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2 merit badge questions


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"I know what my choice will be."

 

And there is the rub ijnrsu. Scouting isn't about your choices as an adult is it? It's about the scout learning to make his own choices.

 

The Boy Scout Handbook says that the first step in earning a merit badge is "the scout chooses...". The BSA Advancement Policies and Procedures manual says that a boy can begin working on merit badge at any time after he joins the troop.

 

Perhaps what the troop leaders should consider choosing is for everyone to follow the program.

 

 

Acco,

I never said he should get started. The question that was asked was, which MB he should start with. Not how should he get started.

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

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Touche, I stand corrected Bob. My response was somewhat in jest of course.

 

To all, as adult Boy Scout Leaders we should do our best to NOT try and dampen a boy's spirits. Why on Earth wouldwe tell him he can't or shouldn't work on a merit badge that interests him. Part of the value of the merit badge program is to interest the Scout.

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Thank you, everyone, for your input. My son has been looking at the rank requirements and does want to get them. (Now comes the BUT) But until he learns to swim, he isn't going to go very far. He is working on this but it can be a slow process. Also, since he is homeschooled he can work on them as school projects. This is what we have done in Cub Scouts.

 

 

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This is amazing; my job just got tremendously easier! I had no idea I could do "social engineering" on their Scouting experience. And to think all along that I bought into that hackneyed notion that there were many different paths on the trail to Eagle, and each boy chose his own. No longer do I have to stand idly by as a Scout carries a Basketry partial for two years. Nor do I have to burn the midnight oil with the Advancement chair finding a Coin Collecting counselor just because a Scout wants to earn the badge. From now on, I can determine which badges they earn, and when they earn them. I feel as if a tremendous weight has been lifted from my shoulders!

 

Removing tongue from cheek, I see it like this: I make recommendations to Scouts on the best timing for certain badges, based on their age, maturity level, when it's most conducive for them to work on it (Oceanography? Why not do it at summer camp -- we'll be 5 minutes from Shark's Cove). If I think he's getting in over his head, I'll tell him so. But, the Scout bats last. If he wants to work on the badge, he's getting a blue card. If it's a badge we don't have a counselor for, we'll find him one. And, six months from now, if he was in fact in over his head, we'll talk about that too, and he might have learned a valuable lesson about over-reaching. All that, and in a completely non-consequential environment. Isn't that how we want them to learn these lessons, where it doesn't go in their permanent record? I don't see any sense in micromanaging their Scout careers just to shield them from a harmless mistake that doesn't impact anyone else. A blue card's 8 cents; if it's a matter of principle, you could ask him to reimburse the Troop if he doesn't finish the badge. Or, why not let him carry the partial until he's finished; he's got until he's 18, right?

 

KS

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Now I am sorry I opened my mouth and created this can of worms. It was only food for thought.

 

Yes I do know BSA Policy for Advancement. I also know that on the bottom of the blue MB card the SM is giving their approval for the Scout to work on that MB. In effect BSA leaves it up to each Unit to decide what to do. BSA Policy for Advancement never has said can't do this or you can't do that. It is their legal way of putting the onus back to the Unit. Why do you think each Unit has a seperate Charter? Because it makes you a seperate legal entity from them. It is the same reason why they can't specifically tell a Unit Leader what to do. Why is it called Policy for Advancement or Guide to Safe Scouting? Because that allows each Unit to fit it to their specific needs. That way BSA or NATIONAL can't be sued because Unit A in Maine has 5 weekend camping trips in a year while Unit B in Nevada has 10. I learned most of this years ago while serving as a District Commissioner.

 

This "policy" was instituted to end the utter chaos the Unit was in. The ASM,Troop Committee Chair and 2 Troop Committee members wanted to work on MB's exclusively. They were not concerned with the time requirements for 1st Class and above. The other 3 Troop Committee members wanted to work on basic Advancement. This split of course flowed straight down to the boys themselves.

 

This Unit was started 30 months earlier by 2 Webelos Den Leaders with 16 boys. Who wanted to stay involved with their boys but had been told by the only other Scout Unit in town "we will take the boys but we don't need any more Adults". My son had crossed over with 6 other boys 12 months earlier. By talking with different parents I found out that 7 boys transferred out of the Unit did so because basic Boy Scout advancement was NOT being done. At this point there were 12 boys left. Of the original 16 boys 8 were left, no one was above 1st Class. In fact 3 were still 2nd Class but they had about 20 MB's between them. The Unit was going nowhere fast. Yes we did lose those 3 boys within 6 months.

 

Do we "hold" a boy back probably,for about 8 weeks which is about the time it now takes to reach 2nd Class. Is it detrimental to the boy,that is open to debate.

 

I see the results over the last 8 years, a Troop of 12 that was floundering to one of 27 with 3 active Eagles and 2 more before this year ends. Six Eagles including both of my boys who are now ASM's. Summer camp now with 90% participation. Five consecutive quality unit awards. Boys crossing over in March and walking out of summer camp with up to 5 MB's.

 

At our annual parents meeting this policy is brought up. The consensus has always been the same,leave it alone. The vast majority believe that it gives the boy time to adjust in the transition from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.

 

Now that you know the whole history and considering what was happening. You tell me if we were right or wrong.

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You are still wrong, no amount of rationalization will make a wrong right. All your explanation tells me is a group of adults can't/won't run a program like they promised they would. Was a new scout patrol program ever done? Why was the committee promoting either merit badges or advancement, what did the boys want to do, did anybody care to ask?

 

This stuff just makes me go beserk!

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Ijnrsu,

"In effect BSA leaves it up to each Unit to decide what to do. BSA Policy for Advancement never has said can't do this or you can't do that."

 

Where did you ever get that impression? Have you ever read the BSA Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures manual? There are all kinds of regulations governing advancement, and you seem to be in violation of most of them.

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Lemme see, I am a 11 year old kid, I love model rockets, space and all kids of science. I am not to crazy about the outdoors, but its alright. I join Boy Scouts because I want to buils a model rocket for the Space Exploration Merit badge and I want to do Chemistry and Physics and what do you mean I have to wait until first class! Thats not written anywhere,I quit

 

Yeah, makes sense

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"This 'policy' was instituted to end the utter chaos the Unit was in. The ASM,Troop Committee Chair and 2 Troop Committee members wanted to work on MB's exclusively."

 

That does sound like chaos all right. But if your problem was using meeting time to work on merit badges instead of skills instruction, the solution is not to prevent boys from earning merit badges. The solution is to follow the BSA program and remove merit badges from meetings.

 

Boys will advance if meetings are planned utilizing skills instruction. The Scoutmaster Handbook has a good discussion on meeting plans. Boys that want to work on merit badges can do so outside of meetings. A troop policy of saying "NO" to a boy is counter productive.

 

The best troop policy is to follow the BSA program, because it works best.

 

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"Also remember that service hours used for 1 requirement can't be used again for another."

 

Sez who? Some requirements prohibit "double-dipping," others don't. If the MBC is willing to accept the same service hours that were used for rank for the Camping conservation project (for example), I'm not aware of any rule against it.

 

I would like to echo the idea somebody raised that it is appropriate to counsel scouts on what MBs to do and when--often they are looking for such advice. For example, we advise scouts to do Swimming and Lifesaving at camp if possible, because it's difficult to arrange it otherwise around here.

 

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My guess would be, if scouts are asking to work on merit badges,is that they are not having very interesting or very fun meetings and they are looking for a solution. Its good that they want a solutio but they are looking to the wrong program element to solve their problem.

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Encourage them to start when they join. The SM and SPL should sit with the new scout or scouts and explain the entire advancement system. This includes how to start working on a Merit badge, completing rank requirements or what the purpose of a BOR is. The PLC with guidence from the SM and ASMs should utilize the program guides for meeting and outing activities. Each of these themed programs say what advancement opportunities are available. By following the program outlines a troop can fulfill the advancement and scout skill needs of the whole troop. The scout has to take the initiative to seek out the counselor and get a Blue card to work on and earn a merit badge. Wood Carving, gets the boy to earn his Totin Chip as well.

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Our boys who have reached 1st Class work on badges part of our troop meeting. The other boys are working on rank advancement. I work with the rank group and will borrow one of the other boys to come and help me at times.

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