Hey Andy,
Our troop is
trying to verify some past Eagle Scouts to get a tally of how many
we’ve had over the years. We have three who are said to be Eagle
Scouts but we can’t find any records to prove it. Is there a
national record somewhere that extends all the way back? (Some of
these Scouts have passed on and no relatives are left.) Thanks!
(Larry Trimble, SM, Troop 420, Junction, TX)
The BSA's national
office in Irving, TX, keeps records of every Eagle Scout all the way
back to Arthur Eldred, the first one! Call them, tell them what
you're seeking, and I'm sure they can help you out!
Hi Andy,
My Boy Scout
son will be going on an overnight campout this weekend where he’ll
be earning his wilderness survival merit badge. My concern is in the
interpretation of the requirement to spend the night in a self-built
shelter. Our Scoutmaster has said that the Scouts will bring nothing
more than two Zip Lok bags filled with what they consider their
“essentials.” My concern is about their not having sleeping bags and
other appropriate gear to guard against the cold and rainy weather
here in western Washington. Our Scoutmaster is a wonderful guy and a
great leader, but we've come to an impasse on this subject. Can you
help clarify the intent and expectations to fulfill this part of the
merit badge requirements? Thank you. (Chris Byron, Troop 561, Chief
Seattle Council, WA)
As a parent and
Scout leader both, I appreciate your concern, and your question’s an
excellent one. Of course, the best person to speak with about your
concern is your own son. The next person in line to speak with is
your son's Scoutmaster (there should be no "impasse"--you're both on
the same "team"!). After all, your son will be in his care, and
certainly can't be consciously placed in an endangered situation.
For instance, I would expect that having a sleeping bag and ground
cloth (water barrier) at the very least in reserve would be
part of the Scoutmaster's overall plan. I'd probably also ask the
Scoutmaster if he's an actual registered counselor for this merit
badge (maybe you already know he is?), and this question certainly
isn't out of line. I'd also check to make sure that, at the very
least, your son has already completed requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
10, 12, and 13 for this merit badge. Finally, Wilderness Survival
requirements 8 and 9 in no way stipulate that the shelter built and
occupied for one night must be sans sleeping bag or ground cloth,
and any intelligent adult sensitive to threatening weather
conditions will have taken this into consideration, and at the very
least have these available in case "Plan B" should become needed.
That said, we do
need to keep in mind that this merit badge is called wilderness
survival and not wilderness camping.
Simultaneously, it’s not “bare-bones survival, either! Moreover,
the weather reports for the greater Seattle area during the time
this will be occurring call for light showers BUT nighttime
temperatures no lower than the mid-40s Fahrenheit. So, for a worst
case scenario, if your son cleverly dresses in layers, preparing for
the coldest temperatures he'll encounter (with wool—not
cotton--socks, gloves, and--most important--ski or other
tight-fitting head cap, makes sure he fat- and carbo-loads before he
goes, and prepares his survival kit accordingly, I really can't
imagine that he won't succeed with flying colors!
Three further thoughts, on which there should be no impasse at all.
For your son's Scoutmaster to consider (and have ready answers
to!)...
- Who will be your
son's buddy? (In Scouting, the Buddy System is a BSA policy, not an
option.)
- On what schedule,
during the night, will he or other adult leaders be checking the
Scouts?
- Where will these
Scouts be setting up their shelters, relative to the balance of
their patrols and troop? (By this, I mean that this is not an
"Order of the Arrow ordeal and camping alone or in isolation, or at
some great distance is not a stated or even implied requirement.)
Dear Andy,
Do you know if
there’s a website that shows the Cub Scout shirts and where the
patches are supposed to go? My son keeps earning patches and I'm
not sure what to do with them. I know some patches do not go on the
uniform, but others do and it would be nice to know where each
should be placed, so we can follow guidelines for patches. (Cub
Mom)
There are two good
sources available to you. The first is the inside back cover of
your son's Cub Scout Handbook. The second is the
downloadable-printable form that you'll find here:
http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/images/pdfs/34282.pdf
I think what's going to happen, by the way, is that you're going to
get your son one of those red Cub Scout patch vests that you'll find
at your local Scout Shop or at here:
www.scoutstuff.org.
NetCommish
Comment: I would also recommend
http://cimarronbsa.org/ScoutShop.asp - you can click on any of
the posters on that page to get a nice view of how the uniform
should look with patches correctly placed. I'll also give them
a plug for having one of the nicer Council websites that makes it
easy to find things.
Dear Andy,
When is a
Scout an Eagle Scout…once he has passed his board or when he has
taken his oath? I’m asking because there’s a Scout in our troop who
passed his board of review three months ago and had his first palm
board last week, but didn’t pass that one because he wasn't prepared
for it (it seems he didn't have the palm portion of his handbook
filled out, which shouldn't have gotten past the Scoutmaster
Conference but when it's the Scoutmaster’s son some of the ASMs are
a little reluctant to not pass him). The Scout has asked for a
re-board in a few weeks (he’s not having his Eagle Court until a
month later) (Name Withheld, Troop Advancement Chair, Chief Seattle
Council, WA)
A Scout attains his
rank on the successful conclusion of his board of review for it.
That's the date that goes in his record and on his card or
certificate. I, for example, successfully completed my board of
review for Eagle on November 11, 1957, and was presented with the
medal, etc., at a court of honor on January 16, 1958. I consider
myself a '57 Eagle; not a '58, and so does the BSA national office,
where all Eagle Scout records are kept.
It’s hardly unusual,
however, for a full three months to pass between an Eagle board of
review and a board of review for the bronze palm, and in this case
once the Eagle medal has been presented at the court of honor, a
presentation of the palm immediately follows in the same court of
honor.
But your statement
about how this Scout, "wasn't 'prepared' for an Eagle palm board of
review" really gets me exercised. Your follow-up explanation that
some weak-livered Assistant Scoutmaster torpedoed this young man by
telling him he was ready for his board of review (and then telling
the board the same thing) knowing full well that, without signatures
or initials in the right places, doom was inevitable. And then the
board confirmed this spineless behavior by dumping on the Scout
instead of calling in the Assistant Scoutmaster* right there, on the
spot, and setting things right. In a word: Deplorable. Shame on
those people. This isn't about "the Scoutmaster's son," this is
about getting it right, or not, and the wrong choices were
made, and shame on them. As advancement chair, how in heck
could you have allowed this to happen!
You and your people
need to get your acts cleaned up a bit before you hurt more Scouts.
* No, a Scoutmaster
or ASM can't be a member of a board of review, but they
absolutely can be called in by the board for any point of
clarification needed.
Hi Andy,
I am a student
of Malmö Art Academy and I am working on a project on human
pyramids. I am trying to find out how this "game" has been and is
used throughout the world. I found your columns and the web site
containing information about how to build one of these structures,
and I am wondering if you could help me with some information,
or redirect me to someone who might have answers for these
questions:
-Is the
concept of human pyramids used widely within the Scouting movement?
-What, in your view, is the purpose and goals of this activity? Do
you see it as an educational practice, and, if yes, what is to be
learnt from it?
-How long has
the practice of human pyramids been a part of your movement?
-Do you know
where it originates or who came up with the idea?
-Does the
human pyramid symbolise something to you personally, or to the Scout
movement, and, if yes, what?
I would
greatly appreciate any answers to these questions! Thank you in
advance for answering. (Ingrid Koslung, Malmö, Sweden)
The "Ten Member
Pyramid" or "Human Pyramid" (and it can be done with groups of six,
also, but it's not quite as challenging) is in the category of
"stunts" or sometimes "initiative games." It can be found described
in detail on page 149 of the book, SILVER BULLETS - A Guide to
Initiative Problems, Adventure Games, and Trust Activities, by
Karl Rohnke (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 4050 Westmark Drive,
Dubuque, Iowa 52002 USA). The copyright date is 1984. It is, I
believe, also available through Project Adventure, Inc., Post Office
Box 100, Hamilton, Massachusetts 01936 USA. Unfortunately, I do not
recall its price, but I'm sure it can be found on
www.amazon.com
The overt object of
this exercise is to "build a symmetrical (equilateral) triangle as
quickly and efficiently as possible." This is the precise language
given as instruction to two or more groups of ten, or six, people,
each. (They are divided into these groups in advance of the
instruction.) The first group to accomplish the task correctly is
the "winner."
The true objectives
of this exercise include (a) how well can people actually listen to
instructions, (b) how well do they organize themselves as a "ream,"
(c) does a "team leader" emerge, and (d) can they think creatively
about a solution.
This is not a game
"invented" by the Boy Scouts; it's "borrowed" and used in
team-building training of leaders (both youth and adult). Many
organizations use this and many other games to teach lessons while
having fun.
There is no
"symbolism" involved here; no "metaphysical" or other meanings.
How long this exercise has been in existence is anyone's guess.
Probably a long time. And the name of whoever originated it is
likely lost somewhere in time.
It's not a
"practice" in the sense of "ritual" or "ceremony," at least not in
the Scouting movement. It's simply a game that teaches lessons, on
reflection after completing the challenge. It's something the
groups can discuss, to better understand their own abilities in
listening, teaming, leading, and being creative or, as we say,
"thinking outside the 'box' or 'envelope'."
By the way, I drove
over the Malmö Bridge within two weeks after it first opened! Isn't
this a delightful coincidence!
Dear Andy,
I became an
Eagle Scout when I was 12 and looking back I think it should be
discouraged. In order to obtain this rank at an early age, a young
man must have a drive to succeed and have support from his adult
leaders. I had a tremendous drive to achieve at that age and when
my Eagle was finished I felt like I had achieved my goal. I did earn
a couple of palms, but after such a built up emotionally to get my
Eagle, palms just didn’t seem like much of an accomplishment. I was
a well-rounded teen so I found challenges in other things such as
science and sports. Scouting fell by the wayside. I hope my
experience is solitary and that other young Eagle Scouts can
continue in leadership roles and inspire others. I was still a
“little kid” in my troop at the time and was given little respect as
a leader. The fact I outranked my peers that were years older than
me caused resentment, I believe. It is a great honor to be an Eagle
Scout and I will be proud of it till I die, but I wish I would have
taken my time and enjoyed just being a Boy Scout. How fast you get
it done doesn’t have anything to do with the quality with which it
is done. I have a three-year-old son and will encourage him to
become a tiger cub and begin a life of Scouting if he so chooses. I
look forward to being there with him and hopefully I can become a
leader in his troop. I just wish I had more stories to tell of my
time in scouting. If I would have taken more time, I believe I would
have had many years of enjoyment and stories as I hope to in years
to come. (Wyantt May)
Sitting on boards of
review for 17 and 18 year old Eagle candidates, I often ask, What
advice would you give to a new Scout who is interested in becoming
an Eagle Scout? They all say exactly the same thing: Do it
as soon as you can; don't wait around!
I get the feeling
that somewhere along the way, someone may have convinced you that
"Eagle is the end of the Scouting trail." Of course, you earned
Palms and discovered, at least partly, that that's not true at all.
And you also became involved in other activities, like sports and so
on, and this is completely normal! I've never yet met an Eagle
Scout whose only interest was Scouts.
Every young man
makes his own course. I read just the other day about James
Calderwood, who is a Scout in Chevy Chase, Maryland. After becoming
an Eagle Scout, James kept up his interest in the merit badges, and
earned all 122 of them! Of course, this isn't about Scouting,
because each merit badge taught him something new, from Atomic
Energy to Dentistry, to Plumbing, to Woodwork. These aren't "Scout
skills;" they're LIFE skills and knowledge! My younger brother was
an Eagle by age 14, and stayed involved till his 18th birthday, and
then dropped away for a while, and then, in his mid-20's came back
to Scouting as an Explorer Advisor. So, everyone's different, and
that's just fine! (Life would be pretty boring if we were all
exactly the same!)
In just a few years
(Tiger Cubs start at age 7, or 1st grade--whichever comes first),
you and your son will start a whole new adventure. THIS is where
your memories and stories will come from. THIS is your next, and
most rewarding, great adventure in Scouting. Do make sure it
happens for your son and you.
Dear Andy,
I’m wondering
if you have a source for Den Leaders to learn more about effective
use of their Den Chiefs? I have a Tiger Cub Den Leader who wants to
have a Den Chief but would like to know what he can expect them to
do during den meetings. Any direction you can point me in would be
helpful. Thanks! (Cathy Friel-Dombeck, Cub Scout Roundtable
Commissioner, Heart of Milwaukee)
Have that TCDL trot
on down to the local Scout Shop and pick up a copy of a book called
The Den Chief Handbook. In there, it tells the Den Chief
just what his responsibilities are, and how to do them. Then, just
do a little "reverse thinking" and it'll all become clear!
Hi Andy,
How fast can a
boy leaving the Bear rank get through Webelos? Much like the 12
year-old Eagle Scout question, it seems possible for a very active
and motivated boy (or group of them) to finish relatively quickly.
Lets say he goes to his district Cub Scout Day Camp and picks up two
or three activity badges in June, and then goes to his council camp
for Webelos in July and earns another three. By earning just one
more in the den in the summer, that boy has earned 5-7 badges by
September! Therefore it doesn't seem to me the limiting factor to be
the badge requirements for such a boy, but rather the age/time
requirements on Arrow of Light, be active for 6 months after turning
10 years old or since completing the 4th grade. Am I correct on
this? And, if so, then based on that, why can't boys cross over in
August-September, assuming they're old enough? Why is the big push
on for February of their 5th Grade year? If the boy can cross over
in September, he could go to a fall camporee and a spring camporee
before summer camp, right? (Damon Edmondson, Bear Den Leader of 6
really eager boys, Pack 629, Atlanta Area Council, Roswell, GA) (WB
92-52 Owl)
The Webelos program
was originally a year long. Then it acquired more stuff and became
a two-year program, ending right about the end of 5th grade.
Neither of these worked terribly well, and in 1989 the 18-month
program was introduced and has been successful ever since.
Webelos Scouts work
on activity badges along with their den members, in den meetings.
Unlike Wolf and Bear, mom and dad are now out of the picture as far
as signing off on requirements is concerned, and the Webelos Den
Leader does this now. A smart and savvy WDL will "choreograph" his
or her den meetings so that by the end of Webelos I the boys in the
den will have earned their Webelos rank and round about December or
so of their Webelos II period, they'll have completed the
requirements for their Arrow of Light rank. At that point, they can
pick up maybe a few more activity badges (only eight of the 20 are
required for AoL, leaving a dozen still available). Then, by
February, they get their AoL and then the graduate into the Boy
Scout troop of their choice.
This program and
timetable works very well. It doesn't overdo it, or "underdo" it,
either! But, it’s not “mandatory.” If some whiz-bang Webelos blows
through the ranks and activity badges, earn his AoL, and wants to be
a ten-year-old Boy Scout, that’s plainly up to him! (I used to be
an Owl…)
Hi Andy,
I recently
attended a Commissioners' training event and heard someone use an
expression that went something like, "Present—Not Invent—Scouting."
Have you heard this or know how it’s properly worded? (Rochelle Ray,
Mohegan Council)
"Present—not
invent—Scouting" – I love it! I don't know where it came from, I
haven't heard it before now, but I LOVE IT! What does it mean? Go
read my column titled, "Are
We Really That Smart."
Dear Andy,
Our
Scoutmaster’s decided to put his own mandatory stipulation on rank
advancement requirements. To advance, in addition to the BSA-stated
requirements, a Scout must:
- Attend two 2
campouts a year
- Help at 1
fundraiser a year
- Do 1 camp
cleanup a year
And, if he’s a
Life Scout, he must attend 3 meetings a month.
The
Scoutmaster will not advance your rank if you don't do these.
I thought a
Scout advanced by meeting the requirements in the Boy Scout
Handbook. Can a Scout actually be held back if he doesn't perform
these additional requirements? I know they’re good ideas, but
unfair if used to keep a Scout from advancing.
(Name
Withheld, MC, Indian Run District, Hawk Mountain Council, PA)
I'd like to believe
that your Scoutmaster is well-intentioned and is trying as best he's
able to deliver the Scouting program. He is, however, very
seriously off the mark.
There is a
longstanding written policy of the Boy Scouts of America that states
this: "No council, district, unit or individual has the
authority to add to or subtract from any advancement requirement."
This is an exact quotation taken from the BSA book, ADVANCEMENT
COMMITTEE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (Catalog No, 33088C).
Clearly, this
Scoutmaster is in violation of this policy if he is doing as you've
described. Any Scout who has completed all of the requirements for
a rank, as stated in his BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK, is absolutely
entitled to his Scoutmaster's Conference, Board of Review, and
advancement in rank. This is not a matter of opinion or
“interpretation.”
Furthermore, with regard to merit badges, any
Scout who submits a merit badge application ("blue card," as they're
sometimes called) with the signature of a registered Merit Badge
Counselor indicating completion of all requirements is entitled to
receive that merit badge without further re-testing or
re-examination of any kind; moreover, no Board of Review is required
for merit badges.
That Scoutmaster absolutely must stop what
he’s doing, immediately.
Dear Andy,
What is the
official color guard verbiage to be used when opening a meeting or
ceremony and closing? (Kim Richter, Wolf DL, Pack 73, Marin County,
CA)
I'm not sure there's
just one actual "official" verbiage when it comes to color guards!
In my brief foray into research on this subject, I've observed that
just about every branch of the military, every ROTC and JROTC
program, the American Legion, and on and on seems to have its own
way of doing and saying things. Although the variations may be
small, they're present, nonetheless! However, one of the better
online descriptions I found comes from the Girl Scouts (go to
http://www.girlscouts-rh.org/docs/ceremonies/flag-generic.pdf).
Using almost all of what's posted there, I'd personally make only
one minor change: Instead of using the word, "retreat," to put the
color guard back amongst the Scouts (after the salute, pledge, and
posting the colors), I'd use the phrase, "Color guard, return to
ranks" (I just have a particular aversion to the notion of
“retreating”!).
Hi Andy,
When my son,
joined a Venturing Crew, didn’t re-register with his Boy Scout
troop. Can he wear his Boy Scout merit badge sash with his
Venturing uniform? He’s earned 51 merit badges and wanted to wear
the sash to his cousin's Eagle Court of Honor.
If I may ask
one more question… He also has four religious awards, two of which
he earned as a Cub Scout. I know that the maximum number of medals
that can be worn at once is five. He always wears his Eagle medal
on formal occasions (Courts of Honor and Scout Shabbat/
Sunday). Can he wear all four religious awards on his uniform, or
just the Boy Scout Ner Tamid and Venturer Etz Chaim medals? (Bob
Stotter, Crew 662, Shaker Heights, Greater Cleveland Council, OH—I
used to be a Fox)
Congratulations to
your son, and may he have lots of new adventures! You may have
discovered a "hole" in the regulations! While it's permissible,
according to the BSA INSIGNIA GUIDE, to wear Boy Scout ranks and
even an Arrow of Light emblem on a Venturing shirt, this guide is
silent on merit badge sashes, except to note that they're a part of
the Boy Scout uniform (i.e., not a part of a Venturer’s uniform).
So, it looks like we may be faced with a judgment call here. We
could note that the color is inconsistent with the Venturing green,
but so is the tan background of Boy Scout rank emblems, and it's OK
to wear a Boy Scout rank emblem on a Venturing shirt, so that won't
work as a guideline. So maybe we need to ask where and when he'd
want to wear it, and would it be "over-dressing"? I think only he
can answer these questions, since there doesn't seem to be a
protocol. But, whatever he decides, he shouldn't decide to wear the
sash folded over his belt!
On medals, the BSA
stipulates that up to five may be worn (formal occasions, of
course), so if your son has earned the Maccabee and Aleph in
addition to the Ner Tamid and Etz Chaim, he's perfectly OK to wear
all four in addition to his Eagle medal – Just be sure they're all
in a single row immediately above the left pocket (not on the
flap). If he begins to earn Venturing awards (Silver, Gold, Quest,
Ranger, etc.) he'll soon need to begin making a decision as to which
five to wear! What a great decision to have to make! (I used to
be an Owl…)
Dear Andy,
About the Cub
Scout Wolf achievement #11 Duty to God #d - Find out how you can
help your church… I have a in my den boy who doesn't belong to any
church due to family situations. How can he meet this requirement?
This is the only achievement he has left to receive his Wolf rank.
Any suggestions would be helpful. He has worked hard to get this
far. (Sammy Kerr, Wolf DL, Punxsutawney, Bucktail Council, PA)
Let's take a look at
ALL of the requirements in the Wolf DUTY TO GOD section...
- Complete the
Character Connection for Faith. Know. What is "faith"?
With your family, discuss some people who have shown their faith
- who have shown an inner strength based on their trust in a
higher power or cause. Discuss the good qualities of these
people. Commit. Discuss these questions with your family:
What problems did these faithful people overcome to follow or
practice their beliefs? What challenges might you face in doing
your duty to God? Who can help you with these challenges?
Practice. Practice your faith while doing the requirements
for "Duty to God."
- Talk with your
family about what they believe is their duty to God.
- Give two ideas
on how you can practice or demonstrate your religious beliefs.
Choose one and do it.
- Find out how
you can help your church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or
religious fellowship.
I'm assuming here
that requirements a, b, and c have been completed, because belonging
to any particular religious organization isn’t necessary for these.
That being the case, and because the BSA is absolutely nonsectarian
when it comes to religion/faith, the good news is that this Cub
Scout can choose ANY church, synagogue, etc. to help! He can visit
the one closest to where he lives, for instance, in order to find
out how he might help. And do keep in mind as you guide his parents
in this that their son needn't actually carry out that help, so long
as he has thought about and articulated what he might do. Of
course, it would be a fine thing if he actually did it, but that's
not part of this requirement, and this is something you will want to
explain to his parents, too. If they have collaborated with him and
initialed the completion of the for three requirements, this should
be an easy stepping-stone.
Of course, YOU are
not signing this boy off on the requirements, right?
Dear Andy,
Where can I
get the metal edge paper buddy tags, I need for our troop? (George
Gooden, Troop 623, Jacksonville, FL)
I've been involved
in aquatics since shortly after the ice age receded, and I've never
seen metal-edged buddy tags. Buddy tags are made of a stiff sort of
paper that can be written on (permanent felt-tip marker, for
instance) and won't decompose if wet. Paper circles that have metal
edges are commonly referred to as key tags; they are most likely not
usable as buddy tags.
If you're looking
for something to use for troop swims while camping, you might want
to consider wood clothes pins, the spring-loaded kind. They cost
under four bucks for 50 (that's 6 to 8 cents apiece), you can mark
them with the Scouts' and leaders' names, and color-code them
according to swimming ability. Plus, they serve "double-duty"
as...clothes pins! (When camping, I try to make a habit of bringing
stuff that has multiple uses whenever I can.)
NetCommish
Comment: Here are three suggestions for you that may help.
1. Plastic
buddy tags from
http://www.rainbowcolorsct.com/BudETaggs.htm - these are blank
and come in a variety of colors. You can get the white ones
and mark the appropriate colors on them with a magic marker.
2. Metal
rimmed paper round tags from
Staples - like the example above they are plain white and you
can add colors with magic marker.
3.
ScoutStuff.org has the
best solution - the official BSA buddy tags. Order one of the
following:
#01595 Cardboard Buddy Tags, Box of 500,
$9.65 per box.
#01594 Fiber (Vulcanized) Buddy Tags, Swimmer, Box of 200, $8.20 per
box.
#01502 Fiber (Vulcanized) Buddy Tags, Boater, Box of 200, $8.20 per
box.
