Scout Rank and Rewards

[sctmom 11]

Eagle74, I think you explain it very well. Thanks for you post.

 

I have worked in the computer industry for over 17 years. The situation often arises in corporate America where a younger person is the manager. Or the younger person is the guru and the older manager isn't really a computer type. It is very hard for some adults to except.

 

When I was in my mid-20's I worked as a civilian on an Air Force Base. I also worked with a lot of retired military (officers and enlisted). The enlisted men were all about 40 at the time. They were very uncomfortable with us mid-20-year-olds not jumping every time they said to do something. They were not our bosses. We respected their knowledge of the "business" and felt they should expect our knowledge of the computers. One day one of the older guys said "If we were in the military, I would be your boss because I'm older than you." Then someone pointed out "No you would not because I have a college degree, I would most likely be an officer." We got along much better after that.

 

[KoreaScouter 13]

The "social Darwinism" described here is, in my opinion, less prevalent in a well-run Scout troop than it is in a typical school, sports team, neighborhood, family, etc. And, when I've seen it pervasive enough that it gets my attention, it's almost always based on age and/or size rather than a rank or position.

 

Older/larger boys will often feel entitled to order younger/smaller ones about. Watch a playground for an hour and you'll see. In a Scout troop, however, authority is derived from position, and it's a position the Scout was elected to by his Troop/patrol members -- extra legitimacy. All leaders should be alert for "dominating" behavior by older Scouts, especially if it's outside the purview of the PLC. The venture patrol option exists to permit the older Scouts to enjoy age-appropriate activities, separate from the younger Scouts, without them feeling left out or watching from a distance.

 

I'll be the first to admit that awkward situations can arise when an older or higher ranking Scout has to follow the directions of a younger or junior ranking Scout who happens to be a green bar. As mentioned, that's real life, and most Scouts understand it and deal with it well.

 

KS