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

SR540Beaver

 

The original post says:

"...His Scoutmaster is considering whether or not to sign off on the "active in troop" requirement for Eagle until he goes on at least 3 campouts in a 6 month period and attends troop meetings..."

 

No mention was made about showing leadership, the scoutmaster just wants him to be "active", if it was a POR issue, that would be given as the reason.

 

If the scout would have gotten his Eagle done after one of the ASPL terms and then left the troop, would he be a better role model to the younger scouts than having them see a boy scout be in theatre and be an all state chorus member? Being able to say, "hey I am in the same troop as hellomom's son and he is an Eagle scout" would be a huge ego boost to the younger guys

 

 

[evmori 11]

The scout has served 2 terms as ASPL, and would have had to be active to successfully have completed the terms.

 

You don't know this. Maybe he didn't do a thing. It's possible since he has only attended 17 Troop meetings in 18 months.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[jr56 92]

This topic has been beaten to death on several posts recently. The best ideas I have gotten out of all the posts, was to have the SM meet with a boy whenever he starts working on the next rank, and have the boy define what he feels is doing his best to be active. When the time comes around for the next SM conference, review the boys goal with him

and let him be the judge if he met it.

[SWScouter 34]

I hope this doesn't detract from this thread too much, but I have a couple of questions from SR540Beaver's post.

 

"We just went thru elections two weeks ago and my son is now officially the APL for the patrol."

 

Isn't APL selected by the PL? Or was a new PL elected and he assigned your son as APL?

 

"Right or wrong, our PLC created requirements and expectations of leadership long before we joined the troop."

 

I get the impression that APL is considered part of the PLC in the troop. Is that the case? I thought only SPL, ASPL, PL, and Troop Guides for New Scout Patrols were a part of the PLC. Of course, if a PL cannot attend a PLC meeting, then the APL should attend in his place.

 

"the SM does utilize his ability to assign a project to a scout who has waited until the last minute for Eagle and needs leadership to get it."

 

I didn't think that the SM can assign a leadership project in lieu of a POR for Eagle. Isn't that only for Star and Life?

 

I hope these questions don't seem picky, but I'd really like to know how things are/should be.

 

Thanks,

SWScouter

[SR540Beaver 116]

"Isn't APL selected by the PL? Or was a new PL elected and he assigned your son as APL?"

 

Yes, after the PL was elected, he appointed my son APL.

 

"I get the impression that APL is considered part of the PLC in the troop. Is that the case? I thought only SPL, ASPL, PL, and Troop Guides for New Scout Patrols were a part of the PLC. Of course, if a PL cannot attend a PLC meeting, then the APL should attend in his place."

 

I didn't mean to give that impression. Our APL's do not attend the PLC except in the absence of the PL.

 

"I didn't think that the SM can assign a leadership project in lieu of a POR for Eagle. Isn't that only for Star and Life?"

 

My son is turning 13 and just earned Star. I have not dealt with Eagle before. I may have spoken out of turn. The bottom line is our SM can and has assigned a project to meet leadership requirments before instead of a boy holding a POR. At what particular point in a boy's advancement, I don't know.

 

Sorry for any confusion. I was just using the situation in my son's patrol of having an APL who chose other activites over scouting and was not present very often. As I stated, if the position "could" be counted for rank like ASPL, he wouldn't not have been signed off. But all of that is discussed with the boy before hand and agreed to.